Twilight Zone - 4

For a moment, Liora froze.

Her fingers still rested against the cold, engraved surface of the silver-white door, but her mind went blank. Her breath hitched in her throat, and a strange weight settled in her chest.

'Why were there so many men standing near the entrance?'

A lump formed in her throat, tightening with anxiety and apprehension. She could feel a slight tremor in her hands.

As each man stepped inside, their polished shoes barely making a sound against the wooden floor, Liora's heartbeat pounded faster and faster. Her eyes searched frantically, scanning their faces one by one as they entered, but—none of them were Nova. The air in the room started to suffocate her as if the air had turned into poison-thick fog.

A cold sweat broke along her hairline, a single bead rolling down the back of her neck, soaking into the fabric of her blouse.

Bringing her hand down, her fingers curled into the hem of her skirt, gripping tightly to steady herself, but her body betrayed her. She felt it again—that same terror she had buried deep inside her.

The stormy day back in high school when she had stumbled upon those four beasts. The cruel, merciless camping night with those beasts. Silvia and her vicious little games, along with her group. And the recent basement of that luxury hotel, where many men had surrounded her.... Whenever there were many groups of men near her, nothing came good for her. And her heart desperately looked for Nova's arrival. 

Her hands trembled, and her vision blurred at the edges. The familiar suffocating fear crept over her like an old ghost, tightening its grip around her lungs.

She took an instinctive step back, her body responding before her mind could. Her breath came in short, shallow pants. She needed to breathe. But she felt she was getting trapped in her memories, as though the walls were closing in. 

'Stay focused, Liora! Stay focused!' Liora kept telling herself before she fainted out of fear. 

Those men looked at her—like she was something fragile, something untouched. Roland noticed. They all did.

Roland watched her closely. They all did. They saw the way her shoulders stiffened, the way her fingers clenched at the hem of her skirt, trying to ground herself, trying to steady her breath. But her body betrayed her. Her fear was palpable. The faint parting of her lips as if she wanted to scream but couldn't. And that excited Roland. 'Perfect,' Roland's lips curled faintly.

They had been expecting Sandra Kastiel. They had all tasted Sandra before, the highest-paid escort with a body that could tempt even the most disciplined man. But instead, they got this. A girl who radiated innocence. A girl who looked like a scared little doe was cornered in the hunter's den.

Roland's eyes darkened, gleaming with something dangerous. This was far more interesting than what he had planned.

Liora's legs felt weak. Her gaze darted toward the door, toward Peter, the manager who still held it slightly open.

Her throat was so dry, but she forced herself to speak.

"N-Nova." The words barely left her lips.

She cleared her throat and willed herself to sound strong. "Did he come….Nova?" Liora always called him Nova or Psycho Bear in her mind. He was Nova for her, though she knew his full name, Donovan Magnum. She did not realise she had asked for Nova instead of Donovan.

Peter turned his head slightly, raising a brow. 

"Nova?" he echoed, looking toward the group of men as if checking if someone was missing. If someone else will join them soon.

Roland arched a brow as if amused. He took a slow step further inside. His smirk faded, replaced by a calm expression. Then, he lowered himself onto one of the red leather couches, spreading his arms over the backrest like he owned the place. His gaze never left her.

"He will be here soon," Roland said smoothly.

Liora's fingers twitched. She looked at him carefully, trying to read his expression, trying to see if he was lying.

"D-Do you know him?" she asked, her voice betraying her unease.

The man—Roland, judging by the way his friends deferred to him—didn't answer immediately.

Instead, he watched her. Like he was trying to peel back her layers, strip her down without even touching her. Then, in a voice so smooth it sent another chill down her spine, he murmured, "Yes," he murmured, tapping his fingers against the armrest. "He said he would be here soon." Roland had never heard Nova's name before.

The way Peter hesitated when she first mentioned Nova—the lost look in his eyes—it was clear. Someone had fooled her. Someone called Nova. Someone pranked her. Poor little doe!

Peter tensed slightly at Roland's casual response but quickly masked it. He did not know any Nova.

Roland didn't bother looking at him this time. Instead, he waved a hand, dismissing him.

"Your job is done, Peter. Thank you."

Peter nodded a polite yet unreadable smile on his face.

Just as he turned to close the door, Liora's stomach churned. "I—I will wait for Nova outside." Her voice wavered, but she forced herself to stand her ground.

Her legs weren't moving. But she needed to run. She needed to get out of this place filled with strangers. Now.

