Vision

Chapter Seven

Edited

When I wake it's deep into August ninth. My phone vibrates with an incoming call. But I want sleep to come back, dreamless sleep, because I'm still so tired. Butas soon as the phone stops, seconds later it starts back up. IT doesn't take a genius to know that it's Lillian.

With three more consecutive calls, sleep gets pushed further and further away. A glance at the phone shows me thirty six missed calls, most if not all of them are from Lillian.

I move from my bed to the couch and get settled in. The pantry is stocked and Lillian gave me the okay to stay home, so that's what I plan on doing. It's one thing for something to happen to me in my own home, but to go out and ask for it is just crazy.

Hours go by and start to relax thinking I'm in the clear. So relaxed that when a rapid set of knocks bang against my door, I nearly fall off the couch. It doesn't let up. Confrontation is the only way, so I grab the baseball bat that I have resting against the side table and approach the door.

Today is the day I chant to myself. My legs seem to tense up the closer I get to the door. Mind over matter. One quick jerk, I swing the door open, raising the bat high above my head ready to swing.

"Put the bat down," Lillian shouts at me. "It would help if your eyes were open to start with." She's right, my eyes were squeezed shut, but with the sound of her voice, I snapped them open.

She and Ethan stand in the hall, unamused by my antics. "Get dressed. We're going to dinner." Lillian demands as she pushes her way into my apartment.

Dumbfounded, I stare at her. "I can't..."

"I know Bianca. Today is the day, but you need to stand up to whatever you think is coming for you." What I think is coming for me? Something, someone is coming for me. I can feel it.

And with Lillian and Ethan here pushing me, I don't have a choice. I'm forced to face the day. I changed into something other than my pjs. They're quick to lead the way. I double check to make sure my door is locked about four times before I can actually walk away.

Our destination is a restaurant down the road. I'm a zombie, just going in the direction of food, following Lillian and Ethan the entire way. Even to the table. I'm not even sure how I managed to order.

It's after the ordering is done that a silence accumulates between us. And Lillian isn't well with silence. She feels the need to constantly fill it. Even when she shouldn't. "I spoke to Evonne."

The words blurt out from my pursed lips. "You what?" I can only imagine she harassed the woman until she caved.

She whines that she had to. That she was worried and needed to know. "She's worried too, but she was very clear that you weren't going to bite it today. Her exact words were, no one will come for you today." She puts emphasis on the word 'today'.

So someone will come and if it's not today. Then when? Now a new set of paranoia buries itself deep within me.

Ethan catches it. "We can cleanse that bad mojo at the shop tomorrow."

All I can do is nod. Yeah, sure. I'm not positive a cleansing will get rid of my attacker, but it's worth a shot to alleviate some of my daunting feelings.

The dinner goes quick and before I know it Lillian and Ethan are rising to their feet. The small sliver of socializing is coming to an end.

Lillian and I start the trek back to our apartments, while Ethan heads to his car. With Evonne words confirming I'll make it to another day, Lillian bids me goodnight before heading into her building.

"Yeah, goodnight," I mumble in reply.

I find my hustle and speed walk the remaining blocks to my complex. But getting home brings that unsettling fear back full force. It attacks every part of my body. I'm frozen in place, but my body vibrates. All from a small simple box that is placed outside my door.