JOSI

Today, Josi remains home. She called in sick for work, and while there's no actual illness, it certainly does feel like there is. She's in the living room now; on the sofa with her knees up to her chin. Eyes so low, it seems as though she's already passed on. Perhaps she really is sick, because the stress has eaten so much into her — breaking her down both in mind and in body.

Josi isn't sure how much more she can take. She could make one last attempt and break down in front of Idris. She could weep and beg for him to stop. She could tell him she's learned her lesson, that she regrets ever going against him. But this is Idris's objective, isn't it? It's why he began that game in the first place. To see her break down. To witness her ruin.

No help from the authorities either. Idris is a man with many connections. He knows his way around every possible threat. And he'll only take it as more incentive to get her family involved. He'll make them pay for her actions, have them tortured and face an end too cruel.

Josi's phone begins ringing, and as a response, Josi flinches. All too sudden, her heart sinks, and her breathing picks up speed. But the person on the screen isn't Idris. It's her mother.

"I'm right around the corner," she says. "But the traffic hasn't moved for a while, so I might be a bit late."

Josi nods as if her mother were present. "That's fine. I'll wait."

She arrives a while later. The sight of her mother ignites a flurry of emotions in Josi, and now she can barely even keep her composure. She brings her mother in for an embrace, tears already pouring from her eyes. "Mom . . ."

Her mother returns the embrace, a bit caught off guard by the tears. "Is everything okay there?"

Josi wipes them away and replaces it all with a smile. "I just really missed you."

To this, her mother smiles. "Well, we have a couple hours together."

A couple hours of leisure. Josi grabs hold of her mother's arm — afraid to let go — and ushers her into her home. Perhaps she could catch a break. At least, until Idris's next set of games.

~《¤》~

IDRIS

"I'm going grocery shopping."

Croff turns to Idris, baffled. "Since when?"

"Since today." Idris tells him, still in the middle of swapping his shirt for a newer one. Damn that red liquid. This is the fifth shirt he's lost to it.

Another day, another torture. Idris isn't so sure what the victim did this time around, but he must have done something if he landed himself in his prison. Enough about torture, though, because something else more entertaining has caught his attention. He seems a bit more animated. Even Croff has caught on to it.

"That girl again?"

Idris keeps his eyes on his phone, scanning the text that was brought to him by his security team. "She's at the grocery store." He keeps reading. Until he smiles. "With her mother."

Croff doesn't look nearly as thrilled. He just sighs and ties his hair down. "Just don't fall in too deep."

Idris takes this as an insult. How could he fall into the very hole he dug? This is his very own game. It's his playground. He makes the rules. He breaks them as well. This is just another one of his pastime activities — tormenting Josi. He does it because he has the power to do so. And nothing turns him on more than abusing that same power.

Idris drives himself over to the grocery store. When was the last time he'd been to one of these things? Years ago, perhaps. Though, he's not so sure what his mission was. His mission this time around, however, is to inflict more misery. It's what brings him joy. Josi's anguish.

To exercise more of his power, he finds Josi and her mother where they are by the diary section. She looks much more at ease with her mother around, much more at peace. This is no good. Idris can't have that happen. He heads towards the two.

Josi pauses her conversation when Idris catches her eye. She freezes again, the same way Idris likes. This is the way it should be. Josi in complete panic.

Idris grins. "Josita?"

Now her mother takes interest in him. She looks at Josi. "You two know each other?"

Josi can barely gather herself together. Idris, however, answers the question for her. "Josita and I used to attend the same university. She's your daughter?"

Her mother smiles, the pride exuberant. "Yes, she is."

"You don't look it."

She begins laughing, and Idris knows the compliment did its job. To the side, Josi throws him a glare. He only takes this as more incentive, however. He pulls her in for a hug, and under his grasp, Josi goes still.

"It's great to see you again."

Josi doesn't respond. She must be more than baffled. But unlike the correct response — which is shoving him away — she matches his energy. Because her mother is there.

"It's great to see you, too." Josi tells him, though Idris knows otherwise. He studies her a bit more. She's grown so nervous that her hands have started shaking, but she hides it well with a grip around the cart's handle. Idris decides to add more gasoline to the flame.

He begins laughing, earning obscure looks from both Josi and her mother. He then clarifies. "You look a lot like this girl I met."

