The Bleeding Rose

A Stalker

Riddle just ran and ran. Swerving around corners and hurdling down streets with names he didn't recognize. Once every couple of streets an occasional dog would bark at him as he sped by.

He didn't even think of where he was going. No final destination in mind. Just that he needed to get out and away. It was a foolish and impulsive decision. He knows that. But the thoughts in his head just whipped around like a whirlwind. Crowding up his brain with noise and questions that he couldn't answer.

He ran until he couldn't breathe, his lungs burning in his chest as he wheezed. His legs going numb, worrying that if he tried to move even an inch further his legs would fall off. He bent forward as he gasped for air. Looking back up with a squinted eye.

He had somehow made it all the way to Main Street. The earlier crowds that had filled the streets now gone. Leaving only the desolate scene behind. The stalls that were so lively earlier now laid colorless, all of their items stored away for the night. The cobblestone streets glistening in the moonlight. It was strangely peaceful. The deafening bustle that used to hang in the air like a cloud was replaced by the soft whistling of wind and the soft slap of the stall covers getting blown around.

He uncurled his hunched back. Panting as he let the calm of the night seep into his chest. Drowning out his anger and stilling his racing thoughts.

With this silence a single thought remained. Panic slamming in as he finally processed what he has just done. Tears welling up as his breath hitched and a sob fought its way through his chest. He pressed the palms of his hands harshly into his eyes as he tried to wipe away the disgusting tears rolling down his face. His diaphragm shuttering as he sobbed. He just stood there for what felt like years as he cried.

He had run away...he had yelled at his mother. She was going to skin him. She must be so disappointed. She was never going to let him leave again. She never going to let him see Cater and Trey again. She hated him. She-

Momentarily his sobbing stopped as the all too familiar sensation of hairs standing on ends rippled over his arms, all the way up to the nip of his neck. His blood running cold at the distinctive feeling of being watched washed over him.

This wasn't a coincidence anymore, this was repetitive. He sniffled as his nose continued to run. His tears halting in their falling as he quickly glanced around him. Annoyingly not seeing anything yet again. But he knew there was someone there. It wasn't ignorable anymore. It was searing into him like a siren blaring away before a tornado.

If he was being followed, he needed to get out of the streets. Now. Treys house was only a few blocks away. If he just beelined it, he could be there in only a few minutes. He forced his sore legs out from under him. Trying to calmly walk away and maintain a normal pace to hide his suspicion. If there really was someone, he couldn't let them know that he knew they were there. They might decide to strike if he started to run. And he couldn't afford that.

He tried to slip his hand into his pocket as casually as possible. Clenching onto his pen. His senses heightened as he strained for any solid confirmation that there was someone tailing him.

And there it was.

The almost inaudible tapping of footsteps clacked behind him. Riddle only managing to hear it because it was ever so slightly out of sync with his own. He spun around on the balls of his heels. Nearly yelping in surprise when he came face to face with a girl. She was unnervingly close to him. Her footsteps had sounded as if they were several feet behind him, yet, here she was. Frozen in surprise just an arms length away from him.

She had long black hair that hung down by the dips in her hips, with bangs hanging below her eyebrows. Her eyes were horrifyingly large and sunken in, her irises not matching their unnerving size. 90% of her eyes being nothing but a blank white. She was wearing a black t-shirt that was neatly tucked into her jeans. Her hands coming to clasp together behind her back as she bent at the waist to lean forward.