Allure

By Rachel Maso

nothing seemed out of the ordinary the day my life changed forever. There was no sign or weird feeling or a dream. I never saw it coming even during my wildest thoughts.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Rachel Maso
• Release date: Oct 1, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005428761

Rachel Maso

Rachel was born in Zimbabwe a country in Southern Africa. She was raised and schooled in Botswana and discovered her passion for writing when she was trying to polish her essay skills in seventh grade.

Book preview

ALLURE

(The Scarlet Series Book 1)

Rachel Maso

Copyright© 2021 Rachel Maso. All rights reserved.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination, and are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.

CONTENTS

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

1

EYES

SUSANNAH

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary the day my life changed forever. There was no sign or weird feeling or a dream. I never saw it coming even during my wildest thoughts. I rushed to work like every other morning. Goose bumps emerged on my skin when a slow but icy breeze caressed me as soon as I opened the door. I could feel the contrast on my body—my back still felt the warmth of the house behind me while the chilly morning breeze still assaulted my skin and eyes from the front. I grinded my teeth, the cold was irritating. And having to go to work on Fridays always did that to me. It wasn’t a big deal a year ago when I was excited about landing my very first professional job. My elder sister Bethel told me that it was an early adulthood phase and when I am more mature I will see things in a different perspective. Perhaps, but the thing is I will never be mature. I felt so hedged in and caged by 'mature' people my whole life and I don’t want to be one of them. I was not really fond of my job, but in the contemporary world, we seem to be driven more by instincts to survive other than visions to follow our dreams-- or that is just my own opinion. But being a receptionist for a law firm wasn’t that bad. It paid me enough to pay my rent and maintain my little weird car and saved me from the dread of moving back home.

Not really where I wanted to be but I felt like this was me following after my dream, one step at a time. I couldn’t really say that I had found fulfillment in all of it but I was still on the verge of discovering what is missing inside of me. Sometimes I felt like there was a large part of me just dormant and was waiting to be roused from sleep. It felt like I couldn’t find my fitting piece of the puzzle in the rest of the world.

There was not much traffic on my way to work so I got there early. I immediately got into the dull same old work of the day. I answered calls, took messages. Served refreshments to clients.

The same old expressions and drama that would turn up in a law firm. The day ended and it was time to clock out.

I would go straight to my night school but I needed to refresh and change clothes. Wear something more comfortable. Work clothes and school clothes can’t be the same.

'You could cancel night school today and come to dinner,' Sam insisted. She’s been on me about the dinner since Monday and this was Friday, 'Gerald himself invited all of us-- it would be polite to just show up at least.'

I almost rolled my eyes. I would repeat myself again-- I couldn’t have fun on Friday nights like everybody else because and I didn’t feel like being polite. Especially to boring charming men like Gerald. And I also have two good reasons;

One- I hated parties, nothing personal I just didn’t enjoy it. Sam took it upon herself to try to cure my absurdity.

Two- partying would not prove to my nosy sister and parents that I was not a child anymore and I could take care of myself

'I can’t miss this lecture.' I said through my teeth, visibly annoyed but of course Sam doesn’t give up.

'Its just dinner- - and most importantly Gerald is actually going to show up.'

I rolled my eyes. Like the man wouldn’t show up at any event. I had a feeling he organized these parties for himself.

'You should go.'

'All by myself!' Sam exclaimed with mock horror

I collected my purse- made sure that my computer was off and I started to march out of the building. I felt so tired, Sam was annoying the living day lights out of me and I couldn’t do anything about it.

'So you are not changing your mind?' Sam looked at me hopefully as I held my car door

'Go and have fun, tell me about it tomorrow.'

I slid into my car, started the engine and drove off. I thought of skipping school and just sleep. But that very lecture was essential for my next assignment I couldn’t miss it. I kicked the thought away. Laziness couldn’t evade me now. Besides it would be fun to see Gabby. She made night school bearable.

Gabby was a friend from night school. First person I ever considered a friend my whole life. We met at school on my first day. She was one of those lively sanguine characters who easily made everyone at home but at the same time collected and kept to herself.

I was the quiet type-- not shy and smiling type. Maybe the weirdo type. It’s weird that I feel like there is something about Gabby that connects with the part of myself that I can’t seem to understand. Maybe it’s her vibrant yet evasive character. She is loud and a little crazy but also very secretive. Even a little skittish around other people. I only ever got to see her at night school since she started two months ago.

'I hope to start my own company someday.' Gabby once told me, 'I’m not here for experience I’m just here to have a certificate' she wiggled her eyebrows

I grinned at the idea, - she was right, I couldn’t agree more.

'What do you do now?' I asked her

I was curious about that- I tried to guess where she was working but I couldn’t put her into any category.

'I deliver goods.'

‘You’re a postman?'

Gabby pursed her lips, 'what? No not like that. I deliver parcels, I am a courier.'

'Oh!' that was a very cryptic of an answer but then Gabby never really elaborated half of the things that she told me.

