37

~ Ellie ~

We heard a loud snap from above us. The wire splits in half, sending Evan to his demise. I saw my brother’s body flying straight up with the object. The impact is going to be deadly; I know it.

“EVAN!” I screamed at the top of my lungs. Aria told me not to move as this rope could end like that. Controlling my movements, tears rolled down my face. I shut my eyes.

The elevator smashed into pieces. How did I know? Brawling my eyes out, my body went limp. My only sibling is gone. “Oops, wrong rope,” Brad chuckles. My hands balled into a fist as I started to shake. The laugh needs to shut the fuck up!!!

Rapid footsteps were heard, and Minho’s body went flying next to Brad. Where did this officer come from, Brad thought to himself. With his cameras around, he can pinpoint where everyone is at. Good.

“Drop your weapon now!!” he yelled.

Even though I could see a little, Brad placed his rifle down; then his hands went up in the air. While doing so, he lifts a lever which releases Aria and me. Our screams terrified the people below. The officers scrambled around, trying to catch us. Kevin had his men grab a cover and spread it out. I’m praying we won’t die on impact.

I closed my eyes, and within a few seconds, I felt something hard on my back and heavy on my stomach. People were on the ground with us, and Aria was on top of me. We didn’t land as Kevin expected, but we were safe, at least. Gunshots were heard from above. Kevin gestured to those who were standing to help.

We were free from our bondage. I didn’t hesitate to hug Aria, who was still on top of me. We both cried in each other’s arms. I wiped my tears as Kevin fell to his knees. “Are you okay?” he cried.

“Yes, I’m okay.”

Kevin gently wrapped his arms around us. I thought I would never feel this warmth again. Brad and Minho were in custody, and we were taken to the hospital for treatment. Things won’t return to normal, but I know we will be okay.

A few days passed, and we were still in the hospital recovering from trauma. From what I heard from doctors, Bailey and Jennie’s mental health has become unstable, Eunha’s recovery is doing okay, and Aria’s mental state is stable enough to live an everyday life. However, we must meet with a psychiatrist for three weeks.

Every time I take a break, I think about Evan. “What am I going to do without you, big bro?”

“It’s going to suck not having him here. But he will always be in your heart, you know that.” Aria said. Her smile reassured me. How could she be so positive during this?? A knock came at the door.

“Hey, how are you guys feeling?” Kaylee asked.

“Okay, I guess. What are you doing here?”

They grabbed a chair and explained how Brad would receive the death penalty for kidnapping and first-degree murder on three counts. He was charged with other things, but I stopped paying attention. The detectives finally discovered the real reason for his creepy behavior— his fiancé Kimberly Gates dumped him due to his aggressive nature.

Brad was a very unstable person, to begin with. He always wanted to do dangerous kinks while in bed when they were alone. He pressured her to marry him and beat her physically and mentally. To friends and family, Kimberly had a strong personality. Their relationship was normal to them, like nothing was wrong.

One day Kimberly had enough; she fought back by dumping him and placing a restraining order against Brad, which caused her life. Heartbroken, Brad snapped. He lured girls in and stalked them endlessly. He kidnaps them and forces them to do sexual acts. Kimberly kept sane when they were together at times. During the first two months, everything was perfect. She didn’t know what happened.

We couldn’t believe it; he went insane because of her. Six girls were tortured, raped, and beaten almost to death because of him. Multiple people died at his hands because of his actions. We couldn’t believe it. Not only that, he planned every single detail. He didn’t seem unstable in the public eye. He was completely normal.

Kaylee mentioned she is looking for a new Development & Design team leader. Jennie was next, but due to her condition, she can’t work. I was the only one she could trust. “ARE YOU ASKING ME?!?” I excitedly said. “Wait, I’m not qualified for the job, though. I never worked on games before or did anything like Evan. How am I going to take his place?”

“If I train you, would you like to take the job?? This is what you need. A temporary worker will be in your place while you train. Once you are ready, you can have it.”

Aria added I better take the job as this is a big opportunity. I want to think about it, but there’s nothing else I could do. So, I took the offer. Kaylee smiled big and was grateful. Aria was offered a position, too, but she declined it. Being a traveler is what she does and is the best way to escape situations like this.

“I understand. If you ever need a job, call me. I always have positions available.”

“Thank you.” She turned to me with a sad expression. “Do you think things will go back to normal?”

“I hope so... I really hope so.”