Mia's nerves tingled with a sense of impending dread as she and Jake mapped out their plan. They talked in hushed tones, careful not to wake Emily, who remained peacefully asleep in the chair. Jake insisted on taking Mia's phone to the police immediately, but Mia hesitated.
"What if they think I'm just being paranoid? Or worse, that I'm making it up?" Mia's voice trembled with doubt. The fear of not being believed weighed heavily on her, more so than the threats themselves.
Jake frowned, his eyes narrowing in determination. "It doesn't matter what they think. We have evidence—these messages are real, and someone is clearly trying to terrorize you. They have to take it seriously."
Mia nodded, trying to absorb Jake's confidence. "Okay, let's go. But Jake... we need to be careful. Whoever this is, they're dangerous."
Jake's jaw tightened, and he nodded grimly. "I won't let anything happen to you, Mia."
They quickly gathered their things, and Mia scribbled a note for Emily, leaving it on the table beside her. The last thing she wanted was for Emily to wake up alone and confused.
As they stepped into the hallway, Mia glanced nervously over her shoulder. The apartment building was eerily quiet, the usual morning bustle strangely absent. She couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. Jake led the way, his hand protectively on her back, guiding her toward the elevator.
The ride down to the lobby felt agonizingly slow. Mia's mind raced with a hundred possibilities—what if the person behind the messages was waiting for them? What if this was all part of some twisted game? She felt a cold sweat break out on her forehead as the elevator doors finally opened with a ding.
They stepped into the lobby, and Mia's heart skipped a beat. There, near the entrance, stood a figure she recognized instantly—a man she had seen only in passing, a neighbor from down the hall. He was pacing back and forth, his phone clutched tightly in his hand. His eyes darted toward them, and for a brief moment, they locked onto Mia's.
Her breath caught in her throat. Was this the person who had been tormenting her? But before she could say anything, the man quickly looked away, his expression unreadable. He slipped out the door and disappeared into the street.
Jake noticed her hesitation. "You okay?"
Mia forced a nod, but her mind was still reeling. "Yeah, just... nervous, I guess."
Jake gave her a reassuring squeeze. "We're almost there. Just hang in there, okay?"
They hurried out to Jake's car, parked just outside. As they got in, Mia couldn't help but glance back at the building. The man was gone, but the unease lingered, gnawing at her like a persistent shadow.
As they pulled onto the road, Jake reached over and squeezed her hand. "We're going to get through this, Mia. I promise."
Mia wanted to believe him, but as the city blurred past them, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was still terribly wrong. The messages were one thing, but now the fear had taken on a life of its own, feeding on every uncertainty, every shadow in the corner of her mind.
And as they drove toward the police station, Mia's phone buzzed with a new message. She stared at the screen, dread pooling in her stomach. The message was short, but it was enough to send a chill down her spine:
"You can run, but you can't hide."
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Next Chapter will be out soon.
Stay tuned. Bye!
