DEADLY KISS

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.

THEME : MISSION CANCELLED

" Gather the crew, we have a job tonight," Stefano barked

" Another job?" Luca said. "When are you going to stop doing his dirty work? The last job..."

" Enough," Stefano said, cutting him off.

A tense silence fell over the room. Luca's eyes met Stefano, and for a moment.

it looked like he might say something else. But in the end, he simply nodded and turned away.

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

" I heard there is a mission tonight," Stefano step mother Lucia said to her son Torres.

Torres frowned. " Father didn't tell me anything about that."

Lucia rolled her eyes. "You idiot, why would he tell you? You're too much of a coward to ever do a mission. That's why he gave it to Stefano."

" But mum "

" Don't 'but mom' me," Lucia said, cutting him off. "You need to get out there and enjoy life. Stop moping around and live a little."

" But I don't know how, I'm not like Stefano, I'm not confident or charming. I'm just... me."

" I don't care what you think get up and go. Follow them, and see what they're up to. And stop making excuses."

" But..." Torres started to protest, but his mother cut him off.

" No more 'buts'," she said, her voice firm. "Get up and do it."

Torres hesitated, but finally he nodded. "Okay," he said, his voice shaking. "I'll go."

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

The mobsters stood in a semi circle in the dimly lit hall, their faces shadowed by the flickering light of a single candle.

" There's going to be a mission tonight," Jane of the mobster said

"What?" Amy asked. "Stefano didn't tell me anything about that."

"And who are you, exactly?" Jane asked.

Amy shifted uncomfortably "I'm just... I'm one of the girls."

"The girls?" Jane taunted, raising an eyebrow.

"You should give yourself a special name," Maria one of the mobster who was listening to their conversation mocked.. "Something like 'Stefano's' little sex toy.'"

All the other girls burst into laughter, but Amy face turned bright red.

"How dare you!" she said, her voice shaking with anger. "I'm not just some toy for him to use and discard. I'm a real person!"

"Oh please," Jane said, rolling her eyes. "We all know the truth. Don't try to pretend otherwise."

"Enough of this idle chatter," One of the mobster said"The boss is here."

Just then, the door to the hall opened and Stefano stepped inside. "The mission has been postponed," he announced. "We'll discuss it at a later time."

There was a murmur of disappointment and confusion among the group, but they knew better than to question Stefano. He was their leader, and they would follow his orders, no matter what.

"And who are you to overrule Father's instructions?" Torres said As He entered the room, his hands on his hips, his eyes blazing with anger.

"I thought you were merely the enforcer, not the one who calls the shots."

Stefano met Torres gaze, unflinching. "I have been given the authority to make decisions in Father's absence," he said, "Whether you like it or not, that is the way it is."

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

Lena stumbled out of the house, her limbs heavy and her body trembling with exhaustion. Blood stained her clothes and matted her hair, and every step was a struggle.

She held her head in her hands, her eyes filled with tears and her voice hoarse from crying. Her breaths came in short, ragged gasps, and her body felt like it was on the verge of collapse.

The memory of the night before the unfortunate event that claimed her family flashed through Lena's mind like a nightmare. She remembered the happy scene that had been unfolding in her family's home: her mother's laughter, her father's warm smile, and her brother's mischievous grin.

But then the door had burst open, and masked men had rushed in, guns drawn. She remembered the fear that had gripped her as she watched her family being murdered before her eyes, powerless to stop it.

The memories of what had happened next came flooding back, and she felt sick to her stomach.

She remembered trying to fight back, but it was no use. And then she remembered the feeling of darkness as they struck her.

Now, as she sat on the ground, she could feel the tears falling from her eyes, but she made no sound. The pain was too great, the memories too haunting.

All she could do was cry silently, as the world around her seemed to fall apart.

A sudden clarity came over Lena as she remembered the face of one of the men who had hurt her.

She saw his cold, hard eyes and the cruel smirk on his lips. She saw the tattoo on his arm, a symbol she would never forget. And she heard his voice in her head, laughing as he said, "You'll never escape us."

As Lena's thoughts turned to vengeance, her voice rose in a hoarse whisper. "I will kill him," she said, her fists clenched in anger. "I will have my revenge."

