EPISODE 8 THE GATHERING STORM
Aisha p.o.v
I keep my voice steady. We were supposed to be enjoying the festival, but the festive
atmosphere felt forced, a thin veneer over something dark. "This feeling... like something's about to happen."
Maya nodded, her expression grim. "I do. I don't know what it is, but I don't like it. Let's stick together."
We had been inseparable since childhood, bound by a shared history and a fierce loyalty to each other. I trusted Maya implicitly, and if she felt this unease, then it was something we
needed to take seriously. We moved through the crowd, the colorful stalls and boisterous laughter doing little to ease our growing
apprehension. The music seemed to fade into the background, replaced by the pounding of my own heart.
*Maya's POV*
I couldn't shake the feeling that we were being watched. Every glance, every casual bump in the crowd, felt deliberate. I scanned the faces
around us, searching for a clue, a sign of what was to come. There was a man with a scarred face, lingering near the entrance to the market. His eyes, dark and unreadable, seemed to follow our every move.
I nudged Aisha, pointing towards the man. "Do you see him? He's been there for a while."
Aisha followed my gaze, her eyes narrowing. "I've noticed him too. He doesn't look friendly."
We subtly changed our course, trying to put some distance between us and the man, but he mirrored our movements, always remaining
within sight. The storm within me was building, a sense of dread that threatened to consume me. I knew, with a certainty that chilled me to the bone, that something was about to change.
*Unnamed POV*
Across the crowded square, the man with the scarred face finally made a subtle gesture. A signal. It was received. A figure melted into the
shadows, disappearing into the labyrinthine alleyways that crisscrossed the market. The plan was set in motion. Tonight, the storm would break.
*Aisha's POV*
Suddenly, the lights flickered and died, plunging the market into near darkness. Screams erupted as chaos erupted. People stumbled and pushed, desperate to escape the sudden blackness. I grabbed Maya's hand, my heart pounding in my chest.
"Stay close!" I yelled over the growing pandemonium. "We need to get out of here!"
But it was too late.
*Maya's POV*
Before we could move, a figure emerged from the shadows, blocking our path. The man with the scarred face. His eyes gleamed in the dim light, and a cruel smile played on his lips.
"Well, well," he drawled, his voice like a viper's hiss. "Look what we have here."
He gestured, and two more figures stepped forward, cutting off our escape. Trapped. The storm had arrived, and we were caught in its eye.