x
My chest was on the verge of exploding by the time I got to my apartment building but I take out my phone and call the police.
"Hello?"
I swallow saliva. "Hello, I want to report..."
"I am sorry dear can you speak louder?"
'What the...' I look at my phone, see strange colors on the screen, and put it back to my ear.
"Hello, are you still there?"
"Please! Someone is following me!"
"Hello?"
"Hello!"
Then the line went dead. Looking at the phone, I see different colors dancing around the screen until it went blank.
My train of thoughts were interrupted when two men in black grabbed me from behind and pushed me into the room. As I scream making contact with the floor and a laugh was heard.
"Well, well, well. You are exactly what your Uncle said you were."
The voice sounded familiar and in the darkness, I was able to make out a silhouette of a huge but well-built man. As he crouched down, I see the fat cigar in his mouth who grinned, took the cigar out, and blew the smoke on my face. "You are going to make me a lot of money."
I growl and try to push my oppressors off me but they were too strong and I was already out of breath. Then one of them ripped my shirt exposing my bra.
"Wow! She is a looker boss!" One of the men drooled.
"I'll say." another said.
"Yeah but she is a stubborn one." he slapped me so hard my cheeks throbbed. "Listen you, your Uncle owes me a lot of money and I am a man who collects his dues. To make up for it, he sold you to us so you are going work for me until I am paid in full understand?"
I scream for help but he slapped me again.
"Say boss, mind if we show her the ropes?" one asked as something covered my nose and mouth making me inhale a stinging substance. He was about to reply but he fell to the floor screaming in pain.
"What on earth?"
"Boss are you all..."
One of the men gasped and something warm was sprayed on me.
"Someone is in the room!" the man yelled failing to stand up. "Well, don't just stand there, find him."
The sounds of guns clicking filled the room as the pressure on my hands and feet disappeared. Someone dragged me up, wrapped an arm around my neck, and pointed something cold on my head.
"Shut up," he whispered then a beam of light appeared lightning up the room. It went to the left and then to the right at a quick pace until it landed on the decapitated head of one of the men next to me.
I give a muffled scream and the person holding me shushed me again this time pointing the gun while turning around at a fast pace.
"Who are you? Some kind of samurai?" he yelled.
He got an evil cackle as a response and I was released immediately. Not wasting any more time, I run up the stairs to my room.
"Oh, sh*t! He got me!"
"Stop yelling you..."
Someone yelled.
"Oh my gosh!"
"Shoot you idiots! I am not ready to die like this."
I slam my bedroom door shut and climb into the secret compartment in my wardrobe. I hear more screaming and yelling before it went quiet.
So quiet that I could hear footsteps coming up the stairs.
"Beloved,"
I could hear the door to my bedroom open followed by an evil cackle.
"Aww. Are you hiding Beloved?"
'Wait a minute, that voice,'
He chuckled sending shivers up my spine. "You don't have to hide Beloved. They are all dead. Unless...you like playing hide and seek."
I hear the door to my bathroom open and something hard falling on the floor.
"What is this? Pepper spray?" he tsked. "Why do you need this? You have me to protect you."
My legs felt weak and I slowly slide to the floor cursing myself for my stupidity.
"It's a good thing I followed you home. They were going to rape you after all."
His footsteps came closer and closer.
"Who knows what they would have done if I wasn't here?"
They stopped and nobody needed to tell me where he was.
"Come out."
I stay put and cover my mouth.
"Aww, you don't want to come out? Okay then."
I close my eyes and braced myself.
"Found ya!"
I give a muffled yelp and stay still. Finally taking a peek through the cracks of my hiding place, I see his face and shiver. He was covered in blood, his eyes were wild and he had a sadistic smile on his face but that changed when he saw me.
"That's odd. I could have sworn I heard something in there." He sighed and shut the doors. "Oh well. I will see her in the morning."
The last thing I heard was the door to my bedroom opening and footsteps fading away.
'Is he gone?' I try to control my shaking. 'If he is still here, I am as good as dead.'
I wait for a long time cursing myself over and over again for leaving the pepper spray can behind and with my phone downstairs it was impossible to call for help. The only option left was to escape through the window so I unlock the secret compartment, open the closet door and crawl out. The room was empty but the door was opened. I quickly make my way to the window and open it.