Her voice echoed, but it was the only sound she could make. She was too weak to scream, too hurt to cry out.

All she could do was sit there, broken and alone, and swear that she would have her vengeance.

"I will find him," she said, her resolve growing stronger. "I will make him pay."

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

THEME : IT IS JUST A NIGHTMARE

Each of us have our own fears, regrets, narratives, drama, egos and problems.

We always think that we are alone and the whole world is against us. But in all this always remember that you are not alone.

Always remind yourself that your issues are the tiniest and insignificant than those that exist in this world

Just stop creating more problems and suffering for yourself and your world by acting from all these characteristics or from your dreadful memories and haunted nightmares.

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

LENA'S APARTMENT

Lena bolted up from the bed, sweat cascading her body. Staring at the dark ceiling of her room. She got out from the bed trying to fight off the fears that were threatening to take over her body and heart.

"A nightmare!!! It is just a fucking nightmare!!" She chanted to himself.

Those words were ones that she will never forget in her life.

Those words have been her daily routine.

Those words are stacked in her head and deeply rooted in her heart.

Those words are like music to her.

"I hate you, I fucking hate this nightmares. Why don't you stop tormenting me? Why don't you stop hunting me?" She yelled.

It has always been like this for more than five years of her life. All this is as a result of the evil those monsters melted on her and her entire family.

She wears all her painful past, haunted nightmares and all her past experiences like a skin.

She grabbed the jug of water by her bedside and gulped it down in large quantity. wore her slippers and walked to the balcony of her room.

She stood by the railing as she stared at the city.

She scoffed out loudly, if only her life is as beautiful and peaceful as the city. She knows that is just a wishful thinking that will never come to past.

Remembering how she watched her parents, brother killed and how she was shot and left for death brought out a hurtful and painful feeling from her heart. She was going to seek out the monster who ruined her life and kill him.

She was going to destroy the very existence of the monster, she was going to have her pound of flesh..

More painful memories clouded her head shattering her heart into pieces and make tears cloud in her eyes.

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

LOCATION : FABIO'S RESIDENT

"You bastard!" Fabio thundered "How dare you go against my orders!"

Stefano said nothing, his gaze locked on the floor.

"Are you deaf as well as stupid?" Fabio snapped at his son. "I asked you a question!"

Still Stefano did not speak making Fabio's anger was grow.

"Also why did you ruin the date I set up for you?"

"I told you, I don't love that girl,"

"I don't care if you love her or not," Fabio snapped. "You will marry her, and that's final. Do you understand me?"

Stefano clenched his fists, his anger rising to match his father's. "No, I won't,"

"So, you're telling me you won't marry the girl I've chosen for you. Are you sure you want to defy me like this?"

"I'm not defying you, Father, I'm just saying that I don't want to marry the girl you've chosen for me. It's not personal, it's just not what I want."

"You will do as I say, whether you like it or not. You will marry the girl, and you will produce an heir.

"If you want an heir so badly, I'll give you one "But I won't marry her. I refuse to be tied to someone I don't love."

"How dare you speak to me like that? You're my son, and you'll do as I say."

Stefano turned and began to walk out of the room. "I've had enough of this conversation,"

"You have two years to give me an heir," Fabio said "If you don't, I'll make sure you regret it. Do you understand me?"

Stefano didn't turn back. He kept walking

"That's it then," Fabio said clenching and unclenching his jaws

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

"Are you really going to marry that woman?" Luca asked, as Stefano walked out of his father's office.

"No,"

"Then how are you going to provide an heir for the family? You know that's what Father wants."

"I've got a plan,But it doesn't involve marrying her."

Luca looked at him "What kind of plan could you possibly have? Father will never accept anything less than a marriage."

"Just trust me,I'll figure something out."

"I don't know if I can," Luca said, shaking his head. "But I'll try."

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

LOCATION : UNKNOWN WAREHOUSE

"He was caught," Giovanni said

"What? Who was caught?" the man asked

"Stefano caught him," Giovanni said,"He was killed. Brutally."

"That son of a bitch," the man hissed. "I'll kill him myself."

"Send another spy to Stefano," the man ordered. "And make sure he doesn't mess up my plans this time."

"Of course, boss," Giovanni said, bowing his head. He turned and left the room.