Master's Slave

"I'll surely pay your money back, Ice Pick. Just extend the time a little bit. I'll surely pay you. I promise with my life" a rich man in his late forties knelt down with a pleading eye in the front of a cold looking but handsome guy of twenty five years old who is not ready to accept the old man pleas.

"Your life isn't worth my money, Johnson" the younger man bent down to the older man level.

"We had an agreement. You know that, right" he continued as he stood up.

"You shouldn't have promise on your life, you should have bet on your family. How about that?" he smirked looking down at the man.

"Please, Ice Pick. Let's leave my family out of this. I'll pay you your money, please" Mr Johnson pleaded.

"Let's see how that goes then. See me at your doorstep tomorrow morning" Ice Pick walked away as his boots sound filled the hallway.

"And I heard you have a beautiful daughter" he stopped on his tracks.

"My daughter?? Which of them?" Mr Johnson gasped in fright.

"Oh, It seems you've got a lot of beautiful daughters. I'll pick randomly myself then".

*

Sophia, a young lady of nineteen years was riding a bicycle with an headset over her head in a lonely street.

She was smiling and anyone that saw her would thought she won a lottery.

There were a lot of reasons for her to be happy that day.

Summer is the best period Sophia loves in a year and so she went for sight seeing with her new bicycle her older brother got her four days before.

If at all, she doesn't want to do anything. Just get her a bicycle and you'll be in her good book forever.

She loves riding bicycle a lot.

On top of all of it, the next day is her birthday.

'Going for sight seeing with a new bicycle during summer when my birthday is tomorrow is the best moment of my life' she thought as she increased her speed.

"I'm gonna be twenty tomorrow, Woohoo" she screamed as her voice echoed across the street.

Soon, she started getting to the busy street which lead to the market.

'Im surely gonna have a lot of fun today' she thought as she found a place to park her bicycle when a car moved on high speed and splashed a dirty water in the market pothole on her.

"What the heck" she shouted as if the water was fire on her and gained other people's attention.

And immediately, she picked a stone and threw it towards the car and it hits her target which was the glass.

"Ughhh..." A loud gasp ran across the market

"Oh, what have you done, Sophia?" A lady of her age slapped her back, she looked at the person only to confirm it was her classmate or else she would have punished her for slapping her unaware.

"What are you doing here, Nikel?" Sophia asked looking at the bags in the lady's hand.

"Of course, I came here to get some breads. I should be asking you what you're doing here" Nikel chuckled.

"And did you know you just get yourself into trouble, huh?"

And just then, the same car earlier reversed back to their direction.

"Huh? It's really Ice Pick. You're really in a deep trouble this moment, Sophia" Nikel stated in a scared tone and started moving back from Sophia.

"I'm gonna watch how you're gonna sort yourself out this time not even your father can save you" Nikel's voice was kinda loud and that was when Sophia noticed she was far from her but that wasn't her concern.

"Hey" she knocked hardly on the car tinted glass as the driver opened the door and rushed to her.

"So if I didn't throw that stone on your filthy car, you won't come back to say sorry, huh" she laughed like a maniac as she looked at the driver with a disgusted expression.

"Uhmm...ma'am..."

"Shut it right there, I don't need your sorry anymore" she shushed the driver sharply.

"I just need to see the owner of this car"

"You can't see him, ma'am. Are you sure you'll be able to stand here if you get to see him?" the driver chuckled and just then the car glass whined down.

"I'm the owner of the car and now you get to see me" Sophia's neck suddenly rotate to the manly's voice that got her legs turned to jelly only for her to see it was a dangerous looking hot guy piercing into her eyes coldly.

It took her awhile before she regain her consciousness.

And the next thing she did shocked the people watching, the driver and even the handsome guy.

"Seriously, so you are the idiot"

"Well, like I said earlier, I don't need your sorry anymore. All you just have to do is how to get this first off me"

"You can just do well by getting your clothes off your body and the dirts is all gone" the handsome guy smirked which made the driver chuckled lightly.

"You pervert..." Sophia stated angrily and suddenly grabbed the black hat on his head.

