Exhaustion. A dry throat, lips chapped, tongue feeling like sand paper, eyes felt heavy, ears drumming an incoherent ringing as consciousness seeped in. Pain is the first thing taking over the body, limbs being bound and restrained. The eyes tried to fight their way open to find any sunlight.
His eyes fluttered open, and his body struggled to move. His vision was blurry; he was not sure if it was due to a lack of energy or his missing glasses. He heard some waves of laughter at a distance. He wasn't alone; maybe they were laughing at him.
His slight movements might have caught their attention. Once he felt his energy being stable, he looked around with half-hooded eyes. Before he could even understand the situation he was trapped in, his head was dunked into a large drum of water.
The oxygen from his lungs knocked out as he struggled for air, some amount of water entering his stomach. He felt like dying, his senses not helping to form a rescue plan. After a while of struggling and wriggling to get himself free, he felt a tug and found his head being pulled out of the water.
He caught his breath as his heartbeats drummed in his ears. While he constantly struggled to breathe, he was dunked again in the water. He wriggled and whimpered like a fish out of water but his tormentors had no mercy.
He was pulled out again as he gasped for air. He heard the one chuckling behind his ear.
"I never thought the heir to be a weakling, Dr. Jay Conor."
He cackled mockingly.
Jay: You are mistaken.
Jay's words faltered as he tried to steady his composure.
His tormentor took a stepped ahead finally standing in front of him.
" A normal businessman's son might not have a damn strong security system to guard his surroundings."
He snickered.
" It took us a month to strip you of your clinging army of guards. It doesn't sound abnormal to you."
He mocked inching his face near Jay's as one of his hands gripped Jay's nape, his other hand playing with a gun, poking it under Jay's chin. His eyes held a menace.
" You see, I was asked to give you an easy death since we had no time for entertainment."
Jay didn't move an inch. One thing he knew was that those people were rivals of Amy and had mistaken him for an heir. He didn't want to clear up their misunderstanding. This way, he could save Amy. He screwed his eyes shut, finally accepting that death was written in his fate, his surroundings filling up with laughter that held mockery.
He felt the cold metal still tucked under his chin, ready to screw his brains off. Until he heard the gun firing. But he felt nothing. The gun under his chin had been jerked away.
His eyes fluttered open, only to see the unknown man sprawled over the floor as he groaned in pain, yelling curses. His hand, which held the gun before, was missing and now profusely bleeding. He had been shot. His gaze travelled up as his breath hitched.
Amy.
He couldn't believe his eyes. Amy standing in front of him felt like a dream but it was reality. Her eyes held a dark gleam and a blank face, as she held a rifle, firing bullets straight in between those men's eyebrows. Except for the one who had been shot in the hand, she killed each one of them.
The impact of the bullet had been strong, as the floor was now covered in blood and human flesh that had splattered around. Her figure was bathed in blood, some of which dripped from the strands of her hair. But she didn't flinch once or even bat an eye of remorse. She was blank, but her insides held storms.
Finally, her gaze met with the one on the floor. She took slow, predatory steps, her eyes like tigress boring holes into him. He trembled and tried to stand up to attack her, not wanting his ego to be tarnished by a mere woman.
Like a coward, he got a hold of his gun by his other hand but before he could even grip it, Amy kicked it away.
She crouched at his level, her hand fishing a butterfly knife from her waistband as she jerked it open.
" You bitch! You think you could -"
Before he could even speak further the butterfly knife had pierced his skin. His thigh was stabbed as he screamed at the top of his lungs. She twisted the knife even further. He tried to wriggle free but was helpless.
In a blink of an eye, his other leg had been stabbed. She twisted the knife in his guts as he continued to moan in pain.
Jay had never seen Amy's this form. He was shocked and still, he saw an abandoned room being turned into an unbearable sight of gore and bloodshed in a few minutes.
Amy wasn't ready to give an easy death, to this man. She was searching for something.
Fear.
She wanted everyone to fear her. She finally had the man beg her. He trembled and rambled for forgiveness as Amy made him stand on his feet. He limped to escape but was forcefully pushed by the back of his head and dunked into the large drum of water before them.
Just like Jay before, he struggled to breathe. With his injured limbs, he couldn't wriggle to free himself. But he was pulled out before he ran out of air.
Amy stood behind him as she whispered in his ear.
" You are dying. Because you dared to hurt my man. May you burn in hell. Let me kill your delusion cause I'm the heir"
The man's face held shock. With that, she dunked his head in the water as droplets of water splashed the surroundings. She held her rifle, finally piercing the bullets in his head. The cold, transparent water had now turned into a crimson-red liquid, as his body stayed motionless.
Jay had broken out from his trance as the circumstances sank in. The sight of blood and gore wasn't something new to him as a surgeon but looking at Amy, she felt like a stranger he never knew existed. She was a monster. Her hands were covered in blood as she wiped her knife clean, using it to free his tied hands and legs from the rope.
