An oppressive hush enveloped the room like a shroud, a frightening kind of silence. Wisps of smoke diffused languidly, weaving through the dimly lit living room, their tendrils ascending towards the oppressive silence that clung to the air. Paolo, his gaze obscured by the haze, exhaled, sending out more wisps of smoke, the cigarette dangling from his fingers like an extension of his brooding demeanor. A palpable tension lingered. Paolo, seated on his couch, stared lethally at his kneeling staff lined up before him.He stood up suddenly, putting out his cigarette on the ashtray by his side. He rubbed his moustache slowly and the room was caught up in tension.“I have looked all over”.. he said, pausing momentarily. He looked at his staff.“I have looked all over for my wife and my Godforsaken daughter! I have searched every inch of this town. No one has claimed to even as much as to have sighted any of them.”He walked back and forth, taking each step slowly. He held up a small disk ta

Luna poured the hot water over her custard mixture, carefully. She stirred it, holding her breath, praying that it thickened thickly. “Ahhh…”, Luna breathed out in relief. She added the milk from the jug and mixed it in the bowl evenly. Placing some cornetto by the side, she set up the plates. Her mother sat on the verandah, listening to the early chirping of the birds.Isabella had helped herself onto a normal chair in the morning which meant she was recovering fast. The pain on her side still hurt though, but it was healing fast and she didn't even feel the need to take the pain killers. Isabella closed her eyes, taking the beautiful natural scenery before her, the serenity of it all, the calmness it provided to her spirit. Not once, in her over ten years of marriage, had she experienced such rare tranquillity. She'd needed a therapist to give her only a temporary glimpse of this. It was a feeling she hardly ever dreamed of.The creaking sound of the opening of their front door

The curtains, adorned with a quiet elegance, hung in graceful folds, allowing a gentle cascade of sunlight to filter into Luna's bedroom. The luminous rays painted complimented her bedroom walls, their colour transforming into a dazzling spectacle as they absorbed and reflected the brightness. In contrast to the cheerful ambiance that enveloped the room, Luna's demeanour remained unchanged, an expressionless face on her. Luna sat in front of the mirror, a stark contrast to the vibrancy surrounding her. Her gaze, distant and cold, met the reflection that stared back at her, her face as pale as a ghost. Her eyes, once vibrant orbs, now bore the weight of deep, haunting circles that served as silent witnesses to countless sleepless nights. The circles etched beneath her eyes, circles that told stories of insomnia, a relentless companion that refused to grant her the solace of rest. She'd cried but her tears had lacked the tumultuous surge of emotion; instead, they traced a solitary pat

Asher smelt the parfait and shifted back immediately. There was definitely cinnamon.“How'd you know?”“I have similar allergies. I recognized there were small amounts of cinnamon in the bruschetta. I get strong nostalgia when I eat anything cinnamon and when I did, I stopped. But you had loads so I noticed the puffiness in your face. Do you have your injection?”“I think it's upstairs”, Asher said, but he was starting to feel dizzy. She shoved hers into his pocket.“Thanks”Asher stumbled to bathroom and brought out the injection. His eyes whirled, the place starting to get blurry. Sharply, he injected himself. He slumped to the bathroom floor, breathing heavily.“Where's Emilio, Luna?”, Maria asked, noticing she was alone.“He went upstairs”She smiled and went up the stairs in search of him. Luckily for her, his room door was open. She brought out the hidden knife from her boubou. She opened the bathroom door slowly but it was totally empty.“In search of something ma'am”, Garfy as

“Arghh!” Luna's agonised cry reverberated through the room as she crashed onto the unforgiving floor. The air hung heavy with tension, and Paolo's face contorted with anger. With a swift, forceful motion, he yanked Luna back to her feet, his grip unrelenting. The room seemed to pulse with an eerie silence, broken only by the sharp sound of Paolo's hand delivering a punishing slap across Luna's face, leaving a stinging imprint. The atmosphere lingered, thick with a mix of pain, fear, and the unsettling aftermath of a violent encounter.“Arghh!”. Blood trickled out of her mouth. She panted heavily, failing to get up as she tried. “Don't you ever disrespect me like that! You hear me?”“Knock, knock”Paolo turned to see who was at the door. Asher stood outside at their front door made of glass. Paolo was shocked to see Asher.“Get upstairs!! Fast” Quickly recovering himself, he went to get the door himself. The door was glass so he was sure Emilio hadn't heard or even seen anything. He h