"I think this will do than talking with riffraff" she mumbled as she cleaned her body with the hat.

She threw it at the handsome guy and climbed on the bicycle and rode away.

*

Mr Johnson got home later in the evening just in time for dinner.

"Welcome dad" Sophia and her little sister, Sophie greeted him as Sophie rushed up to him to get his bag.

"Welcome honey" Mrs Johnson smiled at her husband as she walked out of the kitchen to the living room.

"Go wash up and come down for dinner real quick"

"Dad, do you know your daughter got into another fight today" Martins, the only son, Sophia's brother stated but Mt Johnson didn't pay any attention.

"Hmm" was the only sound he made as he found his way to his room.

Minutes later, Mrs Johnson retired to her room and saw her husband so focused on his PC.

"Oh, they aren't going to borrow me this loan, ugh" she heard him groaned.

"Is there any problem, darling?"

"It's nothing, hon" Mr Johnson hissed.

"You're kinda off today and you're telling me it's nothing. How is that possible"

"I said it's nothing so you shouldn't worry so much"

"How do you expect me not to worry when you're not looking so good, huh?"

"It's Ice Pick"

"Ice Pick?? What's about him?" the name brought fear to the woman as her found her feet drag her to her husband.

"I borrowed some money from him and today's the day I'm supposed to pay him but I couldn't and so he'll be here tomorrow all by himself and only heavens knows what's gonna happen" Mr Johnson heaved as he was lost into thought.

"What??"

Bloods rushed through Mrs Johnson spines as she couldn't believe her ears and her feet trembles.

"What do you mean,hon?"

"What do you mean Ice Pick is gonna be here tomorrow,huh?" her lips quivered as she talked with her lips trembling.

"How could you,huh?"

"How could you think of borrowing money..... Not just from anyone.....Why Ice Pick? Why??" She lamented almost at the verge of tears looking at her husband who was deep in thought.

"What should we do,hon? she patted her husband when she noticed he wasn't listening.

"What?" he looked at her with a red eyes.

"What should we do? Should we just pack out overnight to somewhere else far away".

"It's of no use. Packing out doesn't mean we're safe, we're only causing ourselves more trouble. He has his eyes on us and you think packing out is safe,huh?" Mr Johnson shunned his wife.

"Oh heavens, you've caused all of us problems because of some money, Johnson. You just pushed us into the Lion's den. Oh God" Mrs Johnson cried.

"So that means there's no way out,huh"

"Meet me in the living room".

"Huh" Mrs Johnson arched her brows as she watched her husband walked out of the room.

Mr Johnson got to living room and met only Sophie watching a TV show.

"Sophie, where's Martins and your sister"

"I don't know I think Sophia is in her room and uhm Martins maybe outside at the balcony as usual, I think" Sophie shrugged and just then Martins walked into the living room and as Sophie's thoughts,he was outside.

"Dad you're here" he stated singularly that he's counting his words."

"Oh good you've here. Just help me go get Sophia in her room, Sophie"

"Okay"

"What's happening, dad" Martins asked confusedly.

"It's nothing son. Just have your seat till others are here" Martins hesitated for a while before taking his seat. Sophie later came back with Sophia as their mum followed behind.

"What's it this time,dad? Huh..... You just make me spare my time for talks" Sophia stated grumpily as she walked towards where Martins and her dad were and took her seat.

"You better let the talk be useful".

"Will you keep shut and give your father some respects, you little brat" Mrs Johnson cautioned while Mr Johnson just stared at them.

"Seems it's a family night meeting or what should I call this gathering" Martins stated looking at other members.

"Will you just let me have my talk or you continue with your talks tonight" Mr Johnson's voice came up as everywhere became silent.

"Perfect"

"But before then, Martins, don't you notice any form of movement or signal that someone is monitoring you?" he faced Martins.

"Uhm, nope.... I don't think so"

"Ooh okay but I'll give y'all a hint of warning that you should be careful of your environments starting from tonight"

"Now, you are scaring me with your words,dad. Are we in some kind of dangers 'cause first you're asking Martins maybe he got signals or any form of someone monitoring him and now you're telling us to be careful. Did you got into fight with anyone" Sophie interrupted looking around.

