Deadly Echoes: The Bloody Tulip – Part 15

In “Lethal Blooms,” a chilling revelation on the UGC podcast shattered Olivia’s world, forcing her to confront her darkest fears about those closest to her. A frenzied phone call brought momentary relief, but beneath the surface, something sinister was taking root. As thunder clouds gathered overhead, an innocuous flower bore witness to mounting tensions, while whispered secrets and surgical precision painted a macabre portrait of the Bloody Tulip’s latest masterpiece. The truth about Dr. Ayuna Hartman seemed to dance just beyond Olivia’s grasp, each revelation more disturbing than the last. With time running out and shadows lengthening, Olivia found herself racing toward a meeting that could either illuminate the darkness or plunge her deeper into a labyrinth of deadly deception. In the distance, a Queen of the Night tulip unfurled its petals, heralding the approach of something far more terrifying than even Olivia could imagine.

Lingering Questions

Gabriel stared at his phone, Olivia’s strange behavior weighing heavily on his mind. First Ayuna’s midnight departure, now Olivia’s frantic call – the women in his life seemed to be dancing around some secret he couldn’t grasp.

“What the hell is going on?” he muttered, running a hand through his locs. The morning sunlight streaming through his kitchen window felt deceptively peaceful, at odds with the growing unease in his gut.

He replayed Olivia’s words in his head: “Thank God you’re okay.” The relief in her voice had been palpable, raw. And then there was Ayuna, fleeing his apartment in the middle of the night, tears streaming down her face, those cryptic words still echoing: “I have to leave before you get hurt.”

Gabriel set his coffee mug down harder than intended, the liquid sloshing against the sides. “I feel like I’m the only one missing something here. Why are the two of them acting so weird?”

The iPad lay untouched on his counter, news headlines blurring on the screen as his mind wandered back to the events of the previous night. Something was terribly wrong, but he couldn’t piece it together. Not yet.

The Night Before

12 Hours Earlier

Gabriel stood in the hallway outside his apartment, still processing Ayuna’s abrupt departure. The echo of her footsteps had long faded, but her words lingered in the air like poison: “I have to leave before you get hurt.” He leaned against the wall, the texture of the aged wallpaper rough against his bare shoulder, his thin t-shirt offering little protection against the pre-dawn chill.

“Get hurt?” he whispered to the empty corridor. “What the hell does that mean?”

His mind replayed their evening together – the candles, the massage, the passionate intimacy – searching for any sign, any clue that might explain her sudden terror. Everything had been perfect until that nightmare seized her. What could have frightened her so deeply?

Gabriel pushed himself off the wall and began pacing, his bare feet silent against the worn carpet. Three steps one way, three steps back, a caged tiger in his own hallway. The building creaked and settled around him, its aging frame speaking in groans and whispers. A door slammed somewhere below, the sound echoing up the stairwell like a gunshot.

He paused at his apartment door, hand resting on the knob, wondering if he should go after her. But something in her eyes when she left – a wild, haunted look – told him that following her now would only make things worse. Whatever demons she was wrestling with, she needed space to fight them.

“First the strange behavior at dinner, now this,” he muttered, lowering his face into his palm in mild frustration. “And Olivia’s been acting weird too, asking all those questions about Ayuna’s past…”

The sound of footsteps on the stairs interrupted his thoughts. Gabriel straightened, suddenly aware of his disheveled appearance – wrinkled t-shirt, sweatpants, bare feet. He relaxed when he saw Victor’s familiar face appear from around the corner at the top of the stairs, still in his police uniform after a long night shift.

The Hunter’s Approach

Unknown to Gabriel, Dima watched from her parked car as Ayuna fled the building. Her fingers traced the outline of the syringe in her pocket, her breath quickening with anticipation. The tranquilizer was precisely measured – just enough to sedate a man of Gabriel’s size. Her other pocket held her prized set of surgical scalpels, their familiar weight both comforting and exciting.

She watched Ayuna’s car disappear around the corner, satisfaction blooming in her chest. “Perfect timing,” she whispered, excitement and contempt mingling in her voice. Her hand trembled slightly as she opened her car door – not from fear, but from the intoxicating rush of what was to come.

The night air was cool against her skin as she approached Gabriel’s building, each step bringing her closer to her goal. In her mind, she could already see it: Gabriel’s unconscious form, her scalpel gliding through flesh with surgical precision, Ayuna finally understanding that they belonged together. Her heart pounded with an almost sexual thrill.

The stairwell door opened silently under her touch. One flight up, then another. But as she reached the second-floor landing, voices drifted down from above. Dima froze, then quickly retreated into the shadows of the stairwell.

“Hey Gabriel, wat are you doing up so early?” The voice was unfamiliar, carrying the weight of authority.

“Long story honestly.” Gabriel’s voice. Dima’s fingers tightened around the syringe. “How are you doing man, just coming in from work?”

“Yeah brother, long night.” The first voice again, tired but alert.

