A tale of one city and the feud between families.
As their tale is told, strands from every walk of life are interwoven into the great tapestry of Santa Isabela.
From the elegance of the opulent to the austerity of the desolate; from reunion to separation; from trial to solace; from simplicity to complication. The oppositions are always intertwined.
Always.
And so, the threads have been spun. The tapestry begins.
***
The man in the cream-white suit stood opposite of a stranger clad in black.
He was a tenacious example of a man, tall yet sinewy, with the presence of experience. Their conversation had not been easy, pushing and pontificating and opening avenues, all of which only led to stalemate after stalemate. He regarded the stranger for what might have been the hundredth time, and spoke again.
"The man is like a lion running after prey," he said. "What do you propose?"
"As I understand it, you need him gone." His voice was a cold monotone. "And you want to cast the blood on the hands of others."
"That's why you're here. Yet maybe it was a fault to even have you here in the first place."
"It's your judgement."
"Prove me right."
"A lion has cubs," said the man in black, spreading his hands wide. "Cubs are weak, unprotected. And if this lion of yours chases his prey I doubt he does it with the thought of his own life possibly being in danger."
"And?"
"And that is why you don't harm what doesn't fear being harmed."
The man in white's eyes narrowed. "Yet he's the one who must be eliminated."
The man in black reclined into his chair. His eyes were unnerving—a mismatched pair. "There is more than one form of death."
***
In another corner of the world, another man lay sleepless. His thoughts overcame him.
It's heavy.
A part of me that I could never let go. It is something I have to carry as long as I am still breathing.
I have a chance to lighten it.
They promised me that if I do this, if I help overturn the state of calm, if I create their chaos with my own hands, then I'll know everything.
But to achieve this, I have to turn my back on them. To break their trust.
Only then can I know. I have to know.
There's no room for inhibitions, because I fear something more terrible could happen if I fail.
He stood and looked down, seeing the sprawling city below him. Their deal was already sealed. One way or another, it would happen.
Reluctance will lead me nowhere.
Hesitancy will bring nothing.
Failure will give me no one.
YOU ARE READING
Into The Crucible
Mystery / Thriller[THE FOLLOWING STORY IS ONLY A FIRST DRAFT. IT WILL BE SUBJECTED TO EDITS AND REVISIONS AS NEEDED. THIS DISCLAIMER WILL BE REMOVED ONCE THE FINAL VERSION IS DEEMED SATISFACTORY.] [Currently in hiatus.] When a threat steps into the light, will those...
