THE MAN IN BLACK

''Hello Charlie, I have been calling you. Where were you? I just got back from abroad today. Are you coming to meet me? There's something I want to share with you.''

''I'll be there soon. I also want to tell you something important.'' I swiftly button my shirt and run a comb through my damp locks. I abruptly ended the call.

As I sat in my dimly lit living room, I kept looking at the little camera in my hand. The weight of my worries is filling my mind.

Who is doing all of this? Who could it be? And who is that man?

Why does he keep appearing in my dreams?

An abrupt knock on the door shattered the silence around me.

Startled by the unexpected intrusion, my heart raced as I tried to compose myself.

''What is it now? Mr. Charles'' I asked what troubles him, unable to contain my burning curiosity any longer. He hesitated at first, but eventually, he revealed.

''Well, He has been surveilling your every move. He has installed a camera in your room. I heard him telling someone over the phone.''

A chill crawls up my spine, an unsettling realization settling deep within my bones.

The butler seemed tense, perhaps sensing the imminent danger beyond our doorstep.

I storm toward David's room. I couldn't help but halt my steps. My instincts told me something was amiss.

With my breath held tight, my hand pressed against the cold wood as I strained my ears to catch every word. What I heard next made my blood run cold. He was talking to someone - someone who was not supposed to know my whereabouts. He was giving away information that could put me in grave danger.

''Yes, he is about to meet Arthur...''

The words, dripping with secrets and unspoken intentions, chilled me to the core. Every word that fluttered through the door bore the weight of betrayal. My mind raced, clawing at the possibilities. With every passing second, my resolve grew strong. I knew I had to confront David and unearth the truth behind his cunning facade. The tension in the air was palpable, filling my lungs with a mix of anticipation and dread.

I barge into his room, demanding immediate answers.

"Where are you, David? Show yourself," my voice quivers with suppressed rage.

As if sensing my urgency, David appears from the shadows of his balcony, engrossed in a conversation that hangs ominously in the air. Doubt and suspicion grip me, making my words tremble as they escape my lips.

"Is it true?" I question, my voice laced with desperation.

''Tell me, is it true that you keep tracking my every move?''

I confront him, demanding nothing less than the unadulterated truth.

''Huh! What are you saying?'' A glimmer of hesitation flickers in David's eyes as he urgently gestures for me to retreat and allow him to finish his pressing call.

A fire ignites within me, boldness surging through my veins as I clench his collar tightly in my grasp.

"How could you, David? How could you do this?" I demanded.

"Is this what it all boils down to? Is it because Dad always favored me over you?"

David's eyes widened, his jaw tightening. His voice filled with outrage.

"Don't you dare twist this into some kind of rivalry, Charlie!''

My anger flared, and my voice interlaced with sarcasm. "Oh, so this is about property? Is that what all of this was about?...''

''...Jealousy?''

''What are you saying? I didn't do anything.'' as he justified himself. I shoved the camera in his face. His expression changed in a blink of an eye.

''Oh dear, so you found out...''

''...I did not think that a fool like you would find out about this so easily.''

''My bad!''

The arrogant smirk on his face made my blood boil as I struggled to keep my composure.

My voice trembled, "Are you serious? I can't believe you would stoop so low, David. I thought we were brothers, that our bond meant more than any material possession. But I guess I was wrong."

David was not to be trusted. He was a wolf in sheep's clothing, concealing his malice behind a veneer of loyalty and obedience. And now, his true intentions lay exposed like a festering wound that refused to heal. As I stood there, frozen in shock.

''Brothers? Don't make me laugh.'' He mocked as he came closer to me.

''You know I'm so jealous of you.''

As David and I faced off against each other, the tension in the room ignited into flames.

David laughed bitterly.

"All you know is how to play it safe and avoid any real risk. You are simply ignorant, absolutely a loser. You can do nothing because you are helplessly scared of everything. Despite that, you've always had everything handed over on a silver platter. You got everything that I always wanted! It's time for you to learn the truth." he hissed before lunging at me.

David attacked me, pushing me against the glass wall. I launched the first strike, my fist flying toward his face making his nose bleed. David stumbled backward and retaliated with a swift kick to my stomach.

