Whispers of the Damned

*Butterflies played in my stomach as Danzel approached, kissing my lips deeply and briefly before whispering, "You are the most beautiful woman I have ever met."

His smile was so beautiful, so gorgeous. Beautiful. Handsome.

I was already touching his face, caressing it, but everything turned into an ugly darkness.

In an instant, it was like I had jumped through time and space. I found myself sitting on the floor of my flat.

"Don't mess with Garcia," Carlos Garcia's voice whispered with creepy calmness in my ear. I winced as he tugged on my hair, making my head snap up to look at him. "All of you Colombians.... are snakes that should have been destroyed long ago," he continued.

I sobbed, and my head hurt when he let go of my head so roughly, making my forehead hit the wooden floor.

"Daniella-"

The sound of a gun going off rang out. I was still lying face down with blood flowing smoothly down my thighs and stomach. Pain nipped at all my nerves.

I looked up as the sound of falling rang out in front of me. I dragged myself up, my breath coming out raggedly as I tried to get closer to to Magnan who was grimacing. Her teeth chattered, her body trembled violently, and her eyes widened at me. The pain and agony was there.

I cried silently, my hands trying to reach out to her, touching her skin. Giving her whatever comfort I could while waiting for help to come. "Magnan," I whispered.

They had already left after shooting Magnan, the door to our small flat still open, and I tried to summon my strength. Whatever I could to sit up, to stand up, to call for help... any help. "Danny," she said, breathing hard, tears in her eyes. Her hands reached for me. I grabbed her immediately, flinching when I felt her skin so cold as ice. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry." She continued.

I shook my head, "Which part is injured? Which part did they shoot you in?" I asked, I tried to get up, but I couldn't. My body was heavy, and I couldn't move. I was completely paralyzed. "My stomach." She replied.

"Hold on," I growled strongly as I tried to raise my upper body. It took a lot of effort, and it hurt. "Hang on, Magnan. Please. You must be strong." I sobbed, pressing the blood on her stomach with one hand while my other hand grasped her

arm.

Her eyes were red while I bit my tongue hard, enduring the excruciating pain in my stomach and thighs.

I couldn't hold on. But she must. She must survive.

She must live.

"Magnan," I whispered.

"You're the best friend I've ever had, Danny. You're the only person who doesn't undervalue me." She chuckled through her pain. "Joanna is the same way. Both of you." Her voice was soft, halting. Her chest rose and fell deeply. "I can't give you anything back."

"And I want you to repay me with staying. Endure the pain, and you will heal, and we will leave this city. Me, you and Joanna." I shook my head at her pain and mine. But I couldn't hold myself back any longer, I lay down again, lying on my side, and we faced each other.

"I'm cold," she sobbed.

"I can't hug you, Magnan. I'm sorry." I couldn't even bring myself to move anymore. My sobs were getting stronger. I pressed her stomach. "You'll be fine. Help is coming."

She sobbed. Her lips were turning blue.

"Where else did he shoot you?" I asked again. I looked hard at her body to see if there were any blood stains or anything else. There was. I saw a speck of blood on her black t-shirt on her chest, midway down her breasts. I opened my mouth. My breath caught. "Oh God, Magnan." I released our grip, pressing against her chest.

She shook her head. "It's okay. It's okay. It's gonna be okay." She smiled. "You're gonna be okay, Daniella."

"No..." I shook my head. Crying harder. "Magnan. Please."

The sound of a car and many steps approached. Hell, Abraham takes so much time. We were almost out of time.

"Danny..." Abraham's voice was loud, calling out.

I felt him approach and grab me. I shook my head, looking at Magnan's pale face. "Help her first. Please. Help her." I cried loudly, but Magnan's eyes were already empty. A single tear escaped her, and her mouth opened. Abraham pulled me gently into his arms. "Damien... help her. Please!!"

Damien was about to carry Magnan's body, but he stopped. His hands were around Magnan's neck, his eyes widened to stare at Magnan, and then they drifted to me painedly.

I shook my head, rebelling against Abraham's hold on my body. I shouted. "Take her with you. Take her!"

"Princesa." Damien shook his head, looking at me in defeat.

I looked at Magnan and screamed. Ignoring the pain in my legs and stomach.

I screamed. Keep screaming. I struggled in my first brother's arms as he carried me out of our cheap apartment, and my other brother carried Magnan's lifeless body out.

I keep screaming until my throat was dry.

And I realized my life would never be the same again.

*

***

Light greeted my closed eyes. I opened my eyes, my breath coming in gasps. I glared up at the ceiling of my room and then plopped down on my bed.

"Danny..." Joanna sat on the edge of the bed.

I inhaled greedily. So much to fill my lungs.

"You're screaming again. The nightmares are bothering you again." It wasn't a question. It was a statement from her. "This is already the third time this month." She pondered, tilting her head. "Shouldn't you be asking if I'm okay?"

"You're not okay, *Perra*." She sighed. "I already know." She picked up the glass on my tray and handed it to me. "Drink it."

I took it and drank it down. She stood up and turned off the light, leaving a slight buttery glow from the nightlight I had stuck on the wall because I couldn't sleep with the lights on. There was only that small light so it wouldn't be too dark since I didn't turn on the balcony lights.

"Was my scream so loud this time?" I asked.

"Not really. I heard you because I was still watching tv earlier, and you didn't close your door tightly."

I sighed and closed my eyes. Lie down again.

"Can you sleep again? Are you sure?" she asked as she started to leave my room.

"What time is it?"

"Two o'clock at night." she replied.

"I can't sleep," I muttered irritably.

"Pizza? Or ramen? Or just go out for a walk?"