"It'd have been better if he got into a fight with anyone" Mrs Johnson stated inaudibly tho it was clear to everyone's hearing.

"What do you mean by that mum" Sophie asked shifting closer to her mum.

"Seriously, will you stop making me getting scared" she trembled and side-hugged her mum.

"Will you just stop being shaking. We're not the one having problems here, it's dad" Sophia who has been silent all through hissed.

"Can't you have a little cent of respect for your dad, you punk" Mrs Johnson stated through gritted teeth.

"Now you're back to it. We should leave those aside first. We should start expecting tomorrow's reality" Mr Johnson's voice roared angrily as everywhere became silent again.

"And no one should interrupt me again..... Just listen attentively to every words I say to you"

"And so as you all know my company went bankrupt in the last two months and so I have to rebuild the financial status of the company but there's no funds. You all know about that, right?" Mr Johnson asked as everyone nodded simultaneously.

"And so I borrowed money which lands me into a deep trouble. I am to return the money today which is the payment day but I couldn't".

"And how does that lands you into trouble. You can just extend the date a little bit and pay later. It's no big deal" Martins stated.

"Of course, that's how everyone would say it but I borrowed money from a wrong hand who doesn't accept any date extension".

"Huh, who does that? At least, it's not like you're not gonna pay. You can't owe forever".

"Yeah, I can't owe forever but he want something else that's gonna clear the debt".

"And then give it to him instead of calling and telling us all these" Sophia interrupted.

"And how do you expect me to give it out when it's the reason why I'm working to earn before it leads to bankruptcy and borrowing" Mr Johnson stated dejectedly.

"What does he want and you have but can't give out".

"You"

"Me?? Why me? Why does he want me?" Sophia bombarded confusedly.

"Nay, I don't mean you. I mean all of you. He wants my family in return of money"

"What? Is he crazy? How is family equivalent to money?" It was Martins' turn to ask question.

"He specified that he wants my daughter but I don't know which of you. Mr Johnson looked at Sophia and Sophie.

"What!!?" Mrs Johnson exclaimed

"My daughters......Oh my sweet daughters" she cried.

"That is crazy" Sophia laughed.

"Who is the man" she asked afterwards.

"Ice Pick".

"What!!!?" they all exclaimed with Sophia's voice having the highest tone.

~~ The Next Morning ~~

Sophia woke up from her Dreamland when she heard a familiar voice screaming and yawned loudly.

"Wooh, who could be disturbing my sleep this early morning"

"I'm sure it's that little spoilt brat" she stated grumpily referring to Sophie as she lazily climbed down the bed.

"Dad, pls help me... Daaaaddd" she heard again. Sophie's voice sounds like she has been crying.

'Is she crying?' she thought.

"And why is she crying?" She mumbled and hissed as she made her way to the living room and then she remembered last night events. Her father's talk about one ruthless guy.

"Ooh, I can't remember his name again" she hitted her forehead repeatedly like someone who is trying to remember something.

'Or is he here' her eyes popped out at the thought of that as she took her steps slowly trying to peep to the living room.

"Dad pleaseeee" Sophie's voice faded away.

"Help me talk to him, mum. Dad pleaseeee"

And just then immediately Sophie was taken away by some men dressed in black, Sophia showed up in the living room.

"What's happening, dad?" She asked but her dad gave no reply and just ruffled his hair like a frustrated and confused being.

"How could you know what's happening when you slept like a log of wood when your little sister is being taken away" Mrs Johnson exclaimed like a wounded sheep.

"What??!!"

"You mean she's been taken away. By who??"

"You punk" Mrs Johnson seethed. "It'd have been better if you were the one taken away"

"Oh my daughter. My poor baby girl" the pained woman cried.

"Do you mean the punk you were talking about last night already came, huh??" Sophia faced her dad.

"When I was thinking you have a short time amnesia already" Martin's voice came from the direction of the kitchen as Sophia turned and saw him with a mug in his hand.

