Chapter 22 – Spiral
Chapter 22 – Spiral
Emily’s hands trembled beneath the tablecloth, her fingers digging into the napkin hidden in her purse. Those words burned in her mind, searing themselves deeper with each heartbeat: He is going to kill me.
She tried to swallow but her throat felt raw, scraped hollow. Every time she blinked, she saw the woman’s face again her smile too much like Lisa’s, her eyes darting nervously, her body pressed against Alex’s on the dance floor.
Now she was gone.
Vanished into the glittering crowd like smoke.
Emily could not sit still. She pushed up from her chair so fast the table rattled, champagne sloshing dangerously near the rim of her glass. Heads turned, brows furrowed. Sarah grabbed her arm, forcing her back down.
“Emily, please stop,” Sarah whispered sharply, a polished smile plastered on her lips to cover the scene. “You are making people stare.”
“I do not care,” Emily hissed, her voice breaking. “I think lisa is in danger, Sarah. Don’t you get it? That woman is going to die.”
Sarah’s expression flickered, pity overshadowing concern. She glanced quickly at Alex across the room, still chatting charmingly with donors, then back at Emily. “There was no woman, Emily. You have been tense all evening. I never saw him dance with anyone.”
Emily stared at her like she had been slapped. “You think I imagined it? That I am...what?... hallucinating all of this?”
Sarah’s lips parted but she did not answer. She did not have to. The hesitation said it all.
Emily dug her nails into her palms until she felt the sting of crescent-shaped cuts. “You don’t believe me..... No one ever believes me.”
Sarah leaned in closer, her voice lower. “I am worried about you, Emily. You are not sleeping, you are jumpy all the time, and now you are seeing things no one else sees. Maybe I should...” She hesitated. “Maybe I should call your parents. Just so they know what’s happening.”
The words gutted Emily. Her parents. They would think she was Mad... unraveling.... unstable. They would ship her home and force her into doctors offices, lock her up with the label of delusional.
Her chest squeezed tight. Tears blurred her vision. “Don’t you dare,” she whispered, her voice hoarse.
Sarah’s hand squeezed her forearm gently, but her tone was firm. “You need help, Em. I can not keep doing this alone.”
Emily jerked her arm free, shaking her head furiously. She wanted to scream, to make Sarah understand, but every word lodged like a stone in her throat.
\~~~
They lasted another twenty minutes at the gala, though Emily could barely breathe through the weight pressing down on her. Every laugh, every glittering toast felt grotesque and mocking. She could not stop scanning faces, waiting to catch a glimpse of the woman again.
But she never appeared.
Sarah finally stood, gathering her clutch. “We should leave.”
Relief and dread tangled in Emily’s stomach. She nodded mutely, following Sarah through the crowd. The air outside was cool, the night buzzing with car horns and voices.
They called a cab, the neon lights flickering against the sleek cars lined along the curb. Sarah gave the driver her address but then glanced at Emily. “Why don’t you head home first, Em? Get some rest. I will come by after I need to stop and grab some things from the office.”
Emily hesitated. “I don’t… I don’t want to be alone.”
Sarah smiled, tired but kind. “You would not be for long. Just a little while. I will be right behind you.”
Her tone carried finality. Emily knew better than to argue in front of the driver. She nodded stiffly, sliding into the backseat. Sarah leaned down to the open window and touched her arm. “Go home. Sleep. I will meet you soon.”
The door shut, and the cab rolled forward, swallowing Emily into the city’s night.
\~~~
The ride felt endless, the streets stretching longer than they should. Emily pressed her forehead against the glass, watching the neon lights blur into streaks. The napkin burned inside her purse, the words engraved in her skull.
Sarah's building finally loomed into view. She paid the driver with shaky hands, climbed out, and stared up at the windows she knew so well. They looked different tonight.
She told herself she was being paranoid, that the gala had wound her too tight. But every step toward the entrance made her stomach twist harder.
The apartment was too quiet when she entered. Not peaceful.... quiet and suffocating.
She locked the door and slid the chain. She checked it twice. The air inside smelled faintly off... smoke? No. Maybe it was her imagination. She set her purse down and leaned against the wall, and let herself breathe.
Sleep, she told herself. Just sleep. Sarah will be here soon.
But her skin crawled. She moved through the apartment room by room, checking each corner..... Bedroom Empty.... Bathroom Empty.... Kitchen still and silent.
She forced herself into the bedroom, pulling the covers up around her trembling body. She clutched her phone against her chest like a shield.
Minutes dragged like hours.
And then...
A faint crackle.
Emily’s eyes snapped open. The sound came from somewhere beneath her. She swung her legs over the bed, the floorboards creaking under her weight. The smell was stronger now.. thick, acrid and undeniable.
Smoke.
Panic tore through her. She stumbled toward the window, yanking the curtain back. Her heart lurched. Flames licked upward from the alley below, orange tongues reaching like greedy hands.
She turned toward her door and froze.
Thick black smoke curled under the crack at the base.
The apartment was on fire.
She ran to the kitchen, grabbing the dish towel and pressing it to her face. She tried the front door but heat blasted against it, searing her palm. The locks rattled, but the door would not budge.
Her phone buzzed in her hand. She looked down, her chest caving.
Unknown Number: Just like this fire my love would alwaysburn for you, my love.
Emily screamed, the sound ripping raw from her throat, as the walls around her flickered with hungry flames.