I, Maggie Queen, met my tragic end at the hands of a criminal on my sixteenth birthday. The scene was horrific; my body was left unrecognizable, dismembered, and scattered across various trash bins. I was severed from my father, Irwin Queen, and my brother, Mark Queen, leaving behind only a restless spirit. Before all this unfolded, the thug had threatened me with a smirk, “Irwin’s daughter? Ha! You’ve got a rough road ahead, little girl. Blame your dad for making waves and stirring up trouble with my crew.” Fear coursed through me; I recognized him as one of Irwin’s enemies. He was out for revenge. “What a pity. You’ve crossed the wrong people.” His words left me confused. “Poor thing, just starting high school, huh?” He waved a half-damaged school ID in front of me, mocking my youth. I looked at them with pleading eyes, silently begging for mercy because of my age. “Hahaha! Look at this girl. The way she’s staring at me, it’s like she’s trying to seduce me…” My mouth was tightly gagged, and all I could do was shake my head violently, a cold wave of terror washing over me. “Here’s the deal: you can call your dad. If he coughs up two million in ransom, we’ll let you go. Otherwise, you’re at our mercy,” said the greasy man with tattoos on his arms, a sinister grin plastered on his face. The kidnappers forced me to call home. I feared these ruthless thugs would hurt Irwin and Mark if I did. I shook my head desperately, refusing to make the call. In response, I received a few hard slaps that left me dizzy, my face swelling, and blood trickling from my mouth. “Damn it, you’re making this hard on yourself! I’ll call!” he growled. “How could he even know Irwin’s number?” My mind was spinning in confusion. Then, he dialed the number himself. After a few rings, the call connected, and my heart raced in my chest. They ripped the tape off my mouth. “Hello, who is this?” Mark’s voice came through the line. It was the home phone. The kidnapper took the phone over. “Irwin? Your daughter’s with us.” Mark’s tone dripped with sarcasm. “Maggie, is this your idea of a prank? Getting someone to kidnap you? “How much do you want? A million? Five million?” “No! Mark, help me!” I cried out, my voice trembling with fear and desperation. “Mark, hurry and light the candles…” I heard Megan Queen’s voice in the background. They must have been celebrating a birthday. My heart felt like it was being pierced by a thousand needles, the pain overwhelming. “Is this some kind of trick? You think I’ll forgive you for this? Mom died trying to save you, and you’re still a piece of work! Even if you die out there, it wouldn’t matter!” He slammed the phone down hard. “You know, your family really hates you. Can you imagine how they’d react if they found out you were really dead? Hahaha!” The kidnapper’s laughter sent chills down my spine. The rest of the ordeal felt like a nightmare. I thought, “I don’t have a mother anymore, and my dad… he probably wouldn’t care either. Mark only acknowledges Megan as his sister. If he knew I was gone, he’d probably be happy since he’s always wanted me to step aside for her. What are my dad and brother doing right now?” Even in death, I couldn’t shake my concern for the only family I had left. I floated back home, my spirit heavy with sorrow.
The bright lights filled the room, casting a warm glow that felt so foreign to me. Ever since I turned ten, I hadn’t experienced the warmth of a loving home. Right now, Irwin and Mark were busy celebrating Megan’s birthday. The birthday cake sparkled in the candlelight, its sweet aroma mingling with the sounds of laughter, creating a beautiful scene. Megan stood in the center, wearing a white dress, her eyes sparkling with joy, looking every bit like a little princess. Irwin and Mark surrounded her, their faces lit up with smiles, radiating happiness that felt like a world away from me. Since I turned eight, I had been cut off from this warmth. Megan was my nominal sister, the apple of Irwin and Mark’s eyes. She was the student my mother, Miranda Queen, had sponsored since the day I was born. We shared the same birthday, both born in the same month and year, but she grew up in a poor mountainous area. Miranda had said that by sponsoring a sister for me, she was building good karma. This sister, who had no blood ties to me, bore a slight resemblance to Miranda, which made Irwin and Mark dote on her. Far more than they ever had on me. I looked like my rough-edged father, Irwin, and often wished I could resemble Miranda instead. Maybe then, Irwin and Mark wouldn’t harbor such resentment toward me. Megan had a knack for brightening people’s spirits, and her likeness to Miranda won her the love and attention of Irwin and Mark. As for me? I only reminded them of the mother and wife they had lost. A bitter taste spread through my heart, and tears streamed down my face uncontrollably. By ten o’clock, they were getting ready for bed, and no one mentioned me at all. Irwin glanced at the clock, his irritation palpable. Megan bit her lip and cautiously said, “Maggie still hasn’t come home. Do you think she’s okay?” Mark ruffled her hair and said reassuringly, “She’s fine. It’s a special day, and Maggie probably just lost track of time. She might feel embarrassed to come back. Don’t worry about her, Megan.” Those words hit me hard. They thought I was just avoiding home out of guilt when, in reality, I was gone forever. Irwin frowned but didn’t say anything more. He had received a call about a body found at the dump, and he left early to investigate. In recent years, Cloudia City had seen a significant drop in violent crime, so it was unusual to encounter a case as gruesome as this. I drifted over to take a look at my own lifeless body. My torso lay there, bruised and withered, unrecognizable—like a grotesque