The New Girl

Chapter 11

The weekend came and Abby stayed in bed a little longer than normal. She kept the blankets up to her nose and embraced the warmth of the thick blanket. Though Winter was nearing its end and Spring around the corner, the weather still remained cold. The apartment was quiet. Abby assumed her mother may have already gone to work so the silence wasn't something that was alarming. It was the small creak that made her uneasy. A small creak as if the transfer of weight was too heavy from one foot to the other. Abby sat up.

There was no noise. Silence was the only thing that replied to her sitting up as Abby looked into the hallway from her bed. Another small creak came from this time, the kitchen. The sound is moving. A vibration shot through Abby, a warning vibration. A type of warning that shoots through your veins to yell at your brain that something is not right. Something is in this apartment with her, and what scared Abby the most, is that she feared it was someone.

Abby got up from her bed and quickly hid herself in her closet, shutting the door quiet and carefully. Another creak of weight shifting on wood. This time... in the hallway just outside her room. She could feel the presence of someone standing in her doorway, staring in her room. The pressure began to build in Abby. The stomach knotting anxiety that rips through your stomach into pain like claws that dig. "Honey?" a light female's voice called.

Abby ripped the closet door open, "Mom! You scared me to death! Christ Almighty, I thought you were at work!" Abby yelled but with relief. Her mother laughed, "I'm sorry, honey. I didn't want to wake you. I knew you had a long week is all," Her mother began to walk back toward the kitchen, "Are you hungry?" "Yeah!" Abby called out so her mother could hear her.

Abby stood there frozen in her own thoughts. She knew what she thought it was, rather who it was. 

Just because he hasn't shown himself in a while, doesn't mean he's gone. He can show up at any time.  I can't be too comfortable. I have to stay alert. Abby thought to herself. 

Abby remained in sweats and long sleeve that was a bit baggy. It wasn't something that you would necessarily wear outdoors which made it a nice shirt to wear around the house where no one could see you. She sat at the small table while her mother worked the kitchen. "Mom," Abby called out, "Could I go to Nick's tomorrow night? His family is doing a dinner." Her mother stayed quiet for a moment while preparing the food. Abby could not tell if she were too focused to answer or weighing the options to let her go in her head or not, seeing what happened last time. 

"I really don't want you going out this weekend," her mother finally spoke. "Mom, I'll be fine. Please?" Abby extending her plead trying to display how badly she really wanted to go. "Will Sarah be with you? Derek won't mess with Sarah," Her mother turned to her with spatula in hand. All Abby could think of saying was, "Uhhhhh," trying to think if that could be a possibility to have her there or not. "I can check?" Abby said to her but more as a question than an actual answer.  Her mother turned back to the stove and Abby went to go to her phone. She grabbed it and saw a text message from an unfamiliar number. Even an unfamiliar area code on the number. 

"What is this?" She said unlocking her phone and going to the message.

- I gave you a little bit of freedom. Now what are you going to give me for allowing that? -

Abby's heart sent shockwaves through her body. "Gave me freedom?" Abby trembled saying. Something in Abby told her instincts to look out the window, and what she saw was an empty street of parked cars. Her eyes quickly investigated each and every parked car expecting to find something or someone within them to answer for the text message she received. She found nothing. She looked back at the message and reread it. Another message came in from the same number.

- Looking for me? -

Abby's eyes shot back out to the street immediately and began searching. She ducked down beneath her window and called Nick. It went to voicemail. "Crap!" She peeked again out her window and saw nothing different in the street. She closed the blinds on her window sat down letting her back rest up against the wall. "Will this ever end?"