Enigma Stigma (ONC 2023 Entry)

13.

Constance would be lying to herself if she didn't hope to see Beom when she got on the bus that morning for work. However - like the last few days - there was no Beom in sight. Constance sighed heavily as she moved to sit on the bus with her messenger bag across her lap. It was obvious that the talk she had given to him at his camper van the previous night had done nothing to change his mind about things.

Constance tried to do the best she could at her job at the bakery as the day went on, but Darla could clearly see that she was distracted by something. After Darla had finished putting the last of the baked goods in the display case, she turned to look at Constance.

"Dear, are you okay?"

"I'm fine," said Constance with a forced smile.

Darla didn't want to push Constance because - even though she knew what she had just said was a lie - she didn't want to be too nosy.

"Why don't you at least take a break now?" suggested Darla. "Get some fresh air."

Constance couldn't argue with that. She nodded her head as she moved to walk outside the bakery after grabbing up her messenger bag. She walked a little ways away from the bakery where there was a bench and took a seat before digging out her notebook from her messenger bag. Constance thought that maybe some writing would help to distract her like it normally did, but it was clear that this time that wouldn't be the case. It certainly didn't help that - the first thing she saw when she flipped open her notebook - was the address that Beom had scribbled there what felt like a lifetime ago.

Beom. There was that four-letter name again that made her carry so much hurt. She wished desperately that she could do more for him, but at this point, she knew that she had done all she could. Now it was up to him whether he listened or not.

Just as Constance was about to pick up her lucky pen to write, she felt someone approach her from behind. She was about to turn to face them when she felt whoever it was place their hand directly over her mouth to stifle any sort of protest her mouth might form.

Panic coursed through her body then as she gripped her pen tightly in her hand. She tried to swing her arm around to stab the person with the pen, but they were holding her against the bench in such a way that made any sort of movement impossible.

"I bet you thought it was funny the other day when you had your ghost humiliate me and destroy my home," she heard an all too familiar voice growl. "Well, that won't happen this time. This time I'm going to get what I want."

Constance couldn't believe the audacity of this man to try such an act in broad daylight. She tried to scream as he yanked her off the bench to start backing up with her towards a nearby alley. The entire time she was being dragged down the alley, she tried to kick out and free herself to no avail.

"Now hand over your messenger bag!" he said as he threw her against the brick wall as soon as they were out of view. "I need the money!"

Constance - now temporarily free of the man's grip since she had been thrown against the wall - used this to her advantage. She moved to race out of the alley as fast as she could. Constance kept running without giving much thought as to where she was going. The only thought in the forefront of her mind was to put as much distance between the man as possible. Her feet propelled her on more when she heard him following after her.

As Constance came out of the alley, she looked about her immediate surroundings in an attempt to figure out the best direction to go to get some help. She froze completely when she noticed Beom standing across the street looking right at her. Before she could say anything to him, she could hear the man chasing her down get closer to her from behind.

Figuring that it would be safer with Beom, Constance moved to run across the street. However, she did so without looking both ways. As her feet propelled her across the street towards Beom, she heard a honk followed by something striking her in the side. She fell onto the street; her entire world clouding with pain. She could briefly register the sound of a car door being opened followed by the voice of a hysterical driver and the sound of someone calling out her name.

Beom. It was him that was calling out her name. She'd recognize that voice anywhere.

He was soon in her line of vision as he knelt beside her. She could see his lips moving but was only able to pick up snatches of the words he was saying. Her lips formed into a weak smirk when she heard the word 'stupid' leave his lips.

"It's not nice to insult someone that could be dying..." she managed to get out, watching Beom's gaze turn serious as he looked at her.

"You aren't going to die," he promised.

He didn't say anything more as he moved to scoop her into his arms, standing to his feet. She couldn't help but to half wonder what those gathered must be thinking at seeing her levitate right then, but she didn't have enough energy in her to care. Constance could already feel her eyelids beginning to droop as unconsciousness started to settle heavily upon her. Soon enough her entire world faded to black.