章 1: What, If, and Then
"Ahhh...", Zoa's head was heavy. She was struggling to open her eyes. She heard a faint sound. Maybe someone was telling her to keep her eyes closed.
'Am I going to die like this?', Zoa's mind was filled with the thoughts like this. 'Why did I plan this trip?', Zoa thought. 'But who could be behind this? I've so many enemies.'
Zoa went unconscious after these thoughts. She opened her eyes again. The ceiling of the room was old. She was lying on a bed. She turned her head in all the possible directions and examined her surroundings.
An old bulb was hanging on the wall of the kitchen. That was the only source of the light in the cottage. But that light was not bright enough to lighten the cottage. It was raining outside. Zoa saw it from the window of the kitchen.
The lighting outside often brightened the room and everything was visible yet scary. The sounds of the thunders and memories of the sound of bullet shells had taken half of the living will from Zoa. But She still struggled to keep moving.
The room was elementary and old as well. Zoa saw a man sitting on a chair near her. 'Am I abducted.', Zoa thought. 'I can't make any sound.'
'Is this an abandoned place?', Zoa thought as she looked around. She looked at that man closely. 'He doesn't seem like a gangster. Maybe there are some other people with him as well.', Zoa thought.
Zoa looked for a weapon around. She struggled to get up. She noticed that she had injured her right arm and left leg in the accident.
Zoa recalled the same scene when hit men had opened their arms. The sounds of the bullets, her heavy breath, and her struggle to run away. She had jumped from the mountain to escape.
'Or someone had pushed me from there. I don't remember clearly. My head hurts.', Zoa touched her head and felt a bandage there as well. 'It means that I've also hurt my head.'
Zoa struggled to get up. She dragged her injured leg and came closer to the man. She checked his breathing by moving her hand closer to his nose. That man opened his eyes.
"Are you trying to molest me? I'm not that type of man.", That man said and stood from the chair. Zoa tried to run away from him.
She had seen a knife on the table in the room. Zoa quickly stepped toward the table and took the knife. "Don't you dare to come near me? I'll slaughter you.", Zoa warned him.
"Wait, you were the one. Who was leaning close to a sleeping man? You were harassing me. Now, are you planning to torment me as well.", That man said. He tried to come closer to Zoa.
"Stay away.", Zoa shouted.
"Are you into BDSM? I've never tried it. But if a beautiful woman like you offers me this. Then how can I reject?", That man was trying to flirt with Zoa.
"Give me your phone. Tell me. Where are we?", Zoa asked.
"Here is my phone. But it is useless. And I've no idea about our whereabouts. This was an abandoned place and I've utilized it without permission as well."
"Shit, I've done some illegal work to save a beautiful woman.", That man said.
He handed her the phone. Zoa snatched the phone and shouted, "Password?"
"Give me my phone. I can't show my password to a stranger.", The man said.
Zoa gave him the phone. He tapped on it and returned the phone. "It's not working.", Zoa said.
"Yes, It won't work because it's out of order now. That's why I said. It was useless.", The man said. He came closer to Zoa. She leaned on the table behind her.
"Don't come closer. I'll.."
"You'll kill me. Am I right? Try it. I want to die from the hand of a beautiful lady as well.", He grabbed Zoa's left hand, which was injured.
He kissed her hand desperately and put a card on her hand. "It is my driving license.", The man said. "Now, you can believe me."
Zoa was clenching the knife in her right hand. She read the card. 'Asher Blake. Is he a foreigner?', Zoa thought.
"Now, you know me. How about take a seat here.", That man signalled to the bed.
"Why?", Zoa asked. "Because you are injured, and you need to rest. I'll treat you.", The man said.
"Are you a doctor?", Zoa asked. "Yes, it's Doctor Blake.", The man introduced himself. "And you?", He asked while extending his hand in her direction.
Zoa ignored his hand and stepped toward the bed. The man chuckled and held Zoa's waist with one hand and snatched the knife with the other hand.
"You are a stubborn patient. Your doctor needs to be strict with you.", He embraced her in his arms. "Hey, leave me. Put me down.", Zoa struggled but she was weak because of her injuries.
He gently put her on the bed. "Now, here you are ma'am. Take this as well. Your lovely weapon.", The man handed her the knife as well.
"Your name is Asher. You are a doctor, right?", Zoa tried to process the whole situation. "Yes, Ma'am. It's Doctor Asher Blake at your service.", He responded.
"Is this your house?", Zoa asked. As Zoa saw that man opening the cabins in the kitchen.
"No, Ma'am. It's not mine. I don't even know. Where are we? But I can give you a rough idea about this cottage as I was roaming there when you were sleeping. This is a single-room cottage with an open kitchen and a separate toilet, that way."
"I see. Then what are you finding there?", Zoa asked. "Ma'am. I'm trying to find some extra bandages for us.", Asher replied.
'Us?', Zoa thought. She looked at the arm and the leg of Asher. He was injured as well. 'Could he be one of those hitmen? No, if he was one of them. Then I was dead by now.'
'Maybe he is from a different group. Who wants money from me by abducting me? Yes, that could be the reason.', Zoa was busy in her thoughts.
Asher grabbed her right hand and said, "I've been calling you name. But you are not responding."
"Is something the matter?", He asked.
"No, everything is good.", Zoa replied.
"Are you a businesswoman? You are a white liar. Not everything is good.", Asher pointed at her injuries.
"Let me check your wounds.", Asher requested. Zoa didn't hesitate and let him check her injuries. "They are not in a bad shape. They will not leave the marks either.", Asher told her.
He changed her bandages. "Now, we are done Ma'am.", Asher said. "It's Zoa."
"Huh?"
"My name is Zoa.", Zoa told her.
"It's a beautiful name.", Asher responded with a prince charming smile. But Zoa didn't notice his smile at all. She still thought of him as her kidnapper. 'But he doesn't know my name. What if he is pretending not to know?'
Zoa was busy in her mind war. 'What, if, and then.', these words were echoing in her mind. Zoa grabbed her head. She felt that she could faint at any moment.
Asher embarrassed her and put the glass of water near her lips. "Drink it, slowly.", He instructed. "Calm down." Zoa looked at him and pushed him away.
-- 贈り物
が届きました 
-- 推薦
ランキング 
-- 推薦
チケット