Chapter 17
Chapter Seventeen
I Fall Victim to Him
Madison
Iflop back on my pillows with a groan, my homework displayed out in front of me.
Why did I decide a psychology degree was the way to go? This shit is way too confusing, I don’t understand—
A knock sounds at my open door.
“What’s up?” I say, never taking my eyes off the ceiling. My fan rotates in slow circles, circulating the air and causing my papers to ruffle.
“We got pizza,” Lenny says, and I turn my head to the side to glance at him. He’s shirtless—because of course, he is—and I feel my face heat before I can even open my mouth to say a word.
Lenny, of course, notices, and smirks at my reaction.
“You’re so innocent, it’s cute.”
“S-shut up-p,” I stutter, and I hate it.
“Nope.” He pops the “P”, and straightens from the doorjamb. “Come down and eat. We’ve got plenty.”
My stomach growls, and I swear I can smell the pizza sauce from here. Man, I love pizza…
“I should probably keep working…” I argue pathetically. “I’ve got too much work, and a lot of this I don’t understand, so I have to study for it—”
“How about you come eat, and then, I’ll see if I can help you after.”
I stare up at Lenny, who’s significantly taller than my five-foot seven frame. “You’d do that?”
“Sure. I’m dumb as shit when it comes to anything but business, but I’ll try.”
“Thanks, Lenny. I appreciate it.”
“Sure thing, Mads. Come on.” He holds his arm out, and I follow him down the stairs, where the scent of garlicy sauce and dough is strongest.
Later that night, when Lenny and I are sitting on my bed, my phone vibrates beside me. I pick it up distractedly, eyes still mostly on the papers in front of me, and glance at the screen.
Unknown:
You have a lot of people in your bed for such an innocent boy
All the blood drains from my face in an instant as every single hair on my body stands on end.
I straighten my spine as my phone slips from my fingers and drops onto the bed beside me.
Blood rushes through my ears as my face burns hotter than ever before, and it takes a while for me to notice that Lenny is talking to me.
“Madison!”
“Y-ye-yeah?” I stutter, worse than ever before.
“What’s wrong? Why do you look like that?”
I stare blankly at Lenny’s concerned face in front of me. His brows are pinched, and his lips are downturned. His nose is wrinkled like he smelled something bad, and his eyes are widened.
“I… I think I-I need to-to lie down,” I mutter after a moment, still staring blankly at him and hoping what I said makes sense.
“Okay…” he drawls slowly. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah. Yeah, just… tired, I think.” My hands are trembling in front of me, and I press them against the tops of my thighs to help still them. But it only makes my legs vibrate instead.
Lenny pushes the papers off his lap and stands, but as he turns back to me, he says, “Madison, are you sure, dude? You don’t look so good.”
“S-s-ure. I am.”
“Okay…” One brow hikes, but then, he turns his back and makes his way out of the room, leaving me alone in my panic, which is the last thing I want, but I can’t have anyone witness me like this…
Another vibration.
“Oh, God,” I choke out, scraping my nails down my throat as the bile burns its way up my esophagus.
And another.
Another.
And more.
“Shit,” I blurt the swear word that rarely ever escapes my mouth. My heart is in my throat, in my stomach, in my eyes, as it pounds and pounds and pounds.
I can’t control the shaking of my hands as I reach for my phone when it goes off again.
My screen is full.
Unknown:
Youre panicking
I can see it ya know
Its glorious
I miss that taste
Do you
“Do I?” I wheeze as I read it aloud. “Do I miss it? What is he even talking about?” I whine as I stare at the words in front of me, as I watch them blur as tears fill my eyes and splash down onto the screen.
Another text comes through, and I vow not to look. I scrunch my eyes shut and shake my head vehemently, but I can’t… resist…
Unknown:
The taste of your fear
But I didn’t…
Unknown:
Surely you tasted it too
My hand comes up to my mouth unwittingly, and I follow the path of my chapped bottom lip with the tips of my fingers, back and forth.
Unknown:
Its so good isnt it
I shouldn’t give in to his craziness. I know, but…
Me:
Why are you doing this?
How… How are you doing this?
I hit send before I can think any more of it.
Shit.
I can feel my heart in my throat, like it’s about to leap right out of my chest.
What did I just do?
My eyes widen in panic.
I just engaged with a stalker. Again.
Madison, you absolute idiot.
Unknown:
You know why Im doing this
As for how…
Thats the fun part
Oh. Oh, no.
I don’t like that.
No. No fun part.
I’m shaking my head before I realize what I’m doing. And then, I stop when realization washes through me that he can probably see what I’m doing…
Oh, God.
“Oh, my God!” I shout, shooting to my feet. My stomach falls to the floor simultaneously as I run to the window and slam it shut. I flip the lock and drag the dark blue curtains over it and take a few steps back, chest heaving. But my eyes remain locked on the window.
On the outline of the tree I know is just outside that window.
He wouldn’t…
Would he?
Could he?
Holy shit…
I slowly sink to the floor and drop my head in my hands. I stare down at the pale carpet and grip the strands of my hair tightly into two fists. I keep them clenched as I start to rock back and forth.
Do I…
Do I have a…
A stalker?...
Am I really being stalked right now?
Is this really happening?
I don’t know why, but I’m not surprised when my phone vibrates. I crawl to it blindly, and the text that comes through makes me run cold from my scalp all the way to the tips of my toes.
Unknown:
Yes this is happening
And yes
Its cute when you talk to yourself
A ringing fills my ears as my face burns hot, and then, my eyes roll back as everything fades to black.
I come to, to the sound of a loud vibration against the side of my face.
