The black luxury sedan glided to a stop in front of the small mustard-yellow house on the quiet lane. The engine purred into silence. Streetlights flickered on, casting weak orange pools across the cracked concrete stoop and the single potted marigold beside the door.
Inside the house, the curtains twitched. Ira's aunt, Meera, had been pacing near the window for hours.
Her uncle, Raj, sat on the old sofa with his head in his hands, phone clutched like a lifeline.
They had called the school again, the police again, every number they could think of. No one had answers. Only rumors—something terrible at the academy, blood, chaos.
The driver opened the rear door without a word.
Ira stepped out slowly, .
The cream silk gown shimmered faintly under the streetlight, flowing around her like liquid moonlight. Her hair fell loose and glossy down her back, her face subtly made up—lips softly pink, eyes shadowed just enough to look older, refined. She looked like she belonged to another world entirely.
Meera gasped, hand flying to her mouth.
The front door flew open before Ira reached the stoop.
Aunt Meera burst out, long piraile skirt fluttering, eyes wide with terror.
"Ira! Oh God, dear—where have you been? We've been calling the school, the police—!"
Uncle Raj appeared right behind her, face gray, hands clenched at his sides.
"Ira," he rasped. " Are alright? Where have you been"
The driver watched impassively as Ira's aunt and uncle rushed forward.
Satisfied his task was complete, the driver eased the sedan into gear. The powerful engine purred back to life. Headlights swept once across the stoop—illuminating the small family huddled together—then swung away.
The black car glided smoothly down the narrow lane, tires whispering over cracked concrete until it vanished around the corner, swallowed by darkness.
Ira stood frozen for a second. Then her face crumpled.
She threw herself into her aunt's arms and burst into sobs—deep, wrenching sounds that shook her whole body.
Meera clutched her tightly, stroking her hair. "Shh, shh, dear, we're here. You're home. What happened? Where were you? We were so scared—"
Rajesh wrapped his arms around both of them, voice thick. "Tell us, child. What happened in your school?"
Ira pulled back just enough to look at them, tears streaming unchecked. "Alina... Alina is gone," she choked out.
Ira tried to speak. Her voice cracked into a sob instead.
She stumbled forward.
Meera caught her in a fierce hug, pulling her inside.
Raj shut the door fast, locking it twice.
They guided her to the sofa. Ira collapsed onto it, body shaking.
Meera knelt in front of her, hands cupping her face.
" Tell us dear . What happened to Alina?"
Ira began to speak, her voice trembling, her heart shattering into thousand pieces.
"They killed her...The—the monster boys...The Krossvales...… they came to school today. They… they made us kneel on the balcony..... They… took the girls inside empty rooms.....assaulted them.... Alina fought back. She cursed them. She spat on Kai. They… they raped her. In front of the whole class. Then Kai told her to jump from the balcony… or they'd do worse..."
Her voice fractured.
"She jumped. She's… she's dead."
Her voice fractured.
"she is dead.....she is really dead....."
Meera's hand flew to her mouth. A choked sob escaped.
Raj staggered back a step, face ashen.
"Those monsters… they… they did that? To a child? To your friend?"
Ira nodded, tears streaming.
"Everyone saw. No one stopped them. No one could. The school belongs to them now."
Meera pulled her close again, rocking her.
"My poor girl… my poor, poor girl…"
Raj dropped to his knees in front of her, his voice frayed with grief and fury.
"And you?" he asked, barely steady. "Did they do anything to you, dear…?"
Ira shook her head, small and slow.
"No…"
"Then where were you?" Raj pressed, worry sharpening his tone.
For a moment, Ira went quiet—eyes distant, as if her mind had drifted somewhere far beyond the room.
Then she spoke.
"Vernon… Vernon Krossvale. He took me."
The name alone made the air change. Raj and Meera both inhaled sharply, fear flashing across their faces.
Ira continued, her voice strangely calm.
"He carried me to his car. To his mansion."
They leaned closer, desperation breaking through.
"Did he hurt you?" Meera whispered.
Ira's expression didn't shift.
"No. He didn't hurt me."
Raj let out a shaky breath, dragging a hand down his face.
"Thank God… at least for that."
Meera gathered Ira close, stroking her hair with trembling fingers, voice trembling.
"You're home now. You're safe. Don't worry dear— we won't let any of them take you away, as long as we are alive. "
Ira let her aunt hold her, cheek pressed against Meera's shoulder.
Vernon's sharp words still echoed in her ear from earlier—
"Get out of the city. As soon as possible. If you don't want a miserable death."
"Understood?"
"Take your family. Disappear. Never let me see your face again. Or it won't end well for you."
Alina's face flickered behind Ira's closed eyes—laughing on the rooftop under a bruised sky, humming off-key in the quiet of the library, arms wrapped around Ira so tight it had once felt unbreakable.
That memory no longer warmed her.
It hardened her.
Inside her skull, her thoughts blazed—sharp, merciless, alive.
*I am not leaving this city.*
*I will not run.*
*I will not leave until I see them bleed.*
*I will avenge my best friend.*
*I will make them pay.*
*Every.*
*Single.*
*One.*
*The Krossvales will not die peacefully.*
* They will have horrible death's.*
Now, curled in her aunt's arms, Ira thought about her uncle and aunt,
*They don't need to know about Vernon Krossvale's threat.*
*Not yet.*
Meera pressed a trembling kiss to her hair, whispering gentle nonsense about warm milk and rest, as if comfort could undo what had been done.
Raj watched her in silence, eyes heavy with grief. He thought she was broken, she was miserable.
He was wrong.
Ira was not broken.
She was waiting.
Calculating.
Preparing.
For ruin.
To be continued.....