LOGINThe abandoned house felt colder than usual. Not because of the weather—but because of fear. It clung to the walls. It sat in the silence between breaths. Fred stood over the table, maps and scattered papers spread before him. His fingers pressed hard against the wood, his jaw tight with focus. Carden stood beside him, restless. Pacing. Stopping. Pacing again. Every second that passed felt like a blade dragging slowly across his chest. Across the room, Rita sat on a worn-out chair, her body trembling as quiet sobs escaped her. “My daughter…” she whispered brokenly. “My Anna…” Her hands clutched tightly to her chest as if trying to hold herself together. Carden stopped pacing. His eyes softened for just a second as he looked at her—but it didn’t last. It couldn’t. Because guilt was louder. Because anger burned hotter. “We’ll get her back,” he said, his voice firm, though something underneath it cracked slightly. Rita looked up at him, her eyes swo
Anna’s breath hitched. For a moment, she couldn’t speak. Arnold’s eyes didn’t leave her neck. The faint red mark—barely visible—had ignited something dark and volatile inside him. “Answer me,” he said, his voice low but dangerous. Anna swallowed hard.She quickly shifted her thoughts to Carden, the night they had at the abandoned house when it rained. “It’s nothing,” she said quickly, shaking her head. “I must have hit something when they dragged me in—” Arnold’s hand shot out suddenly, gripping her chin and forcing her face up. “Don’t lie to me.” His grip wasn’t just firm—it was possessive. Anna winced. “I’m not lying,” she whispered, her voice trembling now. For a second, it looked like he might believe her. But then his expression hardened again. He released her abruptly and stepped back. “Guards!” he barked. The door opened immediately. Two men stepped in. Arnold pointed at them without hesitation. “Which one of you touched her?” They exchanged confused glances.
The room was silent except for the faint sound of Anna’s breathing. Her wrists were tied tightly to the arms of the chair, the rope biting into her skin. The dim light above flickered occasionally, casting shadows across her face. She stared ahead, trying to stay strong, trying not to let fear swallow her whole. The door creaked open. Anna flinched. Arnold stepped in slowly, his expression unreadable. For a moment, he just stood there, watching her. Then his gaze shifted slightly—something darker settling in his eyes. He turned sharply toward the guards standing by the wall. “Leave,” he said coldly. They hesitated for half a second before stepping out. The door shut behind them. Silence returned. Arnold walked closer, stopping a few steps in front of her. His eyes scanned her face, her arms… then lingered briefly, as if searching for something he couldn’t yet name. His jaw tightened. Without another word, he turned and walked out again. ⸻ A few minutes later, the atmos
Anna’s blood ran cold. She turned slowly. Arnold stood at the doorway, a dark smile on his face. “I was wondering how long it would take,” he said, stepping inside. His eyes locked onto hers. “And here you are… walking right back into my hands.” Arnold stepped further into the room, his presence filling every corner with quiet menace. “Well,” he repeated, tilting his head slightly, “this saves me the stress of coming to find you.” Anna instinctively stepped in front of her father, her hands trembling but her stance firm. “Let him go,” she said, her voice low but steady. Arnold let out a soft chuckle. “You walk into my house uninvited… and you’re making demands?” Her father looked between them, confusion deepening. “Anna… what is going on?” he asked again. “This isn’t the time,” she whispered urgently. “Please, just trust me.” But Arnold raised a hand. “No, no,” he interrupted smoothly. “I think it’s time he knows.” His gaze shifted to Anna’s father. “Your daughter ha
Soon, they entered the car Fred drove. “Where are we going, and why are we heading in this direction?” Carden asked, his voice edged with suspicion. Fred turned to look at him briefly before returning his eyes to the road. A slow, knowing smile crept onto his lips. “Since he knows everywhere we’re hiding,” Fred said calmly, “how about we hide under his nose?” The words hung in the air, leaving everyone stunned. No one spoke after that. The engine hummed steadily as the car sped through the quiet roads, tension thick enough to suffocate them. Anna sat in the backseat beside her mother, clutching her hand tightly. Her heart raced—not just from fear, but from the uncertainty of Fred’s plan. Carden leaned back, crossing his arms, his eyes fixed on Fred through the rearview mirror. He didn’t trust this plan—not completely—but he had no better option. A few hours later, they arrived. The car slowed to a stop in front of what looked like an abandoned building. Its walls wer
"Anna!" Her voice echoed through the woods. "Carden!" The priest’s voice came immediately after. It was morning. Anna and Carden had fallen asleep after the heavy rain and their previous encounter. Anna was curled into Carden’s arm like a baby, both of them still lying naked. "Anna!" Her mum’s voice came through again. The voice was getting closer this time. Carden jolted awake. He turned to see Anna lying close to him, naked; his eyes ran over her bare body. Damn, she’s so hot, he gasped to himself. He could feel his body becoming aroused by the glance of her; her face—damn, nothing seemed as beautiful as it. He didn’t mind having a beautiful experience with her, but the voices from afar made it difficult for him. "Anna," he called softly. Anna stretched her body and turned to the other side, sleep still in her eyes. "We need to go. They are looking for us," Carden said as he stood up to dress. Anna murmured unknown words; Carden smiled at the sound. "Let’s go, An
Sister Vera sat alone in her small room, with so many thoughts on her mind, when a brilliant idea struck. “Oh yes the cathedral”, she said to herself. She picked up her phone to make a call. She was privileged to call the cathedral at any time because she was the oldest nun in her parish, so the
ELSEWHERE Fred stepped out of the car and surveyed the building ahead. His men were already in position, scattered like shadows. One leaned against a rusted truck. Another watched the street from across the road. Everything was quiet. Too quiet. Fred adjusted his jacket and checked his wa
MORNING SHADOWS Morning crept quietly into the chapel, pale light slipping through the tall windows and settling gently across the room. Father Damien stirred. Pain pulsed once in his ankle, then faded. He sat up slowly, testing his weight. It held. He exhaled in relief. The door opened
Sister Vera was confused. The documents she had kept were no longer in her office. Her keys had always been with her; no one came in except her, and now she couldn’t find the documents. She felt a strange presence around the chapel, yet she couldn’t figure it out. She kept reminiscing about w







