Illusion

Mother's love

The water was cold I took a deep breath and jumped.
A piece of advice never jump into a deep water body, after being chased off by criminals, when you are breathless, panting and when you do not know how to swim. A check on all those conditions and a bonus, I have aqua phobia, a phobia of . . . Water.

20 Hours Ago

My day began like any normal day. The cold autumn winds ruffled the leaves. The sun was at the horizon. A year has passed yet it felt like it had happened just yesterday. I was finally moving on, turning over a new leaf, forgetting the past and embracing the future. I stood on the street looking over the Rockville bridge like every day. I was about to throw it in the river when a sharp pain shot through my skull and then everything went black.

Being an only child makes you stubborn and wealthy parents who fulfill every wish that escapes my mouth is either a cherry on the cake or adding fuel to the fire. It was an autumn evening, my favourite singer was performing in my city. Our drivers were on vacation so my mother decided to drive me to the auditorium, we were having a playful conversation while racing past the Rockville bridge. I felt something strange. The bridge was deserted and I felt like we were being watched but before I could say anything to my mother, the steering wheel went berserk and our car went turtle, and we dived straight into the river.

The car was sinking, and I was on the brink of losing my consciousness. All I remember was my seat belt being undone and the car window shattering and me being pushed out by two delicate hands. I floated to the surface and was saved by the locals. I would know it later but the reason for the accident was a bullet that punctured the car tyre.

Since that day, I had developed a fear of water. My mother's face had a smile, she was at peace with her death because she knew I would live, the was the last thing I remembered seeing before waking up.

Now

Having a flashback while unconscious is probably the worst thing in this world, especially when reliving a traumatic event but even worse is being tied to a chair with a gag in my mouth, in a dark desolate room. I understood at once, He was back and this time he will finish what he started.

My father is a renowned and celebrated entrepreneur who wears a mask to hide his true hideous self. In pursuing business ventures and trying to make gains, he usually did not care for other's losses. He did not give a damn for somebody else's feelings and this landed us into trouble.

Simon was once the CEO of my Father's company. He promoted him and made him his partner. My Father did not do it out of friendship, trust or love, He had used the company's funds to smuggle drugs and diamonds, all in Simon's name. He then blamed him and Simon was sent to jail, even the FBI could not figure out it was my father all along. Simon had to serve a 10-year sentence in jail. My father's company was a reputed one and at that time very popular so this debacle drew a lot of media coverage, He used this opportunity to garner sympathy from consumers, did a lot of press conferences. And the media harassed Simon's family. Melissa, Simon's wife, committed suicide that year. She was pregnant

My mother divorced my father the following year after learning the truth, I was five back then. Simon got out of jail 2 years ago and is hell-bent on taking revenge. He killed my mother and now he wants to kill me.

When my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I saw a Swiss army knife on the table in front of me. After a few minutes of struggle I managed to use it to free myself of the restraints, a thin rope. I was in a desolate house. As I stepped out through the front door, a line of bullets sprayed the cement on my foot. Apparently I could not escape without being killed.

I closed the door behind me and stepped ahead when I heard multiple booming sounds. I turned and saw bullet holes on the door, I ran in the opposite direction when I heard another loud bang, I turned to see the doors on the ground, smoke entering the room.I saw a door on my right and went for it. I closed the door behind me. This was probably a game to him, years in prison had made him crazy.

I looked for an exit and saw another door at one corner. I tiptoed and went out through it. As soon as I stepped out I was blinded by light I covered my eyes and instinctively I dived on the ground as multiple bullets were fired at the door, where I stood. I was in the backyard and carefully crawled into the bushes. Once there, I was just a foot away from the wall. A minute later I landed on a road on the other side of the wall. As I took in my new surroundings I realised I have been here, this was south side.

I usually came here when our school organised volunteer programs to help the poor. I made some friends here with whom I hung out with, mother was not thrilled about it. So I ran for the bridge, the only way I could go home.

It was dark, the night was cold. My watch displayed '2:17 a.m.'. Shit! How long was I out? I ran a fast as my legs could carry me. I was finally moving on and now I was thrown into it all over again.

I was just a corner away from the bridge when bullets were fired. They had caught up with me, I ran with all my strength, zigzagging to avoid getting hit. I reached the bridge and then I knew it was over.

On the other end stood a group of people with machete and swords and the behind me were men with guns. I slowed down, until I was just walking, I was exactly at the middle when a car stopped on one end 6 men with guns swarmed out. Again I had no way out, I was trapped.

At that instant I did something I never imagined doing, I took a deep breath and ran towards the edge and jumped. When I hit the water I immediately reached for my denim's pocket. Simon would be a psychopath, but he made a rookie mistake, he did not check my pockets. I pulled 'love' out, my mother's flute.

'Love' was a beautiful custom-made metallic flute that had 3 holes. It saved me life as it was my only source of oxygen. I was about to throw love in the river this morning, I was ready to let go of it but the fates did not allow it and my mother saved me yet again.

§~•~ THE END ~•~§