But how these men are standing in front of the door? She looked for her phone, which was in her purse, and of course, It had to be right next to the cunning man sitting on the couch. Her eyes flickered toward her purse. She looked at Roland. Then, at the purse. 

She did not want to give these guys any chance for them to know about her PTSD. Strangers were usually not nice to her, and she did not know what these men would do to her if they found out about her weakness. She had been burned many times by people. She could not bring herself to trust anyone with a single click easily.

Liora swallowed the lump in her throat and lifted her chin slightly. "I need my purse," she said, giving a quick glance at Roland and lowering her gaze to her purse, which was next to him. His eyes followed hers, and he saw a black purse right next to him.

He wanted to laugh, thinking about the irony of this whole situation. He was expecting a bold, seductive Sandra who revelled in every touch, embracing pleasure and pain. But now he is looking at a woman who is the exact opposite of Sandra. She is probably the most innocent one than anyone else he ever met.

He slowly deliberately took her black purse in her hand, which easily came in one palm. His black hair was neatly combed back, clad in a blue shirt with a black vest and black trousers. His eyes were honey-brown. 

He stretched his hand towards Liora, who was standing far from him while others were watching how Roland was playing with the girl. They were curious about what his friend was planning to do. "Come and take it."

Liora's stomach flipped. She looked at him once more and then looked at her purse. She shook her head. "You don't need to hold it. Could you please place it on the couch opposite you?"

Roland grinned. She was trying to set boundaries. 'How cute!'

"What's your name?" He asked her.

Peter was still standing, holding the door open, not knowing what to do.

"Did Nova not tell you my name?" Liora was careful with her answer though she was freaking out.

Roland gave a casual shrug. "He only said to take care of a girl. Said he was running late."

Another lie.

He placed the purse back beside him, exactly where it had been. "You can call and ask him if you don't believe me." He said in a casual tone.

This young woman standing at a distance had no belongings in her hands, making it clear that her phone was in her purse. Still, she requires her purse even if she intends to run from this place.

His friends started to move in, crossing the threshold and making Liroa snap her head and look at each of their steps. The panic began to rise, making her feel dizzy. But no, she needs to keep her calm. She looked at Peter, who was still standing near the door. 

The important question for Liora was whether to go and get her purse and call Daran. She did not have Nova's number. That idiot did not share his number with her. What should she do? That question was only making her panic more.

"I need some fresh air. I will step outside and then return." Liora moved forward, but before she could take her second step, Roland's friends straightened their backs and stared at her, forcing her to stop.

Two of Roland's friends glared at Peter, signalling him to leave. Peter quickly shut the door. The sound of the lock clicking into place shot a chill of dread through Liora's heart. Her heartbeat halted.

"Could you please move? I need to go outside." Liora struggled to gather her courage to speak. She was terrified. Those men did not look lesser than any monsters she read in comics when she was little. No matter how well expensive their attires were they still could not hide their ugly hearts. The men remained utterly still adding to Liora's fear. 'Please come soon Nova!'

Roland could not help but laughed seeing trembling little doe who was trying hard to stay brave. "Why are you in such a rush? You haven't told me your name yet." Roland inquired again. Liora felt her courage draining away.

"You can ask Nova," she replied irritably. "Why aren't you moving from the door?" She questioned the two men who stood there as guards. The situation felt familiar. The flash of white tent appeared in front of her eyes. Her bravery was fading. Flashbacks crawled under her skin, attempting to take over. Her teeth clenched in fear.

'Nova... Nova...' The only name running through her mind was Nova. She glanced around and noticed the windows were sealed, and she had no chance of opening them.

"I'll tell you what," Roland's voice, laced with amusement, "Let's play a game." Roland offered, catching Liora's attention. Her blood ran cold when she heard him talked about game. She wasn't interested in playing but running away.

"If you want your purse back and wish to go out, let's play two games. If you win, I will let you go. Who knows, maybe Nova will arrive by then. And.... he will probably be glad I kept you occupied until he showed up." The smug expression on his face made Liora uncomfortable.

"Why should I play a game when I can just walk out of here?" Liora spat.

"Try...." Liora felt her body go on alert. "Try to take another step, little doe, and see what happens." The warning in his words was clear to Liora.

"I-I don't even know you. This is a free country, and people are free..." Liora didn't finish her thought. Her words might get used against her. She was being careful neither she wanted to offend any of them.

She didn't have any weapons on her. There was no wooden or iron object nearby like last time. Even her pepper spray was in her purse. There was a pole that was positioned in place, and there was no way she could remove it.

"People are free to do anything. That's what you wanted to say, right?" Roland finished her incomplete sentence, placing his left hand on his knees as he stood up, adjusting his clothes. "We can do this the easy way or the hard way... what do you say?"

