75: THE SOUND OF FEAR
ARIEL’S POV
“Who said the two of you could carry out this nonsense in my kitchen?” Mariam snapped at my mom, and I.
“Your kitchen?” I raised an eyebrow. “You barely even be here. And by the
house.”
“It’s just about a matter of time before I throw you out.”
I chuckled. “Impossible.”
“The both of you can leave now!” She snarled.
way,
this is my
My mother entered the conversation with a calm tone, “I’m sorry miss, but we’re preparing…..
“No one said you can talk!” Mariam barked at her.
“Don’t you dare raise your voice at her!” I gave Mariam a dark look.
She returned the expression. “Just look at this little rat, raising her voice at me like I was her puppet, or something.”
“If you want respect. Then you got to be respectful,” I told her. “Don’t think people are going to be smiling at you when you got that disgusting attitude.”
“Disgusting attitude?” Mariam laughed. “You went ahead to poison yourself, and put the blame on me. Now you’re saying I got a disgusting attitude?”
“You poisoned yourself?” My mom uttered softly, and looked at me. “Ariel, is this true?”
“Come on now mother. Why in the world would I do such a thing? Poisoning myself? Hell no.”
“Oh shut up now. Enough with the lies,” Mariam spat.
“Hey, you need to have some manners,” my mom told Mariam.
Mariam burst into laughter. “You’re telling me to have manners? When your daughter right here has none.”
“I won’t let you insult my daughter like that, do you hear me?!” My mom’s anger was awakened.
“What are you going to do?” Mariam moved closer to my mother. “Your daughter is nothing but a worthless piece of trash,” she said in huhsed tones.
My mom, brimming with rage, surprised Mariam with a tight slap. And as Mariam held her face in shock, she received another slap. Then my mom gave her the third one on a different cheek.
Mariam gaped at my mother who did nothing but glare at her. She couldn’t believe what just happened.
“That is what you get for being disrespectful to my daughter.” My mom picked a knife. “If you try to talk nonsense again, I won’t hesitate to stab you with this.”
15 THE SOUND OF FEAR
“Okay mom, you got to calm down. That’s enough, that’s enough,” I said, lowering the knife she was holding.
After that, we heard a the thunderous sound of a bullet released in the air.
of us exchanged fearful glances, my heart pounding
as I could feel myself getting
bullet,” my mom said
more gunshots, one after another, growing louder and closer. Panic gripped
moment’s hesitation, I sprang to my feet, my voice quivering with urgency. “Mom, we need to get to safety!
Everything will be fine,” my
Mariam spoke, and I looked at
right now,” I told her.
her eyes. “You
heard more gunshots, and I knew something
need to hide from this chaos.” I grabbed my mom’s hand, and began to tread at a fast pace.
my mom, I rushed through the elegant hallways. I could hear our footsteps echoing in the mansion. Each step brought us closer to one of the rooms where different books were kept. I used to come here
hurried, we could hear the cacophony of gunshots intensifying, their
stomach, fueling
the door shut behind us, just as Mariam was about to join us in
mom questioned me in a blaring
face, acting like I had no idea of what she was talking
that door right now and
“But mom..”
mode was serious, and her decision
shifted backwards,
door from downstairs. And at this point, I knew we were not safe. But I hoped nothing bad would happen to anyone
moment.
THE CHANG
“What’s happening out there? Who would bring violence to
stay calm and stay hidden until it’s safe. We have to trust that help will
we can’t just keep
to do then, huh?” Mariam aksed. Her irritating tone caused
her.
room, as I was searching for anything that could offer a
large wardrobe in the corner of the room. I had totally forgotten that was
the wardrobe. It’s our best chance to stay out of sight.” I gestured
to fit into that?” Mariam aksed, observing the
“If you don’t want to hide in it. That’s your own cup of
mom told me. I exhaled deeply, before treading to the wardrobe.
eventually squeezed ourselves into the cramped space, our bodies pressed against each other. The scent of old clothes filled the air, mingling with the fear. I
the moment I heard some maids screaming. The
life could be in danger. I
to?” My mom
yourself
ARIEL’S POV
sound of gunshots reverberated through the mansion. Panic gripped her as I had a conscience of the danger that lurked just below. But I was determined to find
by the plush carpet beneath my feet. The air was thick with tension, and I was filled with terror. But I needed to gather the courage. I was not going to let anything bad
the air. Accompanied by the desperate screams coming from downstairs, my fear intensified. Each gunshot seemed to echo through
below, but I knew I had to stay
I could get her to safety before it was too late. The chaos and terror surrounding me was suffocating, and I could only pray for a way to
closing my eyes in fear. The terror emanating from downstairs was overwhelming. My heart raced and my hands shook as I tried to steady myself. But I knew I couldn’t let fear consume me. I needed to be strong in this moment, for myself and for Riley, whenever shr was at the moment,
LUKE’S POV
stack of documents, when suddenly my phone began to ring. At first, I tried to ignore it and focus on
told me it was
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