Midnight in Duskwood

The Pressure

"That's it! I can't afford lose another friend. Let's go far away from here, all of us together" Suddenly, Jessy's words break the silence. All of us turned to her.
"But where? Thomas need to stay in hospital for a week" Lilly asks her.
"Then, just five of us. Somewhere, far from Duskwood. I don't want to experience this again. Let the cops doing his job, we should stop investigate now. First me, then Richy....now Thomas... who's next? I'm shaking right now" Immediately, she sit down. I can't blame her, after what she have been through.
"The hut, remember the hut that we're supposed to stay? The one that Richy rented for as?" Cleo says, out of nowhere. Of course I remember, Richy and I talked about it before he's....
"Yes, let's stay there. I bet that he won't attack as if we're together, right?" Jessy says to us.
"Plus, the hut is quite difficult to locate. I knew the location of the hut, Richy told me once" Cleo continued.
"Yeah, it's better we're stay together. This asshole always attacked someone who alone. Tommyboy will be safe in hospital, I'm more worried about the damsels" Dan agreed with the plan.
"How about you, MC? You're didn't talk much" Lilly asks me, now all eyes on me. I sighs.
"I don't think going to this hut is best ways and I don't want to run away, what's use I came here if I want to hide" I answered.
"Didn't you see what happened now, MC? First Jessy, she's lucky that she's alive. Then, Richy, do you want me to remind you that you're the one who with him when he's been attacked?? He's missing and cops only found his cap with blood. Now, it's Tommyboy turn, that son of bitch nearly kills him. After this, who's next? me? Lilly? Cleo? Or do you wait one of us die like Amy??!!" Dan let go his frustration toward me but when he mentioned about Richy, I froze and the tragedy scene plays in my mind.
"Hey Dan, watch your mouth! You don't know what she have been through for you and your friends!" Phil starts to raise his voice towards Dan.
"Stay out from this, Phil. None of this is your concerns" Dan says to Phil.
"What did you say?! Not my concerns? Because of the culprit, I'm in jail for nothing. Hell yes, this is my concern now" Phil stands up and now, both of them look at each other, closely.
"Stop it, both of you!" Jessy tries to stop them arguing but they're ignored her. My head is hurt, I'm tired to think what we should do next. Dan and Phil still arguing, while the others tries than best to stop it including Thomas on the hospital bed. I can still hears their voices but it's like a fade sound at the background until I can't take it anymore.
"Shut it!!!!" I shouts, all of them quiet and turned to me. I stand up, take a deep breaths and exhales a heavy sighs.
"If I'm the culprit and I saw all of you in one place, I will laugh as evil as I can. I will say, 'look at this dumb people, make my job more easier. Including the tough guy, I got the ultimate pack. I'm so happy right now because I don't have to waste my sweat to eliminate all of them, separately. I just have to do one deadly step and make it look like accident'...Ha ha ha.... Is that what all of you wants?!" I mocks them, no responds.
"If you don't trust me, doubts me, fine! Do whatever you wants but don't come to me if something's happen. I already warned and told all of you that I will continue searching for Hannah and Richy. If you guys wants to run, run! It's not my business anymore" I sit down after say that. I feel relieved.
"But how will he knew about the hut? Only Richy and Cleo knew the location" Lilly asks me.
"Richy's cellphone, remember? It's gone with him. I believe that Richy still alive, as long there is no Richy's body has been found, I believe that. If MWF didn't saw us anywhere in Duskwood, probably he'll asks Richy about it or worst, torture him to know our whereabout" I replied. Everyone didn't say anything.
"MC's right, probably going to this hut is not a good idea as we don't know the surrounding of the place. I also believe that Richy still alive, he's probably together with Hannah now. So, I recommend that all of us shouldn't being alone. Well, I will stuck in hospital for a week, Lilly can stay with her parents house, Dan and Cleo with their mother. But Jessy...." Thomas breaks the silence. Everyone including me turned to Jessy.
"I can stay with MC, right MC??" Jessy sudden talks make me stunned.
"No!" My short reply make everyone confused.
"Um....I....I means, I'm not longer stay there....because.... I don't have money left..." I lied, as Jake still stay there.
"Why you didn't tell me? It's Okay we will rent it back, I will pay for it" Jessy says. Shit! I don't know what to say.
