Past In The Spotlight (SUNSET TRILOGY #1)

Chapter 16

[Capítulo Dieciséis: Traydor (Traitor)]

BEFORE we could even take another step, the ground beneath us vanished, and I found myself tumbling, paralyzed. Marianne fell beside me, and as she dropped in front of me, the moonlight revealed the menacing silhouettes of men behind us.

"Ponerles sacos en la cabeza (Put sacks on their heads)," one of them commanded. "Rápido (Fast)!"

A rough material enveloped my head, plunging me into an impenetrable darkness as a sack was securely placed over me.

.

WHEN I woke up, I was momentarily blinded by the light within a small wooden room. In front of me stood Clara, her gaze fixed on me as she silently observed.

"Clara?"

She seemed unusually quiet, and a palpable unease hung in the air, whispering that something was amiss.

A man in a black suit entered the room. Clutched in his hand was a stick, and perched atop his head was a top hat.

Silence held me captive. Speaking felt futile, understanding unlikely, and the specter of trouble loomed over any attempt to break the silence.

"I heard that you are an educated man, Mister Joaquin," he spoke, his words a deliberate choice, revealing a keen awareness of my background.

"Y- You can speak in English?" My eyes widened as I heard the words fluently flowing from his mouth. I couldn't help but wonder about the identity of this person who seemingly held more depth than initially perceived.

He remained concealed within the shadows cast by his hat, the dim light from the lantern above the ceiling shrouding parts of his features in mystery.

"Perhaps you know who I am," he spoke.

His words carried an air of certainty, leaving an unanswered question lingering in the room.

"Where is Marianne? Where am I? Why am I here?" I demanded, my voice a mixture of confusion and frustration. The wooden chair restrained me, its unforgiving grip amplifying the urgency of my inquiries. The room held its secrets, and the silence that followed my questions intensified the unsettling atmosphere, leaving me suspended in an unsettling limbo of uncertainty.

"Don't worry, she's in good hands," he replied. "And you will be, too, if you would cooperate with me."

"What do you want from me?" I asked, my gaze unwavering as he closed the distance.

"You see, I just want you to..." He halted a few inches in front of me, dropping to one knee. Closing in, he whispered into my right ear, "I just want you to die."

Before he could even finish those words, a sharp pain sliced through my cheek. As he stood up, I noticed the knife in his hand, a trace of blood glistening from my skin.

I let out a painful cry as my heart raced faster with each passing moment.

"Ano ang iyong ginagawa (What are you doing)?" Clara's eyes widened with surprise, a mix of concern and confusion painted on her face. The language barrier shielded her from understanding the English conversation, leaving her in the dark about the unfolding situation.