Not Me : 🎨 Yok's Tapestry 🔻this Is Not a Yok/Dan story🔻

Twenty Five 🎨

I had my instructions and I got going. I went alone, I insisted on it. I had no idea what he, she or they wanted from me. They asked for nothing. All they wanted was for me to show up. I had no idea if I was walking into a trap, I had to take my chances..... For Mae.

The spot indicated to me was dark, only the glow from the moon illuminating some areas. My phone rang again. "Follow my instructions and we'll have no problems. I'm watching you." "I'm here now, what more do you want?" "There's a shed in front of you. Go inside. There's a phone inside there. It'll ring in exactly five minutes. If you miss it, you're dead and so is your Mae..... " The call ended abruptly.

I spotted the shed in the distance. I'll need to run to make it there in time. I had never been a runner but now I'm sprinting. I hit the door with a force that made it swing open and carry me along with its momentum.

I lay sprawled on the floor trying to catch my breath when a phone starts ringing. I searched through the shed. It's a single room building, there's no hiding spots. I find it under the debris from the broken door. I answer just as the ringing comes to an end. I scream into the receiver,"I'm here !"

"I nearly gave up on you Yok. Discard your phone. On the other phone there is a pre-recorded message. Send it to your friends. Immediately after follow the path from here to it's end. There you'll find what you're looking for." End of call. I spent seconds wondering what they thought I was looking for. I needed nothing from them. I listened to the recorded message before forwarding it to Sammy.

It had directions to Mae's location. It also said to hurry as she's trapped in an area where she won't be able to breathe. She's got enough oxygen for fifteen minutes. Rescue her in that time or forget it. The last sentence of the message simply said "you've received your directions. Either save your Mae yourself and miss what reward waits for you at the end of the path or trust your friends to save her while you complete your instructions. Or just leave her to die .... You'll only have yourself to blame then." End of message.

There wasn't a choice. Sammy and the others were nearer to Mae's location than I was. I forwarded the message. I put my trust in the friends that had not let me down since the beginning, even Sammy had proven her loyalty. I knew they would stop at nothing to save Mae.

I stood in that shed very tempted to give up whatever was at the end of this path and walk away. I nearly did.... But then I started wondering, what if they're watching me? If I don't obey, will they do something to Mae? I need to give the others time to reach her. I followed the path.....

It took me quite a while to get to the end of it. I found another dilapidated building. I went inside, not knowing what to look for. I stood undecided for a few minutes before I started looking around.... Then I saw it. An old school tape recorder, like a walkman. Inside was a tape, ready for playing. I didn't know if it would work but I pressed the play button anyway. It was Danai's voice.

"Yok, I'm sorry but I don't think I'll make it home. I thought we'd have more time, I guess not. I'm sorry I didn't tell you what I was involved in, I wanted you to be safe. I already almost ended your life once, I can't be responsible for another time.

I thought I could bring Tawi to justice and we could have our happy ending. I don't think it's going to work out that way. This will be the last time you hear from me. They're allowing me to send one message before they put me on what they call a trial. They've already found me guilty and I don't think they'll let me go.

Don't blame yourself for any of this. It was all my choice. I'm sorry I need to leave you behind. Promise me you'll find your happiness. Someday you'll meet a better man than me. Love him dearly, build that family you've always wanted.

Remember I'll never stop loving you, but don't let my love hold you back. Change the world Yok. You have it in you to be amazing. " End of recording.....

I stood staring at the recorder, not knowing what to do or think. The phone in my pocket started beeping again. A message alert. I opened the message. " Thanks for playing Yok. It's over now."

Confused, frustrated, shocked.... I wasn't sure what I was feeling.... I needed to know if Mae was safe. The phone in my hand was dead. I couldn't make any calls. I remembered my own phone left behind in the shed.

I ran back. It took quite a bit of running to get back to the shed. I had no way of knowing if my phone would be where I left it. I hoped so. It would be faster to find that phone than driving all the way back. I was already impatient. I kept running.

As soon as I reached it I called Sammy, noticing at the same time the missed calls from her number. "We've got her Yok. She's safe." Thank God. I finally breathe a sigh of relief.

Sammy said they were heading to my place, I do the same. On the drive back the questions surface one after the other.... What just happened?, what was it all for?, what's the end game?, why did they do this?, where had the message from Danai come from?, when had he recorded it.....?.

This was just the tip of the ice berg. My priority though was getting to Mae.

As soon as I walk inside I wrap Mae in a very tight hug. " You had me worried old woman." "I'm not that easy to get rid of," she pushed me a little back to be able to sign what she wanted to say. Her device had unfortunately been destroyed. No matter, she's safe, that's all that's important to me.

I held her until White drew my attention. There was another person stretched out on my couch. White explained that he had taken a nasty blow to the head and they'd made him lie down as he felt dizzy. Also that he was held hostage with mae. They brought him along too, couldn't leave him there tied up could they?

Who was it I wondered looking at the person's back. As he turned he's head I finally recognised him.... Gumpa....