Chapter Text
There are ten more minutes left of my general psych class, and I cannot wait for it to be over. I sigh and stretch my legs out, deciding to leave my lecture early and return to my apartment. I pack my things and walk out of class, happy to finally feel the sunshine on my face once again after a full day of classes. I have a full day of work ahead of me; it will be more exhausting after a full day of classes. Thinking about working the graveyard shift makes my stomach lurch, it is truly the most dreadful shift of the day. I look down to scroll through Twitter while I walk, looking for any news of the killer ghoul on the loose. My phone lights up with a message;
Sarah <3: That weirdo is following me again. I have my fucking pepper spray, but it still doesn’t ease my mind.
Me: do you want me to meet u?
Sarah <3: If you don’t mind, I’m at Starbucks.
Me: on my way :)
I sigh and close my messages. That killer has been on the hunt for the past year and a half in my town but still hasn’t been caught, keeping everyone on edge constantly. Sarah, especially, has been on edge. The kind of anxiety that makes you paranoid and sick to your stomach every day. Her therapist tried to medicate her, but she refused because ‘it might make her less aware.’ Poor Sarah has been getting these strange calls just about every week, a rough voice of a man on the other end of the line, always asking the most absurd questions. She won’t tell me what he says, but I’m always with her when she gets the calls. She turns pale and I can tell by the look on her face that it shakes her to her very core. Sarah and I have a prime suspect in mind, an "alpha” (his words, not mine) in most of my classes studying forensics. Studying something like forensics would make you even more suspicious. He always stares at me, no matter where I sit in my lectures. He is notorious for hating women, and even more, notably violent. I believe we’re on the right track, but one can never be too sure. The smell of coffee beans and pastries fills my nose as I get closer to Starbucks, looking for Sarah through the windows. I see her smile and wave, and I walk to her table and take a seat.
“Sorry, I was so nervous. He’s still in here” Sarah leans in and whispers, laughing nervously while she does.
“Nah, no worries. I’m scared of him too” I say, trying to be as reassuring as possible.
She smiles, “Okay, you ready to head back?”
“Mhm” I smile.
Sarah and I stand and begin our walk back to our apartment, his eyes following us all the way out of the door. Chills run up and down my spine as I feel his cold gaze, a knot begins to form in my stomach. The feeling could mean one of two things: he is the murderer, and my gut is telling me so, or I’ve become just as paranoid as Sarah. The thought of living in fear of a man pisses me off, so I try my best to stop thinking about it. I make small talk with Sarah while we walk, asking about her day and her boyfriend (soon to be fiancé). The proposal is a secret. The ring is huge and beautiful, which I know sounds vain, but I know it will make Sarah especially happy. I hope that once he proposes, Sarah might ease up a bit, especially since he’ll be moving in. It will be nice to have a man around the house, it might even ease my anxiety a bit. Seeing the door of our apartment immediately relaxes me, mind and body. I think about how it will feel to lay on my bed after work tonight. I sigh and smile, the thought enough to make me sleepy. After we get home, I put my things on the counter and walk into my room, getting ready for work. I grab my headset and head out to my car, driving to the call center where I will spend the next twelve hours.
Hi, everyone! Since this is my first work, let me know if you want to hear more! :)
- Author