“I hear you. By the way, Argentina and Canada are playing tonight for Copa. Feel like grabbing a drink and catching the game?”

Dima pressed herself against the wall as footsteps approached the stairwell. Sticking her head around the corner, she caught a glimpse of Gabriel standing with a middle-aged Hispanic man wearing a police uniform. Both men turned suddenly toward the stairs, Dima ducking back into the shadows, holding her breath.

“Did you hear something?” the officer asked.

“Probably just the building settling, Victor. These places make all kinds of noise in the silence of the night.”

Dima’s jaw clenched as she realized her opportunity was slipping away. Too risky now. Not with a cop living next door. She descended the stairs silently, rage and frustration building with each step.

The Perfect Stand-in

Marcus Johnson walked with a slight spring in his step despite his tipsiness. The week had been hell at the Marketing Agency, with two major projects falling apart and his boss breathing down his neck. But tomorrow would be better. Tomorrow was Friday, and next week held the promise of fresh starts and new beginnings.

He fumbled with his keys, cursing softly as they slipped from his fingers. “Get it together, Marc,” he scolded himself. Perhaps that last whiskey had been a mistake. As he bent to retrieve them, destiny – in the form of a stunning woman – quite literally crashed into him.

Her touch lingered on his chest, and Marcus felt his luck changing already. She was gorgeous – high cheekbones, penetrating eyes, and a smile that seemed to hold secrets. After the week he’d had, running into someone like her felt like the universe finally throwing him a bone.

Oh! I’m so sorry,” she exclaimed, steadying herself against his chest. Her hand lingered there, feeling his heart beating beneath her palm. Soon, she thought, that heart would be hers.d

“No worries,” he smiled, his eyes warming as they took her in. “I wasn’t exactly walking straight anyway.” he heard himself say, internally wincing at the admission. But her responding laugh was warm, inviting.

“Long night?” Dima asked, letting a flirtatious note creep into her voice.

“Yeah, just needed to blow off some steam. Work’s been crazy.” He paused, swaying slightly.

As they talked, Marcus’s spirit lifted further. Maybe this horrible week would end on a high note after all. He’d been feeling lonely lately, missing real connections in the city. Something about this woman felt different – dangerous in an exciting way, like standing at the edge of a cliff and feeling the urge to jump.

“Hey, I was just going to have a nightcap. Would you like to join me?”

“Yeah, sure. I’ll come up for a drink,” she purred, and Marcus’s heart skipped a beat.

“Ok, perfect. My building is actually across the street, but parking is horrible this time of night. My friend lives here. Let’s go, it’s a short walk,” he said, already imagining the possibilities the night might hold. Tomorrow would be better indeed, he thought, unaware that tomorrow would never come.

Echoes of Violence

Present Day

Ayuna’s hands shook as she turned up the volume on her car’s stereo, the UGC podcast hosts’ voices filling the space.

“…the wound pattern matches a very specific surgical technique. Our expert says it’s the kind of precision you’d see from a highly skilled cardiothoracic surgeon.”

Ice flooded Ayuna’s veins as the hosts described the victim. Black male, athletic build, locs – it couldn’t be. She fumbled for her phone, nearly dropping it twice before managing to dial Gabriel’s number.

“Hello?” His voice, warm and alive, sent relief coursing through her body.

“Gabriel! Are you okay?”

“Okay, what is going on?” Gabriel’s confusion was evident. “First Olivia calls in a panic, now you. Did something happen that I should know about?”

Ayuna closed her eyes, fighting back tears. “No, I just… I needed to hear your voice.”

“Ayuna, you’re worrying me. First last night, now this. What’s really going on?”

“I can’t… I can’t explain right now. Just promise me you’ll be careful, okay?”

After ending the call, Ayuna sat in her parked car, the reality of the situation crashing down on her. She knew that signature, knew those precise cuts. Dima was getting closer, more bold. The substitute victim was a message – a preview of what she planned for Gabriel.

“I won’t let her hurt you,” Ayuna whispered, her fingers gripping the steering wheel until her knuckles turned white. “Even if it means becoming the monster she wants me to be.” She stared at her reflection in the rearview mirror, wondering if she would recognize herself after what needed to be done. Sometimes, she realized, protecting the ones we love requires embracing the darkness we fear most in ourselves.

» Part 16 is on the way, but are you ready? Truth will bleed from unexpected wounds.

In the gathering darkness, three paths converge in a deadly dance. Frederico’s revelations expose the Bloody Tulip’s chilling European origins, while a pattern of dual killers emerges from the past. As Gabriel senses watchful eyes in every corner, Ayuna’s desperate measures push her past the point of no return. A blood-stained tulip marks the beginning of a sisterly reunion that will paint sterile halls crimson. 12/1 – When surgical precision runs in the family, no scalpel cuts deeper than betrayal.

Subscribe now. Some secrets are written in blood – this one’s about to spill over.