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Chapter Three

I drive home trying to forget about the second mysterious text I've gotten today. A Fall Out Boy song, one of the ones with the obnoxiously long titles, plays over my radio. I focus on the road ahead of me, trying to distract myself by thinking about Maya's face when kazoo guy dropped a beat in the middle of a crowded restaurant. What was his name again? Brian? Ben? I can't remember his name for the life of me so I decide I will only refer to him as Banjo Kazooie from here on out. I chuckle to myself a little. Maya will love the nickname. As I pull up to a red light, I hear my phone vibrate in the cup holder again. I grip my steering wheel tighter deciding if I want to check my phone quickly or not. I am stopped at a red light after all, and what are the chances Unknown would be sending me another text so soon? In this moment, I wish I had plugged my phone into apple car play so I could see who the text was from before deciding if it was worth technically breaking the law to respond. I grip the wheel tighter willing the red light to turn green so I don't have to make a decision. Checking my phone while stopped at a red light is one thing, but looking at my phone while my car is actually moving is another. I like to live life on the edge sometimes, but I don't want to put others in danger. My knuckles are white and if my steering wheel could breathe it would have been unconscious by now. How long is this red light? I sigh and grab my phone deciding maybe it's Maya asking me to stop and grab something, or telling me she is on her way to my house. She only lives about 5 minutes from work, so she would have already made it home by now. I look at the screen and throw my phone into my back seat. WHAT THE HELL???

Unknown: Turn right. Now.

I've seen enough horror movies and murder shows to know NOT to do what the creepy ominous text says. I hear my phone vibrate again in the back seat. I ignore it and look in my mirrors to see if I see anyone watching me from their car around me. I could definitely spot if someone was tailing me. Right? The car behind me has a girl applying mascara while looking in her rearview mirror. Beside me is a mom with her head turned towards the backseat talking to her children it looks like. Diagonally from me, behind the mom, is a cop. I can't really see in any other cars near me. Shit. The light turns green and I continue straight, trying to decide if I should go straight to the police station or if I should tell Maya first. My phone vibrates again and I decide I will tell Maya first. Then I will have her go to the cops with me. I don't know what they would do for 3 ominous, yet not really threatening texts. But I won't be like those idiots in the movies who never report anything. I will, however, be the idiot that stops at the pet store only a few minute from her house to grab treats and toys for her dog. I don't want to go directly home in case I am being followed, especially since Maya won't be there yet.

    As I pull into the busy pet store parking lot, I make the realization that unknown already knows where I live. They made that clear with the first text they sent. I decide to call Maya and tell her to meet me at the pet store. I don't want her to go to my house and have the creep already there waiting. I park my car and climb over the center console to retrieve my phone from the back seat. I sit back down in the driver's seat and sigh in relief when I see that there's not a new text from Unknown, but just some app notifications. I unlock my phone and go my contacts. I tap on Maya's name and listen to the phone ring. She answers on the third ring. "Miss me that much already? God Car, you're so clingy" she jokes. "I always miss you babes." I joke back, even though there is some truth to my words. "Hey, don't go to my house yet, meet me at Paw Palace. I wanna get some goodies for Blue too." I decide not to tell her about the creepy texts over the phone and play it cool until she gets here. "Anything for my fur nephew. Be there in 10" she says before hanging up.

I look out at the parking, looking for anything suspicious. All I see is a steady flow of people walking in and out of Paw Palace. Thank Danny DeVito this place is always so busy. I decide it would be better to wait inside for Maya, rather than my car. The parking lot is busy, but Unknown could still come and try to carjack me or something. I step out of my car and triple lock it with my keys. I don't know why I do that, but I always do. I walk into Paw Palace still keeping my eyes peeled for anything suspicious. Nothing stands out. I grab a hand basket and take a deep breath before heading towards the dog toy aisles. At least Blue is gonna benefit from whoever this creep is. He deserves to be spoiled though. I smile the way I often do when I think about my precious pup. He really is the best dog in the world.