"Found you."
The window was only half open when I was grabbed from behind. I grab him by the hand and throw him over my shoulder and make my way to the door but he grabbed my ankle and pulled me down.
Then something painful was jabbed at my neck.
"Shh, shh, shh," he whispered into my ear. Slowly, I felt my strength disappear as my eyelids got heavy. I tried keeping them open but I got a headache forcing me to close them.
The last thing I felt was something warm touching my lips followed by the words, "I will see you tomorrow Beloved."
I close my eyes.
Third person's POV
"My Beloved is so strong. She was able to throw me to the ground so easily. This means she's doing well in the Martial Arts club! I am so proud of her!" then he grinned. "It's a pity her skills didn't help her when she was in real danger."
Jake kissed her this time on the forehead going to the cheeks and finally ending at her neck where he sucked until there was a bruise. His eyes were already glowing with passion for this was the first time he was doing this but they disappeared when he heard a sound coming from the next room.
"I wish to hold you forever Beloved but..." he looked back at the open door. "I have a mess to clean up."
So setting her up on the wall near the bathroom, he walked down the stairs taking slow steps.
He was angry.
Angry at the men who tried to rape her.
Angry at them for ruining what would have been a perfect night.
Angry for having to clean up the mess they made.
"I have to make this quick." He muttered wearing the gloves on his hand. "The first rule of cleaning up is getting rid of the trash."
He searched their pockets for anything of value then searched the room for the garbage bags and handsaw he hid in case of 'emergencies' like this. After finding them, he made quick work of their corpses, put them in the bags, and put them into the van without waking the other tenants.
Then he started cleaning up the blood. "I should have given you a terrible death. I should have made you suffer for what you were about to do to her but I gave you a quick one."
He stopped scrubbing and gritted his teeth in fury. "I promise you, my love, anyone who harms you again will suffer. I swear it."
He was done within half an hour but still covered in blood. As he was putting away the cleaning equipment and the rest of the garbage bags, he heard a sound coming from the bedroom and rushed up the stairs.
"Beloved?" he swung open the bedroom door and sighed in relief upon seeing Emma lying on her side. "Oh! Thank Heavens! I thought you ran away. I am glad you are still here Beloved."
The window was still half opened so the curtains were flapping in the wind which howled as he crouched down to hug her.
"You smell beautiful as always Beloved," he said releasing her. "It's a pity those smelly men ruined your scent by laying their filthy hands on you. Let's change that shall we?"
He picked her up bridal style and walked into the bathroom. Placing her on the floor, he started to undress her but stopped when she was half naked in her underwear.
His heart thumped.
And thumped.
And thumped.
"I am undressing my Beloved for the first time!" he squealed looking away still trying to fathom if what he was seeing was true.
He looked back, blushed, and looked away trying to calm his beating heart.
And his manhood.
"No! I can't do this now!" he whispered. "Idiot! Don't you dare think of doing what you are thinking beside her! Don't you dare! Control yourself you pervert!"
After fifteen minutes of composing himself, he finally gathered enough curage to undress her leaving her naked on the bathroom floor.
"I'm sorry if I am acting like a pervert my love but..." he squeaked and grasped his face as saliva flowed from the corner of his mouth. "...it's hard to control myself when I see you like this! I hope you can forgive me Beloved."
Dirty images filled his mind but he shook his head rapidly and took a deep breath.
"We are not there yet." He whispered taking off his clothes to reveal the scars on his body. "But I promise to make sure our first time together would be a memorable one. I promise."
Naked and face red with a small boner, he sat her on the stool and started scrubbing her while the water in the tub filled up.
"I have noticed my love likes her bath water to be 105F in temperature and the smell of her favorite soap is strawberries." Grabbing a bottle of shampoo and conditioner, he opened it and took a sniff. "It is also the smell of her favorite shampoo and conditioner! Oh, this one feels light."
He opened the bottle of conditioner and squeezed it but nothing came out. After a few hard presses some came out and he lathered her hair and scrubbed it gently making sure he didn't hurt her scalp. After that, he rinsed off the soap suds and carried her to the bathtub.
'In you go.' he said placing her inside the water. 'Don't drown Beloved. I will be right back."
