𝐑𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐎𝐟 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐨𝐬 [𝟏𝟖+] ✓

35

Let's hope you'll like the end of this chapter 🙃

━━━━━━━━━♚━━━━━━━━━

Katrina Diaz

Everything that rises from ashes isn't a phoenix. The ashes of this village is birthing a tragedy.

I stared at the message delivered by the mail man two days back. A mail I'd received from a fake name. Someone knew I was here and they were playing games. I spent half day, trying to make sense of the riddle. And then my gut started screaming at one thing. The fire accident from more than a decade ago.

Why would anyone want me to go back to that place? A tragedy they had said. How bad could it be?

To get answers to my questions, I burrowed Mrs Lee's car and drove off in the thick snow-covered roads towards the accident area. Halting the vehicle, I stared out of the window, gaping at the huge structure that had replaced the burnt walls of the hotel. It looked like some private institution.

Swerving my car in the opposite direction, I departed from the wretched place that caused me more trauma than what it was worth for saving my life. A girl in the distance waved her hand at my peer, probably asking for the lift. Killing my vehicle engine, I pulled the window down, gazing at her.

A short, lean woman, probably around my size, stared back at me from behind her glasses. A layer of snow coated her brows and her cheeks were tinted bright pink. Her ebony hair was left in loose waves to collect more snow.

"'Elp! I'm a li'le pished, I've got to go to the research centre. Can you give me a ride, me old china?" Her voice slurred and she swayed a little before holding the handle and steadying herself. It took me a minute to understand it was Cockney slang.

"What's your name?" My eyes scanned her outfit. Her navy blue parka coat thrown over her grey-coloured shirt was unzipped and a black pair of trousers was messily tucked into a pair of grey calf boots.

"Emory Aycock." She pulled out the ID card from her pocket briefly before burying it.

What a last name!

"I'm from the cleanin' crew." The layer of snowflakes settled on her face dusted off as she nodded with coherence as much as a drunk person could muster.

She was drunk heavily and I should thank my lucky stars if she didn't throw up. However, she could give me answers or some leads on the message I've got. Or maybe this could go wrong and I'd have to pull out the gun.

"Get in. I'll give you a ride," I whispered, wearily inspecting the way she wobbled. While she struggled with opening the car door, I opened the storage compartment, pulling out the gun — which Hayden had given me — swiftly before tucking it into the waistband of my jeans.