'Let me know if you need my services or if someone does.’

I sighed as I finally arrived at my apartment. I rushed inside, took a quick shower, changed into comfortable clothes. I loosed my long braids on my shoulders and grabbed a snack on my way out.

On my way to school, the traffic was gone, but I didn’t want to speed. I was thirty minutes early anyway. I began to think of what I would do before class. Call home- yes- I had to call home every Friday. It was more like a phone conference. Bethel would be inquisitive and lecturing, as the oldest sibling that she was. She was already married and had lovely fraternal twins Farai and Flora lovely cute little kids. Jane was a freshman in college this year; she was the loud and giddy one in the family. Tonde was a pilot and he travelled a lot but somehow he was always available on Fridays.

The lecture with professor Dean was very long for me that night. I must have been very tired and I had a strange feeling like I was waiting for the world to shift to another axis or something.

'I had a terrible day.' Gabby groaned as we left the school building and started rubbing her temple

'What is it? Did you lose people parcels?' I teased, worry gnawing its way inside me. I had noticed her lack of focus during class. If I didn’t want to seem too paranoid I would have thought she seemed distraught and scared.

'You have no idea,' she chuckled darkly, 'so you never miss class do you?' a quick change of the topic there.

'I never miss what I spend money on.' I said with a raised chin.

Gabby rolled her eyes as we walked across the road to where we had parked our cars. The street felt dark and hunted. I was glad that I wasn’t alone. I turned to Gabby before we parted to our cars.

‘You will let me know if you need anything right?’

My words took her by surprise just as I was surprised to have said them. For a moment a sadness flitted across her face and pooled in her eyes before she shook it off with the same ease of self-control she always portrayed ever since I knew her.

‘Of course Susannah.’ She said with a wan smile that didn’t reach her eyes, ‘thank you for asking.’

We said our goodbyes and waved at each other and we walked to our separate cars. I stood by my car for a moment not sure of what I was feeling. I felt as if someone was watching me, though it could be my wild imagination reacting to the dark alleys and abandoned late night streets. I definitely watched too many thrillers. I needed an early night. Maybe I could call in sick tomorrow morning. Gerald would understand. After all he more than once offered me days off which I declined because I thought he was testing my professionalism or dedication to my job or whatever. But now that I thought about it—I wondered whether he wanted to rid of me for a while. Besides, who enjoyed working on Saturday?

I took a deep breath, trying to make the fresh air dissolve the strange feeling pooling deep within me. It felt like it was intensifying before my heart started a gradual stage by stage panic beating against my ribs. I inhaled again trying to fill my lungs which suddenly felt constricted.

That snapped me out of my momentary stupor before I had the energy to move. Sinking my hand into my bag I fished out the car keys, alarm growing with each rustle. I inhaled sharply when I noticed my hands were shaking. The thought that fear engulfed me when I didn’t even know what I was afraid of intensified the rapid beating of my heart as I finally managed to grab the keys out and I marched towards the driver’s door.

I cursed under my breath when the keys slipped from my shaking hands and fell on the pavement. That little sound alone echoed loudly in the street lamp lit night. I fixed the strap of my bag on my shoulder as I bent down to pick up the keys.

That’s when I heard it. My hand froze midway, inches from my car keys on the ground. My escape. I had the feeling that I should drive away from this place fast and never look back. Maybe I was too worried about Gabby, and her untold secrets were beginning to get to me. Maybe the horror and thriller trash I always watched were suddenly getting their effect on me. One day or maybe when I got home I would laugh at myself and even tell Sam about it.

But there was no mistaking that muffled scream. It sliced through the suddenly too quiet night and echoed in every cell in my body as the hairs at the back of my neck stood on end.

Then it was like I remembered that Gabby was there. Walking to her car. I straightened, car keys forgotten and turned towards where Gabby had marched hastily to her Audi. It was five cars behind mine and because of its vivid red color I spotted it without difficulty.

Gabby wasn’t there. Somehow that made my breath to freeze in my throat. If her driver’s door wasn’t ajar I could have guessed anything regarding the sudden disappearance of the person who had walked away from me just minutes ago. My heart couldn’t beat any faster than it already was, but it did. Beating painfully against my ribs and almost stopping when another muffled scream sounded from somewhere. Swallowing a shriek my eyes roamed around me while my mind ran a thousand miles per second.

Somehow I knew the scream was Gabby’s and it wasn’t good. Someone was manhandling her. It took other precious seconds before my body suddenly bolted into action.

I ran towards the car, passing five innocently parked cars on the way – a shiver ripped through my body as I got closer to her car. I stared at the ajar door for a moment not sure what to do. Perhaps I was in shock or I was still trying to settle whatever was ripping through me. I inched closer to the car.

Something scrunched under my shoes-- I moved my foot slowly. I already knew what I would find- car keys—Gabby’s. I immediately recognized them. Even in the dark. They had a weird red tag inscribed ‘SCARLET’ in bold red letters and in small letters written, courage, force, passion, heat—I always asked her the meaning of her car keys logo and being Gabby she easily fired one of her cryptic replies and changed the topic.

