HIS FORCED WIFE

Riddle of the Note

Wednesday,

I jolted up from the sound of my phone ringing. Why can’t a woman enjoy her sleep, for God’s sake? Groaning, I picked it up not checking the caller ID, because I wasn’t yet willing to open my eyes.

“Hello,” the person on the phone said.

“Hmmm,” I said half asleep.

“Rumi?”

“Hmmm,”

“I HAVE BEEN CALLING YOU FOR HALF AN HOUR! ARE YOU DEAD OR JUST PLAIN STUPID?” Ana yelled on the phone.

I opened my eyes and abruptly sat on the bed, confused about why is she shouting.

“Do you know what time it is??” she said.

I looked towards the clock and memories flashed down upon me, My stomach turning, I knew I was late.

‘OH s**t’ I thought.

“I am so sorry, I overslept, and I know I am late…I am coming,” I hurriedly said to her and ended the call.

I am not a morning person, Sighing, I looked at the time again, wishing I could reverse it and sleep a bit more. Well done Rumi, I mentally patted myself. I had to participate in the competition of general business and hospitality management being held in my school, running for being an event planner, the best course the BHM nationals had to offer. They promised a scholarship in New York after high school is over and making their dreams come true.

I dangled my legs and with a rush of alarming images of being late and missing out on the biggest opportunity of my life, I removed the sheets and bounced out of bed, running towards the washroom, to do my business, which usually takes time with me checking my phone or dancing to some song while brushing my teeth. But I needed to hurry today.

I grabbed my dress which I had sorted out last night when I came back from my uncle’s. I packed my bag, wore the mustard dress with a belt in the middle, and tied my hair in a ponytail. I wore black boots, cause It’s March, and living in New York, it translates to rain. Not that I am complaining, I love Rain. Picking up my bag and phone and making my way towards the door of my apartment, I locked it behind me.

A cold nip in the air raised goosebumps on my skin, I took a deep breath. The weather was very pleasant with the sun behind the white clouds. A hustle of movement of a breeze, rocking the leaves with it. Beautiful weather is quite enough to change the stream of your imagination, and I imagine a lot, so I needed good weather.

There were very less people around, It was still early in the morning, almost 6 am. I winced at the thought of taking the short path to the bus station because it was desolate. There were abandoned buildings and overgrown parks, and little to no one living there, and thus, little to no one crossing it. But I had no choice, I am desperate and this is what the lonely streets take advantage of, People being late.

Well, on the bright side, nothing really happened there or I hope so, but it scares me. Taking a deep breath, I decided of my dream was worth being a breakfast to a ghost and clenched my fist. I took the turn, I can be persuasive to the ghosts. A couple of minutes, I told myself. The area around my block is less populated, a bit far from the main center of the City, and the one I had to take was even bleakly empty.

I saw something move in my peripheral vision. My heart dropped immediately. My hand reached to my chest, over my heart as I quickly turned to look at it, only to find a squirrel up the tree looking down at me. I received a sigh of relief. Yes, Mr. Squirrel, I am new to this route.

What is wrong with me, being so paranoid in the morning? Probably I should stop living alone anymore. I tried walking fast while searching for earphones in my bag. I’ll put them on and run.

Whilst searching for the white thing, My ears caught a voice, A sharp piercing voice, scratching my insides. I stopped dead in my tracks and my stomach did a 360 turn inside me. My eyes widened at the realization of what it was.

A gunshot.

A flash of a dark night of my parent’s murder in my eyes, and my whole body shivered. My head turned to look at the source but there was nothing in sight. Then, I did the only sane thing that poked my head. I ran. Ran as if there was no tomorrow, while I insanely looked around me.

My eyes widen and My breath hitched again when I saw a moving figure next to the empty lawn, crawling to get out, making me stop dead in my tracks. No! no! no! this ain’t happening to me again.

“Help!” He called out to me. My mind screamed at me to turn deaf to his plead and rush insanely to safety.

I took a few steps back, There was red, all over the overgrown green grass. From this distance, I could see him clenching his stomach, his face looking up at me, and his hand, all red signaling for me. What if the man who killed was right there?

I wanted my feet to move but they were struck to the ground. My body in panic.

