The Underworld's Angel

Dahlia’s heart raced as she heard the voices of the men getting closer. The fear propelled her to push herself even harder, sprinting through the dense forest. The sound of her footsteps crunching leaves filled the air as she desperately tried to put as much distance as possible between herself and her pursuers.

She repeated to herself, “I can’t go back to them. He’ll kill me once he finds out I escaped!” The thought of facing the consequences of her actions only fueled her determination to escape.

Suddenly, a sharp sound echoed through the forest as a bullet whizzed past her, narrowly missing her. Tears welled up in her eyes, a concoction of fear and adrenaline coursing through her veins. She didn’t know where she was heading, but she knew she couldn’t stop running.

The events leading up to this life-or-death chase started innocently enough, just a week ago…

Dahlia Gilmore, at twenty two years of age was an ice cream vendor. She had always had to depend on herself solely for whatsoever she needed and had had to fend to herself since she was only a little girl. She greeted her neighbor, Madam Margo, with a warm smile as she walked out of her small house with her carriage, ready to sell her delicious frozen treats. Amour lived a simple life and relied on herself for everything.

Walking down the street, Dahlia radiated kindness and compassion. She stopped to chat with Madam Margo, noticing her growing baby bump. “Good morning, Madam Margo! How are you? Take care of yourself and let me know if you need any help with the laundry,” Dahlia offered with genuine concern.

Madam Margo smiled gratefully. “You’re such a sweetheart, Dahlia. Have a wonderful day!”

Dahlia beamed, her beauty stunning Madam Margo briefly as she waved goodbye before continuing her journey with her carriage to her selling spot. The children in the neighborhood flocked to her, eager to buy her ice cream before heading off to school.

Unbeknownst to Dahlia, a black car had silently parked on the opposite side of the road. Inside the car, two men engaged in a hushed conversation. One man, sitting in the driver’s seat, wore a cold expression as he listened to the other man, Ponce, smoking a cigarette.

“Why did you ask me to stop? Didn’t you hear that the clan was waiting for us? Looks like someone stole a huge sum of money”, The driver who sat in the front seat said.

He had a cold look in his eyes as he glared at the man who sat beside him smoking. The man beside him brought the cigarette to his lips and puffed out smoke before his lips curled into a smirk as his gaze landed in Dahlia.

“It’s nothing, let’s go”, He muttered and went back to his cigarettes as Viper glared at him before starting the engine again. The windows rolled up and the car drove off.

~~~~~~~~~~~~***~~~

In just a couple of hours, Dahlia had sold out all of her ice cream. She stood behind her stand, watching in confusion as six cars passed by simultaneously. It was an unusual sight, and she couldn’t help but wonder what was happening in her small town.

As she observed her surroundings, Dahlia noticed that there were men dressed in black patrolling the area and questioning people. Dread washed over her as she realized who they were – Vito. Vito were a notorious mafia clan that operated just on the outskirts of their town. They were known to have bought the law, ensuring that they always escaped the consequences of their crimes.

Amidst the rumors circulating the town, it was said that the young women who mysteriously disappeared were taken to the Vito’ hideout and forced into a life of prostitution. The mere thought sent a wave of cold chills down Dahlia’s spine. She knew she had to leave immediately to avoid any encounters with them.

In her haste to pack her belongings, Dahlia noticed a large black bag beside her stand. It hadn’t been there before, and curiosity got the best of her. She crouched down and cautiously opened the bag, only to find it loaded with heavy bundles of money. Her mind raced with questions. Why was it here? How did it end up with her? Who had left it?

Her train of thought was interrupted when she heard a voice behind her. Dahlia froze, fearing the worst. The voice belonged to a woman, who stated that they were searching for something and needed to check her bag. Panic washed over Dahlia as she wondered if this was the money they were looking for. How did it end up with her? Who had placed it there?

Before she could form a coherent response, one of the mobsters confirmed that the bag was indeed the one they were looking for. The bag belonged to the mysterious woman, who went by the name Callixta. Without wasting any time, Callixta opened the bag and revealed the money inside.

“Its not mine, I don’t know how it ended up there, I swear”, Dahlia told her, the realization of what this meant for her, hitting her like a punch to the gut. “ I just found out t here some minutes before you did, I don’t know who out it there”. She was shaking in fear, as she wringed her hands. She had simply found it there and now it seemed like she was being framed.

Callixta didn’t listen to her plea. Instead, she punched Amour in the face, causing her to fall to the ground. Pain burst through her and she groaned.

“You even have the guts to lie to me”, Callixta sneered, kicking her in the stomach. “Who the fuck do you think you are?”, She spat.

The people who stood around stared at the scene with wide eyes. They all knew Dahlia and they just couldn’t believe that she could ever do something like this.

Dahlia slowly struggled to sit up, her hands trembling. “I didn’t take it. I don’t know what’s going on, I…”

“Shut up, you lying slut” Cheetah kicked her face with her leather boots, causing Dahlia to cough up blood as she hit the ground again.

Dahlia tried to get up again but she felt dizzy as blood trickled down her nose. Her hands gave out beneath her and she collapsed.

“Pick her up. We have to get her to Salvatore”, Callixta said, signaling to one of the men with her.

The men lifted Dahlia off the ground and into a van before driving away.