2. A Friend In Need

Kelly's POV

The afternoon air outside was biting and cold as I walked down the concrete steps of the apartment building and hit the sidewalk.

I kept my head down trying to avoid my landlord, as I walked toward the small bodega at the corner of the block just to grab a sandwich and some coffee.

I didn't even make it past the entrance of the alleyway.

Suddenly, an iron grip clamped down on my upper arm, taking me off the sidewalk and dragging me backward into the shadows of the alley.

I opened my mouth to scream, but a large, rough hand slapped firmly over my face, cutting off my air.

"Shut your mouth if you want to keep breathing," a low, gravelly voice hissed right against my ear.

I was shoved hard against the brick wall, the rough stone scraping right through my jacket. Two large men in heavy dark coats stepped forward, blocking my view of the street.

The one who had grabbed me had a jagged scar running down his jawline, and his eyes held a cruel, unblinking focus.

"You've been dodging our calls, Kelly," the scarred man said, pulling a switchblade from his pocket.

The blade snapped open with a terrifying click that made me jump in fear, the polished steel catching the dim light of the alley.

He stepped closer, resting the cold blade right against my throat. "The people who funded your little fashion failure want their money back."

"I... I don't have it yet," I choked out, my voice trembling violently as the cold metal pressed into my skin. "The business went under, I lost everything…"

"We don't care about your excuses," the second man snapped, stepping forward and grabbing me tightly by the hair, forcing my head back.

"You have exactly two weeks to clear the entire debt. Not a penny less."

The scarred man leaned in so close I could smell the stale tobacco on his breath. He tapped the point of the knife right against my collarbone.

"If that money isn't in our hands in two weeks, we're coming back to take it out of you one way or the other. We'll drag you out of that second-floor shack, throw you in the back of a van, and sell your parts to pay off what you owe. Do you understand me?"

Tears of pure terror spilled down my eyes as I nodded frantically against his grip. "Yes. Yes, I understand."

"Good." He snapped the knife shut and shoved me hard into the gravel floor of the alley. "Two weeks, Kelly. Don't make us come looking for you."

They turned and walked away, disappearing into the crowded sidewalk like ghosts. I sat on the freezing ground, my hands shaking so badly I could barely breathe, their warning echoing over and over in my head.

I was completely cornered, isolated, and I was standing at an absolute dead end.

My legs felt like lead as I stumbled out of the alleyway to find my way back home, my breath coming in ragged, shallow gasps.

I didn't look back because I couldn't. The pressure of the cold blade was still burning against my throat, and the scarred man's parting words echoed like a death sentence in my ears.

I kept my head down, my hands shoved deep into my jacket pockets to hide how violently they were shaking. The busy city sidewalk around me felt completely surreal.

People were walking their dogs, chatting, and laughing, entirely oblivious to the fact that I had just been dragged into the shadows and threatened with my life.

I gave up on the idea of getting food; the mere thought of eating made my stomach churn with nausea. All I wanted, all I desperately needed, was the safety of my apartment.

I practically bolted up the concrete steps of the entrance, my heart hammering against my ribs.

"Kelly? Hey, Kel!"

I flinched, my head snapping up as I reached the glass doors of the lobby.

Hope stood there, a sudden burst of vibrant color against the faded gray walls.

She was wearing a bright red jumper and white trousers, her blonde hair catching the dim light, as she balanced a heavy paper bag of groceries in one arm and a six-pack of beer in the other.

The moment her eyes landed on me, her smile completely vanished. She dropped the six-pack onto a nearby bench with a loud clatter and rushed toward me, her eyes scanning my pale face.

"Kel, what the hell happened? You look like you've seen a ghost. You're white as a sheet."

"Inside," I choked out, my voice barely a whisper as I grabbed her free arm, my fingers digging into her sleeve. "Please, Hope. Let's just go inside. Let's get upstairs."

Alarm flared in her expression, but she didn't ask another question. She nodded quickly, gripping my arm tightly to steady me as we hurried up the stairs to the second floor.

My hands shook so badly I couldn't even get the key into the slot, so Hope took them from my fingers, unlocked the door, and pushed me inside.

The moment the door slammed shut behind us, I sank onto the edge of the futon, burying my face in my hands. The tight coil of terror in my chest finally snapped, and I started to feel the panic attack coming.

Hope dropped the grocery bag onto the counter, not even caring as a box of pasta fell out. She rushed over and dropped to her knees right in front of me, grabbing my wrists and pulling my hands away from my face.

"Kelly, look at me, and take a deep breath. Then, you can go ahead and tell me right now what happened."

The words tumbled out of me in a desperate rush. I told her everything. I told her about how Mr. Miller cut off the water and gave me a three week eviction deadline.

And then, with my voice cracking completely, I told her about the two men who had cornered me in the alley just five minutes ago, the switchblade at my throat, and the terrifying two-week deadline to pay off the failed business debt.