HOSTAGES

Chapter 18: Memories of the past

I was always a lonely child growing up. I never had any siblings, never went to school and basically didn't know the outside world at all. All this was due to my entire lifetime being spent locked up in that house; I basically never experienced life. 

What made it even harder on me was that I was the heir to one of the most infamously known mafia families in all of Seoul - maybe even Korea. And me being the only child meant that, from a tender age, I was told about our family's legacy and the role we played in the mafia world. 

They taught me how significant my family really was and how much of a key asset I was to them. They taught me to be a ruthless killer; a tough leader; a weapon of mass destruction. All this before I could fluently read and write, which back then, I thought was normal. 

As I got a little older, I realized that the mafia life - killing and training - was not for me. I desperately wanted out. 

By the age of 17, I became a shell of the person I used to be and all I could think about was taking control of the mob after my father stepped down as the leader. 

But the closer that day seemed to come, the more a nagging feeling inside of me grew. I knew that's not what I wanted. But by that time, I was basically doing it all for the sake of my father.

My longest, and only, friend and I sympathized with each other. We were in the same shoes. She was the daughter of my father's right-hand man, so she was the only friend I was allowed to have in the mafia world. She was like a sister to me and soon would be my right hand - as her father was to mine. Neither of us wanted that, but it was not our decisions to make. It was all purely based on our father's better judgment. 

I told her everything and she told me everything. So we had devised a plan. The night before I become the new mob boss, we would run away and never look back - leaving that terrible life behind us. 

And while that faithful day closed in, the more we planned and prepared, because my father was very strict and meticulous about who goes in and out of the base. His guards were planted everywhere along with hidden cameras and traps. But my friend and I had found a way to sneak past all the guards without getting caught. 

Or so we thought.

The day had finally dawned and we had waited till night fall to execute our plan, filled with hope. When the time came, we made our move. Everything went smoothly, until we were somehow caught. So we made a run for it, but not both of us made it out. 

We were being chased. We thought it would be best to spilt up and meet outside the base. But just as we were only inches away from escaping, they started shooting at us. When my friend was about to jump the wall, a bullet ended up hitting her in the shoulder. I could only watch her as she fell off the wall, landing on her back.

I was going to turn and go back for her, but she signaled me that she was fine and that she'll be okay. With all the willpower I could muster, I respected her wishes and hesitantly left. 

After they caught her, they threw her in the dungeon and she was from then on considered an enemy to her own mafia - even her own family didn't want to have anything to do with her. That was what my informants told me. 

And that was everything I could recall from those long gone days of constantly being on the run - not knowing if they were watching, following me or if they were about to strike. I was constantly on red alert 24/7 , seven days a weeks, for three years after that until I realized that they might have just given up on looking for me and let me be.

But I guess not.

I'm so glad to be back after my months long hiatus. I started my first of college this year so I wanted to put all my focus on that. And the college year is over and I passed so now I have ample time. Enjoy this chapter hopefully there will be lots more

Kaylynn💜