PRISON PARADISE || KTH {unedited ver.}

⁰²² | guns and roses

Sara's heart hammered in her ribcage with horror where she sat frozen and terrified because she had never seen her parents speak to each other this way before.

The house was a mess, the wardrobes were stripped open and the clothes were all hastily crammed in the suitcases along with the hangers. Some documents were also strewn carelessly across the bed.

But there were two adults currently standing in the midst of it all, ready to draw each other's blood. The type of a conflict Sara had never witnessed in this household before.

Mai was waving her arms and shaking her head as she furiously hounded the suitcase around the room, trying to empty it again and again,

"We! can't! go! to! Japan, Charles!" she screeched for the thirtieth time that night as she wheeled around to face her husband. "If you go, YOU GO ALONE! I'm not coming and my daughters are NOT coming! I've made my decision."

"Try to understand, Mai, this is necess-"

"We have two young daughters," Mai was quickly into Charles' face, eyes flashing dangerously as she hissed just for him to hear, "We have two young daughters and they have their whole lives in front of them, they have a chance at living normally, UNLIKE US! Unlike... I... you- you think I will let you throw it all away just for a-THIS?"

For this? For what? Sara curiously looked at Mai and then Charles, as if the answer was stamped on either of their foreheads. It wasn't.

Charles blinked cautiously, ruffling his hair.

He pointed in the direction he supposed Roa was in, whispering back aggressively, "I am doing this exactly for the same reason, Mai! It's growing dangerous for Roa in Mexico! It's only a matter of time befor-"

"AND YOU THINK IT'S NOT GOING TO BE DANGEROUS IN JAPAN?!" his wife thundered, making Sara almost jump.

Eyes nervously flitting between her parents, she finally contemplated leaving the room. She didn't know if she had the heart to watch them divorce over picking a destination to go.

Taking a deep breath, Charles stepped back, "Mai-" but Mai reached for his hand and held it between their chests. Her eyes softening.

"Listen to me, I mean it," she whispered, "Don't do this to our daughters.. To me... Don't.. Please, look for another solution. I really mean it, so please choose wisely. That, or it's my head or divorce."

When Charles simply let her ramble, Mai let go of his hand and continued to pace the room anxiously, chanting desperately, "Anything... anywhere... anywhere but Japan. There has to be some other solution, we can't go to Jap-OH!" she suddenly gasped and turned around to face him again, "How about to Qatar?" her face lit up hopefully, "To that...Zaid guy's place? Zaid bin Fahad, was it? He's your friend, isn't he? I heard Arabs are quite hospitable and they let anyone in! You're their chummy! They'll give you a whole house!"

Charles stared at her for a long moment, unmoved eyes glazed with just a cold blankness. She nodded questioningly, eyebrows raised with a hopeful smile.

Finally, he shook his head with an apologetic sigh and began to shove the clothes inside the suitcase again.

"Mai, I have to do this. I'm sorr-"

She dropped the smile and crossed her arms over her chest, "Charles."

"We'll think of a solution after we're out of here." he went on, "Alvaro is right here at our doorstep, any moment he'll make you a widow and our children orphans. Japan is not as dangerous as Mexico, especially when you're all with me right now. These people will skin our daughters alive and throw their limbs on the streets for dogs to eat! You want to witness our sweet Roa go through that? Oh, no, Mai, because you will have to. Because they will not let you close your eyes even for a moment, or escape, or DIE! They will make sure you are alive, awake, and watching it all happen. Torture is their specialty, and they like to make examples! These are monsters we're talking about!"