Chapter 3 – Celine
Days passed, but the unease still clung to me, and I couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched. Maybe it was my mind playing tricks on me. Maybe I was just being paranoid for nothing. It was possible that the figure outside my window almost every night was only a figment of my imagination.
After reading that ledger, it seemed like someone was constantly keeping an eye on me. I felt as though I was under some kind of secret surveillance, and it was starting to creep me out.
I couldn’t walk down the street without glancing over my shoulder. Even in class, my eyes were always wandering, scanning for new faces and anything out of the ordinary.
The fact that I had information that could put some really powerful people away for good meant that my life was in danger. I wasn’t sure who exactly owned that ledger and if they already knew about my involvement.
At the time I was studying that book, I refused to acknowledge how much trouble I was getting myself into. I should’ve listened to that voice that told me not to get involved. But I let my curiosity get the better of me.
That afternoon, while sitting in class, I drummed my fingers on the desk. I appeared calm, composed, and collected—as if I was paying attention to the professor. But I wasn’t. My mind was racing with the thought that my life might or might not be in danger.
My heart was racing in my chest, my left foot tapping rapidly against the floor. Although I was looking right at the professor in front of the classroom, I couldn’t hear a word she was saying.
Her lips moved as she paced in front of the students, one hand tucked into the pocket of sharply creased pants. Her black suit caught the light, her brown hair spilling over her shoulders.
I took my eyes off her, and after scanning the hall again, I spotted a figure outside the window.
It was a man, tall and dressed in black with a hat that hid his face. He stood openly, watching me intently. Both hands were in his jacket pockets, and his unsettling gaze fixed on me.
I swallowed hard, a bead of sweat forming on my forehead. Everything about this figure seemed dark and ominous. My blood ran cold, my pulse quickened, and my heart stopped.
Somehow, I knew I was the one he was looking at. Me. Not the girl beside me. Me.
This figure stood there like a statue, his gaze unwavering. A couple of students lingered in small groups, chatting and laughing. But he was the only one who caught my attention.
Gradually, the world faded into the background, leaving just the two of us. Me and this eerie human being.
“Miss Hart,” the professor’s voice snapped me back to reality.
I flinched, gripping the edge of my table, my eyes darting toward her in a heartbeat.
“Are you okay?” she asked, staring at me with a concerned look in her eyes.
I swallowed, managing to nod my head.
By now, the whole class had their eyes on me, curiosity etched in their faces.
“She looks like she’s seen a ghost,” a classmate teased, her words sparking a scattered laugh amongst the others.
“Shut up, Darcy!” the professor shunned her with a stern glare.
Silence.
“I’m okay, Professor McGee.” I squeezed out a soft smile. “Thank you.”
She beamed at me and continued teaching the class.
I drew a deep breath and closed my eyes for a fleeting moment. By the time I summoned the courage to look out the window again, the figure was gone. No traces.
Even though I breathed a sigh of relief, I couldn’t help thinking this was far from over. Deep down in my heart, I wasn’t sure if what I’d seen was real or just another figment of my imagination.
Questioning my own sanity was scary as hell. And that alone was more unsettling than the eerie man himself. I never would’ve touched that book if I had known that it was going to torment me like this.
After class, I rushed out before Professor McGee could ask to have a word with me. As I hurried through the hallways, it felt like someone was watching from the crowd. I kept my head down and hugged my books against my chest.
The doors burst open, and I stepped out into the afternoon sun. Before my eyes could adjust to the brightness, my phone vibrated in my pocket. I reached for it, glancing at the name on my screen.
It was my friend Kiera, and she was FaceTiming me.
“Hey,” I answered the call, descending the long steps at the entrance to the building.
“Why’d you take so long to answer?” she teased, her voice calm and comforting.
“What’re you gonna do, sue me?”
She chuckled on the other end.
I barely glanced at the screen because my eyes were busy scanning my surroundings.
