Chapter 1 HURTFUL NIGHTMARE

THEME : HURTFUL NIGHTMARE

LOCATION: LENA'S APARTMENT (3:00 AM)

Please, please, please don't do this to me!" Lena begged, her voice shaking with fear. "I will do anything, just please don't hurt me."

"Shut up," the masked man said "You've had your chance to beg, now it's time for you to pay the price."

"Please, just let her go," Her mother begged, tears streaming down her face. "She has nothing to do with this.

The masked man's eyes narrowed as he raised his gun, pointing it directly at Lena's head.

"You've done nothing but talk and beg," he said. "It's time for you to be silenced."

Before Lena could even speak, the man pulled the trigger, and she closed her eyes, bracing herself for the end.

* ** * ** * * * * ** * * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * *

Lena awoke with a start, sweat cascading her body, her heart pounding, she looked around the room, trying to steady her breathing and get her bearings.

The nightmare had been so vivid, so real, and it had felt like she was right back in that moment, facing down the masked man.

But now she was safe, in her own bed. She reached for her phone, checking the time. It was 3:00 a.m., and she knew she wouldn't be able to go back to sleep.

She walked out of the door to the balcony of her room, the passed event that shattered her entire being and destroyed her family came rushing back.

She remembered vividly how the mask men came into her house and massacred her entire family.

She heard the door of her room slowly opened and her best friend Sofia rushed to her. .

" Lena, are you okay?" Sofia asked "I heard you crying out in your sleep. Are you having nightmares again?"

Lena nodded, unable to find her voice. She'd been having the same nightmare for years now, ever since the incident. It had started to feel like she was trapped in a never ending loop of fear and terror.

"It's okay, you're safe now," Sofia said. "Why don't you try to go back to sleep? You need your rest."

Lena nodded her end walking back into her room. But even as she closed her eyes, she couldn't shake the feeling of dread that had taken hold of her.

Would the nightmares ever end? Would she ever be free from the terror of that fateful night?

When will the nightmare end?

When will she ever be free from those nightmares?

Each time she closes her eyes to sleep flashbacks of that unfortunate night always comes to her head, ripping her entire heart and tearing her into pieces.

Each time she closes her eyes to sleep she always sees her mother, her father and her brother in the pool of their own blood.

Her entire existence has been a struggle, her life has been a nightmare, everything about her are dark.

Losing her family to the hands of those monsters was too much for her to take.

She pray and hope to find the monster who ruined her life, killed her family and took her identity away from her.

* ** * ** * ** * ** * * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * *

STEFANO

In a dark room in an old mansion in Spain, a man was tied up, his arms and legs bound tightly.

His eyes were covered with a blindfold, and he was unable to move.

The man heard a sound, like someone sharpening a knife, and he began to tremble in fear.

"I'm asking you a question. Are you going to answer me, or do I have to make you talk?"

The man remained silent, his body trembling with fear.

"I said, are you deaf?" he roared, his voice echoing in the dark room. "Or are you just a fool?"

Still, the man said nothing.

"So, you're just going to sit there and say nothing?" Stefano said. "Fine. I'll have to find a way to make you talk."

He reached for a hot knife that had been sitting on a nearby table, its blade glowing red. He held it to the man's neck, and the man flinched.

"Ready to talk now?" Stefano said, his voice barely above a whisper. "Or do you want to find out what this knife can do?"

The man's heart was pounding in his chest, and he was shaking uncontrollably.

"Boss, you have a call," James said, "It's urgent."

Stefano whirled around, his eyes blazing with fury. "Can't you see I'm busy?" he snapped. "I don't have time for calls."

"But sir, I think you'll want to take this one," James said "It's from the Don himself."

With a resigned sigh, he picked up the phone.

"Hello?" Stefano said

The response was terse and angry. "You bastard! Get to my office right now. We have things to discuss." And then the line went dead

* ** * ** * ** * ** * * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * **

LOCATION: DON'S OFFICE

Stefano stepped into the Don's office, Before he could even speak, he felt a stinging pain across his face. The Don had slapped him, hard, and the force of the blow made his head spin.

"You incompetent fool!" the Don yelled. "You have failed me for the last time! How dare you?Do you realize what you have done? I've worked for years to build this company, and you've jeopardized everything!"

Stefano could barely speak, but he managed to stammer out, "I'm so sorry, sir. I didn't mean to cause any harm."

"Sorry isn't good enough," the Don snapped. "You need to fix this, and you need to fix it now. Otherwise, you'll be out of a job - and out of luck."

{It turned out that the Don was none other than Stefano's own father, Fabio}

"I have a task for you tonight," the Don said. "You're going to carry out a hit for me, and you're not going to question me. Is that understood?"

"I won't do it," Stefano said "I can't kill for you anymore. It's not right."

"If you don't do this, I will kill your mother," he said "I have no use for you if you can't follow my orders."

"You monster!" Stefano shouted"I won't let you touch my mother. I won't do your dirty work anymore. I'm done!"

Fabio's face darkened, and he took a step towards Stefano.

"You think you can defy me? You're nothing without me. I made you what you are today. And if you don't do as I say, you'll be nothing again."

Stefano stood his ground, his hands clenched into fists.

"Fine, I'll do it," Stefano said resigning to his fate.

"Good boy, You've finally learned your place. Now get out of my sight, and don't let me see your face until this is done."

He turned and left the room.