Everything was happening at a quick pace and after months of watching her take a shower in the bathroom, Jake could fianally achieve his dream of bathing with her. Wanting nothing more than to smell like her, he used her body soap, her shampoo, and the last of her conditioner and scrubbed his hair and his body before rinsing off the soap suds. Placing the shower on the handle, he slid into the bathtub behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist
"This is the secret to her soft skin. No cream. No gimmicks." He sighed. "I wish my phone wasn't outside the room. Then I would have taken a picture of us. Our first bath together. Isn't this romantic Beloved?"
Then his hands touched something soft.
"Huh? What is this?" he gave it a little squeeze and she jolted. "Could it be..."
He did it three more times earning a moan from her. Face red, he looked at his right hand and grinned.
"I am never washing these hands again."
Within a few minutes, he was drying her hair with a towel and dressing her up in her nightgown.
"I want to spend the rest of the night with you Beloved." He took a picture of her on his phone and looked at the time. "More like the rest of the morning but I have to go"
He fished out his overnight bag from under the study table and dressed up in fresh clothes.
"I have to destroy something if you know what I mean." He zipped up his trousers and reached down to kiss her.
"Our third kiss of the morning. I promise to be back later in the day to see how you are doing." he ran his fingers over her face and seeing the bruise on her neck he grinned. "I have claimed you as my mine, my love."
The apartment stank but not of blood and death as he locked the door front door and walked down the stairs to the van. Turning on the engine, he drove straight to the forest located on the East side of town.
Emma's POV
"EMMA! GET YOU'RE A$$ HERE!"
My body jolted back up in shock and I touch my head in agony because of the pain. My eyes were wet with tears and my mouth was dry.
Too dry.
'Ugh! What happened?' I move my legs and felt the blanket stick to me. Confused, I take it off and find myself in my nightgown. 'How did I change into my nightgown and...' I sniffed the air and smelt my hair. 'Did I take a bath?'
My aunt however did not give me time to think for she screamed out my name again. As I get out of bed and stumble halfway down towards the living room, I get hit with an overpowering smell of bleach.
"What happened here?" she yelled. "Where is the carpet that used to be here? Gosh, this room stinks! What did you do last night?"
I look at the room which suddenly became dark as a vague memory of what happened last night flashed before my eyes. The blood, screaming, me running into the bedroom, and...that was it.
For some reason, my body gave goosebumps and my stomach churned. I go to the toilet and throw up.
I heard my aunt walk in. "I see you did a quick one."
I throw up.
"Are you pregnant?" she asks.
I shake my head.
She scoffs. "Sure looks like it. Who is the father?"
I groan my response and hold on to the toilet seat.
"When you are ready, tell me so that I can send your a$$ to him."
I refused to look up when as the slapping sounds of her flip-flops became distant. After a while, I get up and wash my face.
'Gosh what happened last...' my thoughts were interrupted once I stared at the mirror. On my neck were two huge red bruises and I squirmed once I touched one.
'It stings,' I touch the other one but feel no pain. 'My aunt asked me if I had slept with someone. Could it be this one is a hickey?'
Apart from the supposed blood bath in the parlor and face covered in blood, I remembered nothing. So why was I drinking the drink of fear? Getting nowhere with this, leave the bathroom and dress up for work.
"You are late big tits," Amanda said the minute I walked in.
I look at the time and see it was 10:10 AM. "I...I am sorry. I overslept."
Posing with her cigarette in hand, she looked at me. "You look tired. Is everything alright?"
I swallowed saliva. "Yeah. I just got a slight headache that's all."
"Hmm," she surveyed me again. "You should go home big tits. You don't look well at all."
"But..."
"Go home and return to work tomorrow." She took a huge puff and blew the smoke in the air. "That's an order."
Confused, I turn and walk out the door. 'Did I really look terrible?'
For some reason, going home was out of the option. Instead, I wandered around town until I got to the building Gwen and I sat on to watch the stars. A gentle breeze blew causing my clothes to flutter and the view of the town looked beautiful.
"Looks we meet again."
I look behind me and see Gwen standing behind me with a smile on her face. "Hello."
She smiled in response and sat beside me. "The view is lovely isn't it?"
I nod and look away. 'The last time I saw her, she was having a brutal fight with Stan.' I look back at her. 'The injury he gave her was deep so how was she able to heal herself...'
