What does that even mean?
Me: Is that all you’re going to say?
Unknown: You need rest. You’ve been through a lot.
Me: How do you know I’m not asleep yet?
Unknown: I can see you’re not.
Fear grips my insides, capturing my breath.
Me: What’s that supposed to mean?
Unknown: Do you really want to find out how I’m certain you’re not asleep beside the fact that you’re texting me back?
Panicked and unsure what to do or how to respond because he might be someone more dangerous than I want to believe. I rise to my feet, sending the chair rolling backward and move from my office to the bedroom, pacing and contemplating calling the police—but I can’t.With a deep breath, I gather the courage to sweep the rest of the upstairs, before heading downstairs to the bottom corner.
Me: Yes.
It’s silent for a beat, each nerve ending in my body heightening with every passing second, waiting for a reply.
Unknown: I’m outside.
Me: I’m calling the police.
Why are you telling him that?My mind admonishes me. Before I can complete my next thought, he already sends another reply.
Unknown: No, you’re not.
Me: Yes, I am.
Unknown: If you were, you would have done it already.
He knows I’m not going to call the police. I can’t bring my dad into this. The reminder of what happened to me would destroy him and washes over me in shame—and anger.
A million questions assault my mind, and before I can think better of it, I yank my front door open and march toward the black car I’ve noticed following around over the last week.
I need answers and he may have them.
The only thing keeping me from buckling with terror is the adrenaline pumping through me, pushing me in his direction.
“Keep your shit together, Lux,” I whisper. “If he didn’t hurt you before, he’s not going to now.”
The dim lights in the courtyard illuminate the bushes in front of the doorsteps of my neighbors. At right before midnight, the moon is full and nestled in the black sky above me.
I sweep every angle of the open space while a brisk wind dances across my bare shoulders, causing a shiver. With my phone held firmly in my grasp, I almost make it to the parked car when a sudden shadow steps in front of me. Startled, I jump back, my back slamming against the back of a tree.
“Why did you come out here?” The masked stranger’s tone is ominous, but his mild annoyance is hard to miss.
I freeze, unsure whether to run back inside or stand my ground.
“Lux.” My name rolls off his lips like an aged whiskey, sending a shiver down my spine. I wave it off to fear, but then it dawns on me that I never told him my name before.
“How do you know my name?”
“You need to be more careful until this is all over.” He takes a step closer to me.
So I was right about the fact that he knows more about the men who captured me.
