picy sauce wafted across the kitchen, with Nana cutting the
f the magazine where faces of handsome models were portrayed. This
the girls in my class ca
ed men, girl?" Nana asked, glancing a
king. And why not? They'r
young lady? And those men," she said, taking the magazine from my hand, "th
forehead. "What'
you when you come of age." Dropping the magazine, she leaned in, her
y turn to sc
d things to her? She is too young for that." Nana rolled her eyes go
those men hot," mumbled Nana sar
hter's displeasing remark. "It doesn't matter if the man has hair on his chest or not, handsome or not, rich or poor. What matters is, if he is a good ma
nce, Mom?" My wide curious e
n at me. "Soon, baby. Y
ght only got hazier. Her distant voice drifted to my ear, but I couldn't seem
ike a gust of wind somewhere from an un
nd darkness towards the rays of bright light that danced across my closed eyel
roll around the house, until her sweet yet al
fia! Honey
y groan came ou
e. Small beams of sunlight were coming through the gap of the cl
paler than usual, as her alarmed hazel eyes met my g
up! We need to
brows. "Mom, what's wron
n I hea
e hair of the back of my neck stand up. Chilled goosebumps cr
pening?" my voice
ands trembling as she urged me to get down from the bed. "T-they attacked us out of nowhere. Th
! Not
y. Faint sounds of gunfir
I hear th
emi soundp
d her hand in mine. "Let's go to Da
dy there. I came to wake you
around, I ran to my side table and opened the first drawer. Wit
ax gave me for t
her hand again, we
g my heart stop in my chest along our steps. My f
ia?
lief when we sa
out of us!" I placed a hand on m
sweat adorned his forehead where some strands of his hair were scattered across. His face was
veryone is waiting for us," he said, ushe
using Mom to gasp. The smell of gunpowder and smoke was heavy in the air,
my chest, shivers of d
into t
stopping them. We just need to reach Dad's study, and then we will be fine."
ted the gesture with a small nod of mine n
ou've got this! At le
my arm tightly. I didn't know whom she
corner urging me to cover my ears, vivid co
They ar
osed the door behind us along with
his warm hug. "Are you guys alright?"
e're fine, d
y shouldn't have known about this place." A muscle of his jaw ticked as he glanced at the closed door. "Anyway
the tight jaw and the darkness of his eyes told otherwise. "But now, we need to move. They
upboard that stood behind the huge desk. It seemed to weig
ed, revealed a
slide open with a groan, once Dad pulled a sm
of the way, a high-tech me
a secret passage.
t plain wall until they bash their knuckles on every
started to jostle with furious pounding landing on it. T
d up as I glan
ching Dad's arm as if her
Dad hissed throug
e through the door that was moving violently now, the latch of the door was
unding of my own heart reached my ears as sweat trickled down my spine. Suddenly, I
positions before us rais
to the door, and as soon as it signalled green, the metal
inside the passage. "S
sides as flashbacks from the past flashed across my
uld see
blo
iting for? We have to
inside before following himself. After we were all in, the guards swif
ming on the floor with a thud. But thankfully, the m
y shaky breaths whil
, they won't be able to open it," Max said. "Now let'
h the dark passage with
o keep myself together. The guards who were walking ahead of us, flashed their torches to show us our way. Sharp stench of rot a
e in a side hug. "Don't worry, princess, we will
" I gave him
a normal rhythm by now, the
lding with no occupant in it. It was empty. We silently walked
ome more of Dad's men came into our view, sta
vehicles, we drove away from that plac
*
crying! We'
back seat. "We will never be safe. We never were, and never will be
om the front seat, while M
en to my family. I'm tired of always looking over my should
escape from your enemies no matter how far you go or how noble you become. The hungry wo
iffled
ad was right. He couldn't leave that world. It was too late for that. Even if an ordinary member walks out of the gang, he le
nt a peaceful life with you guys, but I have to stay in this business to protect our famil
e went silent. Mom threw concerned glances at me as her hand tighte
I wa
cage, right under my chest. Nine years, and those
yes set on the road, cutting the uncomfortable tension in the ai
it?" Da
rything is alright now," Max
handle them. Otherwise they would've found some way to locate
crease formed
I mean, our escape. Some
vicious. But this time...and these attacks had stopped
p," Dad noted, an unreadable
it a trap to get us out
There isn't any trap.
Alex looked at Dad,
the realization set in. My ey
onstration of what
*
re products of the author's imagination. They don't have any affects in real lif