Fractured Souls

The Stalker

Ava's P.O.V

I stayed quiet. I was trying so hard to stay calm. My gut told me to be careful and I tend to listen to it. The man smiled at me, but not a normal sweet smile, it was more like a full-on smirk. 

I just stood there, frozen. I don't know what to do. I mean what am I supposed to do? There is a man... in my apartment... in the middle of the night... and my guard dog loves him?

I'm not scared. I'm not. I don't fear anything, except dolls. Porcelain dolls are the scariest shit I've ever seen. Don't you dare to say anything different, it's the truth.

"Love?" The man said unsure and waved a hand in front of my face. 

I must have zoned out... Again. 

"Why do you keep calling me that? I'm not your love, and how on earth did you get here?" I asked him. 

He just laughed at me like I said the most hilarious thing ever.

He bent down and picked up one of the glass shards and fiddles it between his fingers. 

"What?" I asked him. 

"Oh, you'll understand eventually." He said, his laughter slowly dying down. 

This dude. Why can't he just tell me how the hell he got in here and what the fuck is going on!

I stared at him intensely. He's really starting to annoy me now. 

"Wow love, are you trying to stare into my soul or something because then I have to tell you that you're out of luck. I don't have one." He said with a cheeky smile. 

Wait... He doesn't have a soul. Okay, Ava, stop right there. He probably means figuratively and not literally... right?

"Why do you keep avoiding my question?" I asked him with annoyance clear in my voice. 

"You break into my apartment, you manipulate my dog, you act like an ass... Can't you just murder me already?!" I yelled annoyed.

"You get right to the point, that's why I like you. All to its time, love." He said calmly. 

"Stop calling me that! And stop looking so smug! It's really annoying." I yelled at him. 

He didn't seem surprised by my outburst.

Link you traitor! Why are you siding with this man, he's clearly insane.

"I'll be watching you." He said and snapped his fingers. 

Just like that, he was gone. Okay... What. The fuck. This time I knew I didn't imagine it. Maybe I'm the insane one.

Is he a guardian angel or something... Maybe a ghost... Nope, nope, nope. I don't want to deal with this. They don't exist. I really need to sleep more. I'll deal with this tomorrow. I whistled for Link and he happily followed me to bed. The second my head hit my fluffy pillow I was out.

I woke up in the morning. My alarm was screaming out the song cherry pie by warrant. God yes, this is my favorite song. I started singing along while I danced around the apartment. I jumped into the kitchen and got a cup of coffee. I drank it quickly, I didn't want to be late for work.
I looked down at the floor. There were no glass shards there. I didn't clean them up last night... I must have dreamt it all... 

I must have...

It is currently 7:30 am and I had to be at work at 8:00 am. Work is something I love, more than anything. 

"Bye Link. Be a good boy and don't eat my shoes!" I yelled as I walked out the door and locked it.

I started making my way to work. I work as a butcher. I don't like the word butcher. 

It's so... I don't know... Old fashioned? I've been working as a "butcher" for 5 years, so I'm pretty skilled with a blade. My shop isn't that far from my apartment, well that depends on what one counts as 'far'. I just had to walk a couple of blocks to get there. I like walking, so it doesn't bother me.

I stood outside my shop and looked at the sign. 

"Hey! Meat." I know, not the best name, but it used to be my grandpa's shop and he was as bad as me with names. I put the key in the lock and opened the door. I turned around to close the door and there he was, the man. He was standing on the other side of the street. 

I slammed the door shut. 

It wasn't a dream, it couldn't have been... I peeked out the window, he was still there. A bus passes by, and when I could see the other side of the street again, he was gone. 

When he said he would be watching me... He wasn't joking. 

I turned the sign so it said open and started working.

"Good morning, boss." I heard Shane say. Shane is a good guy. He's handsome, but not my type. He has always had a thing for me. I mean even a blind person could tell that he was into me. 

"Good morning, Shane. Get to work, we have a lot to do today." I know I was being hard on him, but when you're a boss you have to be hard sometimes. You can't be all cuddly and sweet. 

"Yes, boss," Shane said with his head down.

Customers came and went. Business was good. The clock was about 4 pm and Shane was done for the day and went home. 

"Bye, boss. Take care." Shane said on his way out. "Good work today Shane," I told him and gave him a sweet smile. 

"Thanks, boss." He said and tried to hide a smile. 

He switched the sign to closed and walked out the door.

I cleaned up my workstation and checked the back door. 

It was locked, good. 

I walked out the front door and locked it. 

As I was about to turn around I suddenly couldn't see a thing. I tried to grab whatever was over my head, but before I could do anything I felt a blow to my head and everything went black.

End of chapter 2

Hello, chapter 2 is finally done. Hope you like it!

Until next time

~Eldriel