I looked at Joanna, who was looking at me casually, but there was a faint sadness behind it. She always worried about me, cared for me, and was always by my side when I was on my own dark side. I also did the same. It was a worthy reciprocity. I would always be by her side too. From her annoying nature, which often annoyed me, many other things always made me comfortable being friends with her. She always understood my nightmares. She never asked what they were about, even though I always mentioned our other best friend's name throughout my bad sleep. She never forced me to talk about the incident. She always waited until I was ready to tell her.

I picked myself up, got off the bed, and stood up. "Pizza?"

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"Pizza." Joanna nodded.

***

"He wants me to meet his family," I muttered between chews. I leaned back on the sofa comfortably, pulling the blanket up to my thighs while the horror movie started. Joanna straightened up, shaking her head hard. "No. No."

"What? Why?" I asked, frowning.

"You know it," she grumbled. "That means he's serious about you. You're well aware that you can't end up with him. There are too many obstacles. Your life is so complicated."

I pouted at that, even though I knew he was right no matter how hard I denied it. "He won't know who my family is."

"Impossible. He will," she scoffed. "I'm sorry if I hurt you but he won't accept you."

"If I don't tell him, he wouldn't know." I reply.

"You can't be serious, Daniella." And then followed by another Spanish swear word. "Jason Bernardi is the richest family in Europe, he, or his family, could not have not found out about you. Not do anything with you. Surely he will know, and surely they will know. Guess what will happen after that? They'll be against you, the Bernardi family... they're Italian, they'll see you as a threat." She took a breath and then continued. "And then you'll destroy yourselves. It's better to end it before your relationship deepens." She said. "Your family won't agree either. I know them, they would choose a scavenger to marry you over a rich Italian."

I ate my piece of pizza, not answering anything. Even though deep down, I knew it was the right thing to do.

"Don't put on a sad face, you know that's sensible advice."

"It's sensible advice," I agreed, and sighed.

She sighed. "You two can date but to get so serious, I don't believe it will happen."

"You're a bad friend." I said sarcastically

"I'm proud of that." She shrugged. "I don't want to give you false hope, after all from what I can see you don't love him, at least not that deeply."

"What a smartass," I threw at her with the pop corn that was in the middle of us.

It fell on her blanket, and without hesitation she ate it. "You rarely called him, and you never worried even though you were in a long-distance relationship. You're fine without him. He rarely calls you either. You two are living your relationship so strangely."

I frowned. "He's busy."

Joanna rolled her eyes. "No matter how busy he is, he should still communicate with you. Like you said, he's your boyfriend, and he loves you." She said. "And you... don't you ever worry that he's cheating on you behind your back? That there's another woman he's keeping and using while you're away?"

"He's a good man. He wouldn't do that." I replied. "He loves me, I knew it the moment I saw him. There's no way he would cheat on me."

"Well, now I'm wondering if you really don't love him, or if it's just you who's so stupid that you believe he's not doing anything behind your back."

"Jo.. you're such a bitch."

"Plus, you can just not care about him and ignore him. Go about your day as usual without missing him, without crying over all the melancholy things about your relationship. That's never done by someone who says she loves her boyfriend." "That means I trust him."

"Oh god, cut the crap."

I pouted.

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"You either don't love him that deeply, or you're just accepting him because you're lonely, and jealous of people who are with their boyfriends." She clucked while shaking her head. "You like to spend your time in vain."

I snorted.

"You never even get to sleep-I mean, real sleep-when he stays here. Is that called love? I thought if you loved someone, they'd make you comfortable."

"I can never sleep when I'm with someone else," I said. "That's just me, and our relationship is an adult phase that doesn't go overboard like everyone else. It just works that way. Our relationship is a safe love." I said again, realizing that I had denied a lot of things about Jason and me.

"Horseshit," she swore with a slight mumble. "Tell me, does he know about your nightmares?"

I was dumbfounded by the question.

"He doesn't, does he? And you said it was safe? If your relationship is a safe love, then you would never think twice to telling him about your nightmares. He doesn't even know that you never get to sleep when you two sleep together." She took a breath before chuckling in annoyance. "Now think about this, let him go and live your life alone, before things get complicated." Her voice was different, now serious. "You've dealt with Italians before, Danny. What if this ends up the same?"

I pondered that.

And throughout the movie, I... really thought about it.

***

Jason called me after we ate together a few days ago. We never communicated again, even from messages. I tilted my head, thinking about that. Was Joanna right? I didn't even feel anything when we weren't in contact. "Hey, Jason."

"Hey, baby. How are you today?"

"I'm fine. How about you?" I asked, flipping through the book on my lap.

"I'm fine too." He replied. "Have you prepared yourself for tomorrow?"

My head looked forward towards the front building. "Tomorrow?"

"Did you forget that we're going to my parents' wedding anniversary party?"

"Oh God," I sighed, regret creeping up on me. "I... gosh, no, I didn't forget. I just didn't realize it was the weekend. Time flies so fast."

"You're annoying, but I'm already missing you here."

I chuckled at that. "I miss you too." The words still felt heavy on my tongue. "I'll book a plane ticket tomorrow morning. I'll only be there for one day right?"

"You can be there as much time as you want, Sweetheart," he replied. But don't you want to spend the weekend with us? We'll have an amazing time."

I bit my lip, wanting to refuse because I was so hesitant. Spending a whole weekend of two days with the Bernardi family would be incredibly awkward for me.

"My mom would love to spend time with you," he didn't force me, but he used other means to put me in an unpleasant position.

I couldn't refuse him because of his mother's reasons. That would be unethical and rude. I couldn't afford to scratch Jason's pride in front of his mother if I didn't come."Alright. I'll spend the weekend with you." I replied. A happy chuckle escaped him. "Okay, baby. I'll book a hotel for us."

"Yeah, I can't wait to meet you."

"I can't wait to meet you too."