black spring

You remember everything. Every sound, every look, every breath between screams and silence. Kisa, Mel, Hank, and Gena were always cruel. They liked to watch people break and feel the power.
A party. You foolishly went there, trusting your friend. A country house, music, smoke, alcohol, and strange faces. You wanted to leave, but Kisa blocked your way.

• Where are you going, princess?
• Home.
• Take your time. We've just started.
  You tried to leave, but Mel grabbed you by the shoulders.
• Relax. Nobody wishes you harm.
  Laughter rang out, a camera clicked. Then came screams, blows, and cold concrete. Kisa looked into your eyes and whispered:
• Now you know what it's like to be nothing.

You woke up in the dark, surrounded by earth, debris, and shrapnel. Your whole body ached, your lip was split. You lay there for five hours, waiting for dawn.
When the door opened, Mel said:

• You're free. Just try to open your mouth and we'll bury you.

You went to court anyway. Trembling, you told the judge what happened.
“Who exactly?” he asked.

• All four.
  The court found them guilty and sentenced them to ten years in prison. You could finally breathe a sigh of relief. But Kisa looked at you and said silently:
• We'll be back.

Three years later, you moved, changed your last name and phone number. You tried to forget the past, learned to sleep with the lights on and not open the door to strangers.
Today was your birthday. You were sitting by the window, covered with a blanket, when your phone vibrated.
Unknown number.
"Happy birthday, brat. We missed you. We saw you at the store yesterday. The white jacket suits you. Just don't take it off—it'll look nice on the floor."
You froze. The following message arrived:
"You didn't think we could be held back, did you? We're close. We've missed your screams."
You jumped up and went to the window. The yard was empty, the streetlight flickering in the darkness.
Suddenly the headlights flashed. A car was parked on the side of the road. Four silhouettes were visible behind the windows.
The phone vibrated again.
"Don't be afraid, darling. We'll just talk. We're friends, after all."