Shadow Of Vengeance

In the sprawling expanse of a private estate, an imposing mansion stood as the cherished family home. The air buzzed with excitement as the entire family gathered to celebrate Leonard’s 62nd birthday, echoing with joyous laughter and eager chatter, ‘’Harry, Linda, hurry up! We don’t have all day, Father’s cake will be arriving soon and the kids are getting impatient,’’ called out Susan, Leonard’s second daughter and a mother of two, eager to ensure this day is nothing less than perfection.

However, the jubilant atmosphere was shattered by the sudden eruption of gunshots, sending shockwaves of terror through the house. Within moments, menacing figures in suits stormed in, brandishing deadly weapons. Among them was an older man in his forties, accompanied by a teenager boy, who entered a few minutes later. The man in his 40s addressed Leonard with a twisted smile, his words dripping with mockery, ‘’Isn’t this a wonderful celebration, Leonard? Happiest of birthdays and I wish you many more years, but unfortunately, not in this life time. Too bad things has to end this way.’’

Leonard’s face contoured with rage as he spat out, keep my family out of this, you bastard.’’

The man sneered relishing the power he held, and responded, ‘’where is the fun in that? Don’t bother calling the guards for help, they are all dead.’’

Leonard pleaded desperately, his voice filled with anguish, ‘’Our business is between us. My family has nothing to do with it. Let them go.’’

Glancing around the room, the man scanned the terrified faces of Leonard’s family, relishing their fear, a chilling smile played on the his lips as he ordered his guards, ‘’Kill them all.’’ In an instant, chaos erupted as bullets tore through the once celebratory space, extinguishing the lives of each family member one by one. The deafening sound of gunfire gave way to an eerie of silence, leaving behind a grim tableau of devastation- an entire family wiped out in an act of merciless violence.

Meanwhile, hidden atop the grand staircase, a seven-years-old child, watched in horror as the tragic tableau unfolded before her innocent eyes. The older man issued a final order, his voice resonating with authority, ‘’Alexander, lead the search around the house. Ensure that nobody leaves alive.’’ With those words, he took his leave.

Acknowledging his father’s command, the teenager responded obediently, ‘’Yes, father.’’ The men methodically combed through the mansion, their footsteps punctuated by sporadic gunfires in different rooms, the cries of terrified servants, who had become unwitting witnesses, extinguished mercilessly. Amidst the chaos, Alexander entered one of the rooms and discovered the traumatized child, huddled behind a table, tears streaming down her face. For a brief moment, his gaze softened as he contemplated the horrors that had unfolded.

Without uttering a word, Alexander approached the child and gently pulled her from the floor. In a tender yet urgent whisper, he instructed her, ‘’wait here. Don’t make a sound. I will call for help.’’ Placing her in a nearby closet, he closed the door leaving her in alone in the darkness.

Alexander swiftly exited the room, urgently proclaiming, ‘’We should leave. We are done here.’’ The group made their way to their waiting vehicles, ready to make their escape. However, before departing, Alexander halted some of the guards, instructing them to attend to the lifeless bodies strewn throughout the mansion. Approaching one guard in whom he had placed his trust, he quietly disclosed the existence of a child hiding in the closet, pleading for her safety and survival.

With a heavy heart and an understanding of the grave responsibility that fell upon his shoulders, Alexander and the remaining men departed the mansion, leaving behind a harrowing tableau of tragedy. The child, now alone in her hidden sanctuary, clung to hope, praying for the aid that Alexander had promised to summon. As the sun began to set, casting long shadows over the desolate mansion, the echoes of gunshots still resonated, piercing the silence and serving as a haunting reminder of the family's untimely demise.

Little did anyone know that this act of brutal violence would set in motion a chain of events that would forever alter the course of Alexander's life. As the child awaited rescue in the darkness of her hiding place, destiny silently weaved its intricate tapestry, setting the stage for a tale of revenge, redemption, and the relentless pursuit of justice in a world tarnished by the shadows of organized crime.