I bent down to pick up the keys—yes they were Gabby’s. I stared at her open door and her bag carelessly tossed on the floor under the passenger seat.

Did I just witness a kidnapping? Or maybe she-- no I shook my head- remembering the muffled scream. What should I do? Scream? I pulled out my phone without even thinking about it and dialed 112 while I strode back towards the school building. I had to leave the scene. What if the kidnapper was still there? What if he was still holding Gabby and I could rescue her if I checked the dark alley behind me? Somehow I knew she wasn’t there and there was little I could do at the moment. My feet continued to move to the school building.

A few night class students were coming out of the building. The chattered on like every other night oblivious to my panic. The line was ringing—why wasn’t anyone answering faster?

I was a few yards from the building when I heard the sound of screeching tyres. It was sharp and loud enough to stop me in my tracks. An intense feeling I couldn’t really qualify as fear engulfed me and I couldn’t move. I had lost control of my faculties

I turned around, reflex- my phone still on my ear. Indeed a small car emerged from a dark alley. Its head lights blinked as it drew closer to where I was standing. I stared at the car with a lump in my throat and frozen in place.

It felt as if a door had been opened and I mentally found an escape from the feeling rippling through me. It got to its peak and began to taper off. A warm feeling rushed through my veins and settled as if it had just arrived home. It was a crazy feeling considering the fact that I was staring straight at a racing car.

Then everything seemed to happen in slow motion as it passed the street light close to where I stood rooted on the spot. The light brought his face into view. I don’t know why I was suddenly fixed on the driver’s face, but I couldn’t seem to look away. Something clicked within me and I memorized his bare features. I even managed to see the color of his bronze brown eyes when they collided with mine and narrowed a little—before they widened in – surprise. Followed by a lopsided grin. I felt my chest tighten as if a whirl wind was forming within me and wanted to go off free. A shiver ran through my body and just when I thought I was going to explode, he looked away and the car swooshed past me-- the breeze tugging my braids to my face. I held my breath and staggered backwards as if his eyes had locked me in place for a moment there and then let me go.

'What’s your emergency?' I sucked in a breath at the voice in my ear before I remembered that I was holding my cell phone.

‘Someone was kidnapped,' I said, not even a fraction of panic within me as I gave the details and the lady was asking more questions-- location? Where the hell was this place? Oh I remembered- how long was it when it took place? Just now, I whispered into the phone.

By now, people were surrounding the crime scene-- kind of grasping what had taken place. Hands over their gasping mouths. After the car, I just stood there-- not moving. Did I just witness a kidnap like that in Harare? Not that crime- heinous crime did not occur in the country but it was not something I ever thought I’d witness in my lifetime. And why did I feel like I am having a dream? Maybe this is my own version of shock. I have always known that I am different and weird but this is just something else. I placed a hand on my chest where minutes ago I had felt like a switch had been turned and activated something within me.

In twenty minutes two police cars arrived, blazoning and noisy. Two police officers came, clad in their uniforms which always looked heavy to me-- I suppose some line of work came with their hard life mottos- a tall man and a short round lady. The tall man looked young- maybe early thirties- the no-nonsense looking lady could be forty.

The man addressed the people to stay back and we did, I did not need to move, I was far away from the scene already. From the other car came out about five people who had come out of the other car- taking photographs of the crime scene. I was still trying to wrap around what had happened to me I couldn’t focus on what was happening around me.

‘Are you Miss Susannah Chipo?’

I turned to face the tall young officer from close—he really wasn’t that young.

‘Yes.’ I cleared my throat, why was my voice in shock and I really wasn’t?

‘Would you come down to the police station with us please?’

I nodded and followed him. He walked in great fast strides- he was born for this job. Another police car had appeared—

I slid into the back seat and the tall officer shut the door.

‘I’m detective Charlotte,’ the lady on the driver seat glanced at me with a brief smile, probably trying to make me less nervous. I should be nervous right? I was at the back of a police car—but I still couldn’t place what I really felt. It felt as though I had put my shock on hold for another right moment and I had something else important to do at the very moment where shock and terror was supposed to consume me.

Detective Charlotte turned her full attention to the muffled voice coming from the speakers somewhere on the dashboard. Police cars were designed to be mysterious not that I knew anything about cars.

‘Okay thanks,’ detective charlotte replied quickly and turned to the tall officer beside her, ‘this doesn’t look good,’

The tall officer let out a long sigh, ‘it never does.’

///

My stay at the police station wasn’t long. I was asked a few questions—in fact, a million question. I described the man’s face as best as I could remember it. I would never forget that face my whole life. It was strange that in those few seconds, the villain’s eyes captured me and held me in place.

The detectives worried that the kidnapper saw my face. That meant that I was a witness who would be under the villain’s hunt ASAP.