Vandermein

XI

I felt the shape beneath me suddenly go flat and a thump in the apartment below. I pulled the blanket back to reveal a solid, still-carpeted floor.

How? This creature was invisible, moving through solid objects. How was any of this possible!?

I ran from the apartment, only to see red and blue lights flashing against the rough textured walls. The police were here, and I couldn't be seen anywhere near Boone's apartment.

I rushed in the opposite direction, keeping my gait casual to not draw any suspicion from the residents. I walked around the back of the building, getting to the parking lot by another way. There, several squad cars were parked at odd angles, officers moseying toward the screaming old lady from before. If she saw me lurking in the parking lot, she'd point me out immediately. I needed to get away without being spotted.

Watching through parked car windows, I waited for an opportunity to move, hoping the gaggle of cops would follow her elsewhere. As soon as the I had the chance, I took it, and was nearly run over by a car that had to stomp on its brakes not to hit me.

The squeal alerted the cops, their heads pivoting instantly in my direction. But more interestingly, there was no one in the driver's seat. I watched their front wheels spin as they pressed on the gas, intent on running me down. Instead, I jumped on the hood, gripping at the hinge by the windshield.

The driver--who I could not see--was twisting the wheel left and right, sending my body fishtailing across the hood.

The police were behind us, blaring their sirens and flashing their lights. I started banging on the windshield with the butt of my gun. Every time I made any headway or started a crack, the driver would take a sharp turn or speed through a bump that slammed my body against the hood.

We hit the highway and the car accelerated, flying past the rest of the traffic. I gave up trying to break the windshield. If I didn't hold on with both hands, I'd quickly become a pile of gristle on the side of the highway.

At very least, this made the cops back off. It seemed they also did not want to cause an accident that resulted in my fatality.

Once the police were sufficiently behind us, I withdrew my gun and fired a round through the windshield, directly at the driver's seat. I aimed low, hoping not to hit the head and send myself careening over the guard rail.

As soon as the bullet met with the invisible driver, I watched their form crackle with static, like flashing mirror panels all over a woman's body. This wasn't Boone. But why would it be? Why would he disguise himself in his own apartment? And where was he now?

I pressed the gun against the windshield. "Pull over! Now!"

The car slowed before taking a sharp right turn and smashing against a concrete barrier. I flew off the car and landed, rolling, in a patch of tall grass, and the car corrected and sped off down the highway.

Despite the soft-ish landing, my body felt as if it'd been hit by a train. A low groan escaped my lips as I struggled to my feet. I stood to see a police cruiser pull to the side of the road, no doubt here to read me my rights.

A figure stepped out and looked me up and down.

"Veronica?"