A web of deception

Chapter 9

Lilah stares uncertainly at the Bank. It's the kind of place people hustle to and from, never taking the time to stop – unless they had to. Lilah had been forced to – desperate for money to pay the rent, her parents had spent her savings on drugs and alcohol – yet again. Now, she had no choice but to rob a bank.

Her heart raced, her mind whirring with anxiety and doubt. Could she do this? Was it even possible? It was a risk she was forced to take, one she loathed but was determined to make work.

With a deep breath, Lilah pushes open the door. The bank is filled with people, talking and laughing, as if there was no worry in the world. But Lilah knows the truth – worries lurk beneath each smile, knowledge of the growing danger and uncertainty.

A few heads turn as she makes her way to the counter. Lilah stares blankly at the cashier, her mind quickly coming up with a plan, each step perfectly crafted.

Finally, her mind comes to a halt and her plan slams into place. With a tight smile, Lilah passes over a note demanding the cashier to give her all the money in the register. The cashier stammers as Lilah inches closer, her heart pounding in her chest.

But, to her surprise, the bank remains silent. No alarms are raised, no one comes to her aid. This only reinforces her suspicions – if people knew the truth, they’d be scared.

No, they can’t know who she truly is – a serial killer that uses her anonymity to hunt down her victims. Bad guys, Lilah always calls them, people who deserve what she does to them. No one would understand how she got to this point, struggling with her anorexia, and hunted by the police.

The cashier hands over stacks of cash and Lilah quickly stuffs it into her bag. Just as she’s about to escape, a security guard appears from the back, gun in hand. Even though her mind is frozen in fear, her feet react on instinct, and Lilah darts past him, out the doors, into the street.

She can hear the sirens in the background, and as she turns a corner, she slips into the shadows, her heart pounding, her breath coming in sharp bursts. Lilah waits, her eyes scanning the darkness for any unwelcome eyes as she tries to control her breathing.

After a few moments of terror, Lilah finds the courage to stand and move. She walks away, her steps growing faster and faster with each passing block.

When she finally makes it home, she feels as though she’s living in a dream. Her mind is consumed with panic, her chest heaving with fear. She falls to her knees, desperately trying to regain her breath.

Lilah knows this could be the end, her last act of desperation. But deep down, she also knows that it won’t be. No, she’ll never give up. She’ll keep pushing, keep fighting, keep killing bad guys. It’s all she’s capable of – and all she knows.