This was Liora's final warning, which she did not miss to capture. "W-what is the game?" Liora started to consider whether she could play the game and win. She could probably leave this place, and hopefully, Nova would be here soon.

But could she really trust they were Nova's friends? For some reason, she couldn't convince herself that they were indeed Nova's friends. Roland's voice pierced through Liora's thoughts, bringing her back to the present moment.

"It's called Make a Guess." Roland glanced at his friends, who had been listening to their conversation. They smiled as soon as they heard the game. "Each of us will share one fact about ourselves. ...And you have to guess if it's true or false."

He tilted his head, and his smile grew broader. Roland'sgaze never wavered, his honey-brown eyes gleaming under the dim lights, watching her as if she were something fragile and entertaining all at once. He sat back on the red leather couch.

"If you guess correctly, nothing happens." His voice was smooth, almost bored. He shifted slightly, one arm draping over the back of the couch.

"But if you guess wrong..." he continued, "that person will move one step closer to you. And whoever gets closest..." he trailed off, tapping his fingers against his knee, dragging out the silence like it was fun for him. "They'll ask you three questions. You must answer truthfully."

A shudder crawled down her spine.

"And if I don't?" she asked, barely above a whisper.

Roland smiled—slow, knowing. It didn't reach his eyes. "If we catch you lying..." He watched her with interest.

"You won't like the consequence or, in this game, the punishment, little doe!"

Liora's chest constricted. "This is wrong. I-I don't know any of you," she forced out, her voice coming sharper than she expected. "How should I know if my guess is right or wrong? You could just lie and say I got it wrong."

Roland hummed as if considering her point. Then, he smirked.

"I'll Google it."

Liora's brows knitted.

"What?"

Roland leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees. Relaxed.

"Every single person in this room comes from a wealthy family. Our names are public, our businesses are public, our lives are public." He flicked his wrist as if this was the simplest thing in the world. "The information we'll tell you is available online. You can verify it. That way, you'll know whether we're lying or telling the truth."

His head cocked to the side, studying her. "Fair enough?"

"Why are you forcing me to play?" Her voice came quiet but firm. Liora did not want to be their play buddy. She did not want to indulge herself in any entertainment business with them, though he warned her not to refuse. Still, there was no harm in trying to save herself from playing a guessing game about people whom she saw a few minutes ago for the first time, not knowing who they were. Besides, she had no interest in knowing them.

"If I may suggest another game? Liora voice was unsteady, but she forced a hopeful smile. She would try her luck if it would work this time. "Its called catch if you can…." She looked at everyone's expression before continuing. "I run, you try to catch me. But instead of using this small room….. why not utilise the whole club?" She scanned the big room which looked smaller now.

"It will be more fun.. and if I get caught, I loose!"

Roland chuckled softly, "Nice try.."

Soon his expression shifted, his amusement waning. He exhaled, slow, long. Then smiled mockingly.

"Today's my bachelor party." His fingers tapped against his knee again, rhythmic and taunting. "Don't you think you're being rude to the groom by refusing one small request?"

'One small request?'

"Would you ask a random woman off the street to play this?" she countered.

Roland's eyes flickered. He exhaled a quiet chuckle. "In many cultures, it's tradition." Roland's expression soon turned grim; his patience was waning. "I think you chose the hard way for yourself…" He leaned back, and a predator smile flashed on his face. Shaking his head, a cruel grin appeared, looking at Liora.

"Fine, if that's what you wish—"

Liora stared at him, her pulse thundering in her ears. If she disagrees, something terrible will happen. That much was clear from Roland's expression.

"I-I will play." Deep down, Liora dreaded the hardships this game would entail, but she could buy herself more time. If playing could grant her that, then she would go along with it.

A smile appeared on Roland's face, and he continued, "For each false answer or no answer, you will be punished by each one of us." Liora's head snapped, and her eyes widened as she looked straight into Roland's eyes. And others had a smirk on their face, knowing there was no winning for this little doe...

Each of them moved near the door while Liora retreated until she reached the window to maintain distance. She glanced at the time; it was 10:45 pm. There were still 15 minutes until Nova arrived.

"And by the way, my name is Roland, but people call me Ronnie."

Liora's world stopped. A shiver shot down her spine.

That name...T-that name.

Her vision blurred. Her hands shook.

A voice from the past whispered in her ear—'Smile, Liora.'

A camera flash.

'Hanuel, look, Liora's not smiling for the camera.'

Her lips trembled..