“He ran away, He ran…After shooting, please help me, I beg…,” His voice was faint, yet it was as if he was screaming in my ear. As if he read my thoughts, He tried to ensure me, the killer wasn’t there and I am safe.

My feet moved, I didn’t have any control over them. The fear is there to protect ourselves from threats but looks like my survival extinct has expired. They took me to the man, to the sight I dreaded to see. Blood. A lot of blood. I hate blood. It makes my insides crawl with fear.

A few feet away from him, I closed my eyes, the metallic smell of blood filling my nose, making me want to puke. Voices chanted in my ears.

‘Mom’

‘All because of you b***h!’

‘I am scared’

‘DAD!!!’

‘Please tell me’

‘My husband died because of you’

“Help me please,” I heard his plead, Pinching me back to reality, with A sudden rush of Dopamine, I, ripping my eyes off his blood-bathed body, pulled out my phone and dialed 911.

“Hello, 911, how may…,”

“Yes, yes, there is this man, shoot, blood is all over,” I try to form coherent sentences, tears stinging my eyes, and a lump forming in my throat.

“Mam, you need medical?” The operator asked.

“Yes, yes, an ambulance, please hurry up,”

She asked me about the address and I gave her, and end the call and wait for the ambulance. Tears fell down my eyes, I was hiccuping at this point. My head spun, as I hold onto a tree for support. My dress sticking to my back from all the sweat it socked up.

Soon enough the ambulance arrived. The man was taken inside the ambulance. A nurse tried to calm me down but failed. I needed time to get the images of blood out of my sight, and it was impossible if I’ll keep standing here.

Among all of this going on, I didn’t realize when the police arrived. All I remember are sirens and blazing red lights. Some Officers unloaded themselves from the car and immediately got to work checking around. One of the Cops approached me and asked to check my bag for guns while asking a few questions and trying to interrogate me, I just wanted to get away from this scene or I would puke on this Cop’s shirt. Sensing my panicked condition, I was asked to come to the hospital by the nurse.

I wanted to decline and get away from all this as soon as possible but Before I could say No, My eyes fell on a black SUV, on the other side of the road, by the wall, half out, half hidden. My breath hitched at its sight. By the look and shape of the bumper, I knew it was not the normal SUVs you see around. It wasn’t there before, and who is inside? I could see a figure in the black glass of the window. I squinted my eyes to look clearly. The Cop noticed my gaze, and his eyes widen in surprise.

“Umm… miss you should leave right now,” he said turning to me and standing in my view of the cars.

“Take her in, NOW!” He yelled at the nurses who grabbed my arm and pulled me with them, into the ambulance, driving away. My eyes stayed glued to the cars. I sat there looking out from the back glass. my ears not taking in the sounds from the surroundings, while all I can focus on was who was in the car.

It dawned upon me. The police were clearly trying to hide something, either the cars from me or me from the cars. Either way, I am glad I was away. One thing that I have learned over my past life experiences is that never indulge yourself in something like this one, one which involves SUVs, Cops and murder, and especially Guns.

I am very well aware of gangs and how they can corrupt all, that be even a smaller part of their processes. And I am strictly taught by my uncle to how not be one of those viewed as any kind of threat to those, and have the same fate as my parents.

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My breathing was still not normal when I was leaving the emergency room. After the doctor’s checkup and brief police interrogation. My dress still wet from all the sweating I did. As I turned towards the main door of the hospital to exit, the receptionist called for me.

“Mam,” she called.

I hesitantly walked toward her, remembering I still have to pay for the checkup. Dang, I don’t have any money on me right now, nor do I have medical aid.

“Yes,” I smiled nervously.

“Someone left this note for you,” She said handing me a folded paper.

“huh,” I stare at her dumbfounded.

She raised her eyebrow at me urging to me take the note.

“Are you…sure?” I asked, dumbfounded.

“Please take it, Mam,” She sighed. Rude.

I took the note.

“…What about my…bill?”

“Oh, he paid it,” she eyed me as if I had done something wrong.

“Who he?” I asked. My heart racing in my chest.

“I don’t know, he was masked. And honestly, I have stuff to do rather than handling love letters, You may take your leave,” she rolled her eyes at me. This b***h! I had this sudden urge to hurl my elbow at her face but I restrained myself. And smiled.