Her dead expression now held worry. She checked his injured leg and forehead.
Amy: Are you okay? Does it hurt?
Jay looked at her, not knowing what to say. He was a second away from his death and now Amy was here to save him.
Jay: I'm fine.
He uttered.
Amy: We need to leave.
Jay: How did you find me?
Amy could only smirk.
Amy: You never removed my gift; how obedient.
She spoke in amusement. Jay realized this as his eyes widened to the size of a saucer.
His magnetic earring!
Jay: A tracker?
Amy: A microphone too.
Things felt like a ton of bricks being hit on his head.
Jay: Did you stalk me?
He exclaimed.
Amy: For your safety, yes.
He was speechless.
Amy led him to a passenger vent from where she had entered.
He limped as Amy held him by the torso, wanting him to slide down the steep vent. He was having second thoughts. Never did he know he would have such an adventure.
Amy: You got no options Conor. Jump in.
Jay: I might die like that Satan.
He called her by her nickname.
Amy: Don't worry, you got me. At least I will give you a fine place in hell.
Jay rolled his eyes as he eyed the steep slide of the vent that ended, god knows where. His contemplation ended as Amy pushed him.
Screams echoing throughout the vent as he finally saw some light entering. His eyes screwed shut, and he fell on something soft. He looked at the plush mattress beneath him.
After a few seconds, Amy had landed beside him, their gaze locked. The air felt tense.
" Maybe we should look away."
" I feel so single."
The tension broke as Jay found Mateo and Carlos standing behind him. They looked at the ceiling as if it were the most attractive thing. Edward stood at a distance, staring at them awkwardly.
Amy scoffed as she rose from the mattress. Her gaze lingered on Jay. She held his hand supporting him to stand as Mateo and Carlos helped her support.
Amy took a few steps back as she looked at the trio.
Amy: Send him back safely and do not come here.
Mateo and Carlos nodded, while Jay stood clueless.
Jay: What do you mean?
Amy: Leave.
Jay: you aren't coming with us?
Amy: no.
Jay: I'm not leaving either.
She turned her heels, walking to the staircase further. Jay had already sensed something was wrong. Amy didn't have any plans to return.
Jay: I said I won't leave without you.
It made Amy's steps halt as she turned to face him.
Amy: You need to. You gave a word to bring justice to your grandma. If that's not enough then add another one, I want that bitch of a step mother to rot in hell. Behind the bars.
Jay couldn't speak any further yet he wanted to eliminate his uncertainty.
Jay: Then promise me, you'll come back. Alive.
Jay held a strong gaze trying to seek answers but Amy avoided looking at him.
Amy: Just leave.
Her voice is nonchalant.
Jay: I'll let you kiss me if you come back to me alive.
Jay didn't know how he got the courage to say something like that. He was startled by his own choice of words. He knew how Amy would stare at his lips when he talked.
Amy: Nice offer, Conor. Take him away.
She ordered Mateo and Carlos, who stood shocked. Though she was shocked too by his bold statement, she still tried to pry him away.
Jay: Promise me! Or I ain't leaving!
Amy sighed. She held his gaze with uncertainty.
Amy: I promise.
Her words felt as if she was making herself believe that she could change her fate. She didn't speak any further and walked away from them while Edward followed her, glancing at the trio for the last time.
Mateo and Carlos supported him to walk as they both held him by the torso and arms. At a distance, Jay spotted a car interpreting Eric to be waiting for them, which was right.
Jay looked back again as his eyes took a last glance at the giant abandoned building. Noticing how it was a secluded area, with the sea waves roaring around the edge. This building was in the middle of nowhere, more like a factory.
Eric: We have no time, doctor! If they see us, we'll be dead.
Jay couldn't understand his words.
What did he mean?
But he couldn't argue further and silently climbed inside the car as they drove off. It was a one-way road, with both sides covered in thick mangroves as harsh winds blew against them, making noises along the sea.
Jay couldn't stop staring at the building where Amy was as the building drew away further and further. His heart held an unsettling sentiment that he couldn't decipher.
Fear.
Fear of losing her...
10 minutes had passed.
The big building was still visible. There was a distant sound of a boom that echoed. All he saw was the building burning into flames.
Jay: Stop! STOP THE CAR! We need to save Amy.
He yelled.
Carlos: The hell!
He exclaimed looking at the building that was burning into flames.
Mateo: This wasn't the plan! We need to go back.
Eric: we can't.
He spoke calmly but his expression held panic. Eric knew what they had signed up for. Edward had ordered him to drive away, no matter what. Only if he knew what Edward and Amy were up to.
His eyes shut for a moment in grief and sorrow. The corner of his eyes brimmed with tears that he forcefully rubbed away from his sleeve.
Jay couldn't hold on, his fists banged against the glass, trying to push open the child lock doors, a futile attempt. He trashed around desperately but Mateo and Carlos had him gripped. Their faces held the same pain as they watched the building burn.
Turning into Ashes.
