CHAPTER SIX: STACY'S FEAR I

Warning - Contains intense scene of child manhandling.

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"Stacy, why don't you go inside? I'll join you after I'm done talking to Uncle here," Daisy said softly, her voice coaxing but firm. The child clung tightly to her legs, her wide eyes full of fear as they darted toward the man standing in front of them.

Stacy's breath hitched, memories flooding her mind like a wave she could not control. Unknown men had always brought terror into her life, and she had learned early on that danger often came in human form. She still remembered vividly those men who had stormed into her home when it was just her and her sister, alone and vulnerable.

"Sophie... who are they? And where is Daddy?" Stacy's voice had been small, barely above a whisper, as tears streamed down her young face. She may have been young, but she wasn't naive. She could sense danger, and these men—these strangers—they reeked of it. Everything about them screamed a threat she could barely comprehend but instinctively feared.

Sophie had stood her ground, though her voice trembled as she faced the five men before her. "I don't have your money, but I promise I'll get it. The full amount. Just please, leave. You're scaring my sister."

Her words had been desperate, pleading, but laced with a courage that only came from being left to carry a burden too heavy for her shoulders. Their father had died, leaving behind a mountain of debt. Now, that weight had fallen squarely on Sophie. For weeks, the phone calls had come, relentless and threatening, but this was the first time they had shown up in person.

"You don't have our money?" one of the men sneered, his yellowed, cracked teeth bared in a twisted grin. Smoke billowed from his mouth as he puffed on the rolled substance dangling from his lips.

"Boss Scorpion, why don't we take her? She's pretty enough, and I'm sure she'd be good for keeping our beds warm," one of the lackeys said, his dark lips curling around his teeth as he eyed Sophie hungrily, a disturbing hunger that made Stacy's skin crawl.

"Shut up!" barked another lackey, this one with a stern face, his eyes cold. "The boss said to get the money at all costs. If we take her, how's she going to pay?"

Stacy hid behind Sophie, her small body trembling, though only the golden strands of her hair peeked out. Even though she couldn't see them clearly, their voices—the threat in them—were enough. She could feel the danger in the air, thick and suffocating.

"You know, girl, Richard Adams owed a hell of a lot of money to my boss," Boss Scorpion said, his voice devoid of any mercy. "We're not the kind of people who just let things go. My boss gave you more than enough time to mourn and gather his money, and now that time's up. So, we'll be taking something precious from you until you pay what's owed. You've got until Friday. After that, consider that precious thing gone for good."

The words were like a death sentence, hanging in the air, crushing the last bits of hope from the room. Stacy's heart pounded, a desperate, fearful rhythm as she clutched Sophie's dress even tighter.

"Take the little one and put her in the truck," Boss Scorpion commanded, his voice casual as he blew out another puff of smoke and turned his back. It was as if he was discussing nothing more important than groceries.

Before Sophie could react, rough hands were on Stacy, yanking her away from her sister's protective grasp. Stacy's scream shattered the tense silence of the house as they dragged her toward the door, her small feet scraping across the floor.

"What are you doing?! Stop! Leave her! I swear, I'll pay your money!" Sophie's voice broke with desperation as she struggled against them, tears streaming down her face as she fought to get Stacy back.

One of the men shoved Sophie to the ground with a sneer. "Stay down, you stupid bitch," he spat, his voice as hard as the ground Sophie fell onto.

"Sophie!" Stacy's cry pierced the air, her voice raw with terror. Her tiny hands clawed at the man's grip on her shoulder, the pressure leaving deep red marks that stung as they pulled her toward the waiting truck.

"Keep quiet, or I'll slap you," one of the men growled inside the truck as Stacy's cries grew louder. His jaw was set in a rigid line, a scar slashing through the side of his face where his left eye should have been. His grip on her shoulders was brutal, and every movement he made oozed cruelty.

Stacy's small body trembled uncontrollably, her skin flushed red from the force of their touch. Her heart raced, fear so strong it made her feel faint. Tears blurred her vision, but through the haze, she saw him—Spider. His face twisted with irritation, his one good eye glaring at her as though her very presence disgusted him.

"Shut her up, Spider. Her whining is giving me a headache. I might shoot her before her sister even gets a chance to pay up," Boss Scorpion's voice came from the front seat, cold and detached, like Stacy was nothing more than an annoyance to be dealt with.

Spider grinned, too eager to follow orders. He pulled a dirty black cloth from his pocket, wrapping it tightly around Stacy's mouth, cutting off her cries. Her breath came in ragged gasps, the cloth biting into her soft skin.

"Boss, should I cover her eyes too?" Spider asked, his gaze sweeping over her trembling form, disgusted by the fear he saw in her wide, doe-like blue eyes.

"She's just a kid. She won't know where we're going," another man said, a flicker of pity crossing his hardened features. He looked at Stacy, recognizing the raw terror in her gaze, the kind of fear that leaves marks long after bruises fade.

"Do whatever you want, but keep her close. I'm not taking any chances with that one," Boss Scorpion replied, dismissive and cruel.

Spider didn't hesitate. He grabbed another piece of cloth and wrapped it around Stacy's eyes, pulling it so tight that it pressed painfully into her delicate face. Darkness consumed her, and the world around her vanished, leaving her with nothing but her terror.

She couldn't see. She couldn't speak. She couldn't breathe properly. Panic surged through her tiny body as her breaths came in short, desperate gasps, and her chest tightened with fear even .