The sky was stubborn on being in sync with the situation as they morphed into one big pool of heavy rain clouds. It matched well with the pitch black dresses and suits everyone wore and the mild breeze did nothing to lighten the already depressing mood. The few people who awaited the rain held their umbrellas high as they crowded around the casket for the concluding prayers.

Yes, it was a funeral, my mother's funeral. I stood at a distance, my eyes focused on the box where in she lay, taking my place. I hardly felt him move near me before my view was cut and now I stared into his face, laced with pity, something that could never help me.

A strike of lightning highlighting his refined features, it was youthful, his skin as it shone pearl white. The sound of the distant thunder and then the downpour, I never flinched anymore, but i couldn't call it an improvement to my scarred behaviour. It all happened fast and before I knew it, he was taking me out of the graveyard, the funeral was over I'd hardly heard the prayers being said, it was time for me to go and yet it felt like time never existed.

"Are you listening to me," what did he say, neither did I follow nor could I bring myself to ask him to repeat. I just stared at him with a blank and unfocused expression.

"I asked if you want me to take you home," he raised his voice against the loud showers as I simply nod my head in return to which I hear him sigh, his eyes softened focused on my tired ones as his silvery bangs hinder my view of his sullen green orbs, ones I'd wished I could adore.

The walk back home seemed to take ages as i walked beside him, hands intertwined together. At last we stop infront of my doorstep, alex turning me around to face him.

"Anna take rest and be safe will you?" I just nod in response again and walk towards the door.

~

Alex looked at the petite figure of the girl vanish inside the house as he stood there drenched in the rain. His mind raked over the possibility of doing something to help her, the one girl he had felt attracted to, the one he wished to protect and safe keep; worship her for he was sure that's how much he loved her.

And yet to no avail Alex just walked away with his head hung low.
Once inside the house anna was welcomed by the cold air and alluring darkness, if only she could vanish along with it. Anna let herself fall to the cold floor of her living room staring at the wall infront with unfocused eyes.

they will be here anytime now.

In no time tires screeched to a stop outside the house followed by the loud footsteps of people walking up to the door. Anna jumped startled as the door banged hard.

It was time...

"Open up Babe, a deal is a deal remember." Anna flinched at the gruff voice of her father from the other side. Her hands shivered as she held the door knob and opened it slowly.

"Times up Anna pack up." A man in his late fifties pushed his way in making Anna fumble back a few steps intimidated by his huge figure. He had a smirk on and eyes check out the girl infront.

"Robert-" Anna was stopped by two more men just as huge as the first grabbing her by each arm pulling her out of the house. Anna submitted to the men's hold without trying to free herself, it looked exaggerated and dramatic but only she could feel the pressing weight of what awaited her. Shoved into the car the men got in after and rode off, the neighbourhood unaware of what just happened.

~

I should get there before it's too late...

Edgar stamped harder on the accelerator making the engine roar over the loud showers. Driving as fast as his car would take him through the streets ignoring the blinding downpour that made it difficult to see where he was going, despite the wipers. A few more turns and the graveyard came into view. But he was late again like always. The lad approached the huge metal black gates, mark saw the abandoned graveyard just like any other wretched and lonely. Edgar stood there anger seething through his veins as he clench my fists in regret.

The guy lost in his own remorse young in his early twenties, shorter than average. He stood there thinking for a moment before getting back into his car driving against the wind in the direction of Annabelle's house.

Only to find it abandoned, the door left wide open with no sign of struggle or chaos whatsoever, yet he knew what had happened. He got down from his car looking around, trying to decide what he should do next.

"Typical anna..." He mumbled under his breath before walking away from the building.

"Hey stop!" The guy shouted out looking at a lone figure walking a few blocks away from where he stood.

