Frozen Soul Trapped In Box Of Love

A young woman seen running as fast as she can after get out of the bus door while holding her bag that been swing to left and right. She bumped into a man when she try to properly hold her bag.

"Be careful lady" The man with a hazel eyes look straight to her eyes.

"I am sorry…" She make a quick bow to say sorry and then rush her feet again.

She stop in front a fined carve wood door which is a street walk café. She greet her manager, Mr.William who was undeniable handsome.

He have a perfect figure like the model at any magazine would be, and his co-worker Miranda who give slightly smile with a signal she was late.

"Ayanna you were late" Miranda take a towel and give to her. Instead of take the towel that been hand to her, Ayanna give a cute puppy eyes.

"I'm not gonna scold you but you gonna stay late tonight". Miranda give a smack at her forehead.

"You need this part time job for your fee next semester, don't make me cut your salary".

"I love you Mama" Ayanna squeeze her favourite co-worker and she was pushed away.

Ayanna get her stuff and start to work, while she was cleaning a table, she saw an old man sitting in the corner writing in his journal.

"Grandpa... He was alone again…" She whispered to herself. Her eyes can't stop staring at the figure who keep writing silently at his sit.

She always saw that old man sitting there for hours alone. Sometimes if the café have no customer, she will sit with him and playing some riddle together.

"He was writing in his journal again, how old that he can be to still writing using that ink pen and paper in this digital world".

Her deep thought interrupt by an old lady who come inside the café. Ayanna go to welcoming her. When the old lady take a sit her purse falls to her heels.

Ayanna bow down to pick up the purse and saw a circle red tattoo at her ankle, it was small but she can recognize it as a snake.

For some unexplained reason in her heart, her instinct tell her that the old woman was a young women who disgust herself.

"I think she is not that old… Why would she go that far? Is it to stalk someone?" Ayanna passed the order to the kitchen and tell William about the strange woman.

"What makes you say so?" William calmly take the piece of paper from Ayanna's hand and pat her head.

"Don't fill your head with others problem" He gave gentle smile and start preparing the food.

Ayanna go to grandpa Orion, the old man gave her warm smile and ask her to make him the same things every time he comes to the place.

"Black coffee for this old man please sweetie…"

"Well surprisingly, it is already in my hand…" Ayanna pour the black coffee into the cup in front of him.

"Grandpa, what you have today?"

"Well dear lovely Ayanna… I have a riddle for greed people". And he show the riddle to her, Ayanna take a look and try to solve but the riddle was so funny that make her laugh.

It's 9 pm already but the old women still sitting there alone while playing her earring. The old woman have been sitting more than 2 hours alone.

"Alright my dear Ayanna, it is time to leave. I felt sad somehow with tonight farewell." The old man put his hat on and wear his dark brown coat.

"Why… you are not coming back?" Ayanna felt slightly embarrassed for sound a bit childish. But who cares, she really likes this old man. He gave her the warm embrace of a grandparents should give.

"Oh my sweet pumpkin, this man is too old already… We never know how far I can take my step tonight" He gently pat her head.

"Remember… don't fill your head with others problem. Until it is your life at risk or your heart that could be break".

"I am someone who only have both hand to feed myself and two feet to survive in this life and one head to study. How can I have more to care about others than myself?"

The old man stare at her and give a nod to what she says.

"It's good then… and remember…"

"Have a strong leg when you have a weak heart to survive" Ayanna finish the sentence, she always heard this every time they parted.

She give a hug to the old man and kinda sad without reason as she stare the old man walking slowly to the door.

Ayanna saw a weird gesture from William and she saw Miranda make a call outside the café. Frankie, the chef is nowhere to be seen. Ayanna clean the table where the old man sit and found a locket.

"I am shivering. The air conditioner was too cold or it is me who have fall sick?" Ayanna felt dizzy.

"Come here, let me check"

William put his hand at Ayanna forehead and looked worried.

"You are indeed catch a cold. You better leave now, don't worry I will explain to Miranda".

"Alright. I am gonna get some meds on my way home. Better get going before you catch it from me"

"Sorry… Catch what?" William frown. He doesn't really understand this young lady words sometimes.

"My heart"

Ayanna make a heart shape with her hand.

"Silly girl… I'm afraid I don't enough time to catch it properly"

His eyes looked sad. William take a black brown scarf.

It is his favorite scarf, he wears it for years already. He put around Ayanna neck and kiss her forehead.

"Take care silly girl"

William then walk away leave the lady alone who was now startled by the sudden kiss in the kitchen.

"Is this a dream?" Ayanna pinch her own cheek and smiling.

She walked out from the cafe with heavy step. She felt uneasy, but still walking away from the cafe slowly. After few steps she sense something strange as she saw someone laying across the street.

She take a few more steps and notice that the coat was the same as the old man wearing, while running to the old man she praying hard that nothing serious has happen.

"Please hold this and only trust the guy who know the right answer for the greed people"

The old man still alive and take her hand and give her a pen, as he gather all his last breath.

"Please no… hold on, I'm gonna get some help. Hang on old man."

Her hand and shirt soaked with blood. Her head only have William.

'Move the feet fast, grab William fast get phone. Call ambulance.' All those thing rushes instantly in her head.

She wants to speed up her feet running to the café, but later she felt her hand being grab to a wall. She can feel the concrete wall so cold, it was as cold as the pair of eyes that currently staring her in the dark. Everything was so fast, her heart breath crazily but she can only stare back at the eyes.

"This will paralyze you for hours, I am sorry but you will be a witness for horrible thing. But it is the only way for you to survive this".

Ayanna felt something stung in her neck. Her body felt heavy. Ayanna cannot move and her eyes wide open, her back was leaning at the wall.

As her body slowly fall the man carefully hold Ayanna until she sat on the floor. As soon Ayanna body firmly still at the floor the café that vaguely she saw through the man shoulder suddenly explode.

"William… Miranda… your guys" She can hear her own voice screamed in her head, her throat felt dry because of the anger that burning inside and she cannot move even just for an inch.

The man stared at her then take out something and put under her jacket. Then she could smell blood where she was coating with the blood. The man take out a book from his coat and he hesitate for a moment and then he ran when they some people shouting to him.

"Idiot… go after him!"

She heard Miranda voice, she was trying so hard to call her. She feel so terrible and angry but as soon she saw Miranda eyes that staring at her stiff body with blood, she might have hope. Miranda will come to her. She can ask for help.

"Tch... tch… how pitifull to die without knowing anything"

Miranda just looking her from far with cold eyes. She just give her a glance and order the guys to catch that man and take the book from him.

Ayanna was devastated, the feeling of betrayed is make her feel worse. Miranda take a step to the old man, then there was William, he try to stop her but Miranda shot him. She saw William on his knees, Miranda want to shoot again, with the gun at William head Ayanna scream so hard from the bottom of her heart burst out her lung praying her voice can be hear.

"Finish it so we can go home… I am tired with this clothes on my body. Make me felt old…" The old woman approached Miranda and gave a disgusting look to William as he just a pitiful rat that caught by a master.

"Oh… that girl died? She been stabbed?"

That old woman stared at Ayanna bloody shirt.

"Poor her, I like her… she is polite"

She still can smell the perfume, with the smell of blood it was so stink that make her want to throw up. She was crying as her eyes was cloud by the tears she only hear a sound of gun and her world become dark.