My body froze to my place, my heart leaped a beat and I forgot to breathe when he pulled the trigger and the sound of the gun boomed all around.
It seems like the world stopped for me. With the pull of the trigger, his hold on me loosened a bit, which allowed me to cover my ears as I didn’t have enough courage to hear the painful cry of my brother.
After a few seconds, when my senses once again started working, I focused on my surroundings, and the painful cry that I was expecting didn’t come.
My eyes opened slowly, moving down the body of my brother and I found that he hadn’t been hurt. There was no blood on him; he was blinking and breathing.
He is alive!
“Oh! You are really bad at targeting, Nara” Ansell clicked his tongue. “You are a lawyer so professionally, it is your duty to provide justice. Isn’t it?’ he breathed in my ear, which sent chills to my bones. “Then how could your hands shake in doing the same?”
I was practically shaking. My brother pleaded with his eyes to end his torture.
“But I could understand that he is your brother so it would be tough for you to do it. It’s ok. I will take care of it myself”
He took the gun from me and it once again at my brother. His finger was tightly wrapped around the trigger.
I was sure that if he could pull the trigger once, he could do it again and this time I was not even holding the gun to distract the target. He will surely kill him.
My body gave in, my legs buckling beneath me as I collapsed onto the ground. As I heard the clicking sound of the gun, I knew I had to act. Just as he was about to pull the trigger, I turned to face his feet, just the trigger, I turned to face his feet, just the way he wanted me from the moment he bought me.
“Please Ansell” I cried: my voice didn’t come out loud and firm because I was completely broken. “I will do everything and anything you want ”
I cried: the sobs leaving my throat were so loud that they wrenched my heart. I don’t know how he is not melting.
“Just leave my brother” I looked up with my eyes filled with tears and found him looking down at me. “I beg you: I promise I will not deny anything to you. You can have whatever you want. You can have me”
My head hung low as my palms came up to cover my face as I tried in them, unable to face the world or myself anymore. I never wanted to bend in front of him but he got successful in the end.
He knew exactly where and when to strike my weak nerve that’s why was waiting to break my spirit. He cleverly executed the plan and I didn’t even know that I unknowingly became a pawn in his game.
“You wanted to bring me on your feet to beg you. I am here!”
I whispered but the silence in the room must have allowed him to listen.
“You got successful, Ansell; you broke me”.
I paused for a second as another sob escaped my throat, which made it difficult for me to say anything.
“I would do as you say. Anything. Everything. Please leave my brother ”
Even when my face was hidden in my plans, I could tell that Ansell hadn’t moved from his place even an inch: either he was exactly what he wanted or he had no intention of listening to my cries. The latter thought terrified me to the core, as it was my last way to save my brother.
I was waiting for him to move or say anything when suddenly I heard my brother from behind.
“No, Nara! You can’t give in like this. You are my strong girl, an I can’t bear to see you like this. You will not do anything for him” he shouted from behind. “My life is already over, Nara. There is nothing left for me. I am already dead for the world. Nothing would change if I died. Please, just let me go” he continued, his words intended to move me and shake me from my paralyzing state. But I didn’t move; I could not let him die.
“Do whatever you want with me: leave my sister” he said and this time the words were meant for Ansell because he was sure that I would not take my steps back now.
Silence hung in the air for a few minutes, which was soon broken by the devilish laughs of Ansell.
“Wow!” He exclaimed, his voice dripping with amusement.
“What a scene!” he chuckled, finding entertainment in our agony. “”Both are crying to save each other’s lives. I hope I can capture it in my phone and enjoy it whenever I want but my bad luck is that I do not want to leave any evidence”
My hands dropped to my side as took a step away. My eyes are still filled with tears now, taking in the scene.
My hand dropped to my side as he took a step away. My eyes are still filled with tears now, taking in the scene.
“What do you guys think? Whom shall I let go?” He asked him..
For him, life and death are just a game. He could kill anyone without any remorse.
They didn’t reply and kept their heads hung low. Suddenly, he took a few steps forward and stood beside William. He pressed the gun against his forehead.
“Ansell please” I immediately turned around and shook my head, my hands joined together, tears brimming down my eyes nonstop.
He didn’t need words to understand what I was begging for. Yet I felt drained, unable to summon the energy to stand and comfort him any further. My arms felt heavy, my fingers were trembling, my breath was swallow, and my eyelids were drooping.
I doubted I could ever took at myself in the mirror after this day.
“Where should I put a bullet, hmmm?” Ansell taunted William.
“Here?” He pressed the gun tightly against his forehead.
“Or here?” He pushed it against his heart.
“Whenever you want! Just kill me and let go, my sister. You revenge is done” William said as he looked straight into his eyes and this time I could see defiance in them for the first time. I have come here.
This gave me hope that my brother was still alive. He could for me if needed.
“Nah!”
Ansell moved the gun down and a wave of relief washed over me.
“What’s the fun in that?” Ansell mused, his voice dripping with cruelty. He seemed to derive pleasure from this torment. “You die; she would have to bear the wounds you left on her body, heart, and memory for the rest of her life”
His eyes moved between my brother and me.
“Rather I will take your sister” William shook his head, his eyes wide terror. “This will not only give me what I want but I also give you the same Punishment as mine. You should know how it feels you know that you are alive but you can’t do anything to save your sister” he raved. “in fact, you would become the reason for her suffering”
I cried.
He is showing thing as if my brother is responsible for everything, even my suffering, which he is inflicting upon me, making him even more guilty.
“Don’t!” William shook his head. “You will not touch her!” He said it between gritted teeth.
Ansell laugh like a devil, throwing his head back.
“Let me tell you, William, I have already done much more than just touching her” Ansell told him and I broke into more tears.
I know my tears must be torturing my brother even more but I couldn’t stop myself. Everything was too much for me.
“You… BASTARD!!” William voice rose in a scream of rage, his body straining forward, attempting to break free from his restraints. But Ansell’s men interviewed, holding the chair steady against his violent movement. “You won’t find a place in hell for yourself!!”
“After the sins I have committed as a mafia leader, I am sure about that. But think about yourself, William. What awaits you?” He threw the question back at my brother.
“She practically grew up in front of you! You can’t do this…” William’s voice trembled as he attempted to reason with Ansell.
“I will” Ansell assured him, his voice dripping with devilishness and holding a sinister promise, “…. And that too with your sister’s consent, unlike you. Stop me if you could”
Turning around, he came to me and yanked me up with my arms. My body didn’t have any energy of its own. My body responded to his force, moving as he willed.
With my arms in his grip, I glanced at my brother, silently urging him to stay strong. I tried to tell him that I would be alright.
I was trying to convey these lines to him even when I was not sure what was going to happen to me. Whether I would be able to survive the night or not.
“As I am happy today, I want you to feed him tonight” he ordered his men.
His focus then returned to me and holding my wrist tightly in his hold, he whirled me around and dragged me along with himself. I could hear my brother struggling at the back.
“If you have balls, free me and fight with me!! LEAVE HER ALONE!” he shouted from behind but it had no effect on Ansell.
He kept on dragging me towards my doom and I followed him with no energy or intention of fighting him back.