"Why aren't you at work today?" she suddenly asks.
Taken by surprise, I fluster before I speak. "Well, my boss gave me a day off."
She had a confused look on her face. "I think you need to rest. You look awful."
"I know but I don't want to go home."
"Well, you can hang out with me."
I was about to ask something but my stomach growled loudly. She laughed and stands up.
Gwen giggled. "Come one. I know a good place a restaurant where they make the best noodles ever and it is only a short walk from here."
It was a short walk but upon getting there, we see it's closed due to plumbing issues.
"There goes the noodles." She jokingly says.
My stomach growls again and she laughs making me blush with embarrassment.
"Hey! There's my favorite food vendor!" She yelled pointing across the street. We go there and she buys us some bubble tea with sweet rice cakes. Finding a bench at the bus stop, we sit and devour the meal.
"Mmm, this tastes good."
Gwen reached out and swiped my cheek. "There was a grain of rice on you."
Instinctively, I touch my cheek and blush. Not wanting her to see my face, I look at the buildings around us. Nearly all of them were covered in colorful graffiti and habited by people. Instead of shops and stalls selling different kinds of delicacies and items perched by the side of the road one could hear the sound of vendors calling out to patrons to buy their goods.
"I have never seen this place before," I say to myself.
"Where have you been living? In a bubble?" Gwen asks in a shocked tone.
I stuff myself with the last of my rice cake and drink what was left of my bubble tea in response. Then we stand up and take a walk. With Gwen acting as a tour guide, I got a brief knowledge of the place along with where to go, the best food to eat, and what to buy. Soon we were walking back to the building talking about random stuff until I spot a familiar face coming toward us at a distance.
"Good afternoon Mr. Yamada."
I tall well-built man with black short hair and grey eyes wearing a black coat with matching black trousers walked towards us with a smile.
"Good afternoon Emma. Are you taking a day off?" He asks.
I nod. "This is my friend Gwen."
"Good afternoon sir. I can see you are on your way home." She says.
He looks at the bag he was holding. "Yeah. Today is my wife's birthday and I decide to surprise her with some cake and wine while the kids are in school."
"Trying to be romantic I see," Gwen said with a sly grin.
Mr. Yamada blushed. "Yeah. Well, I have to get going. Don't want the surprise to be late."
As soon as he disappeared round the corner, I give a small giggle. "He is such a gentleman! Buying a cake to celebrate his wife's birthday."
"You think? All men care about nowadays are video games and work. Only a few will remember to be romantic." Gwen replied.
I nod and look away. "I wish I met someone as romantic as he is."
"Hmm,"
"Emma!" another familiar voice called out at a distance and I turn to see Brianna standing with my friends and waving at me.
"Well don't just stand there gawking like a lizard!" Aubrey yelled crossing her arms. "Get over here!"
We did and Brianna hugged me.
"We haven't heard from you since! How are you?" she asked.
I return the hug. "I am fine. Thank you for asking."
"That's great!" Ralph said. "So do you want to go to the arcade with us?"
"Guess what, I finally mastered the dancing game!" then she struck a pose. "Wanna watch me dance like a pro?"
"Oh please. Who wants to watch you dance like you have two left feet?" Brutes asked letting the sunlight reflect off his glasses.
"I'd like to see you try the game yourself, mister." Brianna barked.
Aubrey sighed. "Are we going to stand here all day or are we going to go?"
I nod and look at Gwen. "Is that alright with you Gwen?"
She gave a nod.
"Okay then let's go!" Brianna cheered.
We went to the arcade and watched Brianna dance on the machine and played games. Gwen's favorite game was 'Hit the Mole' and she won a stuffed pink rabbit during her first try and gave it to me.
"Thank you Gwen but you have it," I say handing the stuffed animal back to her.
She shakes her head. "No. You keep it."
I insist and gave her the rabbit while Brutes watched us for a while. "So Emma where is Jake?"
For some reason, my blood turned cold. "What?"
"Where is he?" he asks again.
I shrug. "I do not know."
He didn't look convinced. "He hanged out with us the day before and he mentioned asking you to go see a play or something."
"Yeah, that reminds me." Brianna's feet moved rapidly on the tiles. "Are you guys a couple?"
I was shocked. "What? No!"
