Gloaming

Rope

Cynthia's point of view
———————————————
I'm staring at our tire in shock.

What now? Was all I could think about.

I walked up to the drivers window and tap on the window.

Kenya rolls down the window.

"Kenya the tir-"

I'm interrupted by a sweaty palm.

Someone's palm is clamped over my mouth, and Kenya had her hand covering her mouth, her eyes wide.

I attempted to wiggle out of this strangers grip, but it was too late.

They were holding me beyond tight.

I feel a sharp pain in my side.

The world begins to grow black, and I can see another man enter the car from the passenger seat and stab sleepy Octavia with a shot.

Kenya has tears sprinting down her face.

And the world grows black.

———————————————
I open my eyes and I'm in a white room, with no walls.

I see my sister Quinn and my mother, not even a short distance away.

I sprint to them.

"Mom! Quinn" I say. My eyes grow blurry as I lean in for a hug.

They both push me off.

"Mom?.. Quinn?" I ask, sobs still present in my voice.

"You left me to die" says my mom, her tone is robotic and she doesn't blink once. Her body is still.

"There wasn't enough room!" I yell to my mom, sobs have flooded my voice.

"You chose Netflix over me" says my sister Quinn in the same robotic voice.

"I didn't!" I yell at the top of my lungs, tears roaring down my face, and sobs filling my voice.

"I didn't, I didn't, I didn't!" I sob as I run away from my fake mom and sister.

I run into someone.

"Liam" I ask as I pull away from him.

I hug him.

He pushes me off.

"Mom chose you. Mom chose you. Mom chose you. Mom chose you." He repeats in the same robotic tone as my mom and sister.

I run.

I run as far as I can.

But it's a void.

A void that I created.

I run until a hit a wall, that had just appeared. The pain spreading from my nose to my entire face.
———————————————-
I open my eyes to see a muscular man standing in front of me.

His left fist is saturated in blood

Bright coral liquid drips on my lap.

I wanted to wipe my bloody nose but I can't.

My hands and legs are tied up tightly. My body too.

I look around the room.

It has white pavement floor and black walls. The light is fueled by candles and lanterns, light is barely present in the room.

I look to my left to see Kenya tied up, and to my right to see Octavia tied.

The man in front of me says one thing.

"How was it killing my brother?"