Chapter 5
There was no ambiguity this time.
I was standing before I realized I'd moved.
The scream came again.
A woman.
Short.
Sharp.
Then shouting.
I crossed to the window and lifted the blind.
At first I saw nothing.
The parking-lot lamps made yellow circles on the pavement. Movement appeared near the neighboring building. Three people, maybe four.
One person ran toward the sidewalk.
Another followed.
A third was on the ground.
I pressed closer to the glass.
"What the hell?"
The runner reached a parked pickup and yanked at the driver's door.
Locked.
He struck the window with both palms.
Behind him, someone stumbled into the light.
Male, maybe.
Dark shirt.
He moved strangely, his upper body ahead of his feet as if he were always about to fall.
The man at the pickup ran.
The other followed him.
Not sprinting.
But fast enough.
They disappeared behind the building.
I stayed at the window.
The person on the ground moved.
Rolled onto one side.
Sat up.
For a moment I felt ridiculous for watching.
Maybe it was a fight.
Maybe someone was drunk.
Maybe the person chasing the other man was security.
Then the seated figure began crawling.
Not toward the building.
Toward where the others had gone.
Slowly at first.
Then faster.
I backed away from the window.
My phone made a noise so loud I nearly dropped it.
Emergency alert.
CITY PUBLIC SAFETY ADVISORY
Residents are advised to remain indoors and avoid unnecessary travel while law enforcement responds to multiple public safety incidents. Call 911 only for immediate emergencies.
I read it twice.
Then a third time.
There. Real information.
Stay indoors.
I checked the already-locked balcony door, both windows, and the front door.
I turned off most of the lights.
No one had told me to.
It simply felt correct.
The apartment went dim.
The range light glowed over the stove. My monitors cast a faint blue rectangle from the desk.
For the first time that night, curiosity gave way to something colder. Whatever was happening was serious enough for a citywide alert after one in the morning. This was no longer a weird Friday night.
I opened my messages.
Mom.
Official alert here too. We're staying put. You do same.
I replied:
Yep. Door locked. Plenty food/water.
I hesitated.
Then added:
Love you
She answered almost immediately.
Love you too
I looked at the words longer than necessary.
Then Aaron.
No message yet.
I sent:
You make it home?
Delivered.
No response.
I reopened the backpack.
I added my wallet, ibuprofen, and a lighter I couldn't explain but kept anyway.
In the bedroom, I set my hiking shoes beside the door, then added a jacket and another sweatshirt to the pile.
You're packing for a weekend trip now?
I removed the extra sweatshirt. I took out one water bottle, reconsidered, and put it back.
I stood there arguing with myself over a bottle of water while something screamed outside. That told me I was frightened.
I zipped the backpack.
One bag. If I had to leave, I could leave.
I sat on the couch.
The apartment felt safer afterward, though nothing outside had changed.