GAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
I clutch my neck in desperation. Nothing. No blood. No wound.
So why is it hard to breathe?
Hah… hah… hah…
Why?
Why?
Tears fill my eyes before I can stop myself.
Hick… hick…
Pathetic.
You're pathetic, Felix.
I was a bit late getting up this morning.
There are two people in the lobby.
They're loud.
One is Mary. She's something like a property manager, but she acts like a building grandmother, more than anything.
The other, Linda, is another tenant. We've never spoken before.
The older woman glances over with wrinkled eyes. With an expanding smile, she calls to me.
"Good morning, Felix! We were just talking about you! Thank you so much for helping me with those boxes the other day!"
So, she says...
I raise the corners of my mouth, and squint my eyes.
"No problem. I'm always happy to help!"
Linda's eyebrows raise.
"You're a polite one, huh?"
Do I look like I'd be rude?
If I had to describe the woman in front of me in one word.
I'd say tired.
The bags under her eyes point a picture of exhaustion.
"Um… what was your name, again?"
She clears her throat, a bit embarrassed.
"Oh, right… I'm Linda. I'm your neighbor… or something… it's nice to meet you."
I respond with an earnest smile.
"Yeah, you seem nice. I need to get going to school. I'll see you two later."
Mary smiles at me.
"Have a nice day!"
I'll try to…
So, genius, what's the plan?
Police?
'Hey there, officers! Someone's trying to kill me!'
'OH! Of course! That makes sense, you're a VIP, so that makes sense! Don't worry, we'll protect you!'
Amazing!
No thanks. I don't feel like dealing with my uncle.
So, should I deal with the car, or the knife?
It's the same guy, isn't it? They sound similar. They're clearly both trying to kill me.
So, they must be the same guy. Probably.
Why is he after me anyway? I don't remember doing anything to make someone want me dead.
Does the reason matter?
Maybe it's to get to my uncle? He is a detective.
He's not exactly likable. He probably has people that hate him.
Unlikely.
Not many people know that we're related. We don't exactly interact.
What else is there?
Dammit.
I'll just take a different route home.
5:45pm. That's about forty minutes after I normally get home, but oh well. A bit of an inconvenience is better than dying, right?
I pull the door handle.
Locked.
"Hm… I wonder why it's locked… is someone trying to ambush me or something?"
Real funny…
My hands are shaking here, give me a break…
He's nearby. Only him.
I only hear him.
I break away from the door in a brisk walk.
I don't look back. I don't need to.
It'll be okay.
Relax…
Calm down.
If he catches you, he'll only stab you. No big deal.
No biggie…
Yup.
I DON'T WANT TO GET STABBED!
"Hah… hah… hah!"
My feet bash into the ground. The force pushing me forward.
I hear the claps of my feet. Each one.
I sprint right into an alley.
I back myself into a corner. Nowhere to run.
His shadow envelops the place. He walks like a zombie, covering the only exit.
"P-please… why are you doing this?!"
I can't see his expression.
"Die… die."
You're really… one note, I see
"Somebody! Help!"
My cries go unanswered.
The sound of his boots hitting the pavement.
I'm too aware of it now.
The hairs on body stand on end, chills run down my spine.
See… now why am I so scared? It's not like I'm going to die…
They should be any second now…
"Die… die."
He's two arm's length away…
Closer.
He's getting closer.
"G-guys? You can come out now…"
Another.
"GUYS?!"
Those bastards!
"Shut up, kid. You're too loud."
A big man's deep voice bellows from the shadows. I see his rounded silhouette, even in the dark.
Man, how did I miss him? He's like… really hard to miss.
Like, he is a massive target.
Like, a really, really big one.
Like, really. He's extremely fat.
He blows smoke in our direction, before tossing the cigarette to the ground.
His fingers are like sausages, much larger than the cigarettes he smokes.
The hooded man looks back, before turning back towards me.
To me?
Don't you have other things to worry about?!
He flies off the ground.
"GAHHHHHH! SAVE ME!"
Tubby shoots forward faster than I'd expect… considering his… build.
I blink, and the hooded man is on the ground.
YES! I'm alive!
Tubby kicks the man in the stomach.
"Don't!"
Another…
"Ignore!"
Again.
"Me!"
I could've sworn I heard a crack…
Tubby's violence is met with nothing except the chuckles of his two friends…
Scary…
I should… go…
As I try to sneak away, the scariest of the trio grabs my shoulder.
"Where do you think you're going?"
Worth a try…
I spit out my bad excuse with a nervous grin.
"Oh, right… I forgot…"
I hand him the money I promised him.
Dyed hair counts the cash, before waving his hand and turning back towards Tubby… who's currently wailing on the curled-up man…
"Sure, whatever."
…It's none of my business anymore.
He would've killed me, being hit a bit is less than he deserves.
Man… I just want this day to end…
The door is still locked... of course.
I'll just call Mary.
Buuuuung… Buuuuuuung
Seriously…
Buuuuuung… Buuuuuung
"haaa…"
I hang up.
Where is everyone? I don't see, or even hear anyone…
As I'm thinking this, Mary comes and unlocks the door from inside. In the dark?
With her bad eyes?
Why is she looking at me like that?
All quiet like that…
Her face hardly moves as she starts talking.
"Come… in"
…
Yeah… I really shouldn't, should I?
She was probably the one that locked the door earlier… she's the only one with the keys…
And she's in the dark…
It's like… she's comically suspicious…
But…
I don't exactly have anywhere else to go…
Whatever.
I beam at her.
"Thank you! How was your day?"
She gives me a blank look, and doesn't respond.
Rude…
I make a show of looking around the whole room.
"Where is everyone? It's oddly quiet right now, isn't it?"
I add with a chuckle
"Did you scare everyone off?"
"…"
Wow.
Fine then! Ignore me! It doesn't hurt my feelings or anything!
I go up to my apartment. Fourth floor. I still don't hear anyone.
Just… faint static…
I have a bad feeling. Should I leave?
No… she might have prepared something to attack me with by now.
One I get inside my apartment; I put a chair to block the door. That'll probably be enough.
What if it isn't though?
Talking to yourself again? Wow… how… healthy.
Whatever.
It'll all be back to normal tomorrow. I'll go to sleep, then I can apologize to Ethan for earlier… He tried to invite me out and everything… I shouldn't have ignored him like that.
I lay down on my bed. It's soft.
My sweet mother's embrace is here once again.
I love this comforter, more than anything.
That's… really sad now that I think about it.
Oh well!
Is something… burning?