puzzle piece. Once a vibrant teenage girl, I had been reduced to something that would terrify a child. Irwin and the other officers had cordoned off the area with police tape, surrounding the site where my dismembered body had been discarded in various trash bins. Two hours later, they collected what remained of my body, but my head was still missing. Those present gasped in horror at the sight of the dismembered pieces. Even the seasoned detectives couldn’t keep their stomachs in check and had to turn away. Mark, a top forensic expert, was urgently called to the scene. I watched helplessly as he began piecing together my shattered form. My body was covered in bruises and scars, each mark a testament to the violence I had endured. I focused on my left hand, where a small mole sat in the center of my palm. It was a reminder of a childhood accident when I accidentally drove a nail into my hand while playing with Mark. Irwin had given Mark a good thrashing for that, and Mark had felt guilty for a long time afterward. Suddenly, Mark stopped working, his sharp gaze fixed on my palm. My heart raced. “Could he realize it’s me? Does he remember that moment from our childhood?” His colleague noticed Mark’s intense focus and eagerly asked if he had found something. Mark snapped back to reality, hesitating before shaking his head. “Nothing. Just something about it feels familiar.” A wry smile crept onto my face. I should have realized it long ago—since I turned ten, Mark had never looked at me the same way again. Maybe he had forgotten that incident. Without my head, DNA testing would take at least three days, and they still couldn’t confirm my identity. “Preliminary assessment suggests the victim is a female aged between fourteen and sixteen, with a time of death not exceeding twenty-four hours,” Mark stated coolly, analyzing the situation with a furrowed brow. His eyes held a mix of sorrow and regret as he concluded that the victim had been alive during the horrific acts inflicted upon her. It was a brutal case of torture and murder. Mark remained composed and objective, unaware that the girl who had suffered such unimaginable pain was the very sister he had always resented. Meanwhile, Irwin was busy gathering evidence and conducting his own investigation.
This was the worst case the city had seen in a decade, and a heavy atmosphere hung over the entire police department. The higher-ups were taking it very seriously, ordering Captain Irwin to solve the case within a strict deadline. Based on the clues they had gathered, the police quickly reviewed surveillance footage from the area. Before long, they identified a chilling scene: three masked men using a van to abduct a female student. Unfortunately, the footage was grainy, making it impossible to see their faces clearly. The abduction was swift and brutal, leading the officers to conclude it was a targeted kidnapping. Irwin stared at the blurry figures, a look of confusion crossing his face. “I can’t shake the feeling that these guys look familiar.” “Could it be someone you know? Maybe a former inmate back out on the streets?” his colleague Vincent Green pondered aloud, a hint of concern in his voice. Just then, Irwin’s phone rang, interrupting their discussion. It was my teacher, Nancy Dona. “Hello, this is Nancy Dona, Maggie’s teacher. I’m calling because Maggie didn’t show up for school today. Is everything okay?” Her voice was laced with worry. Irwin frowned, irritation creeping into his tone. “I don’t know. I’m busy with work right now. If you’re concerned about her, go talk to her uncle.” Nancy hesitated, wanting to say more, but Irwin abruptly hung up, his patience wearing thin. Vincent looked at him, worry etched on his face. “Maggie’s not the type to just disappear. What if something’s really wrong?” “Wrong? What could possibly happen? She’s at her uncle’s place, safe and sound.” Irwin’s tone was dismissive. He was clearly reluctant to discuss me. Seeing Irwin’s stubbornness, Vincent could only shake his head in resignation. When I was younger, Irwin sometimes brought me to the police station. Vincent and the others always treated me like a little princess, showering me with kindness. But after that incident, I hadn’t set foot in Irwin’s workplace since. They all knew that I spent Miranda’s memorial day at my uncle’s house. Irwin’s deep-seated bias against me wasn’t something that could be easily brushed aside with a few kind words. “Irwin… today marks your wife’s memorial. You should take a moment for yourself,” Vincent said gently, hoping to encourage him to take a break. But the pressure from above was relentless. Vincent said, “I’ll be fine. The more I keep busy, the less I’ll dwell on her,” Irwin replied, his voice weary yet resolute. “Alright then, let’s crack this case as soon as we can. And remember, Maggie’s not responsible for what happened. It’s been a while since Miranda passed, and you’ve distanced yourself from her. “Maggie’s hurting too. You lost a wife, and she lost a mother… “She’s always reticent. I bet she’s hurting inside. “That poor girl, she’s about the same age as the victim. Just think how devastated her family must be. Once this case wraps up, maybe you could show Maggie a little more care. Parents and children shouldn’t be at odds.” Vincent’s words struck a chord deep within me, making my heart ache. He saw things clearly from the outside, while Irwin remained stubbornly blind to the reality of the situation. Irwin stood there, momentarily stunned, as if Vincent’s words had finally pierced through his defenses. “Yeah…” was all Irwin managed to say. Vincent recognized that Irwin was beginning to listen.
🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MyFiction” app 🔍 search for “397263”, and watch the full series ✨! #MyFiction #Hurt
Leave a Reply