The Game Of Chase

picy sauce wafted across the kitchen, with Nana cutting the

f the magazine where faces of handsome models were portrayed. This

he girls in my class ca

ed men, girl?" Nana asked, glancing a

oking. And why not? They

young lady? And those men," she said, taking the magazine from my hand, "th

forehead. "What'

you when you come of age." Dropping the magazine, she leaned in, her

y turn to sc

d things to her? She is too young for that." Nana rolled her eyes go

those men hot," mumbled Nana sar

hter's displeasing remark. "It doesn't matter if the man has hair on his chest or not, handsome or not, rich or poor. What matters is, if he is a good ma

nce, Mom?" My wide curious e

n at me. "Soon, baby. Y

ght only got hazier. Her distant voice drifted to my ear, but I couldn't seem

like a gust of wind somewhere from an

nd darkness towards the rays of bright light that danced across my closed eyel

roll around the house, until her sweet yet al

fia! Honey

groan came ou

e. Small beams of sunlight were coming through the gap of the cl

paler than usual, as her alarmed hazel eyes met my g

up! We need to

y brows. "Mom, what's wr

n I hea

e hair of the back of my neck stand up. Chilled goosebumps cr

pening?" my voice

ands trembling as she urged me to get down from the bed. "T-they attacked us out of nowhere. Th

! Not

y. Faint sounds of gunfir

I hear th

emi soundp

d her hand in mine. "Let's go to Da

dy there. I came to wake you

around, I ran to my side table and opened the first drawer. Wit

ax gave me for t

her hand again, we

g my heart stop in my chest along our steps. My f

ia?

lief when we sa

out of us!" I placed a hand on m

sweat adorned his forehead where some strands of his hair were scattered across. His face was

veryone is waiting for us," he said, ushe

using Mom to gasp. The smell of gunpowder and smoke was heavy in the air,

my chest, shivers of d

into t

stopping them. We just need to reach Dad's study, and then we will be fine."

ted the gesture with a small nod of mine n

ou've got this! At le

my arm tightly. I didn't know whom she

corner urging me to cover my ears, vivid co

They ar

osed the door behind us along with

his warm hug. "Are you guys alright?"

e're fine, d

y shouldn't have known about this place." A muscle of his jaw ticked as he glanced at the closed door. "Anyway

the tight jaw and the darkness of his eyes told otherwise. "But now, we need to move. They

upboard that stood behind the huge desk. It seemed to weig

ed, revealed a

slide open with a groan, once Dad pulled a sm

of the way, a high-tech me

a secret passage.

t plain wall until they bash their knuckles on every

started to jostle with furious pounding landing on it. T

d up as I glan

ching Dad's arm as if her

Dad hissed throug

e through the door that was moving violently now, the latch of the door was

unding of my own heart reached my ears as sweat trickled down my spine. Suddenly, I

positions before us rais

to the door, and as soon as it signalled green, the metal

inside the passage. "S

sides as flashbacks from the past flashed across my

uld see

blo

iting for? We have to

inside before following himself. After we were all in, the guards swif

ming on the floor with a thud. But thankfully, the m

y shaky breaths whil

, they won't be able to open it," Max said. "Now let'

h the dark passage with

o keep myself together. The guards who were walking ahead of us, flashed their torches to show us our way. Sharp stench of rot a

e in a side hug. "Don't worry, princess, we will

" I gave him

a normal rhythm by now, the

lding with no occupant in it. It was empty. We silently walked

ome more of Dad's men came into our view, sta

vehicles, we drove away from that plac

*

crying! We'

back seat. "We will never be safe. We never were, and never will be

om the front seat, while M

en to my family. I'm tired of always looking over my should

escape from your enemies no matter how far you go or how noble you become. The hungry wo

iffled

ad was right. He couldn't leave that world. It was too late for that. Even if an ordinary member walks out of the gang, he le

nt a peaceful life with you guys, but I have to stay in this business to protect our famil

e went silent. Mom threw concerned glances at me as her hand tighte

I wa

cage, right under my chest. Nine years, and those

yes set on the road, cutting the uncomfortable tension in the ai

it?" Da

rything is alright now," Max

handle them. Otherwise they would've found some way to locate

crease formed

mean, our escape. Some

vicious. But this time…and these attacks had stopped f

p," Dad noted, an unreadable

it a trap to get us out

There isn't any trap.

Alex looked at Dad,

the realization set in. My ey

onstration of what

*

re products of the author's imagination. They don't have any affects in real lif