FIRST ESCAPE ATTEMPT
A week had passed since Heather had learned her fortune. Tears brimmed in her beautiful, brown glass-like eyes and flowed down her high-cheeked bones when she recalled what her dad had said over the phone.
"I'm sorry, sweatheart. I know I and your mother failed you as parents, but we had no other option. Growing up, you saw how people looked down on us because we were poor. When I heard that there was a man who bought humans in exchange for money, I sold you, dear. I wanted to raise our social class. I'm so sorry." Her dad told him when he called him to inquire if what Alejendro had said was true.
She badly wanted to call Pete and tell her how she was fairing. She wanted to tell her she was right since the very first day she doubted her parents, but unluckily, she couldn't do that any more. All her belongings were taken, including her smartphone.
She curled up in a foetal position on the dusty ground as more tears streamed down her cheeks.Since she came to learn her dad had sold her off, she has been crying non-stop. Her eyes were now puffy and red; her whole face was swollen. Every now and then, tremors broke out across her body. Though Alejendro had yet to do anything to her, deep down she knew sooner or later she had to face her cruel fate.
"Oh God! Why did you give me such cruel parents? You could have at least made an orphan. This is too much. I can't handle it." Upon lamenting, she sobbed harder, peeling her skin with her sharp nails. She tried to block every single negative thought that was screamed in her mind by the voice in her head by recalling every good moment she had ever had, but she became more heartbroken.
She has never shared any good memory with her parents or siblings. She said her favorite memories were those she shared with Pete, her former best friend and now girlfriend. But, unfortunately, she was no more. There was no way she could reach her. She had once thought of running away, but it was impossible. The building was located in a secluded place. There was no sign of a single human being.
When she peered through the door, she was welcomed by large fields of pappus grass and nothing else. The dry ground that was filled with red dust smiled at her. She looked up at the sky to get a single ray of hope for her already shattered heart, but no hope was found.
"Pete, you said you'd be the first to know if I had any problems. I believe that too, 'cause we both share a strong bond. Why don't you sense this, "Was there anything you were so preoccupied with that you didn't realize I was in trouble?" She complained of pacing in the room.
A loud bang outside jerked her from her half-concious state. Peeping through the cracks of the door, she saw a black truck passing on the road. A trye puncher caused the bang sound it made.She reasoned this based on the fact that two men, whom she assumed to be the drivers, had jumped out of the truck and were now crouching at tyre level.
"This is my opportunity to get myself out of this problem." For the first time in many hours, she smiled again. She banged the wooden door with all her might. She knew that if the truck drivers heard the commotion, they'd come in and free her.
"Oh the great one, let them hear me." She prayed silently.
One of the drivers ran into the bush in front of the building to relieve himself. Taking that as an advantage, she screamed for help.
"Help! Help!"
She cried, banging on the door continuously. The great one was on her side that day, 'cause the man started to walk towards the building.
"Hurry up! I am here! I'm in here!"
She jumped, waving. When she realized the man couldn't see her from outside, she resumed her banging.
"Help!"
She screamed with all her might until her throat ran dry and became sore almost immediately. She heaved in relief when the man ran towards the door.
"Can you hear me?" She heard the man's voice asking from outside.
"Yes! Help me get out of here." She begged with sobs.
"How did you get in here?" The man asked.
Losing patience, she flared up: "It's not time for questions, mister. Just open this freaking, semi-broken wooden door and take yourself out of this place. I'll tell you everything in the truck." She told him.
"Fine, lass. But where is the key?" He inquired, and Heather asked her to check under the medium stone, which lay in front of the house. No one could ever guess if the house key was hidden behind a door. The stone was placed in a place that a person would never suspect.
"Lift it up, quicky. "I have a feeling Alejendro will show up any day now." She yelled.
"Who is Alejendro?" The man inquired again, coming towards the closed door.
"Come on. It's not time for gossiping, really. Take the key and get me out of here, please." She begged him, breaking down into sobs.
That was the only chance she had for getting out of that place, but she had a great feeling she wouldn't succeed. The man was intrested in the conversation rather than helping her out. In short, he was a gossiper more than a rescuer.
The other man, who was still fixing the tire, clapped his hands, signaling to the other that the tire was fixed, just as she had expected. And just like that, he forgot he was going to help her. Letting go of the stone, he ran to the other one and pulled him into a congratulatory hug.
Patting each other's backs in a friendly way, they both hopped in the truck and zoomed away.
"I knew it." Heather sighed, sitting on the dusty floor.
