The psychological drama

The Abduction

The bustling noise of clattering dishes and low murmurs filled the restaurant as waiters hurried between tables. A normal evening, one might say. But for Billy, seated at a cosy corner table with a glass of wine in hand, it was anything but. He didn’t notice the shadow that hovered near the entrance. His thoughts were far too peaceful, too complacent for the storm that was about to hit.

Without warning, the restaurant doors swung open, a gust of cold air sweeping in along with four men dressed in dark hoodies. Their faces were obscured by caps pulled low over their eyes, but their purpose was clear. Moving with the precision of predators, they made their way through the tables towards their target.

Billy barely had time to register their presence before two hands grabbed him by the shoulders, yanking him out of his chair. The wine glass tipped over, shattering against the floor in a burst of red liquid. The restaurant went silent, the sudden commotion freezing everyone in place.

“Raj… what—what’s going on?” Billy stammered, recognizing the man standing in front of him. Raj’s face was stony, his eyes burning with an anger that was hard to place.

“Shut up and walk,” Raj spat, his voice low and dangerous.

The goons dragged Billy out into the cold night as the restaurant patrons whispered in hushed tones, unsure whether to intervene. Raj’s reputation wasn’t well-known to most, but those who did know kept their distance. Tonight, that reputation was about to take a darker turn.

The van parked outside roared to life as Raj’s men shoved Billy into the backseat. The metal door slammed shut behind them, cutting off Billy’s panicked cries. They sped off, the night swallowing them whole.

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Inside the van

Billy sat wedged between two of Raj’s men, his breathing quick and shallow. His heart raced, pounding in his chest as he glanced around the dimly lit interior. The smell of leather and cigarettes filled the air, mixing with the tension that seemed to cling to every inch of the vehicle. His mind raced, trying to piece together what had gone wrong. He hadn’t done anything to deserve this or had he?

Raj sat in the front seat, staring ahead, his knuckles white as he gripped the steering wheel. His friends exchanged glances, uneasy. They had known Raj for years, but tonight he seemed different, driven by something deeper than just anger. It wasn’t like him to stay so quiet, and the silence was starting to make them nervous.

One of them finally broke the tension. “Raj, man, what’s going on? What did this guy do to deserve this?” The question hung in the air like smoke, thick and heavy.

Raj didn’t turn around. His voice, when he spoke, was icy. “Billy… ruined my life.” He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in.

The others exchanged looks, confused. Billy, the mild-mannered guy they had just snatched up, didn’t seem like the type to ‘ruin’ anything. He looked more like someone who would apologise if you bumped into him on the street. Innocent, harmless.

“Come on, Raj,” one of them pressed. “What did he do? This guy looks like he wouldn’t hurt a fly.”

Raj laughed bitterly, shaking his head. “You don’t know what he’s done.” His voice hardened, and he gripped the steering wheel tighter, knuckles turning pale under the strain. “But I’ll tell you. I’ll tell you why Billy deserves every second of what’s coming to him.”

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Flashback: The Arcade

The scene shifted in Raj’s mind, pulling him back to the moment that had started everything. It was a warm, sunny afternoon, the kind where laughter filled the air and everything felt light. Raj was at the arcade with his friends, the flashing lights of the machines reflecting in their wide smiles. They were carefree, huddled around a racing game, teasing each other over who could beat the highest score.

That’s when he saw her.

Sofia.

She stood at the far side of the arcade, bathed in the neon glow of the machines. Her fingers danced across the buttons of a shooting game, eyes focused, lips curled in concentration. She was beautiful. No, beyond beautiful. She was magnetic. It was as if the world had faded, and all that was left was her.

Raj’s heart raced. He nudged his friends, barely able to contain his excitement. “Look at her,” he whispered. “She’s perfect.”

His friends chuckled, glancing over. “Go on then, man. Make your move.”

But Raj couldn’t. Not yet. Something about her kept him rooted in place. They made eye contact a few times, fleeting glances across the crowded arcade. And each time, Raj felt that strange pull—like she was drawing him in, and maybe, just maybe, she felt it too.

They played together—competitive, playful—on an arcade game. He didn’t want that moment to end, but like all fleeting things, it did. Sofia left before he could muster the courage to ask for more than a glance, more than a brief connection.

He saw her again, though. Multiple times. In the same area. And each time, that feeling grew. She was special. He had to know her.

Raj paused, lost in the memory. His voice was quieter now, almost reflective as he continued.

“And that’s how it started,” he murmured. “I didn’t know then what would come with her. I didn’t know the storm I was about to walk into.”

One of his friends sitting in the back with Billy, shifted uncomfortably. “Okay, so you met her. She’s your wife now, isn’t she? What does this have to do with Billy?”

Raj’s eyes hardened again, the memory of Sofia’s beauty replaced by the bitterness that had consumed him. “I’m getting to that,” he said coldly. “And when I’m done, you’ll understand exactly why Billy is the reason my life fell apart.”

© Nil | 2024