A letter to the post man

I stood there, frozen, my feet rooted to the ground as chaos swirled around me. Why should I run without helping Geynie? She was more than just a friend—she was my sister, in every sense that mattered. I couldn't leave her, not like this, not all alone against that monster.

"I am going to kill both of you!"

Damian's roar was guttural, filled with unrestrained fury that sent a shiver down my spine. His eyes burned with an intensity that promised he meant every word.

"Go!" Geynie screamed, her voice raw, cutting through the tension like a knife.

Tears blurred my vision as I hesitated for a moment too long. But her pleading gaze made the decision for me. My legs finally obeyed, and I turned, bolting towards the faint sound of sirens in the distance.

I ran as fast as my legs could carry me, my throat burning as I screamed for help. The forest seemed endless, every shadow a threat, every sound magnified by the pounding of my heart. My voice grew hoarse, but finally, a cop noticed me from afar.

Relief washed over me as I saw them moving towards us, their dark uniforms a beacon of hope. I turned back instinctively, my heart sinking when I saw Damian on his feet again, his body swaying slightly but his determination unbroken.

This man wasn't just evil; he was relentless. His gaze darted around frantically until he spotted it—the remote. My stomach twisted as he bent down, a wicked grin spreading across his face.

"Silly sisters!" he sneered, holding the device aloft like a trophy.

Then, in a cowardly move, he turned and started running, his footsteps crunching against the forest floor.

"I'll click it as soon as I'm far enough!" he taunted, his voice echoing through the trees.

Geynie turned to me, her eyes wide with urgency. She didn't have to say a word, but the meaning was clear. Run. Keep going. Save yourself.

I couldn't.

I skidded to a halt, my heart screaming louder than my conscience. I couldn't leave her alone to die.

"Stop it, Reina!" she yelled, her voice cracking, each word drenched in pain.

Tears streamed down my face as I took a step toward her.

"Please promise me you won't get closer!" she begged, her desperation evident. "Your mom… your mom was involved in the accident because of me." Her voice trembled as the truth spilled out. "After I ran the car over Dev, mine crashed into hers. I spoke to her. She made me promise to protect you, to treat you like my little sister."

Her confession hit me like a tidal wave. My knees buckled, and I gasped for air as tears poured down my cheeks. My mom… gone… because of this nightmare.

Geynie didn't wait for me to respond. She mastered every ounce of strength left in her and lunged toward Damian. Her speed was breathtaking, her determination unyielding.

"Geynie, stop!" I screamed, but my voice was swallowed by the growing chaos.

She reached him before he could react, her fingers closing around his wrist like a vice. In one swift move, she wrestled the remote from his hand.

Her eyes locked on mine, her expression soft yet resolute.

"I'm sorry… I'm guilty for your mom's death," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I don't deserve to live."

"No, Geynie!" I screamed, but it was too late.

She pressed the button.

The explosion shattered the silence, the force of it sending a gust of hot air rippling through the trees. Both Geynie and Damian were consumed in an instant, their bodies obliterated as the forest lit up in a fiery burst.

I collapsed to the ground, my screams drowned out by the ringing in my ears. The sirens were closer now, the flashing lights visible through the trees.

The police arrived just in time to witness the devastation. One officer rushed to me, his voice a distant echo as he tried to calm me. Others moved toward the site of the explosion, the remains of Geynie and Damian scattered among the forest floor.

They brought me over to sit on a rock near the forest's edge, their voices soft and filled with concern as they tried to calm me down. One officer handed me a bottle of water, but my hands trembled too much to hold it. I barely registered their words—they were trying to console me, but their attempts felt hollow. How could anyone console me after what I had just witnessed?

Not long after, my father arrived. I saw him before he saw me, his disheveled appearance and bloodshot eyes betraying the weight of the news. He stumbled toward the scene, his face a mask of anguish as the officers gently led him to see Geynie's lifeless body.

The moment he saw her, his legs buckled, and a raw, guttural cry escaped his lips. He knelt beside her, his shoulders shaking as he broke down completely. Seeing him like that made something inside me shatter all over again.

After what felt like an eternity, he walked up to me, his face streaked with tears, his expression both broken and accusing. Without warning, he grabbed my shoulders and pulled me to my feet. His grip was firm, almost desperate.

"How did this happen?" he demanded, his voice cracking as he shook me, his own grief spilling out uncontrollably. "How, Reina? How did this happen?"

"I…" My voice faltered. What could I say? The words stuck in my throat, and I could only watch as his grief consumed him.

His hands fell away from my shoulders, and he covered his face, crying harder. "Why? Why is my life full of ups and downs? When will I get the happiness I deserve?" he muttered, his voice barely audible.

In that moment, I realized how much Geynie meant to him. She wasn't just a burden or an obligation—she was his daughter too. Her death tore a piece out of him, just as it had me. Geynie wasn't bad after all, and even though her actions had caused so much pain, in the end, she sacrificed herself to protect me.

And then there was the other revelation—a truth that had hit me like a wrecking ball. My mother's death wasn't an accident. It was tied to this tangled mess, to Geynie, to Damian. The weight of it all made my legs feel like they'd give out beneath me.

The police decided to take me home, insisting I needed rest, while my father accompanied them to the hospital with Geynie's body. But as they guided me to the car, I dug my heels into the ground, shaking my head furiously.

"I'm coming with you!" I cried out, tears streaming down my face. "I'm not going to leave Geynie's side! You can't make me stay home!"

The officers hesitated, exchanging unsure glances. My father, though exhausted and grief-stricken, finally nodded. "Let her come," he said hoarsely.

Just as we were about to leave, another figure appeared, sprinting toward us from the distance. Diana.

Her face was pale, her breath labored from running. But the moment her eyes landed on Geynie's lifeless form, she stopped in her tracks. For a moment, she stood frozen, as if her mind couldn't fully process what she was seeing. Then, with a wail that echoed through the forest, she fell to her knees.

"Geynie!" she screamed, her hands trembling as she reached out toward the stretcher holding Geynie's body. Tears poured down her face as she sobbed uncontrollably. "No, no, no! This can't be happening!"

I wanted to comfort her, to tell her something—anything—that might ease her pain. But I had nothing left. My own grief felt like it was drowning me, leaving me hollow and speechless.

The officers moved carefully around Diana, giving her time to grieve. Her cries filled the air, a haunting reminder of the devastation Damian had left in his wake.

As the car began moving, carrying us away from the forest and closer to the hospital, I looked out the window at the fading trees.