How to Escape an Assassin

8: Wake me up when it's over. Pt. 2

After the fire, the next week went by in a haze. We hired a construction company that specialized in fire damage restoration, but it was unclear how long it would take them to finish with my room.  I continued to sleep in my parents' bed each night.

I was catching a ride to work from another teacher, Ms. Selena, until my car was finished with repairs. I continued to go on jogs, do Zumba with Mom, and tend to the garden. I didn't dream about Tristan anymore. I was shutting down mentally, just going through the motions of life. The suppressed emotions were fear, suspicion, anger, sadness. They were loud, destructive emotions. I kept them at bay in order to stay afloat.

Then it was Sunday, and it was my birthday. Eight days after Kali's. After my parents begged, I ended up having a rollerskating party. Aunt Lizette, some of my coworkers, and Mirabai and her family came.

"Dude, it ended up being way too awkward because, like, he was so, so, disgustingly hairy it felt like bestiality or something. And I don't think he brushed his teeth, his breath smelled like doo-doo," Mirabai told me in her animated narration style, as she detailed her hookup gone wrong with someone she met on a dating app.

We were sitting at the table watching other people skate. Neither of us knew how to rollerskate. My parents, on the other hand, were out on the rink showing off as they twirled and jumped and skated backwards. Mirabai was extremely amused, and I tried to exhibit at least a small degree of her excitement. But I simply couldn't bring myself to come alive again.

Once back home, I noticed that my bedroom door was closed. I supposed that one of the construction workers left it shut, but we usually left it open. So I opened the door, and looked in at the progress that was made so far. The drywall had been removed, and none of my furniture was there. Confused, I went to my parents' room. "Where is all my stuff?" I asked.

Dad gave me an astonished look. "It's all in the hallway. There's no way you could've missed it just now."

"Sorry, I'm a little out of it," I smiled sheepishly.

"It's alright Millie bear," my mom said to me. She came next to me and pulled me into a loving hug. "A lot's been going on lately. An officer went by the fire station the other day, you want to know what he told your father? He said the fire was a case of arson. Said this might be a pattern of attacks from the same person."

I was trying to listen, but I couldn't process what she said. It was too overwhelming, so my natural defenses blocked it out. "Okay," I said softly and left the room.

I examined my furniture in the hallway. The mattress and bedframe were resting vertically against the wall. The rustic desk and armoire were scorched black from direct contact with the flames. I noticed a small red velvet jewelry box carefully placed on the center of the desk. I didn't recognize it as belonging to me or my mother.

I delicately lifted the jewelry box and opened it. There was a neatly folded piece of paper inside. I unfolded it to see cursive handwriting that said, "Happy birthday Milan". Under the paper was a necklace with a gold and emerald pendant.

My breath hitched in my throat. I was captivated by the beauty of the necklace. I gently removed it from the box and saw some words inscribed on the back of the pendant. It read, "~I will be your shelter~".

I felt a spark in my heart. A silent tear rolled down on my cheek. I was turning warm and soft and sentimental. "Thank you," I whispered.

I didn't know who the necklace was from. I asked my parents but they said they didn't know where it came from. It couldn't be from one of the construction workers, right?

I texted everyone who came to the rollerskating party. They all said it wasn't from them. So I decided that whoever gave me this necklace was my secret guardian.

*********************************************

The incident that happened the following day was much worse, and the most traumatizing. I was chatting with some of the other teachers in the staff room when I received a text message from my ride, Ms. Selena. It was customary for us to address each other the same way that the children did.

3:32 PM

Hi Ms. Milan, I'm waiting for you in the car whenever you're ready to go.

Yikes! "Alright, I have to go," I told the other teachers hurriedly. "Ms. Selena is waiting for me. See you tomorrow," I dismissed with a friendly wave.

They called out their goodbyes as I rushed out of the side exit. Today was extremely muggy. The sun peeked out from behind the clouds that dotted the bright blue sky. I approached the tight corner of the little brick schoolhouse. But before I could make it around, a strong male hand came over my mouth and roughly yanked me back into the body of the owner. I saw a flash of a gigantic man with a meaty head wearing a ski mask. An awful, musty odor emitted from his body.

I screamed in horror, kicking uselessly. My body shook violently as hot tears streamed from my eyes.

"I'll make this quick," my attacker grunted as he pulled a switchblade out of his pocket and revealed the sharp knife. Then a violent noise pierced the air, deafening like a chainsaw. My attacker lost his grip on me and fell backward to the floor.

Still shaking, I cautiously turned and bent over to remove the man's mask. It was an involuntary act, my body moving on its on. I ripped the mask away, causing the man's head to bobble around. He had a bullet wound in the center of his forehead, and the blood was spilling out.

I spun around frantically to see where the gunshot came from, but there was no one nearby. The shot must have came from a sniper, hiding somewhere out of sight. It was a perfect hit from a skilled gunman.

My legs collapsed under me and I fell into a sitting position on the curb. Next to me, my attacker appeared to be dead. With a trembling hand, I pulled my phone out of my pocket.

Ms. Selena 3:34 PM

Hey Ms. Milan, you coming out soon?

Ms. Selena 3:34 PM

Sorry to rush you, I'm just ready to head back to the casa!

Ms. Selena 3:35 PM

Everything OK? :( i just heard a loud noise from the direction of the school

I rang Ms. Selena. She answered on the first ring and started saying something, but it was so muffled that I couldn't make out what she said. Everything was drowned out by the sound of my heartbeat.

I was in severe shock. I couldn't even speak. After a few minutes of being on the phone with me unresponsive, Ms. Selena managed to find me in person. She released a chilling shriek as she stumbled on the violent aftermath of the assault that I just experienced.

She tried to ask me something, but I didn't comprehend. A storm was raging inside of me. From all that I experienced these past weeks, I was finally at my breaking point. I let out an ugly, explosive cry. I was screaming and crying and wailing at the top of my lungs in the purest form of grief and desperation. Ms. Selena wrapped her small arms around me, and I clung to her for dear life, seeking solace, seeking an escape.