The basement was dimly lit, with a flickering bulb casting eerie shadows on the walls. Eric, Isaiah, and Star were bound and seated in a corner, their faces marked by exhaustion and fear. Clarke, also tied up, sat nearby, his expression a mix of anxiety and guilt.
Star stirred, her eyes fluttering open. "Eric... why are we here? What's happening?" she asked, her voice weak and groggy.
Eric exchanged a quick glance with Isaiah before responding. "We've been kidnapped. I don't know why, but we need to find a way out of here."
Isaiah nodded, trying to reassure her. "We're going to figure this out, Star. Just stay with us."
Clarke cleared his throat, trying to assert some authority. "We need to work together if we want to survive this. Maybe there's-"
"Shut the hell up, Clarke," Eric snapped, cutting him off. "You've done enough damage. Just keep your mouth shut. You being here is already making things worse."
Star, confused and still processing everything, looked over at Clarke. "What did he do?"
Isaiah sighed, his voice laced with frustration. "He was a racist piece of shit at the police station. He put us all in danger."
Eric added, his voice tight with anger, "He's the reason we're in this mess. Now isn't the time to play hero, Clarke."
The basement fell into a tense silence, the air heavy with unspoken fears and uncertainties. The sound of footsteps approaching from above broke the quiet.
Meanwhile, Detective Jordan was at the scene of the store attack. Tera, Shaunce, Caden, and Tyler were recounting the events to him, their faces etched with fear and exhaustion.
Jordan, his concern evident and tone empathetic, greeted them with a familiar warmth. "I'm really sorry you had to go through this. I know Eric means a lot to all of us. Can you tell me what happened?"
Tera, her voice trembling, said, "The killer came into the store, and it was chaos. People were running everywhere."
Shaunce added, "We found Eric's car abandoned, and we were on our way to tell you, but we got attacked."
Caden, frustrated and worried, said, "We need to find Eric. The killer is after us too, and we're scared."
Tyler, his voice shaking with urgency, interjected, "We saw them take Isaiah. They grabbed him, and we couldn't stop them!"
Jordan's expression tightened, his worry deepening. "Isaiah too? Damn it... This is bad. We need to move fast. I understand how terrifying this is, but we'll do everything we can to find Eric and Isaiah and make sure we're all safe. I know how much they mean to us."
Back in the basement, the silence in the room was broken only by the faint sound of footsteps descending the stairs. The killer entered, a cold grin spreading across his face as he looked at the captives.
"Well, well, look at the sorry bunch we've got here," the killer sneered, his gaze lingering on Star. "You must feel pretty fucking hopeless right now."
Star, her fear masked by defiance, glared at the killer. "You're nothing but a coward hiding behind a mask. It's pathetic. What's the matter, scared to show your real face?"
The killer's smile faltered, a flicker of anger crossing his eyes. "You've got a big mouth for someone who's about to die."
"At least I'm not a gutless piece of shit who gets off on terrorizing people," Star spat back.
The killer's hand twitched, the anger now fully evident on his face. "You're gonna wish you kept that mouth shut," he muttered before turning on his heel and storming out of the basement.
Moments later, the killer returned, now trying to contain his laughter as he carried trays of food. He set them down in front of each captive, his eyes glinting with malice. "Bon appétit," he said mockingly.
Star eyed the food suspiciously but began eating, trying to keep up her strength. However, after only a few bites, she suddenly started coughing, her face contorting in pain. Her coughs grew violent, and soon she was hacking up blood, her body trembling uncontrollably.
Eric's eyes widened in panic. "Star, what's happening? What's wrong?"
Star's body convulsed, and she collapsed onto the floor, her breathing ragged. "It... it burns," she gasped, her voice barely above a whisper. Blood dripped from her mouth as she writhed on the ground, her screams of agony echoing through the basement.
Eric and Isaiah, unable to sit still, began thrashing against their restraints, screaming Star's name in desperation. "Star! Star, no! What the fuck did you do to her?" Eric shouted, his voice breaking.
Isaiah struggled just as fiercely, his eyes wide with horror. "Help her! Please, stop this!"
The killer, watching with sick amusement, reached into his pocket and pulled out a small container. He held it up, revealing it to be rat poison. "Surprise, bitch," he said with a cruel grin. "Guess that's what you get for running your mouth."
As the killer approached Star's thrashing body, Eric and Isaiah's attempts to help her grew more frantic. But the killer swiftly turned on them, pulling out a knife and waving it menacingly in their faces. "Sit the fuck down!" he barked, his voice venomous. "You wanna end up like her? Then fucking try me!"
Eric and Isaiah froze, their hearts pounding as they watched in helpless terror. The killer's laughter filled the room, sadistic and cold. He pocketed the rat poison and grabbed his phone, recording every gruesome detail of Star's death. "Smile for the camera," he taunted, ensuring the lens captured her final, horrific moments.
Star's convulsions slowed, her breath coming in shallow gasps. Blood continued to drip from her mouth as her body shook violently, and finally, she went still, her lifeless eyes staring blankly at the ceiling.
The killer chuckled darkly, his amusement evident as he pocketed his phone. He grabbed Star's limp body by the arms and dragged her out of the basement. The door slammed shut behind them, leaving Eric and Isaiah in stunned silence, the image of Star's death seared into their minds.
The basement was now eerily quiet, the only sound the faint dripping of water from the pipes overhead.
