Chasing the Browns

Chapter Ten - Part 2

Chapter Ten

The moon seemed the only thing anywhere nearby that could help me at this moment in time.

But the moon was several light years away, smiling down smugly at me from its place in the sky. Too far for any consolation.

My heart was beating erratically, completely overwhelming my ears with the sound of pulsing blood. And then there was the masked figure in front of me, keeping me pinned against the wall.

Oh, my God, is he going to—

‘You know exactly what I wanted you to do.’ His voice was low.

He’d had a knife last time. A knife. I’d seen those stories on the news, the way the constantly spoke about stabbings and attacks…I’d always carelessly brushed them off.

Now I was going to be one of them.

He reached into his pocket.

My thoughts went wild. Words like bomb and acid and murder flashed past. The scene of the bodies in front of the burning house which I’d supposedly banished from my mind haunted me for a brief few seconds.

I hadn’t even realised I was hyperventilating until I was told to shut up.

And I hadn’t even realised I was running until I heard a voice screaming for me to come back.

I turned the corner and looked down at my phone which had been disconnected from the call. Its screen was like a beacon of light in this street, a relief from the constant emptiness.

Now I wished I hadn’t strayed away from the party.

I heard his steps pounding behind me, his deranged screams for me to come back.

‘You’ll regret this!’ he yelled.

I knew I would, but that didn’t stop me from running. I sprinted down the road, turned another corner, trying to get to the nearest main road. I could hear his shouts getting further and further away. There was an alleyway nearby, one that I was sure he’d miss in the dark, but I couldn’t take that risk again…not again.

I was short of breath after less than a minute of running. My heart was practically trying to tear through the skin of my chest. I fumbled with my phone, trying to get to my address book. I scrolled down, looking for Marie’s number. There was no way I could call Mum without letting her know about the, uh, situation.

‘I swear to you, when I get hold of you—’

His voice was suddenly cut off by the sound of a screeching car. I had no idea whether the car had hit him or not. Suddenly I was worried.

Ridiculous! Don’t be worried. He tried to kill you, remember?

There was an uncanny silence. I slowed down to a jog, then a walk…I turned and began to walk the other way. I had no idea what I was doing. If it was a trap, then I was about to get myself killed. If not…

I shivered. Now that the adrenaline had died, the cold hit me like a brick. I hugged myself as I walked briskly back the way I’d come. From around the corner, I could see lights. Car lights.

I could just imagine the lifeless body right in front of it…

Then a thought hit me. If I got there quickly enough and he was unconscious, I could pull off the mask and see who he was. Because I’d bet my life that I knew this person. I recognised the voice, despite how low it was. I just couldn’t figure out who…

A cry rang out through the street. I jumped. Then I ran.

And there he was, a crumpled figure on the ground, several feet away from a car…