When Josi doesn't answer, her mother begs the question. "What girl?"

"At a pub I went to," Idris tells her. "She stripped right in front of everyone."

Now Josi can barely contain the panic. Her eyes grow wide, and at the same time, Idris smiles. "I have the video right here with me, actually—"

"We should probably get going, mom." Josi grabs the cart and attempts to walk away, but Idris stops her.

"Are you sure you don't want to see the video?" He pulls his phone out.

Josi grabs her mother's hand. "I want to go home now."

But Idris just keeps up with his plan. He molds some story of their make-believe past. "You know, Josita and I used to visit the beach back then." Idris says to her mother. "She loved to go skinny dipping. But she lost her clothes on the shore once. It was a disaster."

She looks at Josi, eyes wide with surprise. "You used to go skinny dipping?"

When Josi can't find a reply, she begins nervously laughing, a way to brush it all off. "I wasn't really—"

"She got wasted a lot as well. If you know what I mean." Idris continues. "But Josita was a great friend."

Again, her mother turns to her, searching for the truth. "Is this all true?"

Josi looks at her mother, then at Idris, then at her mother once again. She must want to tell her the truth. She must want to reveal Idris's true nature. But she won't, because she's at his complete mercy. So instead, she keeps up with the role play.

"Actually, I used to tutor him." Josi says. "That's how we became close."

Idris smiles, satisfied with her choice to keep the story going. "Josita was a great tutor." He tells her mother. "But did you know she provided other services?"

"What other services?"

Idris's smile widens. "Prostitution."

There's a pause. Josi's mother tries again. "What was that?"

"Exactly what I said."

She turns back to Josi once again with a look that lets both Idris and Josi know she wants answers. But Josi Just can't seem to get past the embarrassment. She stares at the ground, perhaps trying to pull herself together. And Idris knows it's taking all in her to do so.

Finally, Josi succeeds. But her choice of reply baffles Idris all the more. She begins laughing.

"It's a joke, mom. Idris always did have a weird sense of humor." The laughter then simmers down. "I'm going to go catch up with him. I'll be right back." And before Idris can respond, she grabs his hand and pulls him away.

It isn't until they're aisles away from her mother does Josi finally allow him go. She runs her hands over her face and leaves them there, trying to recollect herself. Idris, on the other hand, is far more content.

"That was fun. We should do it again."

Josi balls a fist. "This is all just a joke to you?"

"Yes."

This, Idris knows gets under her skin. She stares him down, eyes so full of contempt, it almost begins spilling tears. Idris takes in those same eyes. He's had his own fair share of enemies, so this is nothing new. But the look Josi gives him is crafted from pure hatred. She despises him. And yet he lives off of that same hatred.

At last, the tense atmosphere is brought to an end. It's a kid this time around. He sprints up to Josi. "Ms. Cade!"

Instantly, the sour look on Josi's face diminishes, and a friendly smile takes over. Even Idris is baffled at the speedy exchange.

"Hey, Axel," Josi greets, her tone much brighter than before. Again, Idris is puzzled. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm with my mom." The kid points towards a woman by the frozen aisle. Then he freezes, because the sight of Idris has just now caught his attention. He stiffens up besides Josi. It must be the scar that intimidates him, or the unfriendly look to Idris's face.

"Is that the devil?" Axel questions. To Idris's surprise, Josi laughs. Has she ever laughed before?

She stoops down to the kid's level, all smiles. "Yes, he is." 

Idris's usual rebuttal doesn't come. Not this time. This time, he's busy with something else. Something new. This is the first time he's seen her smile. It's the first time he's heard her laugh. Then comes the feeling in his chest, catching him off guard. It must be fatigue.

"I'll see you Monday." Josi continues.

Axel waves her goodbye and returns to his mother's side. Now that the kid is gone, there's no more need for the facade. Josi regains the same air of hostility she had earlier. Meanwhile, Idris is too busy swimming in his own mind, trying to get it to work. When he can't figure out what to say, he frowns.

Then finally, "I'm too good looking to be the devil."

Josi just sighs. "Can I head back?"

Again, Idris goes mute. She could leave, but why does he feel . . . empty? He still can't find an answer for the second time. This fatigue must really be running its course. He waves her off and begins his own journey towards the exit.

There's a frown on his face — and once again, Idris can't figure out why.

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