Flame Of Secrets

Chapter One: Light from Darkness

The city was glowing brightly on that quiet night, but all Kylie could see were shadows. She sat in her small apartment, surrounded by her paintings, bright in color but unable to focus. She closed her eyes briefly, trying to escape the thoughts that were raging through her. But the tears that leaked from her eyes were evidence that she was not in a safe place. In a hoarse voice, she spoke to herself, trying to convince herself that she could get through everything she had been through. “I won’t let my past ruin my current life. I have to be strong.” But her words echoed emptyly in the void around her.
Kylie reached for her cell phone, which suddenly rang, but it wasn’t the call she was waiting for. The message was short and terrifying, carrying old, ominous promises. “We know where you are. Don’t try to run away again. We’ll be back.” She froze, as if the world around her had stopped. Years of fear and terror flooded back into her mind. She remembered the days she’d spent as a hostage, surrounded by darkness. The memories kept coming back, as if they were reliving the nightmares she’d tried so hard to forget.
There was a sense of vulnerability that gripped her, and it was hard to escape. She couldn’t bear the thought of those threats coming back to haunt her again. Her heart thumped in her chest, as if she felt a hand of fear wrap around her. She forced herself to breathe deeply, but she knew it wouldn’t be easy. It had taken her years to rebuild her life, and now it seemed like everything was collapsing around her. She pulled the blanket of memory and covered herself with it, as if this would allow her to escape.
Suddenly, her phone rang again. But this time, it was from David. She looked at the screen for a few seconds before answering. She knew he was someone she could count on, especially in difficult times.

“Kylie, are you okay?” David asked worriedly.

“Yes, I’m here. But…” She hesitated before continuing, “I got a message.”

“A message?” David interrupted her, his voice filled with worry. “What are you saying?”

She told him everything, about the threats that had returned, the thoughts that had returned to cloud her life. The more she spoke, the heavier she felt herself ease. “I feel like I’m stuck in a vicious circle, David. I’ve been trying to get away from all of this, but… I can’t.”

“No, don’t talk like that. We’re here for you. Alexander and I will come to you. Don’t let them scare you. We have to face this together.”
David’s words were a ray of hope in the darkness of her life. But fear still seeped into her heart, making her think of the worst possibilities.

“Do you think they can find me?” she asked, her voice trembling.

“They won’t. You have our support. We know how to deal with this. Rest assured, you’ll be fine.”

She felt conflicting emotions; sadness and fear on one hand, and hope on the other. His words supported her, but she couldn’t get rid of those old nightmares.

The call ended, and she decided to do something positive. She renewed her determination to face her fears, and thought about the painting she was working on. She needed inspiration, and perhaps this was the right time to write down everything in her heart.

She erased some of the colors she was working with, and began to paint a new picture, representing her inner struggle. She used dark colors, with touches of bright colors, to express the hope she was trying to regain.
As she painted, she felt dizzy, as if the ghost of fear was still watching her. But she knew that life would not stop at those threats. No matter what, she had made a promise to herself that she would fight for her freedom.

She reached out to Alexander again. He knew about the message, and he was known to always be there in times of crisis. She called him, and he answered in a calm voice.