A woman all clad in black is standing at the edge of the wide gorge in between the two wooden poles. She is looking at the other end of the rope bridge which is still intact. Her black open hair is dancing with the wind. Her dark green eyes seem lost somewhere into the dense forest. Suddenly she frowns hearing footsteps. She turns back and walks towards the forest which is standing in all its glory. As the footsteps near, she kneels on the snow-covered land and makes snowballs. Soon Ciana walks out of the forest. She is mumbling something and looking around. Her eyes twinkle as she comes out and looks in front. The afternoon sky is hiding behind the emerging fog. She looks here and there standing in her place. As soon as her green eyes fall on the woman, she moves back a step. She bends down to see the woman's face. Few seconds later a sign of relief passes on her face. She walks up to the woman and taps her shoulder.

"Good auntie?" The woman looks at Ciana as their green eyes meet. The woman gets up and takes Ciana in her arms. As Ciana pulls herself from the woman, her eyes fall on the snow balls. A glow covers Ciana's face as she kneels down and touches the balls. She looks at the woman and asks, "You made them?"

The woman nods as a wide smile breaks on her tired face. She sits beside Ciana and makes more balls.

"Do you enjoy playing with snow?" She asks Ciana with an expectant look.

"Yes. I love snow." The woman's smile broadens as she asks, "What are you doing here alone?"

As soon as Ciana hears the question, she jumps up and runs towards the forest. The woman also runs behind her and catches up to her. Gripping Ciana's arms firmly, the woman turns her around.

"Where are you going?" A sudden coldness replaces the warmth in the woman's voice.

"I'm not going anywhere. I'm waiting for my parents." Ciana says as she frowns realizing the sudden change in the woman.

"Parents, huh?" A smirk appears on the woman's smiling face.

"Yes. Do you have any problem?" Shrugging her arms away from the woman's grip, Ciana crosses her arms across her chest and tries to be strong as much as she can.

The woman leans towards Ciana and whispers, "I DO have lots of problems with your so-called parents."

Ciana's eyes widen as she says in a shaky voice, "What... what do you mean?"

"Nothing darling. Let's play hide and seek." The woman tries to pull Ciana away from the forest. But Ciana being stubborn, pushes the woman. The woman stumbles back with a shocked expression but steadies herself immediately. Slowly, her shocked face gets shrouded by a rage. She clutches Ciana's arms with all her force and drops her face at Ciana's level. Bringing her lips close to Ciana's ears, the woman whispers, "Let's make that bitchy fake mother of yours sweat some tears and blood."

No matter how much Ciana tries to be strong, hearing these words, the little child inside her gets afraid. She shudders under the woman's fierce gaze and strong clutch. Tears prick her green wide eyes as she wriggles to free herself. She tries to shout but only mumbles are sprouting from her mouth.

"Don't even try darling. You can't even speak when you cry, let alone shout." With an evil smirk the woman says. It shocks Ciana to her core as she tries to ask how does she know her secret. But only few sobs come out. Soon, the woman gets irritated and presses a nerve of Ciana's neck, resulting a dark slumber engulfing Ciana.

As an unconscious Ciana crashes on the woman's chest, she picks her up and walks towards the bridge.

The woman crosses the bridge while murmuring, "I'm so sorry for hurting you. But that bitch made you like her. Stubborn. And who knows, maybe one day you'll also do the same sin. I'll never let you do that."

She successfully crosses the bridge and steps on the bushes. The woman looks at the two tall trees standing and shouts, "You can come out."

Two men clad in white and forest green walk out from behind the tree. Their costumes camouflage perfectly with the surrounding. They also have a white mask covering their whole faces. Both of them possess same narrow toffee eyes. The only difference among them is one is smaller by a few inches than the other.

As they stand in front of the woman, she says, "Good. The costume is perfect. Are you ready with the weapons?"

The men nod their heads as the woman looks at the trunks of the two trees with which the ropes of the bridge are knotted. Staring at the knots she says, "The ropes are already weak because of the chemical and woods we used for the planks are also weak. So..." She looks at the men and continues, "You guys have to cut the rope. One strike on both the knots. But you'll strike only when one has crossed the bridge. Our main target is to separate them and not kill them." She walks closer to the men and whispers, "No one should die."