PURPOSE REVEALEDAfter her first escape attempt failed, Heather decided to let go of the thought. Deep down, she knew that even if she succeeded in running away from Ajendro's clutches, he would still find her.Just a day ago, she overheard him talking on the phone with someone. He was assuring that person that none of his packages could slip from his hands easily. After pounding on what he meant, she finally understood; packages were the people who were given to him as gifts after offering help. A few days ago, he explained to her that she was the "package" her dad had sent over after helping him.She also learned that the building she was kept in was not the only building Alejendro used to run his mystery business. She discovered that there were several buildings of that kind—unfinished, abandoned, and ugly—in different parts of the world where these businesses operate.Up until now, Heather had no contractions of fear in her heart. She had decided to accept her fate. She was prepar
DEAL TAKEN"Please, would you tell my dad that he sent over a wrong package? I really do not wish to die at this age. I turned eighteen a month ago, and I wouldn't like to meet my creator right now. When I meet my Grandma in the next world, what will I tell her I have achieved so far? None of my dreams are fulfilled. She made me promise I would go to the next world at the right time. The time when all of my dreams will come true, when I will have all of the world's pleasures to my liking Please, Alejendro, "just do me this one favor and I will forever thank you."Heather had lost count of how many times she had used that sentence to beg Alejendro to free her. She had said it until her brain memorized it. What surprised her is that Alejendro had yet to respond to her plea. The plea was now like a song to him, but he never bothered."Order is taken, lass. When you finally get to meet your Creator, please tell him to forgive your father. He was the one who kept you in this pleading state
DOORSTEP DEATHHeather's unconcious body was surrounded by more than four surgeons, both clad in white gowns and blue surgical masks. In a hurried manner, they used sanitizers to clean their hands together with the surgical instruments, which were arranged on the aluminum tray beside the bed, and started their surgery.The head surgeon took a bottle of jik, which was among the surgical equipment in the tray, and pressed it against Heather's cheeks. Her already pale, dry lips opened, and he shoved the contents down her throat.He then signaled the other surgeons to start the operation. Her eyes were first fished out of their orbes and carefully placed on another clean empty tray. They used a bunch of white cotton to stop the blood from oozing out of the empty orbes. They all moved aside to wait for the blood to settle and the jik in her system to take effect, with disgusted expressions on their faces.The purpose of the jik was to make her skin tender for easy peeling off. When the bl
FINDING THE MURDERERA crowd of people murmured on the roadside. Women cried loudly, patting their heads in anger. Men sighed, pulling their real or imaginary beards, probably thinking about how cruel a human being can become. The sons cursed, patting and heaving their chests like angry bulls. The daughters wailed aloud, wondering why a young girl similar to their age was murdered in such a way.The entire police force of the entire town was there to assure people of their security. They examined the mutilated body that was lying in front of the road to see if they could find any visible evidence apart from the truck that they had taken to the police station.At first, residents pleaded with the police to let the car free, noting that the owner may be among the crowd. When they investigated the truck, they believed it belonged to the killer since it was flooded with fresh blood on the back. Despite an announcement to the crowd, asking the owner to surrender him or herself, no one appe
FUNERALThe Berritton family, all dressed in black expensive gowns with matching black shoes and headscarfs, stood at the front as the mass was carried on. They all had black handkerchiefs in their hands, which they used to wipe their tears as the mass went on.Almost everyone from every corner of the world has attended. Anyway, who wouldn't if the country's president had also attended? Though more than a million people attended the funeral, not all of them were mourners. Some were busybodies who came to take a look at the legendary Berroton's mansion. It was named the biggest and most expensive mansion in the entire world.Its walls were painted with real gold. It was said that when Berritton rose to power, he made his constructors melt real gold into paint. The chairs inside the house were also made from pure gold. Anyone who managed to walk into Berriton's mansion was mesmerized by what they saw.Many had to be dragged outside by force because they never wanted to leave. The golde
CELEBRATION GONE WRONGJames Berritton couldn't control his joy when he received a phone call directing him on how to sign the new deal which was about to be brought into besiness by the government. Though he was a worldwide business tycoon, he was also employed as a government official.The president had called him earlier and told him about his promotion. To take care of the deal properly, he was promoted from a junior government official to a senior government official."It seems like Heather hindered most of our blessings when she was still alive. It is only two weeks after we buried her and blessings have been flowing in non-stop. Your promotion calls for a celebration, my darling husband. " His wife, Rosalis, cooed, resting her bare legs on her husband's laps."Whatever you say, my darling wife," James replied, blowing kisses on her neck."Yuck!" "Can you both stop your nonsense?" Their daughter, Jude, said, walking in. Her high heels clicked on the golden tiled floor as she mov
TROUBLES"Sir, we found the truck that carried your daughter the night she was murdered. We would like you to fly down a soon as possible." The conversation he had with the police earlier kept rringing in his head. Earlier, when Berritton received the call, he boarded his private jet as soon as he could. Thank goodness, his pilot resided not far from his mansion. A sigh of relief escaped his lips when the plane landed. A person could think he was glad because he had landed safely or because there was a good sign her daughter's murderer would be brought to light soon, but that was not the case. Ever since he read the letter, he had never been at peace. He felt like there was a person somewhere who knew all his evil deeds. He was sure the letter wasn't read by a single being, but the fact that it passed through the hands of many made him restless. When Berritton left, his wife ran back into the room, determined to find whatever letter had been brought to her husband and get a glimps
All the things that had happened in the last few weeks—Heather's death, her threatening letter, and everything else that had happened, including the hospitalization of Mr. and Mrs. Berritton—were left under the bridge as food for the sharks.Berritton was relieved when his heart stopped pounding, increasing his blood pressure, and when thoughts stopped clouding his mind. He had spoken with the entire police force, which was investigating her daughter's murder, and urged them to close the case.And just like he wanted, the case was closed after all; who can say no to him? There was only one thing that was bothering him, but he was sure he would nab it at the perfect time.Though he was a family man, blessed with a wife and two adorable kids who were now in their early twenties, he still had concubines whom he hooked up behind his wife's death.There was not even a single time he feared being caught because he always used his money to silence those he got himself involved with. As he sa