When Night Falls (Complete)

17

JOSI

She isn't even given the chance to look back at Bradley. With any luck, his body will be discovered some time soon, because the wounds left behind by Idris's men are nothing short of life threatening.

Idris leads Josi to his car and has her occupy the back seat with him. She follows instructions automatically, no thoughts or scrutiny attached to it. The only thing currently on her mind is Bradley. She's uncertain if they will ever see each other again, but with Idris in the mix, the odds are closer to zero.

The partition has been rolled up to provide the two some privacy. Josi's attention is out the window, at the blurry remains of society. Life outside seems so ordinary, the same way it has always been. Yet, it remains unattainable. The freedom of those outside the car is not accessible to her. She's been left behind, abandoned by civilization and forgotten in time.

Josi receives a phone call from her father which doesn't last long. He wants an update on her arrival the following day, a trip that had been planned for weeks now. "What time will you be here?"

The disappointment hits Josi hard in the pit of her stomach. How does she go about explaining that she's being held captive by some mafia don who has made it his mission to watch her suffer? She doesn't. She tells her father only what he needs to know and buries the rest.

"I won't be able to make it anymore, dad. Something really urgent came up."

"Is everything okay?"

"Yes, it's nothing serious. I just really need to handle it."

Her father keeps his silence, the disappointment apparent. Josi should at least ease some of that disappointment, but what does she say? She tries thinking up some more detailed excuses, but her father kills the silence. "Please remember that we're all here for you, Josita."

"I know."

"Take care of yourself."

Despite her agony, Josi smiles. "I will."

The call comes to an end. Idris holds a hand out and does nothing more, but the message is as clear to Josi as day. He doesn't even spare her a glance and instead, keeps his eyes glued to the scene outside the window. Once Josi places the phone on his palm, he powers it off and throws it into his pocket.

The silence carries on for a little while until Josi can no longer sit still. With what happened to Bradley, it would be safe to assume everyone is fair game to Idris.

"I know you can easily end Bradley in a matter of seconds," Josi tells Idris, voice hoarse and eyes aimed outside the window. "So don't touch him. Don't touch my family either. Or my friends. And I'll never leave."

Now Idris looks at her. "You seem to be under the impression you could easily escape if you wanted to." He says with arrogance as big as his ego. "That won't ever happen. Even if your family and friends weren't in the picture."

There it is. The one thing that crushes Josi's hope completely. Idris will never let her go. Her chances of being free are zero.

"But if I do see him around you again," Idris continues, his attention back to the scene outside. "That will be the end of him."

Josi grimaces at his words. He means the things he says. Idris really will put an end to Bradley if they are spotted together again.

The rest of the ride is silent. Josi is unsure of their destination at first, until the scenery outside grows familiar. She's been down that road before, though just once. Idris is taking her to his estate. The place he tried coercing her into murder.