Amora and I were married for a month and there was no call, or letter or visit from her uncle. Maybe he gave up and decided to leave her alone, I remember thinking as I drove home from work that evening.
Mrs. Harris jumped me the second I pulled up in front of my house and she was frantic, acting like a crazy person.
“Roman, Amora. Roman, it’s Amora.”
“Mrs. Harris what happened.” Cold chills ran through my veins. “Amora!” I called out rushing to my front door.
“She’s not there.” Mrs. Harris cried.
“I need you. To tell me. What happened to my wife?” I said in pauses, my heart racing.
“I tried to stop him but he had a gun and Amora was not conscious and he pulled her into the car and drove away. I called the police immediately.”
My whole world crashed in front of me. It was her uncle. I was sure of it. My mouth and hands shook at the same time. I rushed back into my car and drove off. I had no idea where I was going. I drove speedily, tears clouding my vision and my sweaty palms gripped the steering wheel so tight. Then I saw a trunk in the middle of the road, I cursed and came out of my car and peeked into the truck but there was no one in it.
“Damn it.” I swore and kicked the air and the next thing I felt was a sharp blow to the back of my head and everything went black.
                           ______________
“Roman. Roman.” I heard Amora call my name but her voice was very distant and it sounded so unreal like I was in a dream.
“Roman.” I heard the voice again and my eyes flew open but I couldn’t move. I was tied to a wooden chair. My head ached and the piercing pain at the back of it was just too much.
“Roman.” Amora whispered and then I looked up and saw Amora, a small distance away from me, also tied to a wooden chair.  I struggled to break free from the ropes so I could untie Amora and take her to safety but they were knotted too tight. Anger grew in me.
“Amora. Did he hurt you?”
“I’m fine. I’m more worried about you. You have to leave this place.”
“And go where?” The husky voice asked and a shadow appeared from the entrance of the place we were been held in. Where were we? The place looked abandoned, the floors covered in dust and the walls scraped. The room looked like it was falling apart. The shadow moved closer and hit the light and a short and stout man was revealed.
“You are a fool Amora.” He said calmly. “How long did you think you could stay away from me for?”
“Uncle please. I’m begging you. Let Roman go. I will do anything you want. Just let him go.” Amora pleaded. He walked over to her and grabbed her by the jaw.
“Don’t you dare lay a finger on my wife, you bastard.” I yelled and he turned to face me.
“Wife? Amora what is this man talking about?”
“Uncle it’s true. I’m married to him.” He hit Amora so hard on the face with the back of his hand just after she spoke.
“Argh.” I yelled. “I will kill you. I swear I will kill you.” I said with venom.
“Shut up maggot.” He yelled back at me. “Amora, you brat. First you disobey me and then you rub it on my face? After all I have done for you.”
“Whatever you think she owes you, I’ll pay back. Just let us go.” I shouted.
“Boy, you better stay out of family matters.” He said.
“Amora is my family.”
“I see.” He stared at me coldly and then brought out a pistol tucked into the back of his pants and he began to untie Amora. Thank goodness he was letting her go. My safety didn’t matter to me as long as I knew that Amora was safe. That is how it is when you truly love somebody. They always come first.
After he had untied Amora, he brought out another pistol also from behind his pants. Who was this man?
“Go on. Go untie your husband.” He said to Amora and she ran to me and hastily untied the ropes tied around my body. Amora’s body shook. Her uncle pointed the pistol towards Amora and me.
“Now I want you to walk back to me, Amora. If I were you, I would do as I say.” He said and Amora walked back to him.
“The only way I can forgive you is if you take this pistol and put a bullet in that man then come back home with me and marry the man that I want you to marry.” He put one of the pistols in Amora’s shaky hands and pointed the other one at her. I watched Amora stare at the pistol in her hand and then she looked back up at him. “I won’t do it. Kill me if you want but I will never hurt Roman.”
Her uncle laughed a laugh so devoid of humor. “And why is that? You are going to tell me you love him, aren’t you?”
“Yes. Yes uncle. I love him and I will never do what you are asking me to do.”
“Amora just do it. Shoot me. Do what he is asking you to do.” I was scared I won’t lie to you, of dying, of being shot but I was more terrified of Amora dying. I wanted her to get out of that place alive.
“See Amora. Your husband is more sensible than you are.” Her uncle said.
“No Roman. I won’t do it. I won’t do it.”
“If you won’t do it, I will kill you and then kill him.” He said.
“Amora. Amora listen to me. I love you. That is never going to change. I don’t want to watch you die. Please just pull the trigger.” I pleaded.
“You think I want to watch you die? You think I will be able to live with myself if I pull this trigger?” She asked me in sobs.
“Stop with the drama, you two.” Her uncle yelled.
“Why are you doing this?” I asked him.
He scoffed. “I don’t owe you any explanations, boy. Amora, I’m going to count to five and if you don’t shoot him, I will shoot you and then shoot him. One…”He began counting.
I had to do something. I looked around and the only thing strong enough to use against him was the wooden chair beside me, it seemed heavy enough.
“Two…”
I would quickly lift up the wooden chair and throw it at him, that should take him to the ground and then I will rush to him and take the pistol away from him.
“Three…”
That was the plan I had in my head and I was about to carry out my plans when Amora ran towards me with fear in her eyes and then he pulled the trigger, twice. Amora crashed into me and without thinking about it, I grabbed the pistol in her hand and fired back at her uncle, right in the chest and he slumped.