A B-town Soap Opera

Episode 14

Shallu arrived home to find it engulfed in darkness. Hmm she thought. Rupa must've forgotten to put the porch light on for me.

As she walked to her front door, she saw the front window was open. She never opened that window. She also found her front door unlocked. Something was definitely wrong. Rupa would not have left the door unlocked.

She opened the door as quietly as she could and screamed as she felt a firm hand on her shoulder from behind. Thinking quickly she shoved her elbow back as hard as she could and rammed her heel into their foot.

"F*** Shallu! Is this how you greet visitors?!"

Shallu knew that voice.

Felix the arrogant cow.

——

Comet, who had driven back to Shallu's saw everything that happened. Some guy was trying to attack Shallu in the dark. He quickly got out of his car and rushed to her aid. Looked like Shallu had already left him in pain but for good measure he tapped the guy on the shoulder and levelled a punch into his chest. The guy stepped back in surprise just as the porch light turned on. The punch didn't seem to have an effect on him.

Shallu's eyes widened seeing Comet outside and that he had randomly attacked Felix. Before she could stop anything further from happening Felix punched Comet in his face. Blood oozed out of Comets nose as  he stumbled back.

"Omg Felix stop! What did you do?!" Shallu yelled. She helped Comet back to his feet.

"You didn't have to punch him and definitely not that hard!"

"I'm sorry," Felix said sarcastically. "But I tend to fight back when I'm attacked."

Shallu invited them both inside to get cleaned up. She stepped into her house but didn't get very far.

"Oh shit!" she exclaimed fearfully.

Smeared in red across the wall in her hallway were the words Comet is mine and mine alone. Her couches and upholstery were slashed. Her pictures on the wall were smashed along with the breakable trinkets she had around for decoration.

———

What the hell had he walked into? Felix thought. Who the hell is Comet? Shallu's boyfriend?

He glanced at the guy he had just punched. This guy? This was her type?

He didn't need any of this drama. Neither did his firm. He had only come to apologize and offer Shallu her job back.

"Im calling the police." Felix stated pulling out his phone.

"No don't" Shallu exclaimed. "Not yet anyway."

"Shallu look around. You need to..."

Shallu interrupted. "Rupa- you remember her? My friend? She was kidnapped. Look at this." She said thrusting a paper into Comet's hand.

The note was addressed to Comet. It provided directions to where Rupa was being held and advised  Comet that he could trade her life for one other person. It warned not to bring the police or anyone else or Rupa would die.

Turning to Felix, she said "we can't call the police. It says they will kill her. We need a plan at least."

Felix asked to read the note. "This is insane. You need to involve the police. You can't deal with this on your own. A trade?"

"What kind of plan would you even make Shallu? Who is he going to trade?"

Shallu sighed. She could feel her tears rolling down her face. She was exhausted. It's been one thing after the next.

"I...I don't know" she sighed.

Comet who had been silent up to this point, putting ice on his chest spoke up. "I'll figure something out. I know who took her. If I need to I could find someone worth trading. I would trade myself if that meant she was safe. You might not believe this Shallu but I do love her."

——-

Shallu's head was spinning. He could find someone worth trading? Who was this guy? How could she even trust Comet.How would she know Rupa is safe? Maybe she should call the police.

She rubbed her temples. What should she do? Get rid of Felix and then figure something out.

Felix saw Shallu turn to him. She was oddly calm with tears flowing down her face. She was worried about her friend.

"Felix I think you should go. I don't want you to get involved in any of this. I don't even know what this is. I'm not sure why you even came but I'm sure you must regret it. This is my mess I have to deal with it, you don't need to stick around. I promise I'll call the police when I figure something out...." Shit why was she rambling again?! Shallu thought. She had only intended on asking him to leave.

——-

Felix felt his chest tighten. This is what he wanted. He needed to leave. This situation was too much.

He wanted to leave and yet...he was also feeling something he couldn't place. He was frozen to the spot. He didn't want to care but he did. He didn't want to be there but he did. He wanted Shallu to want him to stay. He wanted her to need him.

This is new, he thought. He hadn't felt this way...well since he'd lost his wife.

Plus there's no way he was leaving her alone with Comet. He oozed trouble.

"I'm staying. We're going to figure this out."