Sinister behind the Mask

Chapter 1

*Breaking News*-----------------

This has been the sixth time when a victim was attacked while walking though the subway in the night.

Reports suggest that the suspect was wearing a black hoodie and a mask to cover his identity. The description matches the statements given by the other five victims. Strangely enough the suspect targets women in the age group of 20 to 29. All of them being beautiful and working late in the night.

No homicide has been reported so far and the victims are all doing fine except they have been traumatized by the incident so much that they refuse to speak of it.

As a precautionary measure, we request all the women in the country to keep their family contacts on speed dials and make note of the numbers of government officials to help them in need-----

Diana's POV

"Turn of that bloody thing! I hate these kind of depressing news early in the morning", I screamed as I went ahead and knocked the TV off.

"Diana! that's rude there are others in the cafe so please, behave!", whined Amy as she switched it on again.

"Could you please change the channel at least?", I said while making a puppy face.

"Sure, I can do that for my best friend", She smiled.

Amy Joshua, the only person I have been friends with since my childhood. She and her parents May Joshua and Ethan Joshua have been a great support to me since the day I was found laying unconscious before their door step.

I don't remember anything about it. It's been 17 years since that day and here I am all happy and working as a prosecutor for the government, while having a great family to be with. I think I'm the happiest I've ever been.

"Amy, are you sure you want to be a waitress?", I asked interrupting her while serving uncle Jake who is a regular at our cafe.

"Oh Diana! I have always loved working for the cafe. Plus, with my parents gone I want to make sure this cafe runs in their memory so that they can see how hard I'm working and how their cafe is doing well", She said as she gave a bright smile.

Uncle Ethan and aunt May expired 2 years ago while I was still preparing for my BAR exams. It was sudden and everything seemed unprecedented. I was broken as I always wanted to show them how hard I was preparing to make them proud of me. I wanted them to see us succeed in life and be proud of their kids whom they have raised so dearly.

Amy never shed a tear as she was the stronger one between us. She was the younger one and yet, she took care of everything on her own. She has been taking care of the cafe and me all along, now, it's my turn to take care of her. Uncle and Aunt please watch over us.

"Amy, I want you to know that you don't have to be so strong all the time. I'm right here for you. You can do anything that you please but, don't forget that I'm right here to catch your back", I said.

"Diana, I'm proud of you and trust me our parents are watching over us and must be feeling proud too", She said.

Before I could prepare to leave "Please take care of yourself and stay safe", said Amy.

"Hey, what's the matter? are you okay?", I stopped as I tried to comfort Amy.

She's been acting quite differently, she never shed a tear before but, this somehow seemed weird. Now, that I've joined services and she is independently handling the cafe, what makes her so worried? 

"Amy, what have you been thinking?", I asked.

"Diana, it's nothing. I just feel uneasy these days", she said as she hugged me tightly.

"Oh Amy! Don't worry, I'll make sure to come early from work so you don't feel that way", I said as I bid her goodbye.

As I was walking towards the subway I heard footsteps of someone walking right behind me. I stopped and turned around to see Uncle Jake who is a regular at our cafe.

"Uncle Jake, I thought you were at the cafe, what are you doing here?", I asked as I couldn't hide my curiosity.

" Child, I have been watching over you two as my own kids, I promised May and Ethan that I'd look after you two should anything happen to them", He said 

His face was pale white as the wrinkles on his forehead deepened. He looked up at me as he was holding on to something that was eating him from the inside

"Child, I have been a regular at your cafe but, lately there is something off about Amy. She has been acting quite scared while working at the cafe. At first, I thought maybe it's about the plan of expanding the cafe but...", He sighed 

"But?...", I asked as I was waiting for him to reply

" the recent news on the victims being attacked at the subway has been doing the rounds and this has made our Amy a little nervous", He said.

"Oh uncle, that's nothing to be worried upon. I'm sure it's some prankster targeting his pranks on people just to gain some attention. Moreover, there were no reports of casualties or homicides...", I said thinking they were getting worked up over nothing.

"Well, my child, Amy received this box and she's been restless since then", He said as he handed the box to me.

I opened the box to see a piece of cloth with blood stains on it. It looked like a woman's handkerchief, only, it was drenched in blood.

"Uncle? who gave it to her? who was it?", I asked

"My child, it was left outside the door of the cafe. We don't know who it was as it had no letter or address of the sender. I tried searching for the man who left it outside the door but, this old man is too weak to run after someone", He said as he held a look of worry in his eyes.

"Oh Amy! she must have been devastated. Why didn't she tell me about it before?", I asked.

"Child, there is someone out there who does not wish well to you, I'm worried for you my children and I want you to watch out for someone who could harm you", He said warning me of the dangers that lay ahead.