SHADOWS OF THE PAST

7:00AM.

The alarm rang.

Brianna sat up slowly, palming her face as a heavy sigh escaped her lips. She dragged herself to the bathroom. The jacuzzi-sized tub was already steaming. She sank into it and stared at herself in the mirror above the tub. On her left arm was a tattoo in the form of a scorpion. Anyone in the underworld knew what it meant. If you bore that mark, you belonged to them. You were mafia.

Her phone vibrates on the cold tiles beside the tub. She picked it up and stared at the screen. It was an unknown number calling. She picked it up and a deep, distorted voice came through.

“Come to the base. Now”

The call ended.

Without a word, Brianna stood, water dripping down her body. She wrapped a towel around herself and walked into her massive bedroom. She dried off quickly and pulled on her black jeans, jacket and a boot. All black.

Twenty minutes later, her car screeched out of the compound.

THE BASE

The base was a very big building. It's a legal multi-billion naira company by day but a place for all sorts of illegal activities by night. 

Brianna walked in like she owned it. The guards didn't stop her and just bowed a little at her.

A man in a black suit approached her, bowing his head slightly.

“Venom. I'll take you to the Boss”.

She followed him in silence and was led to a large office. A man stood in front of the window, his back to her, covered in a long black cloak. The escort left immediately and Brianna bowed her head slightly.

“Boss”.

“Venom!”he called, his voice low and dangerous. He

turned around slowly and walked toward her, holding out a black file. She took it carefully and opened it.

NAME: KART WOOD

AGE: 19

SCHOOL: SPRING HIGH SCHOOL

RANK: 1ST POSITION

NET WORTH: 9.0 TRILLION

DEADLINE: TWO MONTHS

A small, cold smirk curved her lips as she shut the file.

“I'll get the mission done, Boss”. He smiled; a smile that never reached his eyes. She bowed again and left only after he gave her permission with a slight nod.

Her real name was Brianna Brooke. She became a top-tier hitman after her twin sister's death three years ago. Born dangerous, and raised ruthless, she never cared about people's lives. In the underworld, hearing her code name alone sent chills down their spines. Because everyone knows she's no joke. She never hesitates to kill.

~

She pushed open the front door of their mansion and walked in.

“Where are you coming from?” Her mother, Jodie, asked softly, trying to sound casual.

“From the gym”, Brianna replied indifferently, not even looking at her as she walked up the stairs.

“Come down for breakfast”, her mother shouted after her.

“Okay”, she muttered, shutting her bedroom door. 

Inside, she stripped off her black jacket and changed into a simple casual dress. She pulled off the hairband in her hair and placed it neatly on the shelf. Then, a soft knock came on the door.

“Honey, come out for breakfast”, Jodie said, gently.

Brianna sighed, running her fingers through her hair, and opened the door. Her mother smiled and linked arms with her, leading her down to the dining room where her father was already waiting, busy on his laptop.

She sat down, picked up her spoon, and began eating in silence. Her parents kept glancing at each other not knowing how to say what was bothering their mind.

Brianna noticed but just pretended not to. Finally, her mother found the courage.

“Honey… have you been visiting your therapist lately?”

“I'm busy for that”, Brianna muttered, without looking up. Jodie's face fell and sighed.

“We're… we're planning to move with you to the States. It's nicer there and safer. What do you think?” Jodie asked carefully.

Brianna paused and dropped her spoon slowly and looked up at her mother, her brown eyes sharp.

“I’m not going. You guys can go. I'll visit you thrice a year. I'm busy here”

She then stood up.

“Thanks for the meal”, she said, and turned back to leave but paused

“Ah, and also… Meena died here. I'm not ready to let go of her memory. I'm starting a new school tomorrow too. Good luck with your moving”, she said, her voice cold. She turned and walked back to her room, slamming the door shut.

She sat on her bed, staring at the mission file again. Her head began to throb painfully and she dropped the file to the floor.

Then, her phone rang again. She stared at it for a few seconds before picking up.

“Hello Brianna. I need to see you tomorrow”, a familiar voice said over the phone while she went silent for seconds.

“Okay”, she agreed quietly, and hung up. She slumped onto her bed, staring at the ceiling as the pain in her head grew louder and her hands started shaking.

She cursed under her breath as she stood up and yanked open the drawer beside her bed. Inside was a small white bottle.

Lorazepam

Her therapist had prescribed it for her PTSD-induced anxiety and insomnia. She’d been forced to start using it after Meena's death three years ago. She had stopped sleeping, and woke up screaming her name in the middle of the night. The pills didn't make her forget, they just made her brain quiet enough to function.

She hated that she needed them, but she had no choice. She popped the bottle open and swallowed three with no water, like she always did. She’d gotten used to the bitter taste.

~

Brianna opened her eyes slowly and leaned forward to stop the alarm clock ringing at 6:00AM. She got out of bed and went to the bathroom to take a shower.

She dressed in mufti, grabbed her school bag, and walked out of her room. Jodie was in the dining area, setting the table, when Brianna came down the stairs and headed for the front door.

“Honey, your breakfast”, Jodie called after her, but she ignored her. Seconds later, she walked back into the dining room. Jodie quickly handed her the plate, and she took a few spoonfuls before walking out again.

“Bye”, Jodie said cheerfully as she left. The driver quickly opened the back door as she stepped out, and she got in.

“Take me to the hospital”, she ordered, and the driver nodded and drove out of the compound. 

She stepped out of the car and walked straight into the doctor's office. The doctor gave her a warm smile when she saw her. Brianna walked to the seat in front of her desk and sat down.

“Why did you ask me to come see you?” she asked, impatiently. 

The doctor paused, biting her lip. She slowly brought out a paper from a file and placed it in front of her.

Brianna glanced at her, picked up the paper, and looked at it. But in the next second, her hands tightened around the sheet, and even with the coldest look on her face, a tear found its way out.

“Two months?”, she muttered.