“Hey, why aren’t you looking at me? Do I have something on my face?”
My eyes fell on the screen, a small grin tugging at a corner of my mouth. “I’m sorry.”
“Yeah, you better be,” she growled.
I noticed she was lying in bed, with her golden-brown hair disheveled. “Where are you, and why’s your hair such a mess?”
She flashed me a mocking smirk. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”
I laughed.
Yet I couldn’t stop looking around every now and then.
“You should be in class by now.”
She yawned. “Hate to break it to you, sweetie, but not everyone’s a bookworm.”
I stopped in my tracks when I saw the same figure across the street. It was as if time slowed down as a van came into view. When it finally passed between us, he was gone—vanished as if he was never there.
What the hell?
“Celine, are you okay?” Keira asked on the other line. “You look tense.”
I blinked back to the present. “I’m fine. I just thought I saw someone.”
“Who? A crush?” She giggled, oblivious to my fear and anxiety.
I rolled my eyes. “Oh, please.”
The last thing I wanted was to bother Kiera Jane with my personal problems, even though she was like a sister to me. One thing we both had in common was our curiosity. However, I wished I had her kind of bravery and fearlessness.
Nothing on earth ever scared that girl. Nothing at all. Once, she stood up to two boys who were trying to pick on me. They were both nearly twice her size, but that didn’t stop her from standing her ground.
Long story short, she left one with a black eye and the other with a broken nose. She had a temper. Yes.
However, beneath all that boldness was a deep empathy that not everyone ever saw.
After the call ended, I shoved the phone back in my pocket. I had barely taken two more steps when I saw the library in the distance. I paused, narrowing my eyes as a thought suddenly crossed my mind.
You should check it.
Then came my ever-present voice of reason: You never learn, do you? We’re in this mess because of your stupid curiosity. Go home.
I knew that voice was right. However, I just wanted to check if the book was still there. Or if someone had come to collect it.
What’re you gonna do with that knowledge? How does whether or not the book is there affect you as a person?
If it’s still there, it would mean that the situation might not be as bad as I made it out to be, I thought.
Are you kidding me? We’re already screwed. The situation is bad, and this is yet another terrible idea.
I drew a deep breath and began marching toward the library.
Lord, have mercy! the voice grumbled within me.
I rushed up the long steps at the entrance and pushed the doors open. My shoes scuffed quietly against the polished floor as I made my way through the aisle.
“Hey, Celine,” the librarian greeted me with a curt smile.
“Hi, Karen,” I replied in the same manner.
My heart was pounding like a freaking drum as I hurried between towering bookshelves. The closer I drew to the spot I’d left the book, the quicker my pulse raced.
I found the exact place on the shelf, but the book was gone. “Fuck,” I murmured under my hitched breath.
I glanced around, unsure of what to make of this. Was this a good thing, or did things just get worse? The fact that the book was no longer here only meant that someone had taken it. But who?
Was it the book’s owner or a third party? Did anyone see me reading the ledger? How deeply was I involved in whatever the heck was going on here?
“Looking for something?” a masculine voice startled me.
I yelped, almost jumping out of my skin. My heart had sunk into my belly, and fear was etched on my face. Luckily for me, it was just Steve—the popular guy who invited me to his party.
“Uh…are you okay?” he asked, tilting his head slightly to the side.
“Yeah….” I placed a hand on my chest, rising and falling with slow breaths. “You just scared me, that’s all.”
His lips curled into a faint grin. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to.”
Silence.
His unwavering gaze was starting to make me feel uncomfortable.
He cleared his throat. “My party’s tonight, though.”
“Good for you.” I clutched my books to my bosom, my left foot tapping against the floor.
He let out a quiet chuckle. “I take it you haven’t changed your mind.”
I shook my head. “Sorry.”
He clapped once and began slowly withdrawing from me. “I guess I’ll see you on Monday.”
Silence.