Saying these words she steps back and again speaks, "Where's she?"

The taller man says as he points at a particular tree in the forest, "Behind that tree."

A contented smile appears on her face. With the smile she says, "Okay. Take your positions. They have already entered the forest." Without waiting for any reply she moves towards that tree carrying an unconscious Ciana.

The woman stands in front of the tree and smiles seeing a girl, similar to Ciana's age, wriggling on the ground. The girl has long black hair but her eyes are blindfold and her mouth is gagged. She is trying to break the rope with which they have tied her hands and legs. The woman bends down a little and frees the girl's hands.

"mmm... mmm..." The girl mumbles realizing that her hands are free.

"ssshhh..." The woman makes the girl quiet with her coldness and removes her blindfold. The evening light is finding it difficult to reach inside the forest. Still in the timid light, the girl's eyes widen in shock. Her eyes waver from the woman to Ciana whose unconscious head is still leaning on the woman's shoulder. The woman removes the cloth piece from the girl's mouth.

As soon as she removes the cloth the girl almost screams, "Cutie pie! It's you!" The girl quickly frees her legs and stands up with astonishment in her eyes.

"Yes. It's me. You..." The girl cuts off the woman and shouts, "But what am I doing here?"

"Don't shout." The woman makes the girl quiet as she continues, "Do you remember the direction game we played a few days ago in the orphanage?" The girl nods a yes.

"Good. Let's say, today also we'll be playing a game of direction. But today you have to lure someone to follow you but you can't get caught." Shocked, the girl looks at the woman as she murmurs, "But how will I lure someone?"

A sly smirk crawls on the woman's face as she says, "By faking tears." Hit by another shock, the girl's eyes widen more.

"Oh, come on Sara. I know how good you are in faking tears. That day in the playground that new girl did nothing. But you faked your tears to trap her in your game so that mother can punish her." Fear covers Sara's face as she mumbles, "Plea... please don't tell mother. I didn't want to do that. But that new girl..." As Sara speaks, the fear on her face gets replaced by a distaste. "She... she was trying to take my place. My place! Sara's place! I just took back what was mine."  Sara clenches her teeth as she speaks about the new girl.

A contentment spreads across the woman's face as she says, "Don't worry. I would have also done the same thing. So now, will you do my work?" Sara nods with a smile on her face.

The woman brings out two folded papers. On top of the papers, it's written Left and Right, respectively. She gives them to Sara and says, "Few minutes later, you'll find either a woman or a man in front of the forest in a devastated way. If it's the man, lure him towards the left side and if it's the woman, towards the right side. Am I clear?" Sara nods as she keeps on looking at the papers.

"Good. Now follow me." The woman walks deeper into the forest with Sara trailing behind. They halt in front of a forked path, one leading towards right while one towards left The paths are not that clear as woods and snow have covered them but visible enough to recognize the route.

"This is where you must walk cautiously. One mistake! And you'll lose." She turns around and points at a nearby tree.

"You'll wait behind that tree. As soon as one of them reaches this side. Start your work. And remember, No. Mistake." Saying the last two words in an icy cold tone, the woman walks deeper into the forest leaving behind an excited Sara who sits beneath that tree and looks at the directions drawn on the papers.

Beep! Beep!

In an old room that same woman is sitting at the edge of a small bed all clad in black. She jerks back from her flashback hearing the sound. She looks at the phone's screen where the message, She has crossed the bridge and the man has gone back is flashing.

With a blank expression on her face, she looks at the wooden-planked wall. Damp has engulfed some planks giving them a black tint. Last drops of light are piercing through the foggy glass window. Beside the woman, a cradle of faded pink colour is standing. With one hand she is rocking the cradle and with another she is caressing a girl's head lying beside her. The girl is facing other side letting her long black hair lying on the pillow. An old pink quilt with prints of Disney Princess covers her whole body. The woman leaves the cradle as it continues swinging and looks at the girl. Her eyes moisten as a tear trickles down and falls on the girl's side face. The girl turns a little and the dusky light falls on her face.

