SOFIAThe air outside felt heavy as I stepped onto the street. My legs carried me forward, but every step felt wrong, shaky, like I had forgotten how to walk straight. The city was the same as always, cars passing, people moving, voices in the distance. But to me, everything looked different, sharper, more threatening. I felt eyes on me even when no one was looking.Guido’s words wouldn’t leave my head. They sat there, pressing on me, filling every quiet space. The promises, the warning, the way he spoke like my choices didn’t matter. I kept hearing him over and over, until it made the sound of traffic fade.I passed a man standing by a corner shop. He turned his head and glanced at me. Just a glance, nothing more, but my stomach tightened as if he had seen through me. My pace quickened. Another man walked past and his shoulder brushed mine. I froze for half a second, turning to check if he stopped, if he followed. He didn’t. Still, I couldn’t shake the thought that someone would.My
THIRD PERSON Daniel’s hands moved with no hesitation, no sign of care as he worked at the knots. The rope slid off Sophia’s wrists, rough against her skin, and fell onto the floor with a dull sound. He didn’t look at her. He didn’t check if her hands were sore or if she could even move them. He just stepped back and flicked his chin toward the door.“The door’s open,” he said flatly.Sophia rubbed her wrists, her eyes fixed on him. The freedom was there, just a few steps away, but she didn’t move. Instead, she stayed seated, her chest rising and falling with slow, careful breaths.“You untie me, just like that?” she asked. “No warning, no threat? You think that makes sense?”Daniel leaned against the wall, arms crossed. “You’re free to go. No one’s stopping you.”Sophia’s lips pressed together. Something in his tone struck her. Not kindness, not mercy—just indifference. It made her skin prickle. She rose from the chair but didn’t head for the door.“You don’t even care what happens a
SARAHThe house was quiet when I opened my eyes. Too quiet. The curtains let in soft morning light, but it felt heavier than usual. Marco’s steady breathing beside me pulled me back. He looked better than yesterday, less pale, his chest rising with a little more strength.I brushed my hand against his arm. He stirred, eyes opening slowly, a grin tugging at his lips.“You’re still watching me sleep?” he muttered, voice rough.“You’re lucky I don’t time your breaths,” I said. “I have to make sure you’re still alive.”He chuckled, though it came out like gravel. “Careful, Sarah. You’ll make me think you can’t live without me.”I narrowed my eyes. “Don’t joke about that.”He caught my hand, squeezing weakly. “I’m fine. Stronger today. I’ll be walking laps around you by noon.”“You can barely sit up without making me panic,” I muttered, tugging the blanket higher over him.His smirk spread. He shifted, trying to sit straighter. “Then stop panicking. Look.”Before I could stop him, he swung
SOFIAGuido didn’t rush when he came in. He moved slow, steady, his shoes clicking against the floor until he stopped across from me. The chair scraped as he sat, his body leaning back like he had all the time in the world. His hands rested calmly on the armrests, his eyes on me like I was some puzzle he had already half-solved.Daniel stayed by the wall, stiff and quiet, his arms folded. He didn’t even glance at me. He just stood there, guarding like I was some animal.I glared at both of them, my chest tight. “You think this is brave?” My voice cracked with anger. “Tying me up like this? Keeping me in the dark like some prisoner? You’re cowards. Both of you.”Guido smiled faintly, but it wasn’t warm. It was the kind of smile that said he was in charge here. “Cowards? No. Careful? Yes. You’ll learn soon enough why.”“Why don’t you untie me and show me how careful you are,” I shot back, my wrists pulling against the ropes. They burned already, but I didn’t care. “Or are you afraid I’l
SOFIAThe footsteps drew closer, steady and unhurried. My pulse thudded in my ears as the shadow grew on the floor, stretching until it broke into shape. Daniel stepped inside. He didn’t rush. He didn’t speak. He just closed the door behind him and stood there, calm, like he had all the time in the world.I pushed myself up as far as the ropes allowed, my wrists burning. “What the hell is this?” My voice cracked but I forced it louder. “What do you think you’re doing? Have you lost your mind?”He didn’t flinch. His face stayed flat, unreadable, the same mask he wore in the car. He stepped closer, the weight of his calm pressing on me more than shouting ever could.“You’ll find out soon enough,” he said finally, his tone low and steady. “For now, wait.”That was it. No explanation. No detail. Just those words. My teeth clenched, my fear sparking into anger.“You think you can drag me off the street like this and tell me to wait?” I snapped. “Do you know who I am? Do you have any idea w
SARAHThe house felt quieter that evening. The noise from earlier had faded, the sharp voices gone, the tension from Sophia’s sudden appearance no longer shaking the walls. But it still lingered in me. Every step I took down the hallway carried that same weight, like the silence wasn’t really peace, just something holding its breath.I stopped outside Marco’s room. The door was half open, a sliver of warm light spilling out. Inside, I saw him sitting up against the headboard, his shoulders a little straighter than before. He still looked pale, still worn out, but not as broken as the day before. The sight of him awake, moving on his own, eased something in me I didn’t even know I was holding.A doctor stood by his side, packing his bag. He was muttering in Italian, short and sharp, telling Marco not to overdo himself. Marco answered him with a faint smirk, like he had no intention of listening.“You’re stubborn,” the doctor said as he snapped the bag shut. “Rest. No late calls, no str