Annika Remo, a beautiful and innocent young woman, hides a painful past while living with her unsympathetic uncle and aunt, relying on her fantasy novels to escape. Unbeknownst to her, her uncle has put her on a dangerous blacklist. Matteo King, the...
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Annika Remo
I couldn't move, and a ringing sound echoed in my ears. The impact of the cement road on my body burned. Through the haze, I could only see the vehicle that hit me. I overhear someone shouting my name, but I couldn't move.
It makes me realise how quickly things can change. People should live their lives to the utmost if they have the chance. If they saw the world in the same way that I do.
"Annika!" I left myself from the cruel earth gently and with a little effort, only to find my head whirling. "I'm Alright," I say as Diego helped me up, cursing himself. Why doesn't this idiot simply listen?
When I looked down at my hand, I noticed it was crimson, most likely from my head. But, as much as it comes from me, I despise blood. It's starting to frighten me. Everything that has occurred, including the deaths, torture, and brutality, has had an impact on me. I don't want to see blood, I don't want to be in this world, but no matter how hard I try, I can't.
I grab Diego's shoulder, locking my arms around his neck, knowing that if I didn't hold him, I'd fall to the ground due to my weakness. And mostly because he was ready to kill those men in the car. I knew my body would give up on me at any minute and I'd be back to square one.
"We have to get you to the hospital," I was exhausted and weary, and as much as I wanted to argue with him, I didn't have the energy. It seemed as though my body was trying to get away from me and take advantage of this moment.
"Diego...I'm not feeling well." He catches me just as I'm about to fall. "Fuck. Annika, why would you jump in front of the car?" Before I could respond, two guys escorted the vehicle that had inadvertently hit me. I'm hoping that was an accident. I could feel Diego tensing up with rage; I don't want things to escalate. "Don't. Please just leave it alone." I don't want him to get wounded or end up in a bad situation.
He lowers me to the pavement, and my heart stops as I observe those men. They were well-built and dressed in shabby and worn-out clothing. The guy on the left had a nasty grin, his sun-coloured crooked yellow teeth, highlighted. My gut was filled with a frigid wave of anxiety. Something told me that this wasn't an accident. The person on the right was holding a bat, while the other was simply cracking his knuckles and peering at me. I was tempted to seize Diego's hand and flee.
When I glance over to the side, I notice Diego's pistol on the street, which the guy must have realised since he walked over to it and kicked it away. That's when I noticed Diego wasn't armed. I despise firearms but now isn't the time. My heart was hammering loudly and irregularly as he held my face and icy tears ran down my cheek. I was terrified for both of us. "What do we do, Diego"
"I need you to do as I say; whatever happens, you must run without looking back." I shrug and shake my head. No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, No, Not ever. Please, I cannot do that. I don't have the strength to get up, let alone leave him. I couldn't do it to my brother. It's the same exact situation as last time. I can't. It's as if I'm handing half of myself. How could he do that to me? As I sobbed, I was filled with anger, hurt, and fury at the world.
