Vicky arrived at her small eatery.
Together with Tonia, they began preparing meals for the afternoon customers. Orders flowed in steadily, and the day went well.
"This is a first," Tonia said suddenly, staring at the receipt in her hand.
"What is it?" Vicky asked, sitting at a table in the kitchen while eating a plate of spaghetti.
"An order just came in," Tonia said slowly. "But the customer specifically requested you to deliver it."
Vicky shrugged.
"I can deliver it. I don't see the problem."
But Tonia's expression stayed tense.
"You deliver orders all the time, yes," she said carefully. "But not when someone specifically asks for you. What if it's a trap?"
"A trap for what, Toni?" Vicky chuckled. "How much is the order anyway?"
Tonia's voice flattened.
"One thousand."
Vicky nearly choked.
"N$1k?"
"That's what it says."
"That's a lot," Vicky said, impressed. "But I can still deliver—no prob—"
"No," Tonia cut her off sharply.
"It's almost three. Evan will arrive soon."
Vicky frowned.
"What? So we make the customer wait? Toni, it's N$1k. That's the biggest order we've ever had since I opened this eatery."
She stood and walked toward Tonia, confused by the sudden resistance.
"Let me deliver it. It's not like I'm worth kidnapping anyway," Vicky joked, grabbing the receipt from Tonia's hand.
But Tonia still looked worried.
"What if it's some big bad men trying to kidnap you?" she said quietly.
Vicky stared at her like she had lost her mind.
"Tonia… it's just food delivery."
Still, to calm her down, Vicky sighed.
"Okay. If I feel even the slightest discomfort, I'll dial 911 immediately."
"Put it on speed dial," Tonia insisted.
Vicky pulled out her phone and placed 911 on speed dial.
Satisfied—though still anxious—Tonia watched as Vicky packed the order and left.
But even after she was gone, Tonia's worry only grew.
Vicky rode her delivery bicycle toward the suburb, following the address written on the receipt.
Eventually she arrived at a quiet house.
It wasn't large, but it wasn't small either—just the kind of place a comfortable middle-class family might own.
Looking at it strangely calmed her nerves.
Her phone rang.
"I'm fine, Tonia," Vicky said immediately after answering. "I don't think this is a 'trap' at all."
Tonia warned her again to be careful before hanging up.
Vicky slipped her phone back into her pocket and pressed the doorbell.
Immediately, the door unlocked and slowly opened by itself.
She frowned.
"If you're from Sarge Eatery, step inside," a voice said through the intercom beside the door.
A chill crept down her spine.
Still, the order had already been paid electronically. She had no reason not to deliver it.
So she stepped inside. The door shut behind her with a heavy click. She flinched. The house was clean.
Quiet. Too quiet.
Her heart began pounding.
She walked slowly through the hallway until she entered what looked like a living room.
Comfortable couches. Elegant interior design. A television playing cartoons at low volume.
She spotted a table, walked over, and placed the food package on it.
Then she turned to leave.
"You must be Victoria."
The voice came from behind her.
Soft.
Careful.
Like someone carrying fragile eggs.
She turned. A man stood there.
He wore a formal suit with a waistcoat, glasses resting neatly on his nose, and his hands folded behind his back.
He looked familiar. Not threatening.
More like a quiet academic lecturer.
But something about him felt… wrong.
"You should sit," the man said politely, gesturing to a chair.
Vicky didn't move. This was exactly how people got kidnapped.
"Are you going to kill me?" she asked bluntly, fear creeping into her voice.
The man raised an eyebrow as he calmly sat on the couch.
"No, my dear," he said gently. "Why would I kill you?"
"I'm… going to leave now," Vicky said quickly, turning toward the door.
The man only smiled. Then suddenly—
Seven men appeared in front of her.
They stared at her with cold, merciless eyes.
Some held knives. Others carried guns. One gripped a crowbar.
They smiled like wolves. Vicky's heart dropped to her feet.
"Please… please… I don't have money—" she begged.
The suited man spoke again.
"No, dear," he said casually while opening the food package.
"They aren't here for money."
He picked up a koeksister and took a bite.
"But for you to kill them."
Vicky blinked in confusion.
"What?"
Before she could react—
A fist slammed into her jaw.
Pain exploded across her face.
She collapsed as the men surrounded her.
They kicked her. Punched her. Beat her while she cried and begged for mercy.
The suited man sat comfortably, eating the koeksister.
"Oh," he said happily between bites. "This is delicious."
He laughed quietly as the men continued beating her.
***
Night fell.
Vicky still hadn't returned.
Tonia paced nervously while Evan stood near the door.
"Maybe she stopped somewhere," Tonia said, trying to calm herself.
"It's almost eight," Evan snapped. "She left at two-thirty."
His eyes darkened.
"If anything happened to my sister, Tonia… I will forget you were ever a family friend."
Tonia froze. Her hand instinctively moved to her small baby bump. Evan was furious.
Then—
A knock. Evan rushed to the door and opened it.
Vicky stood there. Perfectly fine.
Smiling.
Evan pulled her into a tight hug.
"Okay, bud," she laughed. "I can't breathe."
He stepped back.
Tonia stared at her in disbelief.
"What happened? We were worried sick!"
"Oh, I'm sorry," Vicky said casually. "I went to buy dinner for us. The payment was good, and there was a long line at the drive-through."
She placed the takeout bags on the table.
"I'm sorry if I scared you."
Relief washed over them. Their fear disappeared instantly.
Then the television interrupted with breaking news.
The city police commissioner appeared on the screen, standing in front of a house surrounded by flashing police cars.
"…The city is implementing a curfew as the killings continue to rise," the mayor announced.
"Earlier today the vigilante struck again. Six known criminals were found dead inside this house."
"The property had CCTV cameras, but the footage was mysteriously deleted."
Vicky stared at the screen in shock.
"I just delivered there," she said almost sarcastically.
Evan turned to look at her.
For just a second—
He could swear he saw a strange grin flash across her face.
A grin that was both unfamiliar and terrifyingly familiar.