T.H.R.E.E

FREYA___03

*

*

Even as several weeks slowly went by, the mysterious incident continued to linger in my mind, I was going crazy thinking about it. 

Who cleared the evidence of the accident? And why? 

How could the police even not know about it? They had their CCTV across almost every street. 

The more I thought about it, the more complicated the whole issue was. 

"And that's all for today! You have until next week to submit your projects!" The professor's voice broke into my thoughts.  

I gathered my books and other of my writing materials, too absent-minded to exchange any pleasantries with my coursemates. 

I walked out of the lecture hall, to the park across where Darla and I had both agreed to meet.  Her car was there, but when I looked around, she was nowhere in sight. 

I spotted a black BMW on the opposite side of the road the strange feeling I'd been getting for these past few days returned. 

Goosebumps crept to my neck as I turned around in vain to find the secret eyes watching me.  Was this the same car I had seen opposite my apartment just last week?

The thought that I probably have a stalker was enough to creep me out. 

To know that someone was out there, watching___ Waiting___

A hand from behind touched my shoulders and I half-screamed, jerking around only to find Darla. "What did you do that for " I yelled angrily, my reaction seemed to confuse her. I nearly started to cry, I was tired of being so tensed and filled with suspicion.

"I'm sorry! I didn't know you would get so rattled, you were just staring around, so..." She started, her eyes widening when she saw me blinking back tears. 

"Geez, are you alright? You look so pale, you're not sick, are you?" Her palm lifted to touch my forehead. 

"I'm f__fine!" I exhaled shakily, she was still watching me closely, not buying my response. 

"I've noticed that you've seemed distracted for more than a week,  you act all different, it's as if I'm living with a completely different person, I thought that it may be because of your upcoming exams, but that doesn't seem to be it. What is really going on?" 

"I'm fine! There's nothing wrong!" I spoke but she waved it off with a flick of her hands.

"You are not fine! You barely even talk to me now, you're always wanting to be on your own, I also noticed that you don't even talk to Ethan either. I feel so bad as your friend knowing you can't confide your troubles to me, it makes me feel useless." 

I sighed inwardly, guilt overwhelmed me when I saw her sad expression.

I hadn't told her everything that happened that night, I only told her that we escaped an accident but not the surrounding details of it. 

"I don't know, I just get the feeling that something bad is going to happen to me."

I'm scared___

That someone is after me, watching me__ I'm so afraid that I can't sleep well at night without dreaming of the accident, I didn't say these thoughts aloud.

" Why do you say that? You have to tell me, I have to be able to help you!" She urged. 

My phone vibrated, interrupting whatever I was about to say. 

A scowl formed on my face when I saw it was Ethan's name displayed on the screen. 

We've not spoken to each other since the day I left his house, why was he calling me now?

I bit my bottom lip still contemplating when Darla suddenly snatched the phone from my hand. 

"I knew it! It had to be a relationship problem! You followed Ethan home the other day, are you guys dating now? Oh God did you two fight? Is that what your mood is about?"

I tried to collect my phone but she held it high above her head. 

"Not until you spill everything! Why didn't you tell me that you both got together? Did you both quarrel?" She spoke again and I snapped at her irritation. 

"There's nothing between me and him! We are not in any kind of relationship, can you just stop talking about him?"

I was still tensed by the thought of someone following me, talks about Ethan surely didn't help. 

She gave me a long stare as though trying to figure out why I just yelled. 

I sighed quietly, she wasn't to be blamed for anything, I shouldn't take out my frustrations on her.

"I'm sorry__ I didn't mean to shout, how about I tell you everything when we get back to the house?"

"You better!" She handed my phone back to me. 

It already stopped ringing. I tossed it inside my bag.

I guess I would never know what Ethan had to say because I had no intentions of calling him back. 

*

*

I ended up telling Darla everything about the accident, even the part where Ethan had assaulted me. 

She had burned with rage, wanting me to call the cops on him, I had barely managed to stop her from storming to his house to confront him.

She also thought that it was weird that Ethan's car was missing. She strongly believed that he had lied to me or something and had advised me to go to the police if I really felt that someone was after me. 

I had no intent to, at least not yet. 

I mean, I wasn't fully sure if someone was really after me or if I was just being paranoid. 

After speaking to my parents shortly on the phone, I headed to work.

I didn't think there was any need to tell them what happened, they would only get worried and Dad's high blood pressure has been worsening lately. 

Working in the restaurant was exhausting as usual, by 10 pm, my shift was finally over. I tiredly changed my outfit. 

"See you tomorrow!" I waved to my colleagues, walking outside. 

The gentle breeze blew across my face and hair, it was already late in the night but people still walked in the streets, and few cars were passing by.

I've never had a problem returning home by myself after work before, but this night, I was feeling very anxious. 

I should probably take a taxi but my house was only a five minutes walk from here. 

My eyes surveyed the street, there wasn't anything weird, it looked all the same, why couldn't I get over the frightening feeling of being watched? 

Would the incident haunt me for life?  I felt my cell phone vibrate in my purse.  It was a message from Darla.

"Are you okay? where are you right now? Have you reached home? Your boss' said you already left. Love ya" 

I also saw on my screen that I had more than seven missed calls. One from my mom and six from Ethan. 

What was his problem? 

"I'm fine, I'm already on the way." I hit the send button to reply to Darla when my phone blinked with a new message.  

"Freya! Where the hell are you?! For god's sake answer the call! It's urgent." The text read. 

It was from Ethan. 

I blew out an annoyed breath, about to insert my phone into my pocket when it vibrated again. 

"They are after me right now! You have to escape! " The message sent a shiver of fear traveling down my spine. 

"Run."

That was the end of the text.

All the hairs on my body stood in alarm. 

Who was after him? 

I glanced around the dark street, fear made my legs stagger.

My fingers shook as I started to dial his number. 

It was unreachable. 

I did the only thing I could think of. 

Run!

I was running as fast as I could, I had to get home first. 

Then, I would call the police. 

I was breathless and tired by the time I got to our apartment. 

I pounded heavily on the door, then shoved it open. 

It easily gave way much to my relief, and I entered inside. 

I didn't bother to turn on the lights as I searched for Darla while panting heavily. 

If I hadn't been in such a panicked state, I would have remembered that Darla was spending the night at her boyfriend's place.  The door should never have been opened. 

I heard noises coming from the bedroom, thinking it had to be Darla, I raced towards the room.

"Darla! Someone is after me, I think they got Ethan!" I pushed the door open. 

A startling cry escaped my mouth when I met a giant figure instead of Darla. There were no lights to see his face. 

The shock held me paralyzed for the shortest seconds. 

I took a step backward.

Then another. 

I was just starting to run when a giant arm, caught my arms, roughly shoving me against the floor.

"Who are you? Let me go!" I screamed when he tackled me against the floor.

"No no no no!" I struggled with my legs and arms, hitting and biting every part of the giant I could come across. 

Unfortunately, it didn't seem to affect him in the least bit.  

My breath was snatched from me when a heavy blow connected to my head. I screamed in pain causing my movements to cease. 

I was barely catching my breath and recovering from the horrible pain when a sharp object pierced my neck.

Numbness flooded through my body, I wanted to scream, beg, fight, just to do anything at all, but I couldn't. 

I was paralyzed. 

The darkness was rapidly starting to envelop me.  

The last thing I heard before the world went completely dark was a deep gruff voice saying.

"Boss, the job is done, I've got her."