"Forget about it, someone already rented it after she moved out" Phil replied. 'Thank you, Phil' I says in my heart.
"Well, where are you stay right now?" Cleo asks me
"With me, she's stay with me" Phil says. Everyone's face changed, everyone make different expression. Lilly and Dan's face annoyed, Jessy look happy, Cleo and Thomas look unamused.
"You can stay with me, Jessy" Cleo says, change the subject.
"Really? Miranda okay with it?"
"I bet she's does, she love you being around. If I ask her about it, I'm sure she agreed"
"Thank you, Cleo"
"Well, I think we're should go home. Let Thomas rest and please guys, don't go anywhere alone, including you, MC" Cleo says to all of us. I nods.
"I'm sorry for my harsh words, MC. Speed recover, Tommyboy" Dan hand shakes with Thomas, walks out. After everyone left, only me and Phil still in the room.
"Can you go to car first? I will join you later" I told Phil, he nods and walks out. I take a seat beside Thomas.
"Thank you for taming Dan. This is the first time I saw him listens to someone" Thomas told me. I smiled.
"Before I lose my consciousness that night, I saw him just stand there and looking right at me. Second thought, I feel like I will die and he will kill me. In my mind, I keep thinking about Hannah and I hope that you will find her, even I'm not longer alive" Thomas says.
"What did you think that way? First of all, what're you doing there?" I asks him.
"I'm going to junkyard, visited Richy's parents. I met with Paul, Richy's father" Thomas answered. I don't know why but it's sound familiar, probably it's not weird as Richy is my friend back then.
"I remember that Jessy told me, his mother have Alzheimer, right?" I asks Thomas.
"Yes, that's why Paul ask Richy to take over the junkyard, eventhough Richy didn't like it much"
"What do you means?"
"Richy didn't like automotive but he doesn't have a choice. Paul keep forced him to take over it, that's why they're not a good terms and still argue because of that" I nods after heard Thomas's answer. I do remember that Cleo heard both of them argued while she's running.
"What's your opinion? Do you think that the man without a face really save my life?" Thomas's question breaks my thought.
"To be frankly with you, I don't think so. I feel it's more to 'giving' us the warning or sign that he can easily end all of our life" I answered. Thomas sighs after heard my answer.
"Well, I should go then. Take a good rest, don't worry about anything. I will handle it all" I smiled to him and he smile to me back.
"Wow, what a superwoman. You and Hannah will be a good friend after all of this over. Take a good care of yourself and be careful, MC"
"I will" I hugs him and walks out.
I'm on my way to the main entrance as Phil asked me to wait there, but once I reachs there, I don't see him or his car outside. Then, my phone is ringing, probably from Phil but then, I froze when look at the screen.... 'Unknown'.... it's him, the man without a face. I take a deep breath, I want to vent to him about Thomas's accident. I picks up the call..
"I will found out who the fuck are you, I will never forgive what you did to Thomas. Just wait there and I will beats your ass, do you understand??!!" I says but no responds.
"Are you speechless now??!" I continued.
"Y/N......." I'm stunned. He's say my name by using voice changer.
"Y/N....."
"Y/N...." Then, he hangs up. I look at the cellphone's screen.
'Shit! I'm in trouble now. He's know my real identity' I says in my heart.
Honk!!! I shocked, it was Phil. Instantly, I get in the car.
"I need to meet with Jake" I says to Phil.
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Phil POV
"I can help you to give message to him, if you feel uncomfortable with him" I says, once we're reachs the apartment that Jake's rent.
"I have to meet him, just stay here. It will not take a long time" she says. When she's about to go out, I stops her by hold her hand. She's look at me, our eyes meet and I feel anxious. I'm scared that she will attachs with him again, that's why I keep volunteering myself to deal with him so she doesn't need to meet him.
"Y/N....I.....I want to...to....con.." I stutters.
"It's just for a while, Phil. I have urgent things to talk with him, just wait okay?" she says and immediately came out from the car.
'Please don't fall with him again, I like you Y/N' I says in my heart.
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Jake POV
"What is it now, dumbass?" I says as he keep ringing the doorbell and it's annoys me. But after I opens the door, it's not Phil.
"Y/N? Sorry, I thought it's Phil" I says, froze when I saw her face. The face that who I miss the most.
