This is insane. They can't all be watching me, I tell myself.
I reach King's Park and walk past the main entrance. It's a stone arch that mimics gothic architecture. There are no gates. A long gravel path leads inside, fruit trees bothering both sides. From the entrance, the bushes are kept short and there are stone benches here and there.
It's very quiet. I don't even hear crickets.
As I make my way farther inside, I watch the benches. I don't consider it beneath my stalker to be seated quietly, soundlessly on one of those benches like a ghost waiting to possess someone. I walk half the length of the path and stop by a street lamp. The road is paved with street lamps that turn on when one is close enough, but they're dim. It seems that further inside, King's Park has sunk into disrepair. I stick to the gravel road for obvious reasons.
I don't want anything- or anyone- creeping up on me, from the too-tall bushes over here. The moon is not out yet tonight and except one is standing near the lamps or is within three feet of the next person, only their silhouette is visible.
As I stand in the dim light, I wonder if my stalker is playing with me. Where is he? Why isn't he here?
I send him a text.
Me: I'm here now. Where are you, you creep?
He doesn't respond. Of course.
It seems like he's the one who grew cold feet after all. Trouble is, I know he can't be scared of me. He must be messing with me.
There are texts from Lisa and I feel a pang of guilt. She wants to know where I am; why my trip to the bathroom is taking so long. But I cannot even concentrate on her texts because she's sending them three a minute and that feeling has come over me again.
My pulse must be thumping madly and my heart is racing. I'm not alone. I just know it.
And I think the only thing worse than being alone in an abandoned park at night time is finding out that you're not alone after all.
I reach out to grip the lamp pole beside me. Someone is watching me, like a freaking predator. And said person is hiding in the bushes across from me. Now that my heart beat has blocked every other sound in the environment, I can hear the slow, stable breathing, quite unlike my erratic one.
That tingling sensation at the base of my skull is there again and I am ready to abandon my skin. The baby hairs at the base of my head are slick with sweat. The cold sweat has come over me and I know just why. Fear.
Fear creeps up my spine yet my mouth has the nerve to scream into the darkness. "Get out of the shadows, creep! What, are you scared of me?"
A figure leaps with brutal accuracy from the shadows to the light and my subconscious does something good for once in her life. She doesn't state obvious and annoying facts. She advises me.
Run. Run.
I leap. I run like a crazed woman, my boots slapping on the gravel path that is covered with dried leaves. My plaid skirt slaps at my thighs as I stumble in a mad dash. I finally stop and slip behind a tree, breathing hard.
I'm good for something apparently. Running, as defeating as that sounds. But for how long?
I try not to think about that.
I cannot hear the footsteps anymore as I brace myself against the tree, my chest heaving.
Why didn't I stay back to see if he's my stalker and willing to tell me all the information I need to know? Heck no. Because sane people don't hide in the shadows and leap at people like some stupid primitive animal. My chaser looked like he wanted to tear me in two.
I check my phone and there are more texts from Lisa and none from my stalker.
Lisa's worry echoes in her texts and the gravity of what I have done only begins to dawn on me.
Lisa: Nicole, where are you? Can't find you anywhere. Where did you go? I hope you're okay. I'm getting really worried.
She would have called, but she's trying not to worry. I know. I decide to call her so that she knows I'm fine; or at least my current situation.
As I pull out my phone, a figure drops from the tree behind me and I let out a shrill scream as he tries to grab me. Another one dashes outside from the bushes and I don't even think.
I'm running down the gravel again. I'm babbling as I run. Crying. 'God I don't wanna die. I don't wanna die.'
I don't know how I manage to get to my call app on my phone, but I do it. Soon, I have José on speed dial.
He picks on the first ring. He picks!
“José? Jose.” And then I'm blabbering without control
“Nicole, slow down.”
“José there are people after me. I'm scared. I'm so scared.” I move the phone from my right to my left and glance behind me. Thankfully, I have put enough distance between me and my former position and I can't really see anyone behind me. The breeze from my acceleration wipes the tears in my eyes. Exhaustion pulls at me.
“What's wrong?”
“Why haven't you been picking up?” I'm almost screaming now.
“What's wrong?” He asks firmly.
“There have been people- men- watching me. They’ve been around our house. And now-” My voice chokes on a sob.
“They're with me.”
I'm not sure I understand his words. “With you? You ALSO have creeps stalking me?”
“No, they're to keep an eye on you.”
My voice is desperate. “What do you even mean by that? How am I to tell the bad guys from the good guys?”
And who is the bad guy? Certainly, not my brother and whatever men he said he had watching me. The people I've seen in this park so far seem like they want to kill me.
A twig snaps under my foot and I scream like a loch ness monster just slapped a tentacle on my arm. I'm breathing hard.
José’s voice is quiet. “Nicole, you're hyperventilating.”
I don't even realize it. “Of course I am! José, you're going to get me killed.” I'm crying now.
“Where are you?”
“King's Park.”
“What are you doing ther- you know what? Just get out of there and get to the airport. I'll arrange for you to be moved from the city.”
“What?” My mind is in a daze.
“Get out of there now. Get to the airport.” He says this slowly.
I'm not sure how I am going to get out of King's Park yet I run anyway. I come to a screeching halt when I notice a man up ahead. I don't even notice him until when the lamp turns on, movement sensitive. I turn back to run the way I came when I bump into someone else.
His hand wraps around my neck and I scream at the top of my voice and thrash against him. As he pulls me away, I kick at him. He lets go of me and I try to run. But the other man has caught up to us and he is sending the other man to the ground with a blow to his face. The other man gets up to retaliate, but his face suffers more assault and soon he is bloodied. A final punch knocks him out.
I don't even realize I've been standing, watching until the standing man turns to me.
He walks in my direction and I flinch away. I bolt. I trip on a rock and land ass-first on the ground. That doesn't stop me. I scoot on the ground until I'm up on my feet and running. Something tells me there's just so much competition to get me that everyone just wants the satisfaction of being the one. Else why would those two fight over capturing me?
Seems like a bounty thing. Everyone wants to claim whatever bounty is on my head. I am no one's prized bounty, I scream in my head as I run.
Or maybe José’s guys- the good guys- are here and they're trying to help me? I'm not going to assume that and end up making a terrible decision. At least, nothing more terrible than I have currently done.
So I keep running. I'm dizzy with tiredness yet I force my limbs to move. I look back often to ensure I have put enough distance between me and the other man. I don't see him behind me, so relief washes over me. I keep running… that is, until I hit a hard body. I first think it is a tree and wonder why I am not out cold yet.
A hand curves around my neck and a hot breath fans my ear. My pulse speeds. “Baby…”
His other hand skims up my arm up to the point where my neck connects with my shoulder, soothing it. He moves his hand behind my neck to the crown meridian pressure point at the base of my head and then he pinches his thumb and index finger. I feel my knees give.
My gaze dashes up and I catch sight of loose curls before I black out.