Mia's breath hitched as the words on her screen seemed to burn into her mind. She quickly turned the phone face down, as if hiding the message would somehow make it go away.
Jake glanced at her, concern etching deeper lines into his face. "What is it, Mia? Another message?"
She nodded, her voice barely a whisper. "They know we're on the move. How can they possibly know?"
Jake's grip tightened on the steering wheel, his knuckles turning white. "We'll show this to the police as soon as we get there. Just hold on a little longer."
The drive to the police station felt like it took an eternity. The city outside the window seemed distorted, the familiar streets and buildings blurred by her anxiety. Every car that passed them, every pedestrian they drove by, could be the person behind the messages. Mia's paranoia gnawed at her, each minute feeling like a countdown to an inevitable confrontation.
When they finally arrived at the station, Jake parked the car and quickly got out, rushing to Mia's side. She hesitated for a moment, staring at the imposing brick building, the symbol of safety that now felt like a fragile hope.
Jake's hand on her arm jolted her back to reality. "Come on, Mia. We're here. They can help us."
Mia forced herself to move, her legs feeling like lead as they crossed the parking lot and entered the station. The fluorescent lights inside felt harsh, amplifying her exhaustion and fear. The officers behind the desk looked up as they approached, their expressions a mix of curiosity and professionalism.
Jake did most of the talking. "We need to speak with someone about ongoing harassment and threats. My friend here has been receiving disturbing messages, and we have evidence."
One of the officers, a woman with a calm demeanor, nodded and gestured for them to follow her. "Let's get you into a room where we can talk privately."
They were led to a small interview room, the walls a sterile white. Mia felt a shiver as she sat down at the table, placing her phone in front of her like a piece of evidence in a trial. The officer took a seat across from them, pulling out a notepad.
"I'm Officer Parker. Can you tell me what's been happening?"
Mia glanced at Jake, then took a deep breath, recounting the events from the beginning—the strange messages, the escalating threats, the man in the lobby. As she spoke, Officer Parker listened intently, occasionally jotting down notes.
When Mia finished, the officer asked to see her phone. Mia handed it over, her fingers trembling slightly. Officer Parker scrolled through the messages, her expression unreadable.
"These are definitely concerning," she said finally, looking up at Mia. "We take this kind of thing very seriously. I'm going to have our tech team analyze these messages and see if we can trace where they're coming from. In the meantime, I recommend you stay somewhere safe, preferably not at your current residence. Do you have somewhere you can go?"
Mia nodded slowly. "I can stay with Jake, at least for now."
Officer Parker gave a small smile. "Good. We'll keep you updated on any developments. And if you receive any more messages, contact us immediately."
Mia thanked her, though the words felt hollow. As she and Jake left the station, she couldn't shake the feeling that something still wasn't right. The police were involved now, but the fear clung to her like a second skin, refusing to let go.
Back in the car, Jake turned to her, his expression a mix of worry and determination. "We're going to get through this, Mia. We'll stay at my place tonight, okay? It's going to be alright."
Mia nodded, though doubt lingered in her mind. As they pulled away from the station, she glanced at her phone once more, half-expecting another message to appear. But the screen remained dark, offering no answers, only the silent promise of more sleepless nights to come.
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Next Chapter will be out soon.
Stay tuned. Bye!
