Alyx had arrived in the largest metropolitan area of London. It was still summer. The air felt warm. For most people, this was the season to relax and have fun, but Alyx chose to head straight back to the flat she had been living in for about two years. She liked this place—with its serviced apartment concept, she felt she could get any facility or help she might need.
"Alyx, you're back." Indah's warm smile greeted her immediately. Indah, an Indonesian woman married to a British man, had been living here longer than Alyx. Alyx paused before stepping inside. "How was Indonesia?"
"Not bad," Alyx murmured, shrugging lightly.
"Ah, you must be really tired. I won't bother you. But…" Indah trailed off, showing an uneasy smile.
Alyx, who had just been about to step inside, stopped. "What is it?"
Indah's eyes widened slightly. "A few days ago, two men came looking for you."
"Looking for me?" Alyx raised an eyebrow.
"I asked what they wanted, but they didn't answer. They didn't seem like good people. You're not in trouble with anyone like that, right?" Indah asked, wanting to be sure.
"No. I don't think I've ever borrowed money from them," Alyx said with a small laugh. "Thanks for the information." She stepped inside first.
Alyx placed her handbag, which contained her camera equipment, and carefully stored her backpack in a safe place.
"Who were they?" she wondered to herself, then concluded she had no idea who had come to her apartment. She decided not to think about it further. If it was important, they would come back.
After unpacking her things, hunger hit her. She decided to go out and buy groceries.
"Miss Alexandra, there are a lot of letters that arrived while you were away," said Jane, who usually accompanied Tom—the flat's receptionist—in handling calls.
"Really? Where's Tom? This is the first time I haven't seen him here." Alyx glanced at the letters and put them back down.
"He hasn't been here for a week. He said he had a small matter to take care of."
Alyx hummed softly. "Hmm, alright. I'll pick them up later. I need to go to the supermarket first."
Jane nodded.
Alyx only needed to walk to reach the supermarket where she usually bought her daily necessities.
"What should I buy?" she asked herself while walking with long strides. "No… no…" she quickly dismissed the thought of buying instant food.
She carried a basket to the cashier, paid, and left the supermarket. Alyx stopped about three meters from the parking area after stepping outside. She turned around, making sure.
It felt like someone was following her—or maybe it was just her imagination. But in a big city like this, nothing could be ruled out.
Or maybe someone really was after her life.
Alyx smiled at the thought. Considering she wasn't an important person, she probably shouldn't worry about something like that. She quickened her pace after her stomach growled for the third time.
She carried three shopping bags back to the apartment.
"Jane, where are the letters?"
Jane handed her a stack of envelopes in various shapes and colors. "A man just delivered this," Jane said, pointing to an envelope placed at the very top.
"Thanks, Jane."
After locking the door to her flat, Alyx placed the letters on the table and headed to the kitchen, putting groceries into the refrigerator while storing the rest in the cupboard. She hadn't planned to buy instant food like noodles, but she figured she might need it—like now.
Alyx put the noodles into boiling water, then sat by the counter next to the electric stove, stirring an egg she had just cracked in. For her, noodles were always something to consider as a quick meal. Once cooked, she took a bowl and ate in front of the TV.
After slurping the long strands a few times, she finished. She set the bowl aside and pulled her legs up onto the chair. In the middle of watching TV, her eyes fell on the letters placed beside a magazine.
Alyx went through them, reading the sender names on each envelope. None caught her interest—except one without a sender's name. Only her name was written there: Alexandra. The envelope was white, too plain if it had come from a fan. Usually, fans of her photography sent letters in special envelopes. So it was certain—this wasn't from a fan.
The handwriting was the same on each envelope, making Alyx sure they all came from the same person. And since there were six of them, it seemed the sender had mailed them during the days she was leaving for Indonesia.
Alyx opened one immediately.
"Ha, what is this?" There was only a single sentence on the paper. She tossed it onto the table and opened another. Again, just one short sentence.
"Are you home now? Turn on your phone immediately."
"Yeah, I'm here," Alyx answered casually.
"I heard you were leaving? Don't go."
She set it aside.
"This is the fifth day. I hope you've returned."
Alyx sped up, opening the rest.
"You're back?"
That sentence again.
She examined all the letters and tried arranging them. "This must be before I left… and then this… right?" she muttered to herself. "Fifth day… and turn on your phone."
Alyx stood and walked to her bedroom, grabbing her smartphone that had been charging. "Fully charged." She picked it up, staring at it.
"It seems like this person knows I've returned." She hesitated. Should she turn it on now or just leave it?
"I'll just turn it on. Even if it's some kind of magic, that person won't crawl out of my phone."
She switched it on and waited. Nothing happened.
"What does it mean? Did they want to send something? Ugh… this is confusing. Forget it." Alyx stood, picking up her bowl and glass.
She nearly dropped the glass when the doorbell rang.
Alyx quickly walked to the main door and opened it. A wide smile formed on her face.
"Michi, you're here."
"Looks like you really missed her," said the man holding Michi, smiling.
Alyx took Michi, who immediately seemed to recognize her owner's arms and meowed loudly.
"Thank you for taking care of her," Alyx said, taking the carrier. "Ah, your belly's bigger—have you been eating a lot?" She stroked Michi's stomach and carried her to the sofa.
In the middle of playing, Michi seemed more interested in the papers on the table—just like her owner, who had been thinking about the sender of those letters. Maybe the person had sent them as a warning about some danger ahead. But nothing had happened… so what did it all mean?
Moments later, the phone receiver was pressed to her ear.
"Hello," a man's voice answered.
"Tom, you're back. It's me, Alyx."
"What is it, Miss?"
"Can you connect me to Jane? I want to ask her something."
"I told her to leave… I mean, she's not here right now. What's wrong?" Tom's tone shifted slightly.
"You probably don't know about this—Jane said you weren't here for a week either. But can you guess who sent these letters?"
"Letters?"
"Yes. I don't think a mailman would deliver letters without a clear sender. My name's the only thing written on them. Maybe someone delivered them personally."
Silence.
"Maybe. Can I see them?"
"It's not that important, Tom."
"Letters without a sender?" he asked.
"Yes, those."
Another pause.
"Probably just someone messing around, Miss. Did they say anything strange?"
"No. It's more like… a warning."
"Ah," Tom seemed to realize something, "maybe it really is that kind of person."
"You know them?"
"I know a lot of people who like to do things like that."
"Hmm… alright. I'll ask Jane when she's back."
Alyx ended the call.
"Why am I acting like a detective?" she muttered, glancing at Michi who had already fallen asleep beside her. "I should just rest."
*