Mafia's Mate

Escape the killer

The labyrinth seemed to have taken on a life of its own, morphing into a disorienting puzzle. The more I ran around and looked at my surroundings, the more confused I got.

There were strange alleys around me. Roads and signs I had never seen before.

And it didn't take me long to realize what I had done.

Shit...

I took a wrong turn,

The distant sounds of the city were replaced by an eerie quiet, broken only by the rhythmic patter of raindrops on leaves. The soft glow of streetlights cast an ethereal haze, revealing a quaint neighborhood playground that stood as a surreal oasis in the urban night.

I stopped for a moment.

OH NO!

Oh shit! My mind went blank for a moment at the realization of a blunder.

Where did I take a wrong turn? Which part? How? I'm not bad with directions.

But the fact that my mind was most occupied with what was behind me must have distracted me enough to end on the wrong way.

!!!

I heard the thumping over the water and it snapped me back to reality and I started to run again.

The dampened grass crunched beneath my shoes as I cautiously entered the playground. The swings swayed in the breeze, their rhythmic creaks like ghostly whispers. The deserted slides and climbing frames stood silent, shrouded in the muted glow of the night.

A sense of dislocation settled in as I surveyed the unfamiliar surroundings.

The rain continued its relentless descent, transforming the playground into a melancholic tableau. The droplets clung to the playground equipment, turning the metal slides and monkey bars into glistening sculptures. The echoes of my footsteps felt amplified in the emptiness, punctuating the surreal stillness that enveloped this uncharted territory.

A flicker of uncertainty played at the edges of my senses as I realized the gravity of my mistake.

Where the hell am I?! Where do I go from here?!?

I knew I didn't have the luxury to stay still and think, so I had to do it on the run. I couldn't even afford to hide. I had managed to put some distance between myself and Chris but I wasted it the moment I stopped to look where I was and now she was back on my tail.

I hastened across the rain-soaked playground, the eerie silence seemed to amplify the pounding of my heart. The desolate swings swayed with an unsettling creak, their rhythmic motion an eerie accompaniment to the dull thud of my footsteps.

And then the feeling of doom that loomed over me

Closer

Closer

And Closer

A perceptible shift in the air sent a shiver down my spine as I tried to make an escape. But it was high time fatigue caught up to me and I faltered for a mere second.

A mere second was all it took for a malevolent force slammed into me from behind. The impact was brutal, and I found myself sprawled on the damp grass and my phone slipped out of my pocket and fell a little distance away from me, the scent of rain-soaked earth mingling with the acrid tang of fear.

!!!

Panic set in as I tried to scramble to my feet, but a strong grip seized me, pulling me back down. The world blurred as I fought against my assailant. Raindrops pelted my face, mirroring the chaotic storm within.

NO!

I tried to struggle free immediately but she slammed me on the ground.

"Got you," Chris's breath, ragged and heavy, whispered in my ear, "For a moment I thought you'd get away." Fear immobilized me for a moment, every ounce of strength drained by the relentless struggle, "I had no idea where you were running off to, but it seems like you didn't either." A sinister chuckle escaped her lips.

As I writhed against the vice-like grip, a muted plea for mercy caught in my throat.

I threw out my arms and my legs, punching and kicking blindly to get a kick but she grabbed and pinned every part of me on the ground.

My desperate struggles intensified, a primal instinct to break free from the vice-like hold

OH GOD!

"Let me go!" I managed to speak, "You monster!" I tried to struggle again.

I had to leave. I had to get out of here.

I can't die like all the other girls! I can't leave Mom behind!

But in the midst of my fervent attempts at escape, a sharp, searing pain radiated from my leg.

!!!!

A guttural gasp caught in my throat as the realization came—my struggles were met with cruel resistance. It took a moment for my brain to process the pain. Then tears brimmed in my eyes and I let out a loud cry

She had punctured my thigh with her weapon.

"Chris!!" Hot tears rolled down my cheeks as I begged, "Please!" The rain, indifferent to the unfolding brutality, as my cries for mercy were drowned by the relentless drumming of raindrops.

She got up but kept her eyes on me. Lightning struck once again, illuminating the whole place.

I fought through the pain, placing both my hands on my bleeding thigh, the world blurred by a cocktail of fear and agony.

But there wasn't an ounce of warmth in those desolate eyes of hers. No hesitation, no mercy, no humanity.

"Why?" Amongst all the thoughts that was the only word that escaped my mouth.

"It's unfortunate that you're going to be my last victim." She grabbed my face and looked into my eyes as she yanked me up to my feet, "I was quite fond of you." She placed the scythe next to my neck

"Why?" My body trembled. And none of the shaking was because of the cold seeping into my pains.

"You weren't on my list, but I know the police are going to show up at my door at any time. That's why Harou and Matthew showed up at my house. That detective, he's a clever one. And since Matthew's the one who put Rameen's head on my desk, he already knew who I am, so I might as get one last win."

What? What did she just say? Matthew put the head there? I didn't get time to process that info.

And she raised her weapon in the air to slice my head off.