Screen of Secrets

Chapter 15

Fredric

It's that guy. I started moving towards him slowly, trying not to be noticed. But he wasn’t that clueless—he spotted me coming. He took off running again, but this time I was determined not to let him get away. I grabbed a stone from the ground and chased after him. He wasn't getting away this time. As I ran, I thought about throwing the stone at him, but I hesitated. If I hit him hard enough, he could get seriously hurt. So I decided to throw it when I got closer.

He turned onto a side street instead of heading for the main road, and I followed. He ran under a bridge, and I guessed he didn’t know the area because this road leads nowhere. The bridge had an upper lane, currently under maintenance, so no one usually comes this way. Both routes eventually lead to the same place, but the upper path is quicker. I waited at the end of the bridge, ready to jump him when he appeared, but he didn’t come. I started doubting myself. What if I was wrong? What if he had turned back?

Caught in mixed emotions and unsure of what to do, I suddenly heard labored breathing. It was him. I wasn’t wrong this time. He must have been tired and thought he’d lost me. Little did he know I was waiting for him.

He was walking now, not running. I waited just outside the bridge. As he emerged, I leapt on him. He tried to fight back, and he was definitely stronger and likely older. Left with no other choice, I used the stone, hitting him lightly on his left leg to avoid causing any permanent damage. But now he couldn’t easily walk away. I could see the anger in his eyes, but he didn't resist when I removed his mask. It was as if he had resigned himself to his fate.

He was surprisingly decent looking, not the type you’d expect to throw a stone into someone’s home. "Who are you, and why were you lurking around my friend's house?" I asked calmly, trying not to let his muscles intimidate me.

"I was just checking something," he replied, as if he knew this conversation was inevitable.

"Checking what?" I say angrily.

"I was checking if she was okay." He says.

"And who the hell are you to do that? Why did you throw that stone into my room? What’s with the note and the warning? Don’t lie to me; I’ll call the cops." I say.

"I won't lie," he said, stretching and standing up. I stood in front of him to block his path, but he didn’t try to escape. He leaned back against a nearby wall and gestured for me to face him. I complied.

"Did something happen to your friend?" He asks.

"Her dog died," I blurted out without hesitation. Despite everything, I had a gut feeling he wasn’t a bad person.

"And you shared that study program with her, Fred?" His knowledge of the program and my name shocked me, but I didn’t care about that anymore.

"What does that have to do with her? Why is it dangerous?" He looked calm, gazing at the sky, then sighed deeply before making eye contact for the first time.

"Listen, Fred, you’ve involved your friends in something you don’t understand. That program is dangerous, and I bet her dog died because of it." He seemed genuinely worried, but I dismissed his concerns.

"What are you talking about? That program has been a miracle for me. It had nothing to do with her dog's death." I was yelling now, freaked out by his assertions.

"I knew you wouldn’t believe me, but check her laptop or computer. You'll see what I mean. If you need to talk, meet me here again. This place has good vibes." He says.

"I don’t know what you’re talking about, and I won’t invade her privacy. And I won’t meet you again," I declared, leaving. Despite my words, I knew I would check her computer to prove him wrong.