"Alexander?"
"Yeah, and you are?"
"Edgar, anna's brother, when did you last meet her?" Edgar questioned the guy across as he tries to catch his breath from running the short length.
"I just left her off at her house after the funeral. Why do you ask?"
"She never told you." Alex could hardly make out the frown that had taken over Edgar's face.
"I need your help, no questions asked, she's been taken by some men I need to find her before its late okay?" Thats it here's my chance to win her over alex thought as he nodded in response to her brother's question.

The two men were back in Edgar's car, the engine purring to life as they rode off to the location Edgar thought might be where they took her. They reach the place as it starts to drizzle from all the dark water clouds that had been weighing down on the sky all this time. An ancient and disused warehouse, shattered glasses broken water pipes leaking and open electric wire lines broken. A mess could have been an understatement to what was done to the place.

"They were here but left?" Edgar seemed to question himself as he walked about the area kicking out dirt and shards of glasses out of the way.

"Alex look at this," the poor guy followed him utterly confused by now, further into a room more like a meeting room teared down in a fierce fight.
"the chairs, all of them knocked downed yet one with loose ropes around them...alex call her." Edgar was completely engrossed in his observation that he missed the disgusted look on Alex's face, as he met with the blood shed and chaos accompanied by the stale smell of the room. Nonetheless he pulled out his phone calling her. The call was taken almost immediately, Edgar gesturing him to put it on speaker.

"She is safe we are at her house you dont have to worry about the men anymore tell Edgar I kept my promise." the call was cut after the message was conveyed by a man as his deep voice echoed in the slightest inside the room. The two men exchanged a look but it wasn't of the same intention as Alex raised a questioning brow while Edgar released a breath he didn't know he was holding.

The drive back to her house was quite a little too quiet for Alex who was struggling to keep his questions to himself.
"What's happening?" He finally asked silently as the car came to a stop inside the garage.

"It was a deal alex, a deal between our father, a drug dealer, and mother who tried to make a living by working as a con artist. A risky job but she was egoistic, to say the least before dad left us for good and mother tried her best to become rich," the lad rolled his eyes at the insanity of his own words. "Father came back demanding money when he lost a large sum. He'd made a deal; Return the lost money or sell anna to them instead. The girl agreed afraid of the guy's threats" Alex's expression morphed to complete shock, while Edgar grit his teeth at the stroy he was hearing from his own mouth.

"Our mother tried in all means to give the money, it was beyond her reach and ended up getting an arrest warrant on herself. I guess suicide should have seemed like a better option than surrendering,"

"She didnt die of a heart attack?" Alex asked in utter shock making his voice more high pitched and unnatural, the other guy only scoffed at that.

"The guy on the call was her lover she fought with him and sent him away because the deal went down hill and she would be taken away soon." Alex scrunched up his face as every word sank in.
"I am sure anna wouldn't be right for you alex, you should go I have held you back long enough." Edgar finished the conversation abruptly leaving the younger one alone inside the garage.

~

"He kept his promise,"
"Anna we brought this on ourselves but its over now, I'll thank him for it la-"
"He left, mark he took my place, that's what he promised me, to take on father's debts and repay with himself...instead of me." Anna walked up grabbing her brother's shirt as tears welled up in her eyes. Her hands trembled not in fear but with anger and guilt as she looked at him with her peircing gaze. Never had Edgar seen her in such a state but he sure knew the guilt and self loathing was eat her up completely this very minute. But what could he do more than to prioritise his little sister after everything that had happened in his absence. She would have to let him go, she would have to give up on her only love, the only one that had given himself up into the blazing fires to safe keep his girl.

And as selfish as a man could get, Edgar didn't want anywhere near the men that craved her. He had to protect her, promise her of a better life even if she didn't want it for that was all he could do; if not make her smile, atleast not make her shed tears. He kissed her forehead holding her securely in his arms, as the girl cried into his chest, trembling with resentment.

Quietly promising himself to take care of her and be by her side for the rest of his life.

Live for her...

WRITTEN : SOMETIME IN 2020.

My first oneshot it's shitty i know but i couldn't find it in myself to simply delete it. Someday I might wanna pull this into a complete story.
Someday..

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