SOLD TO THE MAFIA QUEEN

Ashley looked out of the peephole in her apartment but saw no one outside. She was sure she had heard a loud bang on the door. When she tried to open it to investigate, Xander stopped her. “I’ll go,” he said.

“I can handle it myself, Xander. I’m not a baby, and don’t forget, I’m your boss,” Ashley replied, turning to address the group. “Everyone else, stay put.”

As she walked down the hallway, Ashley saw shadows of people running away from the apartment in the night sky, but she couldn’t get a good look at them. Just as she was about to turn back, she bumped into Xander, who had followed her outside.

“Get out of my way, asshole,” Ashley demanded, trying to walk past him, but he blocked her path.

“Why did you kiss Chris in front of me?” Xander asked.

Ashley looked at him, trying to prove a point. “I was trying to show you that the two of us wouldn’t work.”

Xander looked at her, his eyes searching hers. “Give me a chance,” he pleaded. “Have you ever dated anyone before?”

Ashley rolled her eyes. “Stay in your place. Even if I see you in a new light, you’ll always be my slave.” She turned and walked back into the apartment, her steps determined and confident. Xander sighed, then followed her in.

***

The next day, the sun peeked through the dirty window of the shabby apartment, illuminating the blankets where Ashley and the others had slept fitfully. Ashley cuddled up in Chris’s arms, seeking comfort from the previous night’s terror. Xander was the first to wake up, scanning the room for any signs of mishaps. His gaze landed on Ashley and Chris, and his jaw dropped as he saw the destruction that had been wrought upon the apartment.

“Guys, wake up! We’ve been robbed!” Xander yelled, shaking Ashley and Chris.

Ashley groggily opened her eyes and rubbed the sleep from them. “What are you talking about? Let me sleep,” she grumbled, snuggling closer to Chris.

“Look around you, Ashley. All of our stuff is gone,” Xander said, his voice rising in panic.

Ashley’s eyes widened as she took in the state of the apartment. Clothes were strewn all over the floor, drawers were open and empty, and the TV was missing from the entertainment center. She rose to her feet, scanning the room frantically for her phone.

“Oh my god, they took everything,” she whispered, putting her hand to her head in disbelief.

Dave’s girlfriend let out a blood-curdling scream, her hands shaking as she surveyed the chaos. Jake and Dave were jolted awake by the noise, and Ashley began searching for her phone. She noticed that the front door was still closed, and her eyes landed on an open window, which meant the robbers had used it as an entry point.

“How are we going to get out of here?” Ashley asked, turning to Dave.

Dave rubbed his chin thoughtfully before replying. “My car is parked outside. We can use it to leave and go to another place, maybe your father’s old mansion.”

Ashley nodded in agreement, taking a deep breath to try to calm herself down. She sniffed at her clothes and grimaced. “I need to buy some clothes and I need my debit cards,” she said, frustration creeping into her voice.

Dave reached into his pocket to retrieve her debit card, but his hand came up empty. “I had it last night. I must have dropped it somewhere,” he said, looking down at the ground in disappointment.

“Fuck!” Ashley cursed under her breath, angry at herself and her friends for not waking up while they were being robbed. Xander and Dave went out to prepare the car while Ashley and Chris got dressed, a tense silence hanging over the apartment.

Xander and Dave strolled across the field to the car parked in front of the countryside apartment. Dave opened the car door and got in, starting the engine. He quickly turned it off, turning to Xander. “The car is good to go, I made sure I had the tank filled.”

“What’s wrong, Xander? You seem distracted,” Dave said, noticing Xander walking towards the barn. Xander didn’t respond, lost in thought. Dave called out to him, “Hey, where are you going?” Xander stopped in his tracks, turning to face Dave.

“I don’t know, man. Something doesn’t feel right.” Dave looked at him, concern etched on his face. “What do you mean?” Xander gestured towards the barn, where animals were running around in a frenzy.

“Look at that. It’s strange. I have a bad feeling about this.” Dave nodded, understanding Xander’s unease. “Let’s check it out then.”

As they approached the barn, they could see the animals running around in a frenzied panic. The air was heavy with the smell of sweat and manure. Xander’s heart sank as he saw the lifeless body of the farmer lying on the ground, surrounded by the animals, who seemed to be trying to nudge him back to life.

The sight was gruesome, with blood splattered across the barn floor and the farmer’s body contorted in an unnatural position. Xander was at a loss for words, while Dave sprang into action, trying to chase the animals away from the body. The silence that hung over the barn was deafening, broken only by the desperate braying of the horses. It was a scene straight out of a horror movie, and Xander couldn’t shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong.

“I can’t believe that asshole Mason. What did this poor farmer ever do to him?” Xander asked, his voice trembling.

“I don’t know, man,” Dave replied, his face solemn. “But one thing’s for sure, we need to get out of here.” Dave collected a small card from the man’s pocket and was surprised to see the words, “Death was here.” on it.