Chapter Four

The mall was huge. Oversized corridors, hallways, and expensive branded markets shone the area lavishly. I looked around. I can’t believe Ojai had this side as well. Along with beautiful nature and mountains with vintage shops, small markets, and houses, there was a jaw-dropping townsite that looked no different than Tokyo. 

Nabi dragged me a little far than where we lived to do some shopping as I promised her. She kept dragging me here to there to buy me things. 

“Damn, it’s expensive,” I whispered to her showing her a flannel. 

She waved me off. “It’s meant to be, man. Try this.” She handed me a dress and shoved me to the fitting room. 

I sighed and took off my dress. Trying on the sleeveless dress with a beautifully embroidered chest I looked at myself. I smiled. “Pretty,” 

Though the dress was kind of tight and my skin was mostly showing I didn’t mind it. I grew up wearing baggy jeans and clothes and dresses only for occasions so wearing a pretty dress after a long time made me feel confident again. 

I got out and showed it to her. She squealed ad hugged me. “Wow, you look so pretty.” She said. “Let’s try some more.”

After trying on a few more dresses I ended up choosing three which I liked. They were simply gorgeous. I don’t even know what occasions should I wear these on. 

“Wow, you look good in everything.” She walked beside me. “You need events to wear these on so let’s go to a club today.”

Ojai had clubs?

“No way, it is way too crowded in clubs and I hate it. Too loud and too many people. I hate clubs.” I said. 

“Well, if I start listing the things you hate, I might finish all the papers in this world.” She laughed. 

We shopped a decent amount. We were headed back into the apartment. 

“Oh my gosh, hi.” A redhead approached us and hugged Nabi. “It’s been so long, Nabi”

“Yes, oh my gosh.” Nabi and she started indulging in their own conversation as I awkwardly stood at the corner. “And this is Gloria, my friend and also my roommate now.” She said. 

“Oh, yeah I remember you telling me about her.” She said. “Is she Josh’s sister?”

I contemplated for a second how she knows him and then I realized that he visited here. I smiled and nodded. 

“Hi, I’m Samantha.” She said and shook my hand. 

“I’m Gloria.” 

“Well, Nabi as you are close anyway and it’s been a long time since we hung out. There is a bar nearby, let’s go.” She proposed. 

Nabi nodded and looked at me. “You want to join, Gloria?” 

“No, I’ll pass,” I said. “You guys hang out. I’ll head back.” 

Both of them bid me goodbye and left. I took the shortest route. It was an alley Nabi told me. There was a shortcut and it ended right beside my house. So I started walking. The weather was already very chill but somehow I felt a sensation on my back. I kept looking back constantly only to find no one but me alone. Okay. This was scary. I am alone in this dark alley. I am not supposed to be here at all. I should’ve taken the usual route. 

Or am I overthinking? 

I kept on walking but the feeling behind my back just never went away. I kept walking but my steps came to a chilling halt when I heard a low-pitched scream. I clutched onto my bag and gulped. This is not right. What was that sound? 

I looked in the direction of that sound. It was the opposite of my way. I took a deep breath and started walking but my hands went cold and the hairs on my neck stood up when I heard another scream but this was as if this one was more intense and louder than the other one. 

What am I to do? I am stuck. Should I leave? What if that person needs help? I cannot walk away like that.

C’mon Gloria, you can do this. I made my way ever so slowly to the direction of the sound. Though that chilling on my back was gone, my entire body was sweating. This is bad, very bad. Maybe I am getting myself in some kind of trouble.

I kept walking. Unknowingly, tears formed in my eyes because of how scared I was but I kept walking. I should help the one who needs help. 

I wish whoever is still alive so that I can call the police and save them. Otherwise, my whole effort will be wasted. 

I took out the nail cutter from my bag and unfolded the small knife while turning on the torch on my phone. I scanned the dead end. There was no one. 

But when I moved my feet back I felt something. It felt like a ball. I looked back. In a pool of blood, there was a cut-off head of a man looking straight at me. I felt a scream coming right from my chest but it got muffled by a strange energy. I stepped back. My tears streamed down my cheeks. My body went numb. I couldn’t move. 

My eyes scanned back to the body. Before I comprehended the bruised body, I screamed at top of my lungs and ran with all the might I had. I ran till I saw no more. My vision turned blurry. My hands were frigid and trembling. What did I just witness? 

I ran and I stopped. What a gruesome sight. My intuition was correct. I shouldn’t have gone there. Why do I always disobey my true conscious and listen to the wrong one?

—

Nabi kept patting my head. Though it was late at night and was sleeping while resting her head on the bed, she still couldn’t leave my side. After that incident, I ran back home and closed the door. I cried for hours and when she came back and found me curled up on the floor she asked me what was wrong. While telling her the whole thing I almost fainted midway yet she somehow managed to take me to my bed. 

