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12:12 am

12:12 am, September 10th, present year.

            The figure was glad. Chase had physically escaped without a scratch. Sure, he was mentally and emotionally unstable, but he was physically fine.  Just like he had planned. The figured had used be-be pellets instead of live ammo, and had made sure to trigger the explosion after he had seen Chase dive from the car. It was a pity about all the wildlife that would be destroyed, but hey, the figure was trying to ruin a life.

            The figure could see Chase clearly. He could see the fear in his eyes. So much had happened to him in so little time. There was still 15 hours left until the figure would kill Chase. Should he give Chase a break? He’s been running all over the place, worrying, sweating, wondering what was going to happen next. Maybe the figure would lure his victim into thinking it was all over, and the victim was safe. A false sense of security was always good.

*          *          *

            Hunter’s cell phone was between us, the light barely bright enough to see each others faces.

            "So tell me about yourself before," he gestured with his arms around us, "all this happened to you and your family."

            I guess it wouldn't hurt to share a little bit. At the very least, it would get my mind off what was happening.

            "Well, I'm 16." Suddenly I remembered.

            Today, September 10th, was my birthday.

            I was now 17.

            "Today’s my birthday actually. I'm 17."

            "Really? Happy birthday, Chase."

            My birthday reminded me of what I was doing before 3:15, September 9th.

*          *          *

            2:30 pm, September 9th, present year

            "Mom! I just want a few friends over, not my whole school and their parents!" Mom was trying to invite everyone I knew over for a birthday party. I didn't even want it to be called a party. More like hanging out with presents and cake.

            "But if you invite Cody and not his brother Jake, won't that make Jake sad?"

            "Not if I tell Cody not to tell Jake."

            "That seems very mean."

            "Mom, Jake is...well he's a little weird. And besides, I hardly know him!"

            She sighed. "It’s your party. Make up a list of friends you want and I'll send out invites."

            "How about I text them? Save me some embarrassment."

            "If you want. But I need to know by tomorrow how many are coming Monday."

            "You’ll know. It won't be many, trust me."

            Mom left my room and I took out my phone. I sent out a text to five or six of my closet friends.

            Then a name popped in my head.

            Britt Ryland.

            The girl that I had wanted to talk to for a year. The girl that made me nervous whenever I saw her. I wanted to invite her badly. But would her she being the only girl invited be weird?

            I wouldn’t invite her. That would just get me a lot of teasing from my friends and my brother.

            I’d talk to her eventually.

*          *          *

            Reality came back to me. I shook my head. I was still on the side of a road with a cop sitting next to me and a killer lurking somewhere close by.

            “You okay?” Hunter looked at me sincerely.

            “Huh? Oh yeah, yeah, I’m fine.”

            He didn’t press the matter and I didn’t offer any more information.

            But I started to reflect. Life can be so short. I wished I would’ve asked her. Yesterday I was too scared to ask a girl to come “hang out with presents and cake” and now, my life could’ve ended on several different occasions.

            Life was precious.

            I made a promise to myself.

            If I made it out of these next 15 hours alive, I would ask Britt Ryland out on a date. I wouldn’t be afraid of taking a risk anymore. I had no guarantee that tomorrow would be here.

            I just hoped I would still be alive in 15 hours.