Whispers of the Damned

I closed my eyes. The sound of gunfire, shattering debris, and the screams of people were still there. The loud shouts of a man ordering everyone out were still ringing, and others were yelling for people to get down.

I crouched down as instructed by the large man beside me, hugging Joanna, protecting her even though there was nothing I could do. I hid Joanna within my body, holding her tightly and closing my eyes. Nothing ended.

The sounds of gunfire were still there, dominating my hearing and mind. I bit my lip hard to keep from making a sound.

A dinner that was supposed to be peaceful turned into chaos in an instant. The sound of gunfire echoed inside the restaurant, haunting every corner. Joanna, in my embrace, was trembling with fear. We both crouched low, trying to be invisible in the midst of the chaos.

I tried to take a deep breath, trying to calm myself. "Stay calm, Joanna," I whispered, though my voice wavered. "We will get through this."

The burly man who told us to duck now stood as a shield, protecting us from the direction of the gunfire. He looked focused, ready to face any threat.

BANG. BANG.

The gunfire didn't stop. Each shot made my body shake with fear. I felt tears start to roll down my cheeks. This was too much to handle.

"What's happening?" Joanna whispered with worry in her voice. "Why is there a shooting?"

"I don't know," I replied, trying to hold back sobs. "I really don't know."

The burly man turned to us briefly, his eyes full of determination. "Stay here and don't move," he ordered firmly before refocusing on the threat's direction.

The sound of sirens began to be heard in the distance, bringing hope that help was on the way. But each second passed slowly, as if time itself refused to move forward.

Amid the screams and gunfire, I felt a cold hand touch my arm. "Daniella," Joanna whispered again. "Are you okay?"

I opened my mouth, stammering, looking around at the chaotic surroundings. "I'm fine. I'm okay," I replied, my voice trembling.

"You're shaking. You're shivering."

"I'm okay."

The burly man was still standing near us, ensuring we were protected.

Suddenly, the gunfire stopped. An uncomfortable silence enveloped the room, making my heartbeat sound so loud in my ears. I didn't dare move, afraid that any movement could trigger more violence.

The front door of the restaurant burst open, and several heavily armed police officers entered. They moved quickly, assessing the situation and securing the area. "It's all safe now," one of them announced. "You can come out slowly." The burly man beside us nodded, signaling that we could stand. I helped Joanna up even though my body was still shaking so badly.

"Ms. Rodriguez, Ms. Torres. Are you both okay?" the man asked.

Joanna nodded. "Daniella isn't okay. Thank you, sir," she said.

"I'm fine," I answered, coldness taking all the warmth inside me. A claw seemed to scratch at my back.

"You're not okay," Joanna said with concern, hugging me instead.

"Let's get out of here, then. Your older brother is already here."

"DANNY!" the shout came from Damien.

We all looked at him as he came rushing in, his face showing panic and disarray, indicating he had just arrived and hurried here. He jogged over, immediately hugging me. "Are you okay?" he asked, breaking our hug to check my face, my body. He turned to Joanna, touching her face. My head was too foggy to register Damien's touch on Joanna. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Joanna replied. "Your sister isn't."

"Let's get out of here," Damien said, standing behind us, placing his hands on our backs.

I swallowed hard as we passed through the chaotic restaurant, carefully avoiding shards of glass and overturned tables.

Outside the restaurant, ambulances and police cars were lined up, blue and red lights flashing, creating a surreal atmosphere.

"This doesn't make any sense," Joanna murmured. "Who could do something like this?"

I didn't know what to answer. In my head, only one name kept spinning. Zane Bernardi. It had to be him. He had partnered with Garcia five years ago, and... he had exposed our whereabouts, Joanna's and mine. It was him. It had to be him. Because who else could it be?

"To my car. I need to take you both to my house," Damien said, gently guiding us into his Range Rover.

I looked out the window, seeing several severely injured people being loaded into ambulances, and some people gathered around.

Many victims were left behind.

And damn.

This was such a mess.