As I stepped out of the room my senses heightened, and I became aware of an unusual sound. Startled, I instinctively turned my head to the left and was met with the unnerving presence of approaching footsteps. My heart skipped a beat as I saw what I saw
"Don't move" I saw a person dressed in black covering the body, holding a gun stepping towards me.
Fear coursed through my veins, compelling me to take immediate action. Realizing that my life hung in the balance, I mustered the courage to slowly raise my trembling hand in the act of surrender. Every fiber of my being screamed for self-preservation, hoping that this gesture would communicate my non-threatening nature and keep me alive for now.
"Move back to the room," he commanded with an unmistakable air of authority, his voice laced with an underlying threat that sent shivers down my spine. Confusion and fear swirled within me as I struggled to comprehend the gravity of the situation unfolding before my eyes.
Summoning the courage to confront the intruder, I gained the strength to ask, "Who are you?" My voice quivered, betraying the mixture of anxiety and defiance brewing within me.
His response was swift, his tone devoid of empathy or patience. "You are at gunpoint. Just do as you're told and stop yourself from asking stupid questions," he snapped, the weight of his words hanging heavy in the air. The glint of the firearm in his hand served as a chilling reminder of the danger that loomed over me.
Recognizing the dire circumstances I found myself in, I complied with his demand, slowly walking backward, each step measured and deliberate. The room seemed to shrink in size, the walls closing in around me as my heart raced with adrenaline-fueled anticipation.
Fear tightened its grip on my every move, urging me to tread carefully, mindful of the delicate balance between survival and resistance. Every muscle of my body yearned for a glimpse of escape, an opportunity to break free from the clutches of this terrifying ordeal.
As I inched closer to the room, a rush of thoughts cascaded through my mind, desperate attempts to formulate a plan, to find a glimmer of hope amidst the darkness that enveloped me. But the harsh reality of the gun's presence served as a stark reminder of the perilous nature of my predicament.
In the face of imminent danger, I suppressed the instinct to fight back, recognizing the futility of resistance against an armed assailant. My focus shifted to preserving my life, and not taking any stupid action that can risk the other lives in the house.
Silently, I prayed for a momentary distraction, a stroke of luck that could provide a window of opportunity to escape the clutches of this stranger and the ominous weapon he wielded. The seconds stretched into eternity, each passing moment carrying the weight of uncertainty and the desperate plea for deliverance.
The path back to the room felt never-ending, a treacherous journey fraught with the unknown. Every nerve in my body seemed attuned to the slightest movement, my senses heightened in anticipation of the next command, the next twist in this nightmarish ordeal.
As I finally reached the door of the room, I turned to face the intruder, my eyes locking with his, searching for any sign of mercy or humanity within his gaze. But all I found was the cold, unyielding stare of a stranger determined to maintain control, a stark reminder of the perilous game of survival I was unwittingly thrust into.
"Fast" he snapped
With a final gesture, he motioned for me to enter the room, his eyes never leaving mine. As I stepped over the threshold, uncertainty loomed over me like a shroud, casting a shadow of fear and anticipation over the unknown fate that awaited me within those walls.
As I opened the lock of the door with my trembling hand, a sudden click echoed from the room right next to mine, I quickly turned my head in anxiety only to witness Evelyn emerging, her eyes heavy with drowsiness, likely disrupted by the commotion unfolding in the dead of night.
Before she could utter a single word, her voice caught in her throat, frozen in a moment of paralyzed disbelief. Her eyes widened, fixating on the unknown figure standing before us, clutching a weapon that now ominously shifted its gunpoint from me to Evelyn.
Time seemed to stand still as the weight of the situation sank in. A chilling silence enveloped the air, broken only by the sound of our shallow breaths and the rapid beating of our hearts. Fear and uncertainty danced in our eyes, mingling with an unspoken understanding that our lives hung precariously in the balance.
Evelyn, caught in the crosshairs of danger, displayed an unexpected calmness, her sleepy demeanor replaced by a steely resolve. As her gaze locked with mine, unspoken messages passed between us—an unyielding determination to survive, to outwit the assailant who held us captive within this ominous space.
We don't know what to do. Time seemed to elongate, stretching seconds into eternity, as we stood there, poised on the precipice of an uncertain fate.
"Both of you, to the same room" he commanded and Evelyn rushed to me. Both of us stood there and watched the man stand with the weapon. Then we suddenly heard another footsteps walking towards us and we noticed another man dressed in the same attire with a gun in their pockets coming towards us.
