Sane

chapter 18

Brookhaven, New York
Dezmon House

Niya POV
As I stepped into the shower, the hot water cascaded over me, but it did little to wash away the disbelief that clung to my skin. My mind was a whirlwind of images and emotions, each one more overwhelming than the last. Just hours ago, I was trapped in a nightmare, and now I was here, free but thrust into a world of uncertainty with Dezmon.

I closed my eyes, letting the steam envelop me, trying to make sense of everything. The memory of Dezmon bursting through the door, his face a mix of determination and anger, replayed in my mind. He had saved me, pulled me from the brink when I thought all hope was lost.

But what now? The reality of our situation was daunting. We were on the run, caught in a dangerous game with no clear end in sight. The fear was still there, lurking beneath the surface, but so was a flicker of hope—a belief that maybe, just maybe, we could find a way out of this.

As I stood there, water streaming down my face, I resolved to trust Dezmon. He had risked everything for me, and together we would navigate whatever came next. It wouldn't be easy, but for the first time in what felt like forever, I wasn't alone. As I turned off the shower and wrapped myself in a towel, I took a deep breath, trying to steady my racing thoughts. There was no going back to the life I once knew; everything had changed. But with Dezmon by my side, I felt a newfound strength—a determination to fight for our freedom and carve out a future where fear no longer dictated our lives.

I stepped out of the bathroom, ready to face whatever came next. Together, we would navigate this uncertain path and find a way to reclaim our lives from the shadows that sought to consume us.

As I lay down on the bed, trying to find a moment of peace amidst the chaos, the creak of the door opening caught my attention. I looked up to see Dezmon entering the room, his face a mixture of concern and determination. The events of the night had taken their toll on both of us, but there was no time to dwell on that now. We were in this together, and we needed to figure out our next steps.

Dezmon sat down beside me, the bed dipping slightly under his weight. His presence was reassuring, a reminder that I wasn't alone in this fight. But as comforting as it was to have him by my side, the enormity of our situation loomed over us like a dark cloud.

"We need to talk about what comes next,"As Dezmon sat beside me, I could see the wheels turning in his mind. He took a deep breath, his eyes meeting mine with a steady resolve. "I've been thinking," he began, his voice low and measured, "about how we handle this situation. We need to be smart, and I've come up with a different plan."

I listened intently, knowing that whatever he had to say was crucial for our survival. "Instead of going after each gang member one by one," he continued, "we should focus on gathering evidence against the boss. If we can expose his operations to the authorities, it could dismantle his power without putting us directly in the line of fire."