The night was unusually still, the kind of silence that presses down on everything, making even the faintest sound feel amplified. Susan had been walking home late after a long day, her mind swirling with thoughts about Elena, Adrian, and the complicated web of emotions she was trying to untangle. The streets were mostly deserted, the occasional flicker of a streetlamp casting long shadows that danced eerily on the pavement.
As she passed by the edge of a dense thicket near Adrian's neighborhood-a shortcut she sometimes took-something caught her eye. A faint light flickered through the trees, accompanied by muffled voices. Curiosity piqued, Susan slowed her pace, instinctively ducking behind a large oak tree to get a better look without being seen.
Peering cautiously through the branches, her breath caught in her throat.
In the dim glow of a lantern, she saw two figures-Adrian's parents-standing over a man who was bound and struggling weakly. The man's face was obscured by shadows, but the desperation in his movements was unmistakable. The air was thick with tension.
Susan's heart pounded fiercely. She wanted to turn and run, but something rooted her to the spot-a mix of fear, disbelief, and a desperate need to understand what was happening.
Adrian's father spoke first, his voice low and cold. "You should have stayed quiet. You knew too much."
The man gasped, trying to plead, but his words were cut off by Adrian's mother, who stepped forward with a chilling calmness. She pulled out a knife, its blade gleaming ominously in the lantern light.
Susan's fingers trembled as she pulled out her phone, silently activating the camera. She had to capture this-to have proof of what she was witnessing.
The man's struggles grew weaker as the parents moved with ruthless efficiency. The knife flashed once, twice, and then the man's body went still.
Susan's breath hitched. She fought the urge to scream, to run, but she stayed frozen, the weight of what she had just seen sinking deep into her bones.
Suddenly, a twig snapped underfoot.
Adrian's father's head snapped up, eyes scanning the darkness.
"Did you hear that?" his mother whispered sharply.
Susan's heart threatened to burst from her chest. She pressed herself harder against the tree, barely daring to breathe.
The parents moved cautiously toward the sound, their lantern casting long beams of light that swept through the underbrush. Susan's mind raced-if they found her, what would happen?
She edged backward slowly, keeping her phone steady, the video still recording.
Her foot slipped on a loose stone, sending a soft clatter into the night.
Adrian's father spun around, eyes locking onto her hiding spot.
"Hey! Who's there?" he barked, voice sharp and commanding.
Susan's pulse thundered. She knew she had only seconds to act.
Without thinking, she bolted, sprinting through the trees, branches clawing at her arms and face. Behind her, she heard the heavy footsteps of the parents giving
chase, their voices angry and urgent.
"Stop her!" his mother yelled.
Susan's lungs burned, but adrenaline pushed her faster. She burst out of the thicket and onto the street, heart hammering wildly as she glanced back. The shadows of Adrian's parents were emerging from the trees, their faces twisted with fury.
She didn't stop running until she reached the safety of a crowded café, where the warm light and chatter of strangers felt like a shield.
Hands shaking, Susan pulled out her phone and checked the video. The footage was clear-enough to expose the horrifying truth.
Susan's legs trembled as she finally reached the safety of her apartment building. The familiar sight of the worn brick walls and flickering hallway lights did little to calm the storm raging inside her. She fumbled with her keys, hands shaking so badly she dropped them twice before finally unlocking the door and slipping inside.
Once inside, she locked the door behind her and leaned against it, sliding down until she was sitting on the cold wooden floor. Her breath came in ragged gasps, her mind replaying the horrifying scene over and over-the lifeless body, the cold eyes of Adrian's parents, the ruthless efficiency with which they had silenced the man. She felt a chill that had nothing to do with the night air.
Her phone buzzed in her pocket, but she ignored it, too overwhelmed to even think about answering. After a few moments, she pulled it out and stared at the screen. It was a message from Elena: "Hey, just checking in. Want to hang out tonight?"
Susan's fingers hovered over the keyboard, then she typed back quickly, "Elena, I need you. Can you come over? It's urgent."
The doorbell rang sharply, echoing through Susan's small apartment. She sat on the edge of the couch, trembling, her phone still clutched tightly in her hand. When she opened the door, Elena stepped inside, her face flushed with a mix of anger and disbelief.
"Elena, thank you for coming," Susan began, her voice shaky but urgent. "There's something you need to know-Adrian isn't who you think he is. His parents-they're dangerous. I saw them tonight. They killed someone."
Elena's eyes narrowed, her jaw tightening. "Susan, enough. I don't want to hear this nonsense."
Susan's heart pounded. "I'm serious, Elena. I have proof. I recorded it. You have to believe me."
Elena cut her off, voice rising sharply. "You're just jealous. Jealous because I have a boyfriend and you don't. You've been looking for any excuse to come between us."
Susan's eyes widened. "Jealous? Elena, I'm trying to protect you."
"Protect me?" Elena scoffed bitterly. "No, you're trying to sabotage me. You've been acting like a terrible friend ever since Adrian came into my life. Always finding ways to make me doubt him, to make me question everything."
Susan's throat tightened. "I'm only trying to keep you safe. You don't understand what I saw."
Elena's voice cracked, tears beginning to sting her eyes. "I understand perfectly. You don't want me to be happy. You don't want me to move on. You want to keep me stuck in your world where I'm alone and miserable."
Susan shook her head, desperation creeping into her voice. "That's not true! I care about you. That's why I'm telling you this."
Elena stood abruptly, her chair scraping loudly against the floor. "No, Susan. You don't care about me. If you did, you wouldn't be trying to destroy the one thing that makes me happy."
Susan's eyes filled with tears. "I'm scared for you. For us."
Elena's laugh was hollow, bitter. "Well, I'm scared of you now. You're not the friend I thought you were."
She took a step back, her voice cold and final. "I'm done. I don't want anything to do with you anymore."
Susan's sobs broke the heavy silence as Elena turned and walked toward the door. The click of the closing door echoed like a final verdict.