The dance of burning 'Agony'

"It....wasn't you, right?" Naveah's lips gave off a slight tremble as she looked at Zane anxiously. The beach felt quiet and colder than usual when Zane tilted his head and stared at Naveah in silence with a sullen look.

She squeezed her lips and looked away while nodding " I'm sorry....for saying that, I just got a bit overboard after thinking a lot even though I know you wouldn't do that."

Zane let out a sigh and pulled her closer to him, "It's ok, it happens."

"I want to clear my mind for tonight. Can You drop me off at my house?"

"...Ok, don't think too much Navee. Everything will be fine."

He stood up while offering her a hand.

A sudden message made Zane go vexed as he dropped Navee off at her house.

.

.

There were no people on the road, Samantha rushed to Navee's house to see her lights on from the outside. She stopped in front of the door while panting and pulled out her phone to call Navee, "I'm glad you're home but why aren't you picking up? For fuck's sake, your doorbell is broken!" Samantha bit her nails in anxiety.

All of a sudden, she felt a hard crack behind her neck and her head made a buzzing sound as she looked around to see Zane standing there with a brick in his hand. She felt her legs losing their balance when she touched her wet hair to see the blood draining out.

"I won't stand any obstacles between us, no matter who it is," Zane said while glaring at her collapsed body.

.

.

Nick stood there frozen after seeing the pictures in the documents that Samantha sent him. The first one holds information on-

/ Victim

Tessa Iverson

Female, former young researcher of law.

Was killed at the age of 20, the suspect is missing/

The 2nd one holds information on-

/ Suspect

Zane Arlon

Male, 23 years old in the present

Former researcher of psychology and neighbour of the victim /

After seeing the blue eyes and the fierce look, it didn't take a second for Nick to understand the whole situation. He started rushing towards the PBI while calling Naveah but she didn't pick up.

Nick halted right in front of the PBI when he looked at the phone with horror on his face. His heart almost dropped when he saw the image of Samantha tied up with her bleeding head, sent from an unknown number.

He started backing off when the text showed up, " Don't make a move and bring yourself inside the XXXX building if you don't want to lose everything. I'm watching you, don't make any wrong move."

After reaching the specific location Nick set foot into the dark empty building that looked deserted and burnt. He walked with terror in his mind by the tall walls as if he might become the victim of an ambush at any time.

On the 4th floor, he noticed someone approaching him.

"Don't make any move, and follow me slowly." A familiar voice spoke.

Nick did as he said to confirm if he was alone or was there other people with him. The moment he opened the door to Samantha, Nick pulled out his gun and pointed at the person he followed inside, who had his face covered.

"Don't move from that spot. Or I'll shoot" Nick said as he got closer to Samantha while pointing his gun at him.

"Samantha? Can you hear me? It's fine now, I'm here...Babe?"

He steadily touched her cheeks but to his horror, her cheeks were cold as ice and there was no sign of breathing.

Nick instantly threw the gun away to untie her but he felt like, he was being choked by 1000 people as he saw her head getting separated from her body and fell on the ground...

"Sa...mantha..?" Nick's body started to twitch in anguish as he stared at her closed eyes and skin that turned blue. He caressed her cheek while quivering as everything got blurry and wobbly in his eyes because of the tears in his bloodshot eyes. He felt like his heart was being chopped into a hundred pieces bit by bit.

"Why aren't you talking Samantha? I miss your voice, I want to hear you. Baby, look at me. I'm right in front of you...Scold me for being late...Please say something, anything." Nick wept with a smile as he kissed her cheeks and forehead while embracing her head.

"Hey, I planned our marriage and honeymoon, aren't you interested? You promised to stay with me until we get old, baby?

Please stab me as much as you want rather than keep silent.

Please, Samantha!! NO!! WHY AREN'T YOU TALKING? WHY AREN'T YOU LOOKING AT ME? Look at me please....I beg you...Argh" The room was filled with Nick's scream and whimper until he heard the sound of clapping from behind.

The person with his face covered approached them "Ahh! Excellent! So...you liked my decoration? Though it's not completed yet! Hmmhahahahahah..!" He broke into sinister laughter.

"Oh, my! Perdon my rude behaviour. The show was too good, pfff I couldn't hold back...Ahhh! Now,"

He leaned closer to Nick and whispered "Enough drama."

Nick felt something sharp like a needle stabbing him from the back as he felt his body getting numb.

"This is a paralyzation drug, it's no use even if you want to move," He said while snatching away Samantha's head from Nick, who couldn't do anything except laying down on the ground while watching that man severing her right arm right in front of his eyes.

He got closer to Nick and removed the cover from his face, which made Nick's eyes go wide, "Ouughhoo-(You're not-)" His vague voice stopped when the

knife pierced through his neck before he finished groaning.

.

.

The sky got tar-black and the large clouds were moving as it started raining heavily. The flickering street lights reflected on Zane's shoulder when he stood under the rain soaking wet while gazing at the sky.

"It's over...I'm glad it's raining." A tear-like water drop slid down his chin onto the ground.