Steve turned a corner and disappeared while I listened to the sound of his retreating footsteps. I waited until I was sure he was gone before I picked up my pace and headed out.
By the time I stepped outside, dark clouds had already started forming in the sky. I raised my eyebrows, shocked at how quickly the day had been taken away in a matter of moments. Just minutes ago, it was all bright and sunny, but now, a heavy darkness was pressing down on everything.
“You gotta be kidding me,” I whispered to myself, shoving my books into my backpack.
People were hurrying past in restless waves, some clutching their bags over their heads. I squinted my eyes against the cool breeze slamming into my face. With my backpack slung over my shoulders, I rushed down the steps as the wind swept through the streets.
I could easily run back into the library and wait for the storm to pass. But with everything going on at the time, I didn’t want to leave the campus in the cover of night. It was already six o’clock in the evening, and I wasn’t sure how long the rain would last.
So, I chose to head home in the storm. Besides, it hadn’t started pouring yet.
A jagged streak of lightning split across the dark sky, sharp and blinding. What followed next was a low, rolling rumble of thunder that vibrated through the ground beneath me.
By now, the streets had cleared because almost everyone had taken shelter from the coming rain.
A few minutes after I turned a corner, I had this crazy feeling that I wasn’t alone anymore. At first, I didn’t want to think much of it, but with each passing minute, the feeling grew more and more intense.
I locked my jaw and kept going until I began hearing footsteps behind me. It was weird because whenever I stopped, the footsteps would stop as well. And then when I picked up my pace, I’d hear them again.
I summoned the courage and swiveled without a second thought.
There was no one behind me. Not a single soul. My heart was pounding in my chest as I tried to make sense of what was happening. However, I decided to turn around and keep going.
A few seconds into the walk, I heard it again. The footsteps. I exhaled sharply and began quickening my pace. The footsteps did the same.
Lightning struck again, and in a split second, I caught a glimpse of a shadow stretching along the wall behind me. My breath hitched, and my eyes widened in fear.
When I glanced back, I saw him. The same figure from earlier, and he was moving toward me.
“Fuck.” I took off running without thinking twice.
My feet pounded hard against the pavement as panic tore through my lungs. A loud thunder rumbled across the sky, and then it began to pour.
I sprinted down the lonely road, nervously glancing over my shoulders. “Help! Somebody help me!”
Unfortunately for me, my voice was drowned out by the rain, and the figure was catching up behind me.
At the end of the street, a black van rolled to a stop, forcing me to slow down. I watched in fear as three huge men hopped onto the pavement, their intense gazes locked on me.
I swallowed hard, knowing this was it. I was done. They had me cornered and couldn't escape. It turned out that two men were behind me, and now these three appeared in front of me.
Instinctively, I bent over and picked up a rusted rod from the ground. “Stay back!” I warned them, wildly swinging the thing like a makeshift weapon.
Before I could birth my next thought, one rushed at me from the back and grabbed my waist. Another snatched the rod from my hand while I struggled against their strength.
My fingers found one’s face, and I raked my nails across his skin. I threw a series of wild kicks, and my leg soon connected with someone’s groin. Their groan was deep as they staggered backward.
I drove my thumb into another’s eye, forcing a chilling scream from his mouth.
“Fuckin’ bitch!” He retaliated with a slap that turned my cheek.
The ringing in my ear left me disoriented, and the stars I saw had me distracted for a second. From behind, a hand covered my nose with a handkerchief. The smell was so harsh it forced my eyes wide open.
I kept struggling, scratching and throwing kicks in the air. However, the longer I inhaled that scent, the weaker my body became.
My eyes suddenly felt heavy, so heavy that they began closing by themselves. I tried to keep fighting, but whatever I’d been drugged with was too strong for my body to handle.
The sounds around me were now distant and almost inaudible. My vision was blurry, and by now I’d stopped struggling. I felt myself being whisked into the air and carried toward the waiting van.
Too weak to even form a thought, my eyelids closed, and the world went pitch black.