Safe

II

Naomi

A few days before

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes Helen! I'll just finish cataloging these new books and go home." I answer." See you tomorrow."

"All right! I bring coffee to make it up to you!" Helen responds picking up her suitcase and heading to the back exit. " Don't be long. It's getting late."

Helen and I have worked at this bookstore for two years. I love my job and it's easier when our colleague is our best friend. I moved to San Diego, California after finishing university.
A new beginning for me.

"Okay. Call me if you need to be saved from that blind date you're going to have." I provoke.

"I don't think it will be necessary." she responds closing the door.

Helen has not been very lucky in love, so she accepted this encounter arranged by her sister.

I'm laughing and shaking my head as I catalog the latest books that have arrived.

⬜

By the time I put the last book on the shelf I'm so tired I finish my chores on autopilot and when I find myself I'm grabbing my backpack and locking the back door while texting Helen to ask how she's doing.

I'm almost to the end of the alley when I hear crying. Looks like it's coming from next to the dustbin. What can I confirm by going back. I see a small animal on the ground which makes me crouch down for a better look.

"Poor thing!" I say when I see the kitten lying in front of me.

I turn on my cell phone's flashlight to try to figure out where he's hurt when I hear a voice coming from the alley entrance:

"Fuck I said I didn't know! How could I warn you if I didn't know?"

"Don't play with me! I lost a big deal and someone is going to have to pay!"

I hear someone approaching where I'm crouched. I'm hidden by the dustbin and to be honest the voices are so angry I don't want to get up.

"Put it down... I..." says one of the men as he enters my field of vision.

But he doesn't have the opportunity to finish because seconds later he has a hole in his chest where blood comes out and stains his shirt.

Shocked, I put a hand to my mouth to hold back the scream of horror at what I've just seen. Tears fall down my face but I don't dare open my mouth.

Petrified, I realize the other person is walking, but the ringing in my ears and the pounding of my heart don't let me know if he's getting closer or moving away. That's when I hear a song that is very familiar to me.
Shit! It's my cell phone ringing. Helen.

I try as quickly as possible to disconnect the call. But it's too late. When I look ahead I see a gun pointed at me

"Move!" he orders me.

Reluctantly I do it while discreetly hitting the panic button on my cell phone. This will link me directly to the police.

"I ..." I say crying looking at the fallen man. I'm sure he's dead. "please."

The man in front of me is much bigger than me, I can't escape.
As I look at him I see that he has a ghoulish smile on his face and it's the image that makes me shiver. My gaze drops to the hand holding the gun and I notice it has a skull tattoo with a dagger embedded in it.

It's the last thing I see before a darkness takes hold of me.