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Ｄａｉｓｙ remembers those days when her mother reminds her about staying inside her room. Never go outside no matter what. Always follow the rules and don't let anyone see you.

As a kid with a young and innocent heart and mind, that simple instructions became a challenge to her. Something she has to accomplish to get a reward in return. Her parent's time and attention.

They always told her that the most endearing part of her was her obedience and timidness. A push-over that can never say no to anyone's word.

Back in the past, she wanted to think that it was a compliment for being a good girl. After all, what more could she asked for if just their little time was already a challenging part and considered as a demand rather than a responsibility they should fill in— a normal thing to do for being a family.

A few years back, she started to question those decisions that her family had made for her. Is it really important and necessary? Why am I not allowed to play with other kids my age? Am I different? Abnormal? And the list went on until she could no longer tolerate it all.

Daisy begun to demand her freedom— questioned her parents the answer she was waiting for. And what did it caused her? A punishment. But, did it stopped her? No.

She didn't give up, not until she gets what she wanted. Daisy was not someone to asked for anything. Like a loyal dog that was always on a leash, she always followed whatever it is the people told her to do.

But when she finally got the courage to fight for what she truly desires— her happiness and the normal life she always dreamed about; the outcome was something Daisy would never wish or even think about happening.

The independence she longed for vanished into thin air. Her dreams popped like a bubble just waiting for something to shatter it.

If only she listened to her mother that time, something bad wouldn't have happened. If only she didn't leave her room that time, then maybe everything would just remain the same.

There were so many what-ifs that still lingering in her life. Unanswered questions that still waiting for an answer.

The incident that happened last night was still fresh in her memory. How the fear and anxiety consumed her, how it immobilized her. If Bryson didn't return to her place and that burglar succeeded in barging inside her house, it might do something bad to her. Something she wishes to never happen again like that uneventful day two years ago.

"Are you sure you want me to go ahead now? I can also wait until your boyfriend gets here."

Daisy put inside the locker her apron and get her bag before closing it. Megan stared at her and lean her upper body on the doorjamb, arms crossed over her chest.

"Yeah. I'd be totally fine. You should go now, I know you still have to take care of Minzy."

Megan nodded her head understandingly then hugged her which she returned with a pat on the back. Minzy is Megan's 7 years old little sister. She has autism and doesn't like to associate with anyone, doesn't like to talk except when it comes to her older sister. Megan is the only one that could make the little pretty girl open her mouth.

"I'll see you tomorrow. Message me when something came up or if your boyfriend ditch you 'kay?" Daisy just only tittered but nodded her head.

"Say Hi to Minzy for me"

"I will Bae. Bye."

Daisy sat on the barstool whilst scrolling her phone, checking for messages. One unread text captured her eyes and that was from her mother. It was sent just before lunchtime, but for some unknown reason, she doesn't want to open it. Daisy just put it inside her pocket to avoid the temptation of reading the text message.

I will just do it, later on, she wanted to convince herself that it wasn't really important or probably just one of those messages from her mom asking how she was doing, but who is she kidding? She was just running away, like usual.

Daisy felt equivocal, choosing her source of happiness for her good or losing it for the sake of her family's name and legacy. She's not selfish, that's for sure- never ask for something beneficial only for her, but right now she wanted to throw away all of her inhibition and choose herself just for once.

Her train of thoughts was disrupted when she heard the door's bell jingled. Looking up, the glass door was slightly swaying like someone or something tried to push it open, but decided not to and let it go making a silent thumped.

She waited for someone to come in, maybe a customer? But she already changed the signage to 'close'. Is it Bryson? But his car is not in the parking lot. A blast of passing wind? Possible.

The air that was coming from the ventilator inside the shop suddenly felt like it's producing a frigid temperature.

Daisy didn't turn away her eyes from the door that was still creepily moving in case someone barged in and so, she's prepared to make a run to the storage room.

While she scrutinizingly stared at the door, a figure at the other side of the street just a few distances from the shop caught her attention.

A man perhaps- based on its huge build. It is standing erect directly below the lamp post, facing where the shop is located. His face was undefined and unrecognizable because of the shadow from the cap he's wearing.

Daisy's pulsing heartbeat traveled to her ears and throbbed like an orchestrated tambourine and made her feel like her eardrums would blast anytime soon.

The man tilted his head, still looking at the opposite side of the street- specifically in her direction. Since most of the structure in front of the shop was made of transparent glass, anyone on the outside could see the interior especially if all the lights were on.

She squinted her eyes to make a clear vision, but it only made her horrified to death seeing that the figure was like gazing back at her— goosebumps traveled all over her body.

Daisy felt like she was in a theater room, whereas she was the performer and the spotlight was on her and every move she made was being watched by hundreds of faceless spectators.

Call it as her being paranoid or irrational, but her gut was telling her that whatever the man was up to, was something she wouldn't like to find out.

