JOSI

She isn't even given the chance to look back at Bradley. With any luck, his body will be discovered some time soon, because the wounds left behind by Idris's men are nothing short of life threatening.

Idris leads Josi to his car and has her occupy the back seat with him. She follows instructions automatically, no thoughts or scrutiny attached to it. The only thing currently on her mind is Bradley. She's uncertain if they will ever see each other again, but with Idris in the mix, the odds are closer to zero.

The partition has been rolled up to provide the two some privacy. Josi's attention is out the window, at the blurry remains of society. Life outside seems so ordinary, the same way it has always been. Yet, it remains unattainable. The freedom of those outside the car is not accessible to her. She's been left behind, abandoned by civilization and forgotten in time.

Josi receives a phone call from her father which doesn't last long. He wants an update on her arrival the following day, a trip that had been planned for weeks now. "What time will you be here?"

The disappointment hits Josi hard in the pit of her stomach. How does she go about explaining that she's being held captive by some mafia don who has made it his mission to watch her suffer? She doesn't. She tells her father only what he needs to know and buries the rest.

"I won't be able to make it anymore, dad. Something really urgent came up."

"Is everything okay?"

"Yes, it's nothing serious. I just really need to handle it."

Her father keeps his silence, the disappointment apparent. Josi should at least ease some of that disappointment, but what does she say? She tries thinking up some more detailed excuses, but her father kills the silence. "Please remember that we're all here for you, Josita."

"I know."

"Take care of yourself."

Despite her agony, Josi smiles. "I will."

The call comes to an end. Idris holds a hand out and does nothing more, but the message is as clear to Josi as day. He doesn't even spare her a glance and instead, keeps his eyes glued to the scene outside the window. Once Josi places the phone on his palm, he powers it off and throws it into his pocket.

The silence carries on for a little while until Josi can no longer sit still. With what happened to Bradley, it would be safe to assume everyone is fair game to Idris.

"I know you can easily end Bradley in a matter of seconds," Josi tells Idris, voice hoarse and eyes aimed outside the window. "So don't touch him. Don't touch my family either. Or my friends. And I'll never leave."

Now Idris looks at her. "You seem to be under the impression you could easily escape if you wanted to." He says with arrogance as big as his ego. "That won't ever happen. Even if your family and friends weren't in the picture."

There it is. The one thing that crushes Josi's hope completely. Idris will never let her go. Her chances of being free are zero.

"But if I do see him around you again," Idris continues, his attention back to the scene outside. "That will be the end of him."

Josi grimaces at his words. He means the things he says. Idris really will put an end to Bradley if they are spotted together again.

The rest of the ride is silent. Josi is unsure of their destination at first, until the scenery outside grows familiar. She's been down that road before, though just once. Idris is taking her to his estate. The place he tried coercing her into murder.

The car pulls up to the same entry gate, waits for instructions, then drives down more minutes of security measures for their destination. They don't take Josi down to the cellar this time-something she's at least grateful for-but lead her into the main mansion. Much of the interior is lost to her, because Idris could more or less be leading her to a prison cell. No one admires a jailhouse when they are about to be locked up.

Somewhere down the grandiose hallway, Idris swaps places with a new escort. He doesn't even spare her so much as a word, or even a look. He just disappears into a room which Josi concludes must be his office. Now she follows this new stranger up a staircase for the prison cell they have so kindly reserved for her.

It's a bedroom the size of Josi's old apartment plus more. There's a bed to the side of it, with substantial windows that carry nooks. How utterly haughty. The Victorian style furniture, the heightened ceiling, the art pieces. Everything about the bedroom is garish, down to the warm color scheme.

The escort leaves once Josi enters the room. No time spent exploring the interior. She heads for the bed instantly, already weary from the days to come. And before she can stop them, the tears flow. Heavy. They clog her mind with thoughts that leave her helpless.

Does she possess the strength to go on living under Idris's constant scrutiny? Now that he has her under his thumb, what more will there be to life? This will be the end as she knows it. He'll keep her there until her name has been lost in history. Until, one by one, her friends and family all forget.

Josi weeps until she's overcome with fatigue. And when she falls asleep, she retreats back to her subconscious. Back to where Bradley welcomes her with open arms.

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Josi wakes up the following morning in a sore man's body. Her throat has grown sore, eyes red and puffy from the teary hangover. She uses the little energy she has left cleaning herself up. And as soon as it's all over, it's back to bed.

Josi just lays there, thinking. Mainly about her family and how different things will now be. She's not even sure if visiting will be allowed. But since it's Idris, the chances of seeing them any time soon are zero. Perhaps she'll never see them again. She may never even step foot off the estate.

Now the question remains. Why does Idris have her holed up under his roof? It makes sense wanting her close in case she tries escaping, but having a person you despise share a home with you makes little sense. At least, not to Josi. He must want to gaze upon her misery. Feed off her anguish. He must take great pleasure watching her crumble.

A maid comes in with a tray full of food. It's breakfast at the Verdonni estate, but Josi's appetite has long since vanished. The maid sets the tray on the table next to Josi's bed, gives her a look mixed with pity, then quietly exits.

Josi ignores the meal and turns her attention out the grand window. There's a water fountain below, and the rest of civilization can be seen at a distance. To think she was part of that same civilization just yesterday. Now it seems unreachable. So much further away. And as Josi sits there gazing upon the outstretch of the city, the hole in her chest widens.

More hours pass of Josi just laying motionless. Then the door flies open, and in walks a very troubled Idris. He first scans the room, and once the untouched meals meet his eyes, the frown on his face deepens. Josi doesn't even turn to him. She's lost all interest in the place.

"Here," Idris throws a cell phone on the bed. Not Josi's own, but a newer one. "I've already saved the numbers you'll need."

Josi keeps her silence. Meanwhile, Idris just stands there gazing at her, as if he's waiting for some reply or the other. But Josi does not have the time of day. She's been completely lost in her own mind, searching for some sort of escape. Hoping that help will somehow arrive.

Finally, Idris exits. He slams the door so hard, it rattles the frame for seconds. But Josi still doesn't budge. She lays there, motionless. Immobile. Because life has moved on without her, and this bed she lays in has become her only comfort.

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