Chapter 2 Victoria Island

Chapter 2: Victoria Island

Tori landed in Victoria Island that night. It was a quiet private state, the kind of place that didn't feel as loud as where she was coming from. She pulled her big box along, tired but alert, and went straight to the address of a shared apartment she had been searching online since her journey.

She stopped a cab, gave the driver the address, and sat silently until they arrived. When she got there, she paid the driver and walked in with her box.

The landlady was already waiting. A small woman with a calm voice, she showed Tori around. It was a two bedroom apartment. Two girls in each room, four of them living together.

The landlady opened one of the rooms.

"This is where you'll stay. Your roommate is Ciara. That's your bed over there, stay away from hers."

Tori nodded and stepped inside. Ciara was on her bed, scrolling on her phone. She lifted her eyes once, gave Tori a look, and went back to her screen without saying a word. Her face carried attitude. Tori quietly dropped her box at the corner, choosing not to say anything.

"Incase she didn't tell you, you cannot bring a friend over, especially a man." Ciara said, she sounded not only rude but cocky.

"And I hope you don't steal," Tori snapped. "Because bitch, I will chop off your fingers."

"I hope you have something worth stealing and a really sharp knife." Ciara jumped down from the bed, glaring at Tori. "You think you can walk in here and act all posh? Sports girls?"

Tori frowned, already bored. "Take two steps back, your breath stinks." She walked past Ciara and started to settle in.

"Bitch be careful, I can be a magician." Ciara turned, licking her lips.

"What are you doing in a shared apartment then? Use that magic to make some money." Tori responded, unpacking her box.

***

Later that night, Tori sat in the parlor, her phone in her hand. She opened Instagram and watched her old classmates dancing, drinking, and posting stories from the graduation after-party. They were laughing, hugging, living it up.

They gave a shout out to her even though she wasn't there. They were genuinely happy and proud of her.

Tori sighed and turned off the volume. She opened a new private account on Instagram, uploading only faceless pictures. Then she started scrolling, looking for something, someone, anything to take her mind off the emptiness.

That was when a notification popped up. A message.

The username was Jules.

Curious, she clicked it. They started chatting right away. Jules seemed easy with his words. Within minutes, he asked her to come over. She hesitated, then agreed.

But the problem started when she tried to find a ride. She spent three hours searching on her phone, checking every app, and still nothing. It was late. She was already regretting it when Jules sent another message.

My friend will come get you.

Minutes later, Jules' friend drove down to her estate. But the gate was locked. The security guards didn't want to open it. Tori waited nervously as Jules' friend argued with the guards. Eventually, money changed their minds and the gate opened. The car drove straight to her block and stopped.

Tori stepped out, her chest heavy, and climbed in.

"Hey..."

"It's not far," the guy said from the driver's seat. "We'll soon be there."

She nodded slowly, clutching her phone. Her heart was beating too fast. She didn't know these people. She didn't even know where exactly she was going.

Her mind ran wild-what if they were kidnappers? Rapists? Organ harvesters? She couldn't even share her live location with anyone. Nobody knew where she was.

Tori shut her eyes tightly, whispered a small prayer under her breath, and leaned back in the seat.