Debts and Secrets

Alisia's heart raced as she stood frozen at the bottom of the stairs. Her father, Gram, was sitting slumped in a chair in the dim light of the basement. The sight of him, pale and wide-eyed, filled her with dread. But what really set her nerves on edge was the man standing next to him.

He wasn't cloaked in shadow, like her initial fear-driven thoughts had imagined, but rather a tall, broad-shouldered man in a black jacket, his face partially obscured by a hood. The man's posture was casual, but something about the way he stood so close to her father, so imposing, screamed that something was wrong.

"Who the hell are you?" Alisia demanded, her voice trembling as she stepped into the room, trying to mask her fear.

The man turned his head slowly toward her, his eyes sharp and calculating. He didn't answer right away, and the silence was suffocating. Alisia glanced at her father, hoping for a sign that he was okay, but he just sat there, stunned, his mouth slightly open as if he wanted to say something but couldn't.

"Your father and I were just having a little... chat," the man finally said, his voice smooth, but with an underlying menace that sent chills down her spine.

Alisia's mind raced. Who was this man? Why was he here, in their house, talking to her father like this? And why hadn't her dad called for help? She could see the tension in her father's body, the way his hands gripped the sides of the chair, his knuckles white. He was terrified.

"Get away from him," Alisia said, trying to sound stronger than she felt. Her fists clenched at her sides as she took a step closer.

The man's lips curled into a smirk, but he didn't move. He stayed rooted to the spot, his gaze flicking between her and her father. "I think you've got the wrong idea," he said, his tone condescending. "This isn't a hostage situation. I'm not here to hurt anyone... as long as your father holds up his end of the deal."

Alisia's stomach dropped. "What deal?" she asked, her voice quieter now, fear creeping in.

Her father finally moved, blinking and shaking his head, as if snapping out of some kind of daze. "Alisia... I—I didn't want to get you involved," he stammered, his voice weak, barely above a whisper.

"What are you talking about?" Alisia stepped closer, her eyes locked on her father. She could feel the tension in the air thickening, and all she wanted to do was grab her dad and pull him out of this situation. But the stranger's presence made every step feel dangerous.

"It's nothing, sweetheart," Gram muttered, his voice shaky. "It's just... some money issues. I got caught up in something, and now... well, now I owe people more than I can pay."

Alisia's blood ran cold. "Money issues? What kind of issues, Dad?"

"I tried to fix it!" her father continued, his voice rising in panic. "I borrowed some money for the store, for repairs after David... after everything fell apart. But it didn't go as planned."

Alisia's heart pounded. This wasn't just about the store. There was more, and she could see it in her father's eyes. There was desperation there—desperation that she hadn't noticed before, masked by their mutual grief.

"And now your dad owes a lot of money," the man interrupted, his voice annoyingly calm. "And I'm here to collect. Nothing personal, really. Just business."

Alisia's fists clenched at her sides. "You can't just come into our house and—"

"I can, actually," the man cut her off, his smirk growing. "Your father signed a contract. I'm just here to make sure he follows through."

Gram's face crumpled, and he buried his face in his hands. "Alisia... I'm so sorry."

Her chest tightened, anger bubbling up inside her. "What kind of contract? You're saying my dad is in debt, and now you're threatening him?"

"I'm not threatening," the man replied with a shrug. "I'm just ensuring he holds up his end of the bargain."

"And what happens if he doesn't?" Alisia shot back.

The man didn't answer, but the look he gave her was enough to make her blood run cold. This wasn't just a casual encounter. Whoever this man was, he was dangerous, and he was here because her father had made a deal he couldn't pay back.

"We can work something out," Alisia said, her voice shaking but steady. "There's no need for this. We'll figure it out. How much does he owe?"

The man looked at her, studying her for a moment. "A lot," he said simply. "More than you think."

Alisia's heart pounded in her chest, panic setting in. How had things gotten this bad? How had she not noticed her father spiraling like this? They were both grieving after David's death, yes, but for her father to get involved in something so dangerous...

"Please," Gram said, his voice cracking. "Just... give us more time. I'll find a way to pay."

The man sighed, almost as if he were bored. "I've already given you time. More than enough. But you've wasted it."

Alisia took a deep breath, her mind racing. She had no idea how much her father owed, but she wasn't about to let this man walk all over them. "We'll pay it," she said firmly. "Just give us another month."

The man raised an eyebrow, as if amused. "And how do you plan to do that?"

Alisia bit her lip. She had no idea. Between her remote work and her father's store, there was no way they could raise that kind of money so quickly. But she couldn't let this man know that. "We'll figure it out," she said, meeting his gaze. "We always do."

For a moment, the man just stared at her, as if weighing his options. Finally, he nodded slowly. "Alright. I'll give you one more month. But after that... there will be consequences."

Alisia exhaled, relief washing over her, but the man wasn't finished.

"I'll be back," he said, his voice low and menacing. "And if you don't have the money by then... well, let's just say things will get unpleasant."

With that, the man turned on his heel and walked up the stairs, leaving Alisia and her father in stunned silence. They waited until they heard the front door close before either of them moved.

Alisia rushed to her father's side, kneeling beside him. "Dad... what the hell was that?"

Gram looked at her, his eyes filled with regret. "I made a mistake, Alisia," he whispered. "A big one. And I don't know how to fix it."

Alisia's mind was spinning. She didn't know how to fix it either, but she knew one thing—she wasn't going to let her father face this alone. Not again.

"We'll figure it out," she said, her voice steady despite the fear gnawing at her. "Together."

But deep down, a sense of dread settled in her stomach. She knew that this was just the beginning of a nightmare they weren't prepared for. And as much as she wanted to believe they could fix it, the reality was far more terrifying than she could have imagined.

She stared at her father, trying to gather her thoughts, but something still gnawed at her. The strange man, the ominous warnings—it didn't sit right. There was more to this, something lurking beneath the surface.