Escape | Ongoing

35

It felt weird being with someone else after Mac. However I couldn't tell if it was weird because I was used to sleeping with Mac, or if it was because it felt so good to be with Josh. 

I shouldn't have been comparing the two of them, but I went from being in a bad place these last few months to feeling so uplifted again. Like I have no worries in the world. 

Since we had gotten back to Josh's house we'd already done it twice. It felt like he couldn't get enough of me, let alone randomly walking out on me.

In the morning I woke up in his bed, I hadn't taken much notice the night before of his house. It was a small town house, only two bedrooms. I didn't mind it though. It was cosy, it had everything he needed, and it was walking distance to everything he needed. I did notice that he had no photos up anywhere, not a single one. I didn't know if that was weird or because it was just a 'guy' thing to not hand up photos on their walls. 

I got dressed and went downstairs, Josh was in the kitchen. I walked in to see him cooking and singing along to the radio. "Whey hey! She's awake" he shouted over the top of the song. He spun around and kissed me handing me the food he'd served up. I was surprised to see he'd made pancakes. I didn't even know that he could cook. I sat at his table and watched him cooking his own food. The pancakes tasted amazing. This all of a sudden just seemed to good to be true. I checked my phone, sure enough Chloe had tried calling me followed by a text.

Chloe: What's this about you agreeing to publish?

How did she know about that? The only person I had told was Josh and he was busy doing other things, he couldn't have told anyone. I checked my other messages and nearly dropped my phone on top of the pancakes.

Unknown: Go now. Before it's too late.

What the actual fuck was going on? What could any of this mean?

I felt my heart start to beat faster and the panic inside me began to rise. Josh sat down opposite me eating his pancakes. I didn't know what to do. I had to find out who was sending me these texts. I needed them to stop,  or to know what they were trying to warn me about. 

"I have to go" I said. I stood up and headed for the door, Josh followed close behind. "Where you going?" he asked. I grabbed my coat and my bag from the stairs. When I turned to the door, Josh was stood In front of it. "What's going on? You seem panicked?". 

I didn't want to tell him. Getting so freaked out over a couple of texts that I didn't understand would probably make me seem insane. "I'm just late to class, I have to go". He grabbed my shoulders and stared into my eyes. "You can tell me the truth, Eve". He kept my eye contact, something felt really of about the whole thing. It was probably just the texts making me feel that way. I just needed answers. 

"It is the truth" I said. I pushed past him and left the house without another word. I got to uni as quickly as I could and stared down at my phone. 

Unknown:

Saturday - 11:08 pm

Run

Today - 9:36 am

Go now. Before it's too late.

I tried to text back

Who the hell are you???

But the message wouldn't send as it was an unknown number. What would this person think I needed to run from? There was nothing dangerous in my life threatening me. What could they possibly mean. I looked around me, checking every person. No one was watching me. No one had bought up the last text. This couldn't be some joke. 

I grabbed my stuff again and went to the police. 

"Sorry miss... What is it you're wanting us to do?" The police woman looked at me with a concerned look on her face. I was getting irritated, I had already explained to her twice what was going on. "I need you to uncover the number and trace it" I tried to keep my voice calm, but she was really doing my head in. "Miss we can't do that" I rolled my eyes. I couldn't hide it anymore. "Why can't you? You're the police for Christ sales, tracing numbers is what you do". She laughed. She actually laughed at me. "You've been watching too many American action films". I couldn't believe what I was hearing right now. 

"Just ignore the texts. Who ever is playing this prank on you will soon get bored and it'll blow over"

"That's your advice is it?"

I think I hit a nerve that time. Now she was the one getting annoyed with me.

"Yes miss, that is my advice"

I left the police station and leaned against the wall outside. I felt defeated. If the police couldn't even take me seriously I had no hope of anyone else helping me.