"Finally, I got what's mine. My Ciana."

As a tear threatens to drop, she wipes it and looks at the window. Her hand is still on Ciana's head as she stares outside with glistening eyes. Some traces of her open black hair covers her golden tanned face as a gush of icy wind enters the room. Making no noise, she comes out of the room leaving an unconscious Ciana behind. The wooden stairs creak as the woman comes downstairs. She opens the door letting some snow flakes into the house. She goes out and stands beneath a lonely tree. The tree is lifeless as it stands only with its snow-laden branches. She leans against the snowy trunk of the tree as a smirk creeps up on her face. She looks at the snow engulfed forest as she picks up a wooden stick and moves towards the forest.

☆☆☆

"Ciana! Is it you?" Iris gets up with the support of the tree trunk as soon as she hears someone sobbing. She moves towards the forest forgetting Elroy's words. She looks here and there as she trudges herself in front of the forest.

"Ciana, please response baby. Are you inside?" Her voice quivers as she looks back with a hope in her eyes. But turns back as soon as she hears someone sobbing again. She steps into the forest. As she walks, the sobbing gets clearer and soon her eyes fall behind a tree. Seeing the black hair behind that tree, a drop of happy tear falls from her eyes.

"Ciana!" She shouts but the black-head walks away from Iris.

"Cia! Where are you going? This is not the time to play. Please come back, baby." But the girl has already gone deeper into the forest. Lured by her love for her daughter, she follows the black head without realizing where she is leading to. Iris continues following like a bee lured by honey. But suddenly she stops on her tracks clutching her bump.

"Ah!" A pain hisses from her mouth as she caresses the bump. She murmurs leaning against a tree, "Please baby. Bear this pain for a few minutes more. We have to save Ciana. I know you are not feeling good. But please love. For your sister. Please." She caresses her unborn child as she takes deep breaths. As soon as she feels the baby is okay, she looks in front and searches for the last ray of hope. Soon she sees the head few feet away and shouts, "Ciana! Don't go. Please listen." But the head keeps on moving towards the end of the forest. Seeing that, Iris fastens her pace and soon she gets the whole view of the girl. But instead of stopping the girl, Iris herself stops on the tracks.

"She is not Ciana. Who is she? And where's my daughter?" Iris mumbles herself and moves back. But she has not noticed that she has already reached the end of the forest. Feeling a tap on her shoulder, she turns around with a jerk.

"Surprise!" It is the same woman who has kidnapped Ciana. As soon as Iris looks at the woman, her eyes widen and her rosy face becomes white.

"You... you here?" Iris fumbles seeing the woman whose black locks are flowing and green eyes are sparkling.

"Yes. Don't tell me you were expecting someone else." The woman speaks looking straight into Iris' eyes.

"Where's Ciana? I'm warning you don't you dare hurt her." Iris stares at the woman sternly.

"Shh... Choose your words carefully." The woman gets closer to Iris. Iris' eyes fall on the wooden stick that the woman is holding.

"Don't you dare Brenna." Iris steps back trying to hold her straight face. Brenna follows Iris' gaze and looks at the stick with a smirk on her face.

Brenna again moves towards Iris and says "You are right. I really want to kill you. But..." Brenna's gaze lingers on Iris' bump. Seeing that Iris shrinks back embracing her bump protectively. Brenna sneers and continues, "tsk... what's the fault of this poor unborn child? So...", She moves closer and whispers, "What about Eye for an Eye?" Iris' eyes widen in horror as she mumbles, "No... No. Please. Don't." Iris tries to run from her grasp but in vain. With the wooden stick, Brenna hits Iris' back of the head.

"Ah!" Holding the back of her head, Iris tries to run but her vision gets blurry. Darkness engulfs her consciousness, and she is about to fall on the ground. But Brenna holds her before Iris' unconscious body could hit the snowy ground. The tall masked man walks towards them and picks Iris in bridal style. The man walks out of the forest as Iris' hands dangle in the air. Brenna looks at the retreating figure and says, "Tit for Tat, Bitch."

Words: 2579