I Won't Be A Murder Victim (Again)!

Who would have expected him to run back home after a month and tell our parents that I was the corrupting influence who dragged him out with me when I ran away?In response, my parents locked me in a small storeroom for a month.I thought that was the worst of his behavior. But this time? This time he managed to sic a murderer on me. Me, the one who cooked for him and took care of him when he refused to find a job after graduating from college. Me.And this was my reward?I clenched my fist, bitterness tightening my chest.The corridor remained silent. I slipped out my phone and called Chad.The live comments flooded the screen.[What's he doing? Is he going to call his brother and warn him?][You can't even save yourself. Stop wasting time on him and save yourself!][You're not Naruto. You can't Talk No Jutsu this guy into becoming good. No wonder he's died so many times before. He's too dumb to live.][No. Do society a favor and let that asshole die. The world will thank yo

Teddy stopped about six feet away, picked up the phone I had dropped when I ran out of the elevator, and switched it to speaker.Chad's grating voice cracked through the line. "Why the hell did you call Mom and Dad, J? What the hell? Can't you help me out for once? God, you're already in your 20s. Stop acting like some snitching kid."If he had been standing in front of me, I would have ripped those words straight out of his mouth. How could he say any of that after siccing me on a murderer who was coming for him?The comments began to roll in.[He's doing this on purpose!][He called J so the killer would find J and go after him instead!][What the hell is wrong with this psycho?!]I forced myself to calm down. I clamped a hand over my mouth to keep even the smallest sound from escaping.Teddy toyed with his knife in silence while Chad continued, "By the way, remember the basement parking lot? You can escape from there. I bet Teddy doesn't even know that."The comment section

This apartment was new. There were not many residents yet, damn it. At this rate, I had only a few minutes left to figure something out.I watched him step onto the fourth floor, then ran up the stairs as fast as I could, keeping my footsteps as quiet as possible.I made it back to the eighth floor and knocked on the door of my unit.No sound came from inside. I leaned close to the door and whispered, "Hurry up and open the door, Chad. It's me, your brother. Let me in."After a long pause, Chad's shaky voice came through. "N-No way, J. I'm sorry, but I'm too scared to do that for you."I forced my rage down. "Listen. Do you really think he'll let you off the hook just because he got to kill me? He's locking every damn floor on his way up, Chad. After he kills me, he'll wait right outside until you step out."Trust me. He'll camp here. Unless you can stay inside forever, one day you'll have to open this door, and he'll lunge at you. So let's give ourselves a fighting chance. Let m

I dove into the elevator and jabbed the close button while glancing over my shoulder.There was still no sign of Teddy. I let out a slow breath.The doors slid together, almost shut, until a hand shot between them and forced them back open.I pressed myself into the corner and shook like a leaf. Had Teddy finally caught up with me? Was this the end? I had not heard the emergency stairwell door open.I looked again. It was a stranger.Relief washed over me. With someone else inside, Teddy would not dare try anything. I was safe for now.As the doors closed, I hurried to the man and grabbed his wrist. "T-There's a murderer in the apartment. You've g-gotta help me. He's after me. H-He took my phone. Please, let me use yours so I can call the cops."He stared at me, clearly startled. After a moment, he nodded and handed over his phone.I thanked him and tried to make the call.There was no signal. The elevator blocked everything, so I would have to wait until we got out.The ride

Was I trapped inside the car like this? Yes.Did that mean the man could not get in? Yes.Unfortunately, he stroked the window and cackled. "Did you think this was enough to stop me?"He lifted his wrench and prepared to smash the glass.Suddenly, footsteps echoed through the parking lot. It was Teddy, the first murderer. He must have unlocked the entrance gate and come down to the basement to look for me.Any hope I still had drained away. I bit my lip in despair.What the hell was wrong with my luck? How had I run into two killers in a single night?A thought struck me. I shoved the key back into the ignition, drew a steady breath, and flashed the car's high beams, flooding the lot with light and exposing Teddy's face.I curled into the fetal position on the driver's seat, keeping low and perfectly still. All I could hear was my own heartbeat.[The killers have seen each other?! Are they going to duel for their prey?!][The strongest killer from a few hours ago versus the s