I opened the message. A threat.
"Your girl is with us. Understand? We want you to come and tell us everything you have—or it will be too late. You have 12 minutes. The location is written. It's at the Research Metro Station. Try, man."
Immediately, I played the full video.
A group of people dressed in black, faces hidden, surrounded Mira. She was tied to a chair. They were hitting her, demanding she reveal everything. She tried not to speak, tears streaming down her face, breaking under their cruelty.
Some of them were behind the camera, seemingly after money, shouting questions. And as she struggled, they laughed, taking advantage of her helplessness. One held a gun to her head while another threatened her with a strong rod.
I froze. Shocked. I couldn't believe what I was seeing.
"No… no… why like this?!" I shouted, my voice filled with anger, worry, and pain. I clutched my hair, trying to make sense of it all. "I will get revenge. I don't care who you are!"
I grabbed the tape and shoved it into my bag along with my phone. Without a second thought, I ran out of the house. My parents were stunned, asking what happened—but there was no time to explain.
I ran at full speed, coughing from the strain. My legs almost gave out, but I pushed through. The air was heavy. I glanced at the clock: only minutes left. I couldn't fail her.
I tried to find a car, but instead, I found a motorcycle and quickly jumped on behind the rider. "Please, go to this place!" I urged. I handed him some money as we sped through the streets.
Minutes passed. I arrived, panting, but the place was empty. Had I come to the wrong location? Panic surged.
Then the message rang again. Too late.
I didn't know what to do. Mira… She was at the hospital, fighting for her life. In danger. Why did this happen?
Anger exploded inside me. Everything around me shattered. Was I dangerous? Had someone hurt her? They laughed at me while I struggled to control my power. Everything fell apart.
I rushed from hospital to hospital, asking if she had been admitted, if she was safe. She was alone, only her friend with her—this is all I knew.
Finally, at the last hospital, I saw a girl sitting in a chair, looking sad. The doctor came out and said something that stunned me. She collapsed into tears.
"She's not your friend," he explained. "It's her aunt. She's been searching for her all these days."
I was shocked.
I felt her aunt's helplessness as I approached her—Mira's aunt.
She looked at me, her eyes filled with tears and redness.
"Yes… who are you?" she asked.
"I'm her friend," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "I was looking for her… is she okay? Or… was it just a joke?"
She shook her head. "Son, the doctor doesn't joke. If you don't want to see her… it's better that you leave."
"What do you mean?" I asked, panic rising in my chest. "I… I won't see Mira?"
She said nothing. She just turned and walked away.
I… I was really alone now.
That was the last time I would see her in my life. She would remain in my memory forever.
I wanted to cry. I wanted to scream. I wanted to be angry.
I overheard the doctor speaking to her aunt—he said she was gone.
She… had died.
I was powerless. Everything around me seemed to stop. My emotions felt frozen.
I returned to my place at home. My parents tried to tell me what had happened.
"Son… tell us what happened. Speak to us, please," they begged.
I clutched their hands tightly in mine, staring at the ground.
"No… I can't stay here. This… this isn't normal," I whispered. "The dangers, the threats… they're everywhere. I tried to reach her, but someone interfered. The video… it's been days…"
"Mira… she's gone," I finally admitted. "I wanted her in my life… but this was fate. Being left alone… makes it so hard to trust anyone, even to connect. I'll always be like this… searching, alone…"