A Deal in Disguise

CHAPTER 9: A FRIEND

HAZEL MARTINEZ

Scared as hell, I managed to drag myself to the bed and sat, I have already started sweating. At the same time Rafael entered the room as soon as he saw me he seemed worried.

"Hazel?" He called.

Ignoring him I laid on the bed still in shock. Covering myself with the duvet I turned to my side trying to sleep and even forget that I even saw that picture.

I can't explain anything to him, not now at least.

"Hazel, you okay?" He asked again but I was too scared to even reply to him. I had a lot of questions going in my mind which I very well are going to remain unanswered.

Slowly I closed my eyes trying my best to fall asleep.

"Hazel stay in here don't get out." Dad instructed pushing me inside the cupboard.

"But Dad yo-"

"Don't say anything just be here and don't get out whoever calls you unless it's Simon."

I nodded and cowered myself sticking to the cupboard. There was a small hole in the cupboard from where I saw the black outfit man shooting Dad.

The man shot on his right leg first then his left leg, Dad fell to the ground. He kept punching Dad again and again mercilessly.

His face was covered with a black mask.

I kept shouting banging the cupboard door to open but nothing was helping. Dad had locked the door, I heard Dad begging in front of that black outfit man to let me go.

Then finally he shot Dad on his head.

I froze for a moment "D-Dad." Was all I could say.

The man once looked back at the cupboard, his face was covered with some black mask, all I could see were his eyes.

"D-Dad!" I muttered opening my eyes. Looking down I found myself sweating, I felt my breathing uneven. I could feel myself shaking.

Again the same nightmare.

It has been 10 years. 10 years of these nightmares they just don't stop and always remind me of that pathetic night when I lost Mom-Dad. Once they did stop but that picture made me remember everything I saw that night again. The worst night of my life.

"Hazel?" I heard a voice from beside me. Turning to my right I saw Rafael working on his laptop he seemed worried.

"You okay?" he asked.

Breathing heavily, with my shaky hands I managed to pick up a glass from the bedside table, pouring water on it I drank the water.

Looking at my condition Rafael kept his laptop aside and moved to my side rubbing my back.

"Hazel. It's okay. It was just a nightmare."

Pulling me closer Rafael hugged me tightly constantly rubbing my back.

"It's fine Hazel. It's fine." He tried comforting me.

Slowly he laid me down on the bed not releasing his hold on me. I could feel tears rolling down my cheeks.

I don't remember when did I fall asleep in his arms while crying. In the morning when I woke up, I found Rafael still sleeping with his arms wrapped around me. Getting out of his hold I made my way towards the washroom.

Last night memories played on my mind. The nightmare. It's still scary and I can't get over it even after 10 years.

I was in the kitchen making the breakfast still lost in what I saw last night.