I quickly entered the room and saw Alan standing right near my feet. I pushed him to the bathroom and locked the door from outside. I couldn't let anything happen to him because of my fate and actions. Evelyn followed me to the room and the guy stepped in locking the door behind us.
As the intruder's piercing eyes scanned the room, their intent remained shrouded in mystery. With a swift motion, they snatched the mobile phone from the bed, their gaze darting around in search of something undisclosed. Evelyn and I stood frozen in place, our breaths held captive within our chests, as we watched the intruder rummage through our sanctuary.
Every second felt like an eternity as the room became a stage for their invasive exploration. The weight of the unknown hung heavily in the air, intensifying the fear that coiled within us. We exchanged wordless glances, our eyes reflecting a shared sense of unease and confusion.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the intruder concluded their search. With a purposeful stride, they retreated from the room, leaving behind a palpable aura of tension. The sound of the door locking echoed in the silence, sealing us within our temporary refuge.
As the door clicked shut, Evelyn's voice broke the silence, her words trembling with a mixture of fear and curiosity. "Who was that? What do they want?" Her eyes pleaded for answers, mirroring the questions swirling within my own mind.
I shook my head in response, a veil of uncertainty clouding my features. "I have no idea," I admitted, my voice laced with a hint of frustration. The intrusion had shattered any semblance of normalcy that we had managed to grasp amidst the chaos of recent events. We were left grappling with a myriad of unanswered questions, haunted by the lingering presence of the unknown figure.
I opened the window, desperately hoping to catch a glimpse of a passerby who could lend us a helping hand. But as I peered into the abyss of the night, the darkness seemed impenetrable, offering no solace or hope. It was the ungodly hour of 2 am, a time when the world slumbered, oblivious to the unfolding danger within these walls.
The thought of shouting for help knocked on the edge of my mind, but reason quickly silenced it. Any vocal plea could potentially draw the attention of our intruder, leading to dire consequences. The consequence of shouting for help could make the intruders kill us within a matter of seconds. The risk was high and not worth it.
With a heavy heart, I abandoned the notion of seeking outside assistance and rushed back towards the door, intent on securing it from the inside. Before my outstretched hand could reach the door handle, it swung open violently, revealing the intruder standing on the threshold. Panic surged through my veins as I braced myself for the worst.
To my astonishment, the intruder forcefully pushed Abhimanyu into the room, their grip unyielding. Abhimanyu stumbled forward, his eyes reflecting a mix of surprise, fear, and determination. The intruder's motive remained an enigma, their intentions veiled behind a mask of Black cloth.
Evelyn and I stood frozen, our eyes fixated on Abhimanyu's sudden arrival. It was clear that our unknown assailant possessed a measure of control and power over us, manipulating the situation to their advantage. The air crackled with tension, anticipation, and a sense of impending danger.
"Don't try to act smart, or all of you will be dead in a matter of seconds" he said locking the door behind him. He took a chair and sit near the door facing us.
As I turned my gaze toward Abhimanyu, my heart sank at the sight of his bruised and battered face. It was evident that he had put up a valiant fight against our assailants, refusing to surrender without a fight, unlike me.
"You alright?" He asked me and Evelyn. I took his hand and pulled him toward the end of the room where Evelyn was sitting.
"Yes. We are alright. They hurt you?" my voice trembling with a mix of worry and gratitude for his unwavering bravery. His response carried a tinge of pain, both physical and emotional, as he admitted that he had endured some injuries during the altercation.
"Just a little, they were armed. I couldn't fight all three of them"
"Three? I saw only two" I was shocked to realize the number of intruders is increasing constantly. A surge of guilt washed over me as I realized that he had faced the armed intruders alone, outnumbered and overpowered. I couldn't help but wonder if I had done enough to protect him, in fact, I didn't do anything to reach him. But dwelling on self-blame would serve no purpose in this critical moment.
"They are three, they are looking for something," Abhimanyu said and the guy rose up from the chair and walked towards us.
"Shut your mouths or I won't hesitate to shut your mouth with this gun," he said pointing the gunpoint to Abhimanyu.
"Leave him, he won't say anything. What do you want? What are you looking for?" I asked with anxiety in my voice.
"Leave that to us"
"You won't get anything by killing us. It's his house, he will know what you are looking for better than you" I said.
"Killing you guys is not the plan," he said putting his gun back in his pocket.