"Are you having tea or coffee" Sophia arched an eyebrow.

"Coffee" he raised the mug up to his lips and took a sip.

"You're having coffee when our sister us being taken away, huh??"

"What do you expect me to do when that's what Ice Pick want. He can't take me, I'm a guy and thanks goodness I'm one and he won't heed to your pleas too. He's not the kind to have mercy duh"

"Yeah. Ice Pick. That's the name I've been trying to remember since I woke up."

"It seems you're crazy. You can't remember his name when everyone does" Martins chuckled.

"But it seems he's making a mistake"

"What mistake are you talking about" Sophia arched an eyebrow.

"He knows Dad doesn't have a daughter. He knows it's daughter's tho I don't think he know the number of daughters and I also learnt he want his favourite daughter and that's you. He wants you but mistook Sophie as YOU" Martins explained.

"What!!?"

"I can't believe this. Why would he want me?"

"And that's why I said you should have be the one to wake up early" Mrs Johnson interrupted and just then Mr Johnson walked out of their midst.

"Or is by any means keeping you for later" Martins stated as he emptied his mug which made Mr Johnson halted.

"Did he by any chance recognize you as the girl he met yesterday and know you as my daughter" Mr Johnson looked at Sophia the first time that morning.

"Aaah, how am I supposed to know that, Dad?" Sophia shirked.

"But I'm sure he can't. He can't even think it's possible because I dressed casually yesterday not like a rich kid so he won't think twice or try to convince himself that I'mma be the one. Even if he has seen me before as your daughter, he might be thinking the yesterday girl is just some random market girl."

"But what if he knows you're the one. He's unpredictable"

"Let's just forget about this for now and talk about it later, huh"

"Happy birthday, daughter" Mr Johnson smiled.

"Happy birthday baby sister" Martins hugged her as she smiled sheepishly and stated a "Thanks".

"So you can think of wishing her a happy birthday when we all don't know the condition Sophie is in right now, huh" Mrs Johnson hissed and walked out of their midst.

"Or what if he decided to kill her, huh" she added as cold shivers runs through their spines.

*

Sophie was locked in an unkempt dark room as she hugged her legs and bowed her head in between her thighs and sobbed. And just then, a young lady which she presumed could be her age mate walked by and she called her back.

"Hey" she waved her hand through the iron bars.

"What?" The girl answered coldly.

"What's the time, please?"

"It's some minutes past 12. And why are you asking, huh?" The girl's voice sounded so harsh.

"Do you think this place is somewhere you can just come to and some random people or members of your family can come to take you out anyhow and anytime, huh" the girl laughed as Sophie only sighed heavily and bowed her head.

"I've been here since I was seven years old and that's nine years ago"

"Nine years ago?" Sophie wanted to exclaim but kept it cool as she noticed a figure was coming towards their direction as the girl left and walked away from Sophie. It then became clear to Sophie that it was one of the guys that came with Ice Pick to her house in the morning coming towards her.

The cold looking guy unlocked the bar padlock with a tiny key and opened it for Sophie to walked out as she got the message that she is to come out of the room.

"Follow me" he stated coldly and started walking away while Sophie followed behind like a diligent sheep obeying its shepherd.

They got to a beautiful room and the guy stopped which made Sophie halted on her tracks also.

"You wait here" she heard the guy's voice and also felt him leaving the room.

'So am I to stand here all alone doing nothing' she thought.

She felt another person's presence and looked up to get a glance and saw HIM. Her head snapped down to a bow immediately as her forehead, neck and palm suddenly sweaty and her breath itched.

'Is he here to pass his judgement? Am I going to get killed? Or is he here to send me back home. Ugh... That's not possible. It has never been in history that he send anyone back to their family alive except their dead bodies' Different thoughts ran through her mind as he took his seat in a high golden chair.

"Johnson thought I could be fooled but I'm ten thousand wiser. Bring her in" Ice Pick's voice made her leg shook and her heart beats rapidly in fear.

'Who could they be bringing in' she thought and raised her head to take a look.

"What!!!?"