SHADOW PLAY (SYLUS)

2

The next day, Regina went to college as usual.

She had two morning classes, and by noon, she was done.

Her part-time job at the café didn’t start until 3 PM, giving her some time to herself.

She didn’t have any friends, but that never bothered her. It was easier this way, with no one to distract her. Between juggling her debt and working, she couldn’t afford the luxury of socializing.

Still, some classmates talked to her when it was necessary, and that was more than enough for her.

As Regina sat on a bench under the scorching sun, her mind drifted back to last night’s events.

The weight of it all felt heavy. She reached into her bag and pulled out the documents detailing Sylus’ daily routine.

She hadn’t had a chance to look through them until now. Skimming the papers, she realized they contained an unsettling amount of detail about his life—where he went, what time he did things, even the brand of coffee he drank.

She couldn’t help but wonder how they’d managed to gather such information.

As her eyes scanned further, she noticed that his home was only a few blocks away from the café where she worked. Would she run into him by chance? The thought was absurd.

Someone like him wouldn’t be caught dead in a small café like hers. Still, the level of surveillance on Sylus unnerved her. They really stalked him enough to know even the smallest details, like his coffee preferences.

As Regina sat lost in her thoughts, the sharp ring of her phone startled her.

She quickly pulled it out from her denim pocket, her heart skipping a beat when she saw it was from an unknown number.

Anxiety surged through her, but she answered it hesitantly, the phone feeling heavier in her hand than usual.

"Hello?" she whispered, her voice barely steady.

“Hello, Miss Regina. It’s me! I trust you remember the deal we made last night,” came the smooth voice from the other end of the line.

Regina felt a heavy lump form in her throat, her heart racing as if it would leap out of her chest.

“Of-of course I remember,” she stammered, trying to regain composure as she swallowed hard.

“Good,” the man continued, his tone relaxed and almost mocking. “So, have you planned everything out?”

“Y-yeah,” Regina blurted out, her voice not convincing even to herself. The weight of the conversation pressed down on her as her mind scrambled to figure out her next move.

“Good. If you need any help, you can contact my secretary,” he said, his tone casual yet laced with a hint of menace. “But remember, do not get caught. Ever.”

His words sent chills down Regina’s spine, amplifying her anxiety. She felt trapped, the stakes higher than she had ever anticipated.

As the call ended, she took a deep breath, trying to steady her racing heart. The reality of her situation began to sink in: she was in way over her head.

Regina took a deep breath and stood up, the weight of the conversation lingering in her mind.

She walked towards her next destination: the café where she worked part-time. Each step felt heavier than the last, a reminder of the precarious path she was now on.

As she entered the café, the familiar aroma of coffee and baked goods enveloped her, momentarily easing her tension.

She glanced around, noting the regular customers, each engrossed in their conversations or buried in their laptops.