She took care of me since then and hasn’t left my side. I sighed while removing her hand from my head. 

I walked to the kitchen and poured myself a glass of water. What happened to me? I am not always this weak. The incident stirred up my inside while making me nauseous every time I think about it. Who can be so cruel?

I shook my head removing the thought from my head. It’s better to forget about it. 

I was about to head inside when I heard the doorbell. 

I looked like a potato at the moment because I didn’t leave my bed since last night. I’d be embarrassed to get the door. But Nabi is asleep. 

I got to the door and peeked. 

“Oh my gosh, baby, are you okay?” Steve said while bursting in and hugging me. I almost choked as I tried to catch my breath. As his bone-crushing hug was on the verge of killing me he let go and cupped my cheeks. 

I tried to smile to reassure him but he almost cried. “I can’t believe that happened to me. Nabi told me everything yesterday.”

“Yeah,” I said. “It’s okay, I'm fine now,” I said and took him to our bedroom. 

Nabi woke up and started rubbing her eyes.”Hi, Steve.”

As I was finally relieved that there were people in front of me, I decide to tell them about the incident in detail. Though I mostly felt uncomfortable doing so, I told them everything. Nabi bought me warm soup in the middle to let my muscles loosen a little. 

Steve heard the whole thing in utmost silence and I almost cried. Those eyes were still haunting me. Sara came in as well. We talked about the incident and who might be behind it. I mean, who could be so cruel?

“I swear if I find the one, I’ll crush his soul,” Sara said. 

Nabi joined as well, “I think, it’s better for us to not get involved in anything like it.”

After much silence, Steve said, “This might trouble Gloria but I feel like it’s work done by the men of Salvatore.”

Everyone nodded at his comment. 

“Who is Salvatore?” I asked. 

“Zohan Salvatore, the king of Carnival,” Steve said and that’s when it clicked with me. 

Damn it. It could be. 

“What if they are onto me?” I asked, scared. 

Steve thought for a second before he said, “I mean, I am not sure but they could be.”

All along when I was shopping with Nabi, I felt a sensation on my back. The same thing I felt when I saw that cut-off head. I feel like someone is following me but I stayed silent without getting anyone worried about my safety.

Josh is already in trouble and I cannot afford to give him another headache. My safety is his biggest priority.

—

The next day at work went by smoothly. Sara kept coming in check on me. Making sure I was doing alright. I know that she is worried after what happened to me. 

The customers kept coming in until it was closing hours. I and Sara closed the shop finally and headed back to the apartment. She insisted on walking me straight to my house. 

I agreed and went inside. Sitting down I gulped down a bottle of water. I could finally rearrange my thoughts this way. The incident was slowly getting erased from my head which was a good sign. I sighed. 

I called Josh and talked to him. He sounded just fine yet I worried for him. I wonder what’s going on there. He would always skip the details of the situation back in Japan. 

The doorbell rang. I barely had the energy to get up and get the door. Nabi wasn’t home. After a few moments, I huffed and opened the door. 

No one. 

I scrunched my nose. Who plays such a prank? I was tired, man. If I see a kid doing this again, I’ll have to complain to the manager. 

I was about to close the door when a small black envelope caught my eye. I picked it up. Who kept this here?

There was my name written on it. My heart dropped. 

I gulped down and closed the door immediately. Sitting down, I decided to open it.  

A matte black envelope was left on my doorstep at 10 PM. I didn’t take this as something good. Steve had warned several times about these. He told me they could be onto me. 

I opened the envelope. There was a plain folded paper in the middle. Keeping the cover on the side I unfolded the paper. 

Amidst the big black paper, there was my name written at the start. 

“You are expected at Villa 904, at 7 PM tomorrow.

Carnival.”

Carnival. I shuddered at the name. They are onto me. Steve was right. It was by the men of Salvatore. They know it was me. 

My hands and feet went numb due to the cold. I stopped a gasp from coming out. Tears formed in my eyes. Will they find me and kill me if I don’t go?

What am I supposed to do? 

I immediately opened the laptop and searched about The Carnival and its activities. I have to calm down. I cannot afford to put so many people's lives at stake. 

If I am going to do this then I’ll do it alone. I will take the risk. It’s not like they’d kill me at first sight. I made a swift plan in my head. This has to go well. 

The doorbell rang. I managed to make myself look fine and opened the door. 

I was shocked by the appearance of the man from the party that day. He smiled. So dangerous. Why is he here? He was a painfully beautiful man. As if he was dipped in rays and roses. 

“Have I disturbed you so late?” He asked.