The Day Her Villaism Died

CHAPTER 5

Panic, chaos, bedlam, anarchy, pandamonium, call it what you want to call it.

It's a madhouse in there.

Everyone is slowly but surely losing their minds trying to find the missing Birthday Girl. What happened? Where could she be? Is she oka-?

There's a rustle behind me.

Oh God, please don't tell me it's the fuzz coming here to arrest me.

I take a slow, slightly terrified look behind me only to find a silhouette of a small girl in what looks to be a gorgeous party dress trying to run as fast as she can. I look back at the people inside the building and look back at the girl again.

"Alina." I whisper.

I try to make as little sound as possible as I stand up from the bush and quickly follow her.

We get to a dark street. The only light left to lead the way are the lampposts standing above, there's no one around us, so dark I almost end up not seeing the small figure turn left and her pace slows down a little, so I do the same.

She's going so many directions.

Left, right, left again, and then another right, right, left, right. She stops.

I stop.

She turns back and I nearly jump back, quickly hiding behind a nearby lamppost. She starts walking again, this time straight ahead. This is where she wanted to go?

She wanted to go to the bank?

Still hiding behind the lamppost, I see her small frame which is only visible by the lamppost, Alina, with her head in her hands. I try to get a closer look and accidentally kick a rock.

Curse these stupid shoes!

She looks back. "Who's there?" She asks quietly and I see vulnerability laced in her eyes.

I don't even dare breathe.

"Hello?" She asks, her voice a bit louder now. "Is anyone there? Hel-"

"Hello little girl." I hear a deep voice say.

That can't be good.

And unfortunately I'm right.

Out of the doom and gloom, I see 2 tall men appear dressed in all black. One of them is a bit closer to Alina than the other. I hear Front Man speak. "Well, well, well, isn't this a coincidence. Little Alina all alone, " He takes a quick look around. "Whatcha doin' here, kiddo?"

"I-I-I j-just w-w-wanted to c-c-come here a-a-a-and think y'know w-what I mean?" She stammers. A pause. "W-What about y-you two?"

They only laugh. "Oh, kid, you crack me up." Front Man says again, green locked on her like a hungry cheetah finding a gazelle, locked on the target and noticing that she's alone...and vulnerable. "We're here," He says to Back Man and himself, "because we need something from you."

'What the hell do these creeps want?' I think, but it looks like Alina and I have the same question.

"R-Really?" Alina stammers again. "What's that?"

"You know that locket you're wearing kid?" He points to the silver thing hanging from her neck.

"Well, yeah, it belonged to my pare-"

"Yeah, yeah, we know." Front Man cuts her off. "Now, I have a huge business deal so all I need is that one, teeny, tiny, locket from you."

Oh no he didn't.

He is not attempting to rob her.

I don't know what clicks in me. Survival instinct, jealousy of my 2 failed attempts of robbery.