Twisted Veil of Devotion

Part 7

What if one night, it claims its prize,

Revealing truths I can't disguise?

Its presence thickens, grips my heart,

I turn to flee, but where to go?

I hold my breath, I try to run,

But shadows dance, and I come undone.

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Stella POV

I sat on the edge of my couch, my hands trembling as I clutched my phone. The sound of voices, radios crackling, and boots stomping echoed through my apartment. Yellow crime scene tape stretched across the doorframe, and officers flooded in and out, barking orders and collecting evidence.

I dialed my mom's number with shaky fingers, my heart pounding in my chest. When she answered, her warm, familiar voice cracked with concern.

"Stella, honey? What's wrong? It's so late."

The lump in my throat threatened to choke me, but I pushed the words out. "Mom... something happened." My voice broke as tears streamed down my face. "I'm okay, but there was... there was a shooting. At my apartment complex."

"A shooting?!" she cried, her voice rising in panic. "Oh my God, Stella! Are you hurt? Where are you now? Do I need to come there?"

"No, I'm not hurt. I'm still at my apartment," I said quickly, trying to calm her down. "The police are here. They're handling it."

"You shouldn't stay there!" she exclaimed, her voice trembling. "You need to come home, where it's safe. Who would do something like this?"

The weight of her question settled heavily on my chest. How could I possibly explain this without terrifying her? I glanced at the officers milling around, their expressions grim as they collected evidence. Ryan was speaking to Martinez by the window, his jaw tight and his hands clenched at his sides.

"It's... it's complicated," I managed to say, wiping my tears. "Mom, I just wanted to let you know I'm okay. Please don't worry."

"Don't tell me not to worry, Stella!" she snapped, her usual calm demeanor slipping. "You're my daughter. I have every right to worry. Are you safe?

"I'm not hurt," I reassured her quickly, my voice trembling. "There was some kind of incident nearby. The police are handling it."

"An incident? What kind of incident?" she pressed. "Do I need to come there? Should I wake your father?"

"No!" I said quickly, panic lacing my words. The last thing I wanted was for her to come here and put herself at risk. "Mom, please, I'm fine. The officers are taking care of everything. I just wanted to let you know I'm okay."

There was a long silence on the other end, and I could feel her hesitation. "You're sure you're all right?"

"I'm sure," I said softly, blinking back tears. "Just... don't worry, okay? I'll call you if anything changes."

She sighed heavily, her voice tinged with unease. "All right. But, Stella, if you need us, you call. No matter what, we'll be there."

"I know," I whispered. "I love you, Mom."

"I love you too, sweetheart. Stay safe."

We said our goodbyes, and I hung up the phone, my head dropping into my hands. The weight of everything pressed down on me like a suffocating blanket. How did my life spiral so far out of control?