I grunted but quickly regained my composure and charged at David with a flurry of punches.

As we continued to fight, our movements grew faster and more aggressive. I tackled David to the ground, pummeling him with punches as David struggled to regain his footing.

He twisted and kicked, finally managing to throw me off of him.

He lunged at me, striking me with his fists, causing my lip to bleed from the impact.

Both knocked over furniture and smashed glassware as we fought ferociously. We both stood, breathing heavily and bloodied from the intense fight. We continued to exchange blows, each one more brutal than the last.

'Brrrrr!'

I froze mid-punch and turned to see my phone buzzing on the ground. I jerk off David's collar aggressively as I pick up the call.

''Man, are you coming or not? I have been waiting for you.''

David seized the opportunity and snatched the phone from my hand.

"You think you can just walk away like this?" David sneered, stepping closer to me and blocking my way.

''And you think you can stop me?'' I scoffed.

"You're making a big mistake, Charlie. One step outside that door, and things will never be the same."

''I'm not going to let you control me anymore.'' I snatched my phone back.

"I'm coming, Arthur," I said firmly.

With a final glare, I pushed past him.

''You'll regret this.'' He shouted from behind.

I grabbed my car keys, started the engine, and revved it. A strange sensation ran through me. I feel as if a pair of eyes are watching my every move. The feeling intensified as I hit the road. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a familiar car tailing me from behind. It was David's car, a white beauty with black mirrors that reflected the darkness of his soul.

I hit the accelerator and raced off, but he wasn't backing down. He matched my speed and stayed doggedly behind my car, causing me to panic and search for an escape.

I veered sharply to the right, to a dark, jungle-like terrain with towering trees. I wanted to get David lost in the labyrinth of the forest, so I drove my car in the opposite direction, hoping he would follow me. My heart was pounding in my chest; as I made the split-second decision to mislead. It was a risky move, but I had to lose David. The trees loomed large, the leaves rustling in the wind, and the shadows danced in the darkness. I felt a sense of dread as I drove deeper into the forest, unsure of what lay ahead.

I glanced over my shoulder and saw that David's car was nowhere to be seen, leaving me alone in the eerie wilderness.

A sense of relief washed over me, but it was short-lived. My car suddenly sputtered and died, stranding me in the middle of the dark foreboding woods.

I was stranded, all alone, in the heart of a jungle. My heart raced as I tried to start the car again, but it wouldn't budge. The silence was deafening, the darkness was suffocating, and the terror was all-consuming. I was trapped, with no way out. The jungle had claimed me.

I stepped out of my car with a sense of trepidation. I ventured further into the jungle, hoping to find someone who could fix whatever was wrong with my vehicle. It was a dark and stormy night, the kind of night where even the bravest souls would cower in fear. The rain was coming down in sheets. And that's when I heard the sound of footsteps on leaves.

"Who's there?" I called out, my voice shaking with fear.

But my only answer was the sudden roar of flames as my car burst into flames, consumed by an inferno that seemed to have come from nowhere.

I was stunned, frozen in place.

Sweat trickled down my forehead, and my hands shook with fear and fury. The fire devoured my vehicle, suffocating any sense of rationality. Anger and frustration boiled up inside of me.

He was right; I'm a loser who can't do anything.

I watched the flames licking at the sky. And then, with each passing second, the flames grew higher, casting a luminous, orange glow in the darkened surroundings. I saw something moving in the shadows- something sinister and dangerous. My heart was pounding like it was going to burst at any moment.

I knew I had to get out of there and fast. I couldn't shake the feeling that something was following me- something that meant me harm.

As I stumbled through the darkness, my mind racing with terror, I had the distinct impression that I had stumbled into a nightmare realm- one that was full of danger and mystery that offered no haven to those who dared to enter.

As the wind howled, I saw him.

The exact man - the man in black who had been haunting my dreams was now standing before me.

Dressed in a long, dark cape and wearing a mask that covered his face, he held a ring that sparkled ominously in the dark.

I grabbed hold of his cloak, but with a swift motion, he pushed me back as he ran off. I raced after him once more. I had to confront him; to discover the truth about this masked man. I pushed him against the tree.

I was ready to remove his mask, but he kicked me, causing me to lose balance and tumble into the well.