It brings her back to a terrifying event that happened to her a few months ago wherein, an intruder or burglar tried to open the front door of her house, but luckily those people didn't succeed as there was a police car patrolling the area.

They captured the two culprits and were arrested for criminal records and invasion of personal property or trespassing. Even though nothing really bad happened to her, it still caused her a severe panic attack that she needed an anti-depressant just to calmed her nerves down.

Not to mention, the same terrifying occurrence happened again just yesterday night, even though she was not quite sure if that was just the product of her imagination or not.

Being stuck in the same position was the most unfortunate thing that could happen to anyone. And that unfortunate person happened to be her.

What was with being unlucky these days?

Daisy wants to run and hide seeing the figure from afar was now closing the gap between them, but she just stands still and stared at the man with her eyes bulging from its sockets, mouth gasping from the lack of air that suffocating her.

Every one just magically vanished, the street was uninhabited, no cars or any vehicles waltzing on the road, and the other stores were too busy earning an income that no one notices someone inside the flower shop was trying so hard to keep herself from passing out due to the figure approaching on her direction— someone specifically her.

No. No. Daisy was screaming inside her head for help, why can she just shout for anyone to hear?

20 feet, 18 feet, 16 feet. . . 15 feet.

The figure was just 15 feet apart, literally standing now at the parking lot. He stopped walking and goes back to his previous position. Just standing and staring at her like she was some artifacts in a national museum.

This time she's hyperventilating. Daisy just only wishes that Bryson will come to the rescue and scare off the strange man before she loses consciousness.

Phone. Her phone. It only occurred to her that she could use her phone to call someone, anyone. But, she's too afraid to even look away because the figure might suddenly appear right in front of her.

Daisy shakily reached the phone in her jeans pocket, without blinking and breaking the staring contest she somehow got herself into with the stranger. With a trembling hand, she pressed the emergency button that would redirect her call to an immediate contact person.

A silent ring resonated on the four corners of the shop and disturbed the quiet place.

"Baby? What's wrong? I'll be-. . . Fuck! Baby? I'll be there in just a minute okay? Don't hang up. I'm coming." She heard the panic and urgency in his voice. It somehow brings her a sense of relief knowing that Bryson will be here anytime now, but not enough to ease the distressing feeling in her chest.

Daisy wanted to speak, anything just to tell Bryson to hurry up, but her throat feels like sandpaper, scratchy and devoid of any sound a person could make.

The man started approaching again, the far distance earlier between them was now just a few steps away. He was standing in front of the shop's door.

She still couldn't recognize the face as the lights outside were already off and his head was slightly tilted downward. Daisy started tearing up, it couldn't be happening to her again.

The tears that she tried so hard to keep at bay were now streaming down her cheeks like a waterfall. The man raises his hand to open the glass door and dig something behind his jeans pocket using the other one.

Something caught the lights- glistening and reflecting. When the man removed his hand on his pocket, a weapon she had known all her life appeared. . . A gun. He's holding a gun.

Time feels like it stops as the door ajar and the man's feet step inside. He slowly raised his head and a sinister smile appears on his lips like he was enjoying the terrified look sporting on her face.

And daisy's body recoiled without delay while her foot was still adamant to move from its current position. It's a natural reaction that was programmed in her body after seeing the oddly and detrimental familiar face.

She could still hear the voice of Bryson on the other line, but it became incoherent and distant as a deafening sound overwhelmed her hearing.

Is it time for me to finally die? Am I going to die? Seems like death is a better option than to suffer again the same fate before.

She always thought about what it feels like to die. When everything fades into nothingness and the oxygen in your lungs would be robbed off until everything inside of you burns like an inferno.

Daisy's mind became fuzzy, brainwashed by her tormenting past and it stopped functioning all together while she just stared and stared at the man with a raised gun in front of him and a wicked expression on his taunting face.

Breathing feels like the most difficult activity on earth. Her knees gradually weakened, as if they had given up on her because her brain could no longer process what was happening... what had happened.

The man frantically looked at the right side of the shop while abruptly removing his hand from the door like it burned his skin and run to the opposite side like his pants were on fire.

The tears that were continuously running down her cheeks feel like burning hot charcoal, but that was not the only thing that was burning inside of her. The phone that was still pressed against her ear slowly slide down her hand and finally, made contact on the cold tiled floor.

Daisy slowly moved her limp right hand and touched the side of her body. A surprisingly cold liquid was seeping on her white blouse as if a spilled paint over a blank canvas.

The sight of it on her hand was like a reminder that she can never escape the past no matter how hard she tried. It's just a futile attempt she foolishly let herself hope for.

The door was suddenly slammed from its hinge and Bryson's panic and dreaded face was the last thing she saw before her body finally collapsed and her vision became blurred until the darkness completely swallowed it up.

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