"Can I go in? I have a few thing to discuss with you" she says
"Yeah sure, come in" I open the door wide enough for her to enters the house and she immediately take a seat on sofa.
"How are you? Do you already eat? I have some..." I asks her after closed the door and opens the refrigerator.
"Let's not waste my time. Do you found anything about Amy's surveillance camera in her cloud storage?" I have to admit that I'm a little bit hurt of her action but I understand, it's my fault too.
"Oh about that..... I need to show you something" I answers her and give her sign to go to my room.
"Metadata of the weird video that we're found in Hannah's cloud storage is actually Amy Bell Lewis's bedroom. But this is more weird, that video has recorded and uploaded on Hannah's cloud storage four days before Hannah's disappearance" I told her and show the information that I've gained.
"Metadata? Like you do with Hannah's cat picture?"
"Yes, you do remember" I look at her and give her a smile, but unfortunately, she ignored me. I miss her stunning smile. Her smile make me lighthearted and deeply sensuous.
"So, do you found anything else in Amy Bell Lewis's cloud storage??" She asks me again.
"Unfortunately, no" I replied
"Sorry?"
"There are no new video until now. Apparently, she turned it off manually" I answers. But she didn't respond after that, she's zoned out. Probably thinking of something.
"So.. How's Thomas? How's your meeting with Alan Bloomgate? You didn't even picks up my calls or reply any of my messages" I asks her.
"Thomas is fine, he's just need to stay in hospital for a week. As for Alan Bloomgate, he's knew about my real identity but fortunately, he's close with my father and agreed with my plan about hiding my real identity. He's also said that questioning Alan Miller is a waste of time, and I followed his advise" she replied and take a seat on edge of my bed.
"That's good news....and how about you? Are you okay? I heard about the call just now, he's know your real name? How???" She sighs after hears my questions.
"Actually, after my meeting with Alan, I want to go into the forest that I saw in my memory. I thought that's a best way to trigger my memory but it's not. Then, I saw him, the man without a face standing opposite of the road. He's looking right at me and today, I received called from him, saying just my name. It's creep out of me" She sighs after that, and her look worried.
"You need to be careful from now on, no need to came out. I will find a way to get clues without we're going out" I says, I'm worried about her safety now. Now, the enemy knew about her real identity and furthermore, she's the only witness for Jennifer Hanson's death.
"Before I forgot, here. Alan give me that" She says and give me a cellphone.
"It's belongs to Hannah but it's need to be recharge" She continued. I look at her, amazed.
"Wow, this is great! Alan gives you this? Unbelievable" I says
"Well... he told me that he's borrows it and need it back by next week"
"That's enough time for me. I will link this cellphone with yours, so both of us can checks the cellphone together"
"Great! Uhm...Can you do me a favours?" She asks me.
"What is it?" I replied.
"Can you.... gather the information about Richy?" she says. Richy? I wonder why.
"Of course but may I ask why?" I asks her.
"Well, Thomas told me a bit about him. I..... hmm.... I just want to know more, that's all. I'm close with him back then... so... You know what, just forget about it, you can focus on Hannah's cellphone only" she says and walk towards the front door. I think I know why and it's hurting me.
"Do you.....have feeling with him?" I asks her. She stopped.
"I'm sorry but I read all the conversation between you and Richy before. You told him that he's a great guy, he's also told you that you're cool. And his jealousy about you're going to Aurora Bar....Is...."
"If it's true, then what will you do? I can fall in love with whoever I want, Jake. As long that person know how to appreciate me, trust me, love me and......" She paused.
"Never leave me... That's really important to me" She continued.
"I never said that I...."
"Jake!" I stopped talks when she call my name. Then, she turned to me.
"I don't want to stop you from leaving. We're will find Hannah and Richy, after all of this over...... we....." She paused and look down. 'No, please don't say it' I says in my heart
"We're going on our own ways. You will live the way that you want, so do I" She continued. My heart break to pieces when I heard that, I don't know what to say. How I want to explain to her that all of this just misunderstand from Phil? I need to explain to her now or I will lose her.
"Y/N.... I just....." She's already walks out from the house before I finish my sentences. Is she really means that? Is this really the end for both of us? Maybe this is the best for us as I'm still a wanted person and I don't want to risks her but at same times, I don't want leave her. What should I do?