Page 6 of Chasing Hope

A sizzle coursed through the air. The power ran out and the entire street transformed into a pitch-black pit. At that exact moment, Hope snapped another picture and the flash of her camera blazed in the darkness. Like a beacon shooting out of a lighthouse. Talk about timing.

‘Fuck.’ Hope’s throat closed up, trapping her breath. Her hand froze on her camera. An ear-piercing crash of clouds startled her, propelling her into action. ‘Shit. Shit. Shit.’ She ranted and swirled. Her palm dug into a sharp twig and she bit down hard on her lip to capture her cry. Blood dripped from the open cut, but Hope had no time to reflect on the pain. A huge commotion broke out behind the electric gates.Himesh’smen had made her out and they were coming to get her.

‘Here, catch.’ Without a forethought, Hope chucked her camera at her friends. For a second none of them reacted, then suddenly they both grasped the camera just as it was about to hit the ground. ‘Guys run, they are on to us. Go on, hurry up. Give the camera to Ethan.’Ethan?Of all the people, why did she first think of Ethan? Her jaw clenched while her lungs burned, reminding her to breathe.

‘Are you crazy? No way are we leaving you here,’ Anjana said, jogging on the spot, ready to sprint. She spun her head sideways. ‘I’ll be back.’ She snatched the camera from Mahika and true to her word, she ran like the wind in her heels.

‘Climb down you doofus. Is this what they taught you in your fancy-ass degree?’ Mahika slapped her palms on her waist and her forehead puckered. Her voice rose over the chaos surrounding them. Waves lashed against the rocks surging up causing a boom equivalent to that of an explosion.

‘I was improvising,’ Hope said.Mahikalet out an inarticulate grunt. ‘Chastise me when I’m down in one piece.’ Hope’s eyes widened as she saw the men close in on them. Indistinct chatter drew nearer. ‘Just do it Hope, it’s now or never.’ Hope coaxed herself. The darkness was not helping her situation. In the distance ,Hope made out a bleak figure heading their way. She marvelled at the speed and ease with which Anjana dashed toward them in her heels.

‘Done. I’ve taken care of the camera,’Anjanapanted but managed a triumphant smile.

‘You could have just taken out the chip,’ Hope stated.

‘Whatever.’Anjanatook offence. ‘Get down you idiot.’

The ground seemed like a hundred feet below. Hope crouched on the limb of the tree. Her heart vaulted in her chest. How in the hell did she get up there in the first place? Rainwater had made the branches slippery. One clumsy move triggered a chain reaction. The soles of her sneakers skidded. Her injured hand connected with another sharp protrusion and the next thing she knew she plummeted down. Her friends yelped, sprang apart, and Hope landed within the gap they created.

‘Holy shit,’ Hope flinched as she rubbed her injured hip. ‘God please let it not be broken.Please.’ She turned to her right and sighed in relief. At least one side seemed fine. ‘You guys lunge forward to catch a camera but make no attempt to catch me? Brilliant, simply brilliant.’

***

Tacky. That was a weak word to describe the ambience of a house of this calibre. Green. For God’s sake. The couch was velvet and dark green in colour.

‘Oh. My. God. These curtains are sunshine yellow. And the ones right there is blood red.’ Aghast, Anjana made a quick survey of the hall.

‘My eyes. My eyes,’ Mahika groaned and covered her eyes. This woman would make it big in the movies if she’d chosen a different career path. ‘Before we leave this place – that isifwe leave this place alive –I need to learn the name of the interior designer.’ Overcome by curiosity, Mahika tipped her body to the side to observe the contents of the wall unit. The place was a museum. A distasteful museum. After Hope had landed not so elegantly on her ass, Himesh’s goons captured them. Out of sheer curiosity, Hope and her friends allowed the men to lead them into the mansion. Too bad the inside of the house was a disaster.

‘OMG is that a sculpture of a couple doing it doggy style?’ Flabbergasted, Anjana slapped a palm over her mouth. Their shocked gazes fastened on a glass showcase behind the ugly couch displaying a series of artefacts.

‘Look at the other one below that; are they in the 69 position?’ Mahika exclaimed. Too bad they had confiscated their phones. The team back in the office would have had a laughing fit on seeing the inside of the dump. As for Ethan, he would flip. Still, it would be worth it, broken hip and all. Hope couldn’t wait to narrate to him the occurrences of the day. He was sure to pop an artery. Hope’s cheeks creased with a wanton smile.

‘Guys, that one there beats it all.’ With a slight tilt of her head, Hope indicated to the life-size portrait of a naked man. A thick velvet maroon-coloured curtain was shoved to the side revealing the artwork. Horrified expressions crossed their faces as they gaped at the composition. ‘The man has a huge ego. Just look at the size of that staff.’

‘He’s a huge diabolical dick,’ Mahika whispered and they burst into uncontrollable giggles.

‘I see my portrait has fascinated you girls.’ A zing of abhorrence coursed through Hope. On a long and even breath, she slowly turned around to face the psychopath.

‘Disgusted is more like it.’ Hope’s eyes burned with loathing asHimesh’slips slithered to form an arrogant smile. Holding her intense gaze he clipped a cigar between his lips and took a deep drag. His meaty hands descended to tighten the belt of his knee-length cheetah-print satin robe. A slight tremble scurried up her spine and Hope fisted her hand to curtail her tension.

‘I see you’ve taken a liking towards me.’

‘Don’t flatter yourself.’ She wouldn’t waste her spit on him. Himesh flung back his big, fat head and burst out laughing. Hope clenched her jaw. The crystal chandeliers shook with the impact of his thunderous laughter.

‘I watched your show on the child beating story. Very eloquent. Tough luck you had no witness to corroborate the allegations against me.’ Himesh pulled in a long drag and slipped his hand into the pocket of his robe. Pungent smoke swirled around them. Hope’s feet dug into the purple rug and she resisted the urge to put her fist through his face.

‘It’s only a matter of time before I peel that complacent look off your face. I will do everything that I have to do for as long as it takes to throw you and your villainous accomplices behind bars,’ Hope said using a carefully controlled tone. ‘Now let my friends go. Your beef is with me.’

Himesh was pure evil with enough power to have their bodies disposed of without a trace. Instinctively, her finger grazed her cross. Hope wasn’t afraid for herself as much as she was for her friends. Why did she tag them along? So much for her being the wisest one in the group. God forbid, if anything happened to them, Hope would never forgive herself.

‘You’re fucking kidding me right?’ Mahika said, interrupting Hope’s thoughts. ‘We don’t get a tour of the house?’ She sounded genuinely upset.

‘God knows if we will ever get a chance again to see first-hand such tasteful luxury.’ Anjana batted her eyelids and sighed. The fool upped her charm to full and her gaze innocently flitted overHimesh’sface. She didn’t need to try too hard; she was a natural. ‘Please pass on our compliments to your interior designer. This is a place to be reckoned with. I applaud you for your refined style.’

‘You, my kind sir, are immaculate.’ Mahika added with a coy smile. Convinced by their phoney act, the narcissist grinned, pleased with himself. If they got out of this shit-hole alive, this would definitely be the take-away of the night.

Lord have mercy.Hope squeezed her eyes shut.

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