C2 ALONE

He left, leaving me closed in the wardrobe. The space in here was too small; I was suffocating. I stayed there for what seemed like forever.

I pushed the wardrobe open and climbed down when I couldn't take it anymore. I opened the door and headed downstairs.

I walked as quietly as possible in order not to call attention to myself. In each step I took, I was trembling in fear.

I stood close to the stairs and watched as my parents were pushed to their knees. What is going on?

There was a woman I had never seen before sitting right in front of mum and dad as they were being held down by two men.

One of them I recognised was Uncle Phillip. He is my dad's best friend; why is he doing this to him?

"Are you not going to tell me where the key is?" The lady asked.

"I don't know what you are talking about. We don't have any keys," my dad replied.

"Do you really think I'm going to buy that? Either you provide the key or your wife will be my next meal."

Immediately, she said that a knife was placed on Mum's neck. I wanted to run up to her, but I just couldn't move. I was shaking in fear.

Who are these people, and what do they want from my parents?

Just then, mum looked in my direction. I wanted to run to her, but she blinked her eyes twice, which means that I shouldn't.

But I wanted to do it anyway. I took my first step and was about to take my second step when I felt someone covering my mouth and carrying me away.

"Lilly, I told you to stay in the closet," Michael said immediately as we were inside his room.

"Who are those people? What do they want from us?"

"I don't know Lilly, but mum said we should run."

"No, we are not going to leave them behind. Why was Uncle Phillip holding a knife against Mum?

I thought he was dad's best friend and business partner."

"Lilly I don't know!. We need to leave now!"

"No, I am not going to leave our parents behind."

"They are going to kill us too, don't you get it?" Michael was crying. Tears were running down his face.

I refused to believe I could just leave my parents to die. I took the cell phone immediately and dialled 911.

"Lilly, I have already done that. We need to go."

"No! I am not leaving without mum and dad."

I pushed Michael out of the way and rushed downstairs, only to find the lady in a red dress holding mum and dad up in the air.

I didn't understand a thing. It looked like a movie, but it wasn't. She looked like she was sucking the life out of them.

Mum and dad were already looking pale and white as corpses.

"Let my parents go, you monster!" I screamed at the top of my voice, which drew the attention of the lady, causing her to drop my parents.

"Look who we have here—a cute pie," she said, walking close to me.

"What do you want from my parents? Why are you doing this to them!?" I screamed in her face.

"She is one brave girl, like you used to be," she said, laughing like a crazy lady.

"Let her... go," mum said in the weakest voice ever.

"Do you know your fucking mistake, sister, marrying a human? I am going to let you watch how I'm going to kill your precious daughter."

Wrapping her hands around my neck, she lifted me off the ground. I struggled to get away from her, but she wasn't letting me go.

"Are you scared?" She asked, twisting her face in the most hilarious way ever. I bite her hand, causing her to drop me.

"Lilly run!" I didn't want to go. Mum managed to get back up on her feet as she pushed me upstairs.

"Mum, I can't leave without you; I can't," I told her, staring at dad's lifeless body.

"But I am always with you," she said, struggling to breathe. Why are the police not here yet?

"Who are these people?"

"That doesn't matter," she said, cupping my cheeks and wiping the tears off my face. She placed something in my hand.

"Keep this safe; I trust you. Now go," she said, turning towards the red-dressed lady.

"Wow, isn't it a touching scene? Mother and daughter are parting ways," the lady said, laughing so loudly that it irritated my ears.

"I told you to stay in your lane, sister."

"In my lane? You brought this on yourself, on your husband, and on your children because I am going to kill each of them.

I would love to let you witness it, but I'm already pissed.

Philip, kill her," she demanded.

I didn't want to go, but I had to. I ran upstairs in search of Michael but couldn't find him. I didn't know what to do.

I was about to get out of Michael's room when I saw Uncle Phillip standing right at the door with his usual sweet smile on his face.

All this time, I loved him, but after knowing that he was involved with the lady who killed my dad, I felt nothing but hatred in my heart.

"Hey Lilly, happy birthday to you. Don't you think we put on a very good show downstairs? Your mum and your aunty are discussing another surprise. Why don't we go get some ice cream for everyone?" he said.

Did he really think I was some child who would run into his arms for some ice cream?

"Do I look like I am two years old to you? I am eleven, not one. He trusted you; how could you do this to him and to us?"

"Because your dad is a dick. Either you come with me or I will make you."

I started drawing away from him, but he kept coming close to me.

I came back for Lilly after packing the few things mum wanted us to take, only to find that traitor close to Lilly.

I didn't think twice before hitting him on the head with a baseball bat. He dropped like wood on the ground.

"Lilly, come; we need to go." I let Michael carry me away. Touching the necklace around my neck, I remembered what mum said.

She wants me to keep the necklace and this weird-looking key safe. As Michael carried me away, I saw our house on fire.

The tears ran down my face as I buried my face in Michael's chest and cried my eyes out.

"Lilly, I need you to listen to me; no matter what happened to me, don't look back and run," Michael said after finding a hideout for us.

"No, I am not leaving you behind. We couldn't even help Mom. Dad was on the floor, Michael; she killed him."

It breaks my heart to see her in tears, but I need to get her away from here. I know Philip will be looking for us by now.

"Lilly, focus. I'm sure Mum gave you a lot of things she wants you to keep safe. That's because she trusts that you can do it.

Lilly, please, I might not be able to stay by your side for long."

"No!, No!!" She was shaking her head continuously. Wiping the tears off her face, I hugged her to myself.

"Lilly, please listen to me."

"No, I won't do as you said. Mum said we should stick together; she said we should always look out for each other."

Her words got to me, and I knew I had to do everything in my power so that I wouldn't lose her.

"I know, but just in case we part ways, I want you to keep everything inside this bag safe. You have to promise to keep it safe."

"I promise"

"Good, we need to rest. Tomorrow is going to be a long day for us."