Another failure.
Aurora's emotions were all over the place.
She hadn't moved from her bed since she came home.
Ideas came but each fumbled as her mind was exhausted.
Her phone buzzed on her table and she struggled to get it– a notification.
'Derrick.'
She sighed.
' Come to the club tonight, run some errands. Don't miss it, or else…'
Aurora threw her phone on the other side of the room, and curled her body on her bed.
She groaned, clutching her hair and her tears fell like a river.
She tried to cry out but her throat felt clogged. She just quietly stayed in that position.
Aurora didn't know how to start or where she could find help and it made her feel more useless.
As she laid on the bed, exhaustion overtook her thoughts and fell asleep.
Aurora had woken up but she didn't notice the change in weather or the time she woke up.
She groaned, stretching her arms and checked the time.
It was already dark outside, how long did she sleep?
Sandra.
That was all that was on her mind as she rushed to her bathroom to wash up.
' You are to run some errands.'
The words repeated severally in her mind as she couldn't just forget.
Hurrying up, she put on a silicon shirt with a blue jacket and black jeans with Nike Snickers.
Gazing at herself in the mirror, she packed her hair in a tight bun.
A little makeup and she was ready to go.
She grabbed her bag and packed a pocket knife in case.
*******
The club looked full – as usual.
Heading in, she kept her face high but she was scared – not for hers but Sandra's.
She was allowed to pass, the club had the scent of alcohol and sex as couples were in lip lock with each other.
The music was high as the speakers boomed loudly with it
The guard beside her, opened the door to Viktor's office.
"please no! I have a wife and she's pregnant. Let me go!"
The sight before sent shivers down her spine.
The man was strapped on a seat. His suit was soaked in blood.
Three of his fingers had been cut off, and his skin was severely scarred.
Viktor just stood with a smile, his knuckles were clean.
How? She thought as her mind wandered.
Viktor glanced at her at the door and summoned them in.
The guard pushed her in not so gently.
She just stood at the door – of course it's a normal occurrence here and she'd gotten used to it.
Viktor raised an eyebrow, smirked and ordered the guards to drag the poor victim out who was still crying out his lungs for help.
"Please! Please Viktor don't do –
He got knocked unconscious by the guard as his voice got too loud.
He calmly sat down, like nothing had happened and at that same minute, a group of cleaners rushed in to clean the spot the man was tortured.
Aurora quietly sat down even though the sight of it all made her fill with disgust.
"Hope you know why you're doing this and who you're doing it for..?" He asked, his tone dark and too chill for a man like him, as he twirled a pen with his fingers awaiting an answer.
"I know."
"Good."
He snapped his finger, the door opened and one of the guards strolled in.
A stretcher in hand with white sheet hovering it, left it in the center and walked out.
Aurora's skin crawled with fear as the tension in the room thickened.
She was already used to this kind of thing but every time it happened, she still felt fear, disgust or pain…
Her thoughts were all on Sandra and how her condition was at this moment.
With a nod Viktor ordered her to get the item.
She steadily reached it, removed the sheet.
Gasped.
Under it was ice but could sense a chill feeling as her eyes caught something.
A head.
Viktor, irritated by her slowness, harshly grabbed her and spat.
"Don't waste my time, do what you are supposed to do and get out!"
With that, he left.
Her eyes were starting to itch as she started.
One of the guards came and took her to the special room.
The guard shoved her into the special room and locked the door.
The smell hit first — iron and rot, thick enough to make her gag. Her hands shook as she laid out the tools.
She told herself she'd done this before — that the ritual had a rhythm and it was all for Sandra.
She found the seam, started to cut open the skull, and kept her eyes on the floor.
It took longer than she liked. As two packets were put in the skull of the victim
When it was done she had the packet: two grams of white, damp and cold in a tiny wrapped cloth.
She slid down the door with knees gone from under her. There was no time to give up.
"Time up!" A gruff voice and a bang woke her up.
She looked around to realize she was still in the room.
She must have slept off.
The guard walked in with Viktor behind, none acknowledging her presence.
"Boss we got two grams here." He reported.
"Good." He walked up to her curled up and snickered. "You may leave now but remember one thing, a word out…we both know what's next."
He tsked and walked off, his guard following.
Their footsteps echoed in the empty hallway.
Aurora stood, wiped her tears and followed another route which led her outside.
****
Aurora paced around her room, hands clenched together, eyes closed and mind working to find a way out.
She couldn't stand what they were doing to Sandra.
She stopped, grabbed her phone and dialed the police.
'Remember – a word out… I guess we both know what's next.'
With shaking fingers, her phone slipped from her hands and fell, the sound resonating the whole room.
'What can I do…'
Her thoughts fumbled each time she asked herself such.
She had no hope at all and calling the police wasn't going to hurt anyone if nobody knew.
Right?
She quickly grabbed her phone with a broken screen and dialed the police again.
"Hello, what's the emergency?" It answered on the third ring.
She ranted out on how Sandra had been kidnapped but one thing felt off, the phone flashed and the other line became silent.
"Hello…hello?"
No answer.
She threw her phone on her bed and crouched on a corner in her room.
The room had become oddly quiet, her wall clock ticking loudly as if warning her of near danger.
She slowly looked around her room, everything felt normal but strange at once.
In the quiet room, the sound of a broken glass was heard.
It was coming from downstairs – her kitchen.
Her palms became sweaty, heart pounding and fingers shivering, she tried holding herself together and headed downstairs slowly.
As she headed to the kitchen, nobody was in sight, she grabbed a penknife ready, when her sight landed on the broken window.
Chills ran through her spine, her fingers shaking and sweating profusely, but stayed grounded with the knife in hand.
She double scanned the kitchen and saw nobody.
A sudden smell hit her nose as she turned to leave.
It was heavily intoxicated.
'What's happening?'
Her eyes became blurry as dizziness overtook her body.
She tried holding onto the counter but it slipped and she fell.
The penknife tossed away, she clutched her head.
Footsteps were heard coming her way, looking up, Aurora saw two black figures hovering above her.
That was all she saw but darkness took over her vision.
"Such a pity, she knew not to call the police." The first guard on the right said.
The second scoffed as he seized her and together both carried her limped body to the car.
They shoved her in the back seat, slammed the door, and drove off.
Aurora, unconscious, knew nothing of her surroundings.
"Boss, we've brought her." The guards reported over the phone as they dropped Aurora on the cold floor of a dimly lit room.
Viktor smirked as he sipped from a wine glass, its colour crimson red like blood, the taste sweet like the news he'd heard.
He knew Aurora would try anything to save her friend, but what a fool she is if she thought she could escape him.
"Well done…now let's wait and see how much she really values her friend."