Him

Chapter 4

She had a dreamless night. Luna thought that maybe she was dead, and yet she woke up the next morning.

It was sunny, Luna could hear birds singing through the open window. Sun rays breaking through blinds were everywhere around the room. It seemed like a wonderful morning.

Maybe it was just a horrible dream. Overwork gets to everyone, eventually. Yeah, that's exactly what happened.

And then she tried to stand up. 

Oh.

So it wasn't a dream after all.

Luna looked at the neat stitch on her leg, and immediately remembered everything that had happened. When she carefully approached a mirror, she saw a stitch on her shoulder as well. They were done so good, she didn't have a doubt that that man was indeed a professional surgeon. Underground, and yet that's exactly what kept her life and confidentiality away from danger.

And what about Tanner? He was the one who brought her to that man and back home in safety. He saved her. The intentions of that man were truly misty and confusing.

Luna thought in terror about her living room. How it probably looked like a mess after everything... Luna wasn't a good look too, if she could say so herself. Slowly, trying to be gentle with her leg, woman exited her bedroom and looked around. Everything was as she remembered it before the incident - clean, all the things on their places.

Luna walked to the living room, expecting to see something, anything, but there was nothing wrong. No shattered plates, no blood, and the most concerning - no body. All the windows were open, fresh summer air filled the room. Though one thing she could tell was different - there was this light, escaping scent of some cleaning liquid. Did Tanner do this?

That was very generous of him, considering what he had already done to her. He was no threat to Luna, not now, but why he tried to enter her house at the night before? That was the question she couldn't help coming back to all this time.

After Luna was done taking a shower and having breakfast(she noticed her almost full trash can was now empty, too), she sat down at the computer.

First of all, to check the news, second of all, to read any messages she's got.

There were no news about what happened during this night, so she breathed out. Though she would be more calm if she knew for sure that that murderer is gone.Scrolling through messages was nothing new too, until she reached the very end. There was a message from unknown user, but by the way it was written, Luna knew for sure who it was.

'good time of the day, Luna! i didn't know when you would wake up, so i decided to leave a message instead of staying there myself. i made sure you were safe and sound in your house. i also took care of that mess you two created, so it wouldn't be a burden for you in the morning with your leg and arm wounded. though i left, i still have some unfinished business to do with you... so i hope you don't mind if i will borrow you for the night again hehe. don't worry, you won't be dissapointed ;)'

These last two sentences made her skin crawl. To know that a murderer knows exactly where you live, and then he tells you he will come here... Luna didn't know there would be a situation like this in her life. The "unfinished business" made her worry too, because as far as she know, they don't have any businesses to do together. 

Luna stared at her monitor for a minute, thinking. Her fingers lingered over the keyboard, but she was unsure if she should answer or not. Then again, Tanner probably used fake number so she couldn't track him down and report to the police. He probably got rid of the SIM-card as soon as he texted Luna.

Still, she had that bizarre feeling that maybe, just maybe, this was his real number, that he trusted her enough not to report him right away. Luna couldn't tell where this was coming from, nor she couldn't explain why she wasn't all that scared at the thought of Tanner coming to her house again.

She should be, but thinking about it, it actually sounded safer than if she stayed all alone.

'Perhaps I think too much. I can't let my guard down anyway.' Luna thought. 'Whatever this business could be, I should be prepared for Tanner trying to harm me.'

This thought stung her heart a little, but only a little.

***

When it got dark, and the clock struck 10, Luna was limping around the bedroom. Her head was empty and full of thoughts at the same time, she wanted to hide in the closet, to run away from home, to protect her life with anything she's got her hands on like she did before... But everything sounded stupid in her head. Other part of her almost wanted to go put the kettle on and suggest having a dinner together as a thanks for saving her. To think of it, maybe Luna was just hungry. But she was afraid of him arriving here when she is not ready--

Tanner had a syringe last time. With a chemical toxic enough to kill an adult man. And judging by his reaction, he didn't expect a whole murderer in her house, so did he intend to-- Luna's head was spinning on that point, this situation being so confusing. Would he try to kill her this time?

Oh god.

Luna went to the kitchen, intending to grab a knife. In the middle of the corridor she remembered having a gun, the one that once belonged to Sarah, and turned to pick it. Then she looked at her shaking hands and decided to stick with a knife. And when she was about to reach the living room--

"Peek a boo!"

A man suddenly appeared in front of her, jumping around the corner, his hands open and in front him in the scaring motion.

Luna froze in place, blood leaving her face, her shaking body finally stilling. She forgot how to breathe.

Everything she was thinking about now stood right in front of her.