I turn to leave the door and grabbed my phone. Twenty-seven missed calls, I sighed. I am late. I hope all of them have done a passable job by themselves. Please, God!

With the note clenched in my palm, I ran, to the bus station. I need this scholarship. I want to become the event planner they promise me I’ll be if I win the scholarship. I want to be as successful as my uncle, maybe even more. My school was holding these scholarships for 1 year of classes. Many careers were listed and I opted for the one, I am good at, and have already learned a lot about, from the best, from my uncle.

Once on the bus, I unfold the note in my palm.

“A brave act to try and save the man I intended to die, Admirable,”

Hmmm. I have a lot on my bucket list, and being shot at, isn’t one of them. am definitely not going back to my apartment and sleeping alone at night. Nah huh, No way. Or maybe for a week. Do hell with that stupid street.

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I arrived late than I wanted to, but my friends, Ana, Liam, and Noah, were a great help, A lot of basic stuff was already done by them, and obviously, I had already prepared much of it before. So, I blocked out or at least tried my best to block out all the memories of today’s morning and get to my work, on which my future literally depends. Thus, I added my magic, in the last of the times. When we were done, it was a perfect decoration for a small reception they wanted me to make as a model, for the smaller budget they give me. It was themed white and beige, with two wooden fences with fairy lights, a beautiful circle of plates, like a Ferris wheel, and a table of food dishes. A big beige cloth cladded table with round chairs, and a flowery stage.

The analysts had poker faces on when they visited my reception, I couldn’t contemplate much from their expressions, making me more anxious. they did a round, nodded their heads and wrote something, and went away. it was declared that results will be announced in a week. and I have my fingers crossed.

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I requested my friend Noah to drop me off at my uncle’s. Noah was a natural tan, tall and every-other-girl-falling-for-him-but-him-didn’t-caring type of guy. The nerd with glasses but also pearl white teeth and deadly dimples, with high cheek bones. A weird attractive combo. He is mostly silent, contrary to me so we get along well.

He was also the only one in the group with a car, and I and him, both needs a partner for frequent tours to book shops.

In the car, I was thinking about today, How I have foolishly put my life in danger. I shouldn’t have stopped. I shouldn’t have helped. I should have left him there and run away. But can I do that? Leave a man on the verge of dying. Can I be that selfish?

Maybe in a world like this, where you don’t know who’s good and who’s bad, maybe you should. Maybe you should run away after you have just witnessed a man shot in the stomach and crying for help. Maybe you should be selfish or you could end up at his place.

Or maybe I was just overthinking…

“Back to Earth!” Noah chimed, bringing me out of my fantasy world. “You are zoning out since morning, Is everything all right?”

“Yes, I have just…just been,” I chuckled, “thinking about what if I actually win,” not wanting to tell him why I actually been zoning out the whole day.

“You will win, Rumi, We all believe in you, You have the potential,” he said and I smiled at him.

Half an hour later, I was standing on the door of my Uncle’s house, all safe and sound. No one was behind me, No one following. So, phew. I wouldn’t tell Uncle Stephan about today or he would have been far more scared than I am, he would have banned me from going out for a month at least.

So, I decided to be extra careful and wished and was actually sure they didn’t see me, from all the trees and the wall. And then I was in range to be seen clearly, The cop covered me, didn’t he!

‘You can never be hidden from them if they want to find you!” My subconscious reminded me of the words of my Uncle and I gulped.

So, in short, I was taking a huge risk, that my life was at stake and still I decided to be on lockdown in his house for a month and him being paranoid on my ass, I wouldn’t like that much either.

And the real thing was, deep down in my subconscious, I just couldn’t get myself to believe that people like those actually exist and even if they do, they cannot be as brutal as Stephen portray them to be. In the end, they are still humans, with a heart and emotions, and there is law in this country and state.

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But not did she know, how wrong she was. That the people she was thinking about are actually far more brutal than her imagination would allow her to think. And that law and order are maintained because ordinary people are made to believe that they are being maintained. Actually, it’s not and never was. It was always the men in power controlling the world. And that they actually do not have a heart, or Do they?

As of now, The man in power, The Hunter is what they call him.

Tristan Romano Knight.