Ghost of me

Our backs were turned to the wall and we were made to put our hands above our heads, defenseless.

I felt hot sweat rush down from every part of my body, from my head and even from my feet. Tears stung my eyes and I shivered in fear. My head was blank but at the same time running like a very big river, hitting over stones and rocks.

What is happening? Who are these people? What will they do to us?

I could not regret coming out here tonight. This had never happened. In my wildest imaginations, I could never have imagined this scenerio playing out. I had never thought I should be too careful in this neighborhood, in this bar.

I imagined the worst. Kidnappers? Armed robbers? Organ harvesters? Assassins? Each thought sent a shiver down my spine and my mouth felt very dry.

I wanted to run away, I wanted to vanish.

I had looked at them properly even in my drunken state. My vision had suddenly gotten clearer and I could see them. They wore masks and they carried big guns, all 10 of them. Aside from their eyes, no other feature was visible. They were bulked up and they seemed vicious, and prepared for something.

There was no clue on who these men were and there was no clue on how to get help. There was no hope!

It was 11:59 pm. There was nobody around, nobody except the six persons including me who had been drinking in the bar before these men barged in. I saw fear in all their faces, even the man who owned the bar. He used to walk about in a fearless air and with a confident gait but tonight, he was whimpering like a child.

We all were.

They turned someone around and I heard his whimpers. I recognized his voice instantly. It was the man that had been sitting opposite me in the bar.

"Give us everything on you." A hoarse voice said to him and I suddenly felt nauseous. I had nothing on me, not even my phone, not even a dollar note.

"I have nothing on me." He said. His voice was shaky but firm. He was trying to show no signs of fear but his shaky voice betrayed him and I wished he wouldn't do that.

"Search him!" A voice commanded

"I have nothing on me." He said again.

I felt a hand grab him and I closed my eyes tight. I felt my heart pound in my stomach.

There was a sudden silence. No command, no conversation, just breathing. Seconds passed in grave silence. I tried to calm myself down. I tried to calm my heavy breathing down and to stable the wild thoughts rushing through my head.

My body suddenly jerked and I opened my eyes wide in horror when a gun rang. Someone dropped to the floor.

Dead.

I felt madness. I screamed and I screamed hysterically. I was shaking and I was out of breath, I held the wall to prevent myself from crashing to the floor. They shot him. They killed the man that had been talking to me just a few minutes ago. I crashed to the ground and I screamed more. I couldn't hear anything, I couldn't see anything, all I felt was a maddening fear and great pain.

Suddenly, a large hand covered my mouth. I felt two other hands grab me from behind.

A gun cocked from somewhere in the room and my body grew cold.