Damien and I had been sitting in silence for most of the flight, but as the flight went on, we both began to open up a little. The more we spoke, the more we found in common, and I began to realize that perhaps we were better off making friends than just enduring the journey on our own.
As the plane prepares to land, I look out the window one last time and I couldn't help but think back at the memory of Anya's tears as I left. I had no idea what my future held, but I knew that I had a choice to make. I could either let fear and doubt control me, or I could face the unknown with the support of my new friends and the thought of Anya. I was not alone.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Anya
I finally make it back home after driving through the night, my emotions in turmoil and tears blurring my vision. But I couldn’t bear the sight of Jacob’s house and staying there, it only made me feel more alone and vulnerable. He has always been my safe haven, but with him miles away, I feel exposed and unprotected. I sit in my car in my driveway, sobbing uncontrollably as all the worries and fears come crashing down on me. And then I see it - a small package on the porch. Was it there before I arrived or did someone leave it there while I was crying? The thought sends shivers down my spine, the fear that someone could be out there in the dark.
I take a few deep breaths to calm myself before cautiously making my way towards the package. It's addressed to me, but with no return address, just my name written across the top. Which means it was hand-delivered. Panic sets in and I can't shake off the feeling of being watched. In a split-second decision, I run inside and call Lana for help. The dread and unease only grows as I wait for her to pick up, wondering who is doing this and what their intentions might be.
“Anya?” Lana's groggy voice comes through the phone.
“Hey, I'm sorry to wake you up. There's a package on my porch and I'm too scared to open it,” I say, my voice trembling.
“Oh, that's good,” Lana responds as she rustles around, likely grabbing her keys.
“How is any of this good, Lana?!” I exclaim, my voice rising in panic.
“Sorry, wrong choice of words. I just meant it's good that you didn't touch anything. That way the police can process everything and hopefully catch whoever did this.”
“Oh,” I mutter in understanding.
“Just stay put, I'll call Detective Collins on my way to you,” Lana says before hanging up.
I pace back and forth in my living room as I wait for Lana, when Nana emerges from her room wearing a fluffy pink robe.
“Anya? What are you doing here? I thought you weren't coming back until tomorrow,” she whispers.
I break down and tell Nana everything that has happened over the past few weeks. I also confess how scared and sad I am about Jacob leaving. No matter how many times I pause to compose myself, Nana just sits there, listening intently and waiting for me to continue. She rubs my back in a comforting way. When I finish telling her everything, she remains silent, processing everything she has just heard.
"Sweetie, I understand why you're scared, but you have to remember that you are never alone. You have me, Lana, and your family here to protect and guide you," Nana says, her voice heavy with emotion.
I nod, trying to hold back tears. "But what if they hurt me or worse you? The stalker could be anywhere, watching us," I whisper, my voice cracking.
"Anya, sweetie, we'll keep you safe. And don’t worry about me, I may be old but I still have some fights with me. Now, let's focus on getting the police here to investigate and catch this person," she says as she pats my leg.
I take a deep breath and nod, knowing that Nana is right. Safety is the priority now. We wait for Lana to arrive with the detective, my heart pounding as I listen to the sounds of movement outside my house.
Lana finally arrives with Detective Collins and a patrol car following behind. They all step out of their vehicles as I open the door to meet them on the porch next to the mysterious package. Lana joins me and stands by my side while Detective Collins and the patrol officers examine the package. One of the officers retrieves a K9 dog from their car and has it sniff around the box. The dog shows no reaction, so it is put back in the car. Detective Collins notices my confusion and explains that they were checking for explosives.
My eyes go wide, “you think there is a bomb in there!?” I exclaim. “We can never be too careful, but since the K9 did not detect any explosive material we can rule out a bomb” he explains.
With gloves on, Detective Collins and the patrol officer carefully open the box. Suddenly, the patrol officer jumps back, gagging. Both Lana and I are horrified as we peer into the box. My throat tightens, threatening to vomit, while Lana's face turns pale. Nana pulls us away from the box as we try to compose ourselves.
Then Lana’s cheeks turn red and her fists are clenched tight, “is this enough of an escalation for you to do something now?” she furiously says.
“Miss I need you to calm down” Det. Collins says.
“Calm down? Calm down! You said this person hasn’t done anything to threaten Anya so there wasn’t much you could do! Well I think this constitutes a threat don’t you?” she seethes.
“It is concerning yes, but -
“No buts! There is a dismembered cat in that box! To me, that's a threat!”
“Okay Lana, that’s enough, let him handle it okay?” I say trying to calm her down some more.
“I will take this to the station with me and get it processed and we will go from there. Right now, I suggest you lock your doors and you all go back inside and try to get some sleep.