Trapped in Darkness

I was trapped in darkness. I moved my hand to switch on the lampshade, but what I found was a vertical wooden frame. I panicked and sat up, only to hit my head on the cover. It was then that utter dread took over me. I was locked in a coffin.

What’s going on here? Where am I?

I began to hyperventilate. Beating on the coffin bore me no good, and neither did screaming. My throat was hoarse; I could barely breathe as my body trembled uncontrollably.

It’s over for me... I’m going to die here.

I did not know how much time passed, but it was an eternity. My head was weary, my eyes were heavy; I could feel my energy drain away each second. Then, when I was slipping out of consciousness, I heard a faint creak. I felt hands pulling me out and trying to revive me.

Seconds passed and I was looking over my lifeless body. Right then, I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned around to find my mother standing behind me.

“Mum? Am I dead?”

“No, Tatiyana, it’s not your time. You need to go back to your family; they need you.”

I smiled and nodded before going back into my body. I hugged and thanked the medics as soon as I woke up. We were in a graveyard. I was confused, but the police at the scene explained to me what had happened. They said I had been kidnapped and buried alive for a ransom. They had apprehended the criminals and extracted the location from them.

According to them, my husband Richard had initially wanted to pay off the ransom without trying to trace where the suspects are because he feared my life would be in jeopardy, but they managed to persuade him eventually.

As I arrived home, my husband and kids rushed over to suffocate me with hugs; the officers left, asking me to come to the station the next day to give a statement. The nightmare was over. I was glad to be with my family once again.

Later that night, I woke up to loud voices from downstairs. I grabbed my gun from the desk and slowly walked towards the staircase. My husband was talking to another man in the living room.

“What are you doing? I told you not to come to my house.”

“We did our part, but you got the cops involved!”

“I didn't get the cops involved, your men were just sloppy: they left behind a witness.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. My hands were trembling; not out of fear, but of fury.

“You were involved?” I asked.

Richard’s eyes widened when he saw me.

“Tatyana, it's not what you think!”

I ignored him and turned to the other man.

“How much did he pay you?”

He stood there speechless.

“Kill him and I’ll pay you double.”

“What? Tatyana, no!”

“Will you, really?”

“You have my word.”

The man smiled and shot Richard twice in the chest. Richard fell to the floor, drawing his last breath as he looked at me with gaping eyes.

“So, what about my payment?”

“Yes, I did say I’d pay you double.”

I pulled the trigger and shot him four times before he dropped dead on the floor beside my husband.