THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE

CHAPTER 2

I placed my hand into the bag and felt something weird. My fingers wrapped around it, and I pulled it into the light. The sight of what I held made my heart leap into my throat. Shocked, I tossed the object onto the couch like it had burned me.

There it was. A gem so dark it seemed to absorb the light around it. Its sharp facets shimmered faintly, an otherworldly glow emanating from within.

The still-unfamiliar ringing from the bag snapped me back to reality. I reached in again and pulled out the phone that had been persistently ringing.

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PICKING UP

“Hello?” I said tentatively.

There was silence on the other end until a voice broke through.

“Do you have it?”

I hesitated, unsure of what to say.

“Do you have it?” the voice asked again, sharper this time.

Still confused, I opened my mouth to respond when the voice continued, “Do you have the black emerald?”

My eyes flicked to the couch where I had tossed the gem.

“Ye-yes,” I stammered, barely able to get the word out.

“Shit,” the voice muttered. “They’ve already started with their plan. Listen to me carefully.”

“Wait, who is this?” I demanded. “How do you know about the emerald? Are you involved in how it got into my possession?” My questions tumbled out in rapid succession.

“Listen,” the voice snapped. “I don’t have much time. Am I speaking to Liam Brown?”

“Yes,” I replied cautiously.

“Then I’m definitely speaking to the right person. This is a setup, Liam. A plan to frame you.”

“Frame me? Why would anyone want to frame me?”

“Stop cutting me off and listen!” the voice barked. “You’ve got the emerald and the phone, which means their plan is already in motion. If you don’t want to be arrested, you need to leave your house now and go into hiding.”

“What? No way! I didn’t steal anything. I’ll go to the police, hand them the emerald, and explain what happened,” I protested.

“And what will you tell them?” the voice countered. “That you magically found it in your bag? You think they’ll just thank you for returning a priceless national treasure and let you walk out? Don’t be stupid, Liam.”

I was stunned into silence.

The voice softened slightly. “Listen, I know it’s unfair, but if you want to survive this, you need to act fast. I’m certain they’ve already moved to the next stage of their plan. The police are probably on their way to your house right now. Get out while you still can.”

“And do what?” I snapped. “Run away and leave everything I’ve worked for behind?”

“It’s your only option. Trust me. If you don’t leave, you’ll be caught in their trap. You don’t have much time—go now. I have to go, too.”

“Wait! Hello? Hello?”

The line went dead.

“You can’t just tell me to run and hang up!” I yelled at the phone. My voice echoed through the silence.

Panic surged through me. My mind raced as I began pacing back and forth, weighing my options.

I didn’t want to believe him, but what if he was right?

I stopped in my tracks. “No,” I muttered. “I can’t take that chance.”

Determined, I ran upstairs and grabbed a small bag. I stuffed it with clothes and a few essentials, my hands trembling as I worked. Once I was sure I had everything, I rushed back downstairs.

As I reached the last step, my eyes darted to the couch. The black emerald glinted ominously in the faint light.

“What do I do with you?” I muttered, staring at it. My thoughts were interrupted by a sudden, sharp knock at the door.

I froze.

Another knock came, louder this time, followed by a voice.

“This is the police!”

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