I am wired by nature to love the same toys that the world loves. I start to fit in. I start to love what others love. I start to call Earth “Home,” I think little about the people perishing. Thus, you need to spend time crawling alone through shadows to truly appreciate what it is to stand in the sun.

*********

Amanda had just completed her first task as the CEO of the CommandIntel Corporation. She’s dead tired, but happy. She was in front of her new to be office fiddling on her phone.

Suddenly, a middle-aged woman, dressed in a causal multicolor gown, walked up to her.

“Miss., I believe you are going home. Right?” The middle-aged woman asked with a radiant smile on her face.

Hearing the sudden voice. Startle. Amanda raised her head and look at the middle-aged woman suspiciously. Amanda didn’t hear the footstep of the woman. ‘How could this be?’ She thought in her mind.

She looked at the surrounding with the corner of her eyes, hoping to find some people to call when things go south.

However, the working hours had long gone. Amanda could see only a few people on the street. It had become an unwritten rule.

2 hours after working hours were meant for the underworlds to take over Vulture City. If you are not part of any gang or powerful organization. You’re not expected to be found outside after this period.

Else, you won’t live to tell the tales.

Amanda was aware of this unwritten rule. But the last time she checked, there were still 30 minutes before it clocked 2 hours. But now, seeing an unknown woman talking to her all of a sudden made her nervous.

“W-What do you want….?” Amanda asked nervously.

“Child, relax. I mean no harm. I’m here to relay a message to you.” The woman smiled amicably. She continued. “If you’re going home. I advise you not. Your house is not safe right now.”

Hmm!

Amanda opened her mouth and wanted to talk, but was interrupted by the middle-aged woman.

“Don’t ask me why. Because I don’t know. But I can guarantee that the intel was real. And for your own good. You better not go to that house of yours.” With that, the middle-aged woman looked at Amanda with a glamorous smile on her face. Beep! Beep! ‘Mission accomplished.’

Receiving the notification, the woman walked away without looking back. Flabbergasted. Amanda’s eyes were opened wide and did not recover from the initial shock until the woman had gone.

After a few seconds, Amanda regained her bearing. She exhaled. She creased her brow, looking at the surrounding. But she couldn’t find the traces of the middle-aged woman.

“What’s going on?” She murmured. She couldn’t understand why she couldn’t go home. After a few seconds, she gasped. She covered her mouth and looked at the surrounding. The realization dawn on her.

‘Mama is at home! What would happen to her if the home is in danger.’ She shivered with that thought.

“I must go home. I must.” She nodded her head furiously. She was already turning red from fear and panic. The thought of having her mother in danger was too heavy for her fragile heart. She quickly scrambled on her phone, trying to order a ride hurriedly.

But then she received a call. Seeing the caller. Amanda was shocked with her jaw dropped. The caller was Emma. She didn’t remember to have Emma contact in her phone.

But how the hell did Emma contact miraculously get to her phone. But all those questions couldn’t be answered right now. She exhaled, answering the call.

Shortly, the call ended, and Amana had a puzzled look on her face. “I’m… scared. What’s really going on.” She murmured in dazed.

Amanda hugged her chest, waiting patiently. The street had fewer people on it. And besides, the street was exceptionally quiet, giving Amanda fright.

‘Why is he taking so long…’ Her heart pounding while the whistling of the evening breeze whispered into her ear making the surroundings eerier.

The weening of the mouse and cracking of the crickets and insects were audible like a loudspeaker in Amanda’s ears. While also, the sound of various footsteps far and near made the frightful Amanda’s heart wanting to leap out of her chest.

Trembling. While there was a bead of sweat on her forehead. Amanda was looking to and from like a lost sheep.

“Why is he so unreliable! I can’t endure it anymore…” Amanda whispered, biting the edge of her lip.

While Amanda was in her conflicting thought. A car arrived in front of her without making a sound. A young man came off the car and stopped in front of Amanda.

“Are you not ready to go?” Emma asked.

What!

Amanda jumped in fright. She was scared silly. She widened her eyes while she stared at the source of the voice. Her mouth formed ‘0’. She blinked her eyes.

Seeing this, Emma realized his mistake. But he couldn’t but wondered what was on her mind that made her not noticing his arrival.

“Sorry if I startle you.” Emma apologized.

Noticing that it was Emma. Amanda breathes a sigh of relief, recovering from her initial shock. Her erratic breathing stabled. She looked at Emma, not knowing what to say.

“Can’t you, for once, behave like a normal gentleman!” Amanda raised her brow in displeasure. Though Emma had already apologized. She vexed. She could have had a heart attack with that sudden call.

“Oh. I will try.” Emma chuckled.

Humph! Amanda pouted.

“Let go. Time is running out. The hour is almost up.” Emma reminded.

Hmm!

“Sure. Sure. But tell me what happened to my mother…” Amanda asked in a panicked voice.

“Nothing.”

“Really??”

…

Inside a white room. A middle-aged woman was lying on the bed with numerous machines plugged into her body. Beside her, there was a fragile lady, weeping her heart out bitterly. They were Amanda and her mother, Betty.

Emma had already recounted what happen previously to her. She was shocked, scared, and panicked. But at the least, she was grateful to Emma for saving her mother from the clutch of the Viper gangs.

Only God knew what she would have done.. If something happened to her mother.