“Hmm,” I grunt softly as I slowly push myself into a sitting position. I scrub a hand down my face and reach for my phone, feeling resigned when I see “Unknown” flashing on the screen for none other than a call.
What the hell am I supposed to do with that?
He’s calling me now?
“You’re calling me now?” I repeat aloud since apparently, he can hear me, somehow, some way…
I don’t want to think too hard about the particulars of that right now.
My phone stops, and his texts swooshes in.
Unknown:
Yes
“Wow, r-really?” I deadpan, even through a stutter, which I would be proud of under any other circumstances.
Unknown:
Answer the phone little mouse
I swallow the huge lump lodged in my throat. Little mouse…
Why does that sound so… threatening… and yet so alluring?
No. “No.” I shake my head. “I will not fall for any of this… any of these games.”
He’s calling again.
I stare at it for so long, and then, my fingers move of their own volition, and I’m swiping.
“You already did, treat,” is the first thing Static says to me, and the low timbre of his voice washes over me in a wave of goosebumps that actually burn.
“N-n-n—”
“Yes.”
“I-I can’t-t—Please—”
His dark chuckle resonates through the phone, and gooseflesh takes over my entire body.
“Can’t… what? Can’t talk to me? You’re already doin’ that, aren’t ya?”
I can’t respond. I can’t even get my mouth to open without chattering too hard, my teeth clacking together, but that doesn’t seem to be stopping Static.
“You’re perfect like this… did you know that?” he drawls, and I can only listen with my phone glued to my ear. I’m frozen with a fear I can’t explain I want.
“Your little body riddled and trembling, unable to control itself… Just as I remember it in that room. You remember that too, don’t you, little mouse?”
Some small squeak escapes me, and Static chuckles darkly.
“Yeah, you remember. How could you forget? You keep my collar right there on your shelf as a little reminder of our time together, don’t you?”
“W-wha-t-t?” I choke out, my words wet and snotty.
“You heard me, prize. I saw it. You can’t lie to me. But it’s okay… I left it for you. I’d rather you keep it and remember me.”
My eyes dart to the very shelf he’s talking about, and sure enough, there it is in all its black, tattered glory, where I stare at it from time to time. A reminder of the someone I became when I was in that room. The someone I’m not sure I ever want to be again.
But Static…
He brings this out in me, and I can’t seem to stop it…
No matter how crazy it is.
“Okay… I don’t—don’t kn-know what’s going on o-or how y-you know t-this stuff, but you need to l-leave me alone.” I pull in a huge breath at the end because it feels like I’m suffocating.
“I think you know, but you don’t want to, do you?”
“What?” I ask, shaking my head as confused tears spring to my eyes and start to drip out.
“You don’t really want to know. You’d rather stay in the dark because the known is too scary for you.” There’s a long pause where all I can hear is the sound of his breaths through the receiver. They cause more goosebumps to prickle across my skin. “Isn’t it, Madison?”
I swallow the lump that’s formed in my throat at the harsh truth of his words.
“Tell me the truth,” he demands, and I fall victim to him.
“Yes.”
“Good boy.”
My face flushes hot, and I swallow heavily. “Oh, God.”
Static chuckles darkly. “God has nothing to do with this, my prize. It’s all you and me and our time together. Are you excited for more?” He leaves the question open-ended, but I don’t know how to answer that.
What am I even supposed to say?
The truth is too hard to admit—because even I can’t say it to myself—whatever it is… But I don’t think I can lie either because he’ll see right through it and call me out on it.
Either way, I’m screwed.
My breathing kicks up in the panic that ensues. Black dots dance in front of my eyes, and I think I’m going to pass out again. My palms grow clammy, and my hands start to shake uncontrollably. Static is speaking to me, but I can’t hear a word he’s saying over the loud ringing in my ears.
“Maaadiiiisooonnn,” my name is cooed so softly, I almost don’t hear it, but the heavy, breathy way it’s spoken causes chills to slither down my spine and settle at the base. I shiver uncontrollably as the tingles work their way back up and into my skull.
“That’s it, mouse. Listen to me. Breathe.”
And for some reason… I do.
I pull in a breath. And another.
And more. Until each one comes a bit easier and the room around me flashes back into vision and I can see my bed, messy and scattered with papers, my door, shut, the carpet below my feet, soft and well-used and stained in a few spots.
I reach out and run my hand along the fibers to soothe myself as I listen to the sound of Static’s rhythmic breathing because for some reason, it’s the only thing that’s bringing me back.
“That’s a good boy. You’re doing so well. Just keep breathing. You’ve got this.”
He’s talking me through it so well, tears prick my eyes, and I nearly let them fall, but I can’t, so I scrunch my eyes closed and let my head thud against the carpet with a dull thunk.
A deep breath, and then, on an exhale, “Don’t look so discouraged, little mouse.”
“How?” I croak into the floor, beyond masking my agony at this point. It’s obvious he can see me, but I need to know how.
“That’s the beauty, isn’t it? Wanting to know… needing to know…”
“Bastard!” I cry as I shoot into a sitting position. I scramble for my phone and slam my finger on the end button. Static’s unknown contact disappears, and I should probably be able to breathe a little easier at that, but I can’t.
Probably because I know he’s still watching me. Somehow. Someway…
Opening my eyes wide, I glance around the room, suddenly feeling more exposed than I ever have been. I eat in here, hang out in here, get… get dressed in here. I even… oh, God. I’ve even…
My face flushes at the memory of me touching myself the other night to the thought of none other than the man who’s literally stalking me.
What a nightmare come to life—literally.
And I don’t know what to do about it.
Static seems harmless enough… just someone who wants to play games. But I’m not sure I wanna play back.
And I don’t think he’s the kind that will take no for an answer.