Chapter 33 #4
She tilts her head then shakes her hair out of her face, “You told me. Remember?”
Did I? You know… so much has happened as of late, I probably did tell her and just forgot.
I squeeze my eyes shut and exhale. “I’m sorry, Andrea.
This is my fault. You’ll be happy to hear; I’ve applied to other places.
You’re right, I shouldn’t work there.” Saying it out loud feels more matter of fact, than just applying to a couple job postings.
“We should leave town for a bit. Mairead is clearly unhinged. I need you safe.” She has a good point.
A lot of what Mairead said earlier is certifiably, but can I really go back to living with my parents?
They have themselves to worry about. They don’t even technically have a home to welcome me to. They’re house sitters.
I also don’t want to leave the city. My thoughts spiral, soon I find myself thinking about my stalker.
Would I be leaving him too? He’s followed me wherever I’ve gone thus far, but why haven't I heard from him in days?
My head throbs. It feels as though icy spoons are pressing against the backs of my eyeballs.
“I’m tired,” I declare.
“Well, I’m too worked up to fall asleep.
So… I’m going to stare at this board until something makes sense,” she asserts, tapping the marker into her other hand.
“Are you sure that’s all the songs your stalker played for you?
” Of course she would be focusing on the mystery man.
Why do I continue to trust him? Trust everyone?
I am already disappointed in myself, the least I can do is ease her mind. “Let me write down everything thus far and we’ll cross reference what we have.”
She agrees, but I can tell she’s not pleased with me. I grab a few slices from a loaf on the counter in advance of heading to my bedroom.
As I chew on the final slice of bread, I commence jotting down each artist and song that I recall being played through the found earbud.
I’m up to fifteen songs but I'm not sure if one of the songs count. One I’d never heard prior to my drive to the Catskills.
The words are memorably haunting. After a quick search, I find the Lil’ red riding hood song.
It’s from a group called Sam the Sham but I know one thing for sure… he doesn’t plan to hurt me.
As my eyes begin to grow heavy, I lay on my pillow; however, a piercing light keeps me from sleeping. The earbud glows like a beacon, beside me on the nightstand.
My hearing aids are already out for bed, so I easily nestle the little bud into my ear. There and then, music streams into the once peaceful space.
“Possum Kingdom” by the Toadies plays, sending me right back to those confusing, teenage years.
Not so long ago, I had trouble making decisions, even for the simplest things.
My taste in boys relied heavily on how wide the hem of their pant leg spanned.
They were selfish. Telling me just about anything I wanted to hear to get what they wanted.
Funnily enough, I didn’t even know what I wanted, mostly because I was young… scared.
Today, although not quite as ‘inexperienced,’ I’m still apprehensive but I recognize what I need. I’m a woman willingly being lured into a dark space. This time, it’s more about what I crave rather than what he has to offer.
I covet what this lyrical message has to offer. What if he’s watching me right now?
My hand finds its way beneath the sheets and under my panties, as the song repeats for the second time.
The phone vibrates next to me, just as I dip a finger inside myself. Using my free hand to read the notification. It’s from The Stalker. I click message.
The Stalker: Stop touching yourself, Cindel, and go to bed.
My eyes widened as I reread the message. I knew he had cameras in my room!
Dots appear, then another message comes through.
The Stalker: Tomorrow, Paddle Boathouse, 6 p.m.
Per the song that just had me all hot and heavy, he’s supposed to reveal a dark secret to me. I type out a message before vowing to turn off my phone for the night.
Cindel: It might be kinda hard if the Boathouse is closed for winter.
Without missing a beat, another message pops through before I can power down my phone.
The Stalker: Don’t you worry about it being hard. Go to sleep, Princess.
I hold the two buttons, causing the screen to go black. I’ve made up my mind… I want my stalker to ‘treat me well.’