Brianna grunted and finally stopped as the machine beeped yelling, 'High Score!'
"So, you are not a couple," she asks looking at us.
I shake my head.
"He made it sound like both of you had your first kiss or something," Aubrey said.
Panic flooded through me. "What? No, we never kissed."
"So he is lying about both of you being a couple?" Andrew asked. "He was telling us how he was going to take you to see a play or something."
Suddenly my mind went blank and the memories of what happened last night appeared. The play, Jin's autograph, me telling Jake off, the...
My hand instinctively went to where the two bruises were located on my neck. 'One was from the shot he gave me but the other.'
I touched it. 'Don't tell me he...'
"No! they just spent the day together like friends. They are not a couple. Right Emma?"
Gwen's voice dragged me back to reality and although I had no idea what happened during my trip down memory lane I say, "Yeah. We aren't a couple."
I bow my head and let the silence hang in the air. "I...I think he is my stalker."
They looked at me like I suddenly grew two extra heads before Ralph gave a heartfelt laugh. "A stalker? Seriously Emma?"
I nod.
"You have a stalker?" asked Aubrey.
I nod again.
"You idiot! Why didn't you say anything? More importantly, why didn't you tell the police? It could be a dangerous person you know."
I raise my head at Aubrey's scolding. "I...I did but they didn't take me seriously. They said there was little they could do without proof."
"What? Those idiots said that?" Ralph asked.
"I am not surprised. With the disgrace, they faced during the 1980 and with the current situation, they wouldn't take this case seriously without proof." Brutes said.
Brianna's eyes glowed with interest. "What happened during that year?"
"Series of murders took place in that school during that period and an Investigative Journalist labeled a female student as the culprit." he sipped on his drink. "She was acquitted in court and the police were humiliated for going along with the claims without solid evidence."
We were silent the minute he was done. Silent until Aubrey growled. "So that's why they won't take her case seriously?"
Brutes shrugged.
"I don't think Jake is your stalker," Ralph said.
Gwen narrowed her eyes at him. "But all of you didn't like him because of his rude behavior right?"
"Well yeah but he apologized for it," Andrew said.
"I think the reason for his behavior is his poor social skills." Brutes said.
I trembled. "He...he told you that?"
Brutes pushed up his glasses. "No. It was just a theory until he proved it.
"My theory is the fact he gets flustered anytime he sees you but I do admit, he is a great guy." Brianna put her hands on her hips, silently gloating over her high score. "And he really likes you, Emma. You know what? I am totally shipping you!"
This made my hair stand on end. "What? No! No shipping!"
"I thought you were shipping her with Andrew." Brutes said.
"Yeah until the idiot confessed he had an online girlfriend."
That made Andrew angry. "Oh! So now I am an IDIOT for having an online girlfriend?"
"No, but you are an idiot for not TELLING us you had one!" Aubrey said with a scoff.
"Yeah, man. Not cool." Ralph while folding his arms.
I could no longer laugh at their childish bickering because of the chills in my spine. Not only that, I was angry. Angry they didn't believe me. Angry it made telling them what he did to me last night meaningless.
'Maybe I should tell Amanda tomorrow. Yeah. She can help me.'
"It looks like he has your friends wrapped around his little finger right?"
I snap out of it and stare at Gwen who had an eerie expression on her face. "Huh?"
"What your friends said makes it clear he is more than a stalker." This time she smiled. "But you don't have to worry. All you have to do is to get the proof you need and go to the police. Then your problem is solved."
I bite my lips and look away. "I...I do not know."
"Come on." She nudged me. "All you have to do is to catch him in the act then bring charges or find proof that it is him."
'Easier said than done.' I thought. "What if I am unable to catch him?"
Gwen shrugged. "Then it means you are just being paranoid. After all, it is hard to imagine that boy being your stalker."
She began to chuckle. "That skinny fragile stupid boy. A stalker. How funny. I mean, it is so funny that it makes a clown look stupid right?"
I watched her eyes turn crazy as she gave an evil laugh that echoed down the street. It reminded me of the face she gave me in the girl's bathroom in school and I run leaving her laughing like a maniac not stopping until I get to my apartment building. Out of breath and throat as dry as a dessert, I walk up the stair and grab the handle of the front door.
ns 18.68.41.175da2
