"Maggie, President Miller’s here at the karaoke bar! She says she has something urgent to discuss and is already waiting at the door!"
Margaret’s face lit up with sudden excitement.
"Really? I’ll go greet her right away!"
With a dismissive glance at me, she barked, "Full of lies and nonsense!"
"Get rid of this scumbag. We can’t have President Miller walk in and spoil her mood!"
The only person Margaret ever referred to as "President Miller" was Brenda. Could it really be her?
A lump lodged in my throat, but there was no time for sentimental thoughts.
I had no idea what they intended to do with me, but I knew this was my one shot at freedom.
As the person who had tied me up dragged me toward the door, I seized the moment. In a flash, I slammed my nose into their face, my heart pounding.
The person let out a howl of pain, their grip loosening just enough.
I bolted, my feet pounding the floor as I ran for my life.
But the karaoke bar was dark, the dim lights casting long shadows that blurred my way. I wasn’t familiar with the layout and as I raced forward, my foot caught on a step.
I crashed to the floor with a thud; my body jarred from the fall.
My ankle twisted painfully and my forehead slammed against the stairs, leaving my mind in a haze.
But even in my foggy state, I saw her, Brenda, standing in the shadows, holding a wine glass.
A string of crystals dangled from her wrist, the very same birthday gift I had given her just last year.
I opened my mouth to shout, but before a sound could escape, someone clamped a hand over my mouth, silencing me in an instant.
Brenda glanced in my direction, a flicker of confusion in her eyes, but ultimately, she saw nothing.
The person dragged me back into the shadows and, in one swift motion, struck the back of my head with a brutal force.
"You bastard, how dare you run into me? Let’s see if you don’t regret that later!"
And with that, everything went black.
When I came to, I found myself tied up in a dark, cramped basement, tape sealing my mouth shut.
No one was around. Had they all gone to welcome Brenda?
I steadied my breathing, whispering to myself. As long as Brenda hadn’t left, there was still hope.
Summoning every ounce of strength, I struggled to sit up and inch my way to the corner, hoping to loosen the ropes that bound me.
Just then, I heard low voices drifting from outside the door.