Page 29 of My Turn

Erebus:I thought you were a clever fox.

Alana:What does that even mean?

Erebus:It’s your move, Alana.

Alana:What will you do if I don’t listen to you?

Erebus:Telling you would ruin the fun.

Tears pricked my eyes. I felt trapped in this decision. Going to the police was something I needed to do. His threats were a double-edged sword. They made it even more necessary but also made me afraid of what would happen if I didn’t comply. I wasn’t dumb enough to trust that the police could protect me or the others from him. It was a better chance than I had against him myself, though.

I stepped out of the car and headed straight for the entrance. At least in this place, he couldn’t try to hurt me. There were dozens of people with guns in here. When I left, though, it was a different story.

*****

I woke up feeling just as groggy as I had the past few days. This time, it wasn’t because of alcohol. I might have slept better if I got drunk, actually. Instead, I saw blue Xs every time I closed my eyes. I couldn’t relax all night and found myself looking out each of the windows at intervals, but he hadn’t been there.

It should’ve made me feel better. It absolutely did not.

Yesterday, I went against his wishes. His absence felt more like the calm before the storm.

Then again, this was just a man. He held power over me for a moment, but maybe he was too afraid to actually get caught. Hisconfidence in his ability to fuck with me had to be shaken now that I’d involved the police.

Right?

At the very least, he’d need to be more careful. No hanging from rooftops or blocking my car. The police said there wasn’t a whole lot they could do based on what I’d told them, but they were going to try sending a squad car by my apartment complex every so often. The man told me they’re only a phone call away. That wasn’t very encouraging. By the time they arrived, I could be dead on the floor with a knife in my back.

I shuddered at the thought as I ground my coffee beans. Once it was brewing, I turned and thrust my hands over my head to stretch. A glimpse of something from the living room caught my eye and made my stomach start to churn again.

On the coffee table, there was a bouquet flowers. They were arranged elegantly in a black, glass vase, and they were in seemingly every shade of the rainbow. It was fancy as hell.

There was a little card standing on the table beside it. I picked it up and flipped it open to find a Hershey’s kiss taped to the paper. Blood red ink swept across the card in the same handwriting I’d found on my car.

The proper way to end a date.

I can’t wait to show you what happens on our second.

Erebus

Um, no. No thanks.

Picking up the vase, I headed to the front door. After staring out the peephole for a minute, I opened it and set the vase on the ground. The next time I left, I’d take it to the dumpster, along with his stupid fucking kiss.

I’d barely made it back to the kitchen when there was a knock. My blood felt like it ran cold at the sound. A moment later, the lock turned. I grabbed a knife from a drawer and crouched beside the island, raising up just enough to see over it.

“Alana,” Jayce called as he stepped inside.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” I breathed.

He came into the kitchen and cocked his head. “What’s going on?”

“I thought… Nevermind.”

When I straightened, he gently took the knife from me. “Why are there flowers outside?”

“They’re not welcome here.”

“Care to expand on that?”

---