Simpler Things

Part 20: Catching up.

"Dave Bradley," He said handing me a photo. "Have you seen him before?"
"Never. Why would he want to do it? Kill all these people? What's his motive?"
"Because he's done it before. I put him behind bars in the early 90's, he did some bad stuff."
"Wha-"
"Rape. Murder... he killed his wife." He said flatly, his eyebrows furrowed. "He swore he never did it."
"Did he have a mental disorder? Why would he just do that?" My dad shook his head and responded,
"He could have developed one in jail. I'm going to put out an A.P.B."
"Where do you think he would go?" I asked, looking back down at the picture.
"He's insane, but he knows what he's doing. He never leaves any patterns... until now. Why?" He got up and slowly paced between the shelves.
"I can help-" He stopped suddenly.
"That's what he wants." He looked at me blankly.
"What?"
"That's what he wants." He looked at me again. "Go to Megan's house. And, here." He handed me a tazer.
"Dad..." I looked at it's smooth black body wearily.
"I taught you how to use one for a reason. Protect yourself, and think before you shoot." He said.
"What are you going to do?" I asked. He paused for a moment then answered,
"My job."

○○○

I stared at the door. The lock turned with a click. I breathed out slowly. I made it home. Putting my purse onto the hook, I looked around my quiet house. I slowly walked through the hallway, the floor boards creaking under my feet. I looked into our kitchen, no one was there. I felt the hairs on my arms stand up as I turned the corner to my living room. I looked out the large window instinctively. The sun was about to go down. I took a deep breath. Just as I was relaxing, someone rushed by on the side walk. Only their silhouette visible. My heart stopped beating and I instinctively hid behind the couch. I looked over at my purse where the tazer gun my father gave me was. I somersaulted to the archway and snatched my purse off the hook. I heard heavy foot falls come up the porch steps. I leaned against the wall next to the door, getting ready to spray fire. The doorknob turned. I tried to slow my breath. 4 loud knock sounded. Confused, I stayed where I was. Why would the killer knock?
"Alyson?" Megan voice sounded. "I want to talk, are you in there?" I felt stupid. But not stupid enough to let me guard down.
"Are you okay Megan?" I said, giving her more than enough reason to use our code word.
"I'm not being held against my will, just let me in... it's cold." She wined.
I got up slowly, still holding the tazer. I looked out the small pain of glass, there she stood, Megan. Shivering. I unlocked the door, and let her in.
"Hey." She said, taking off her coat. She had a small red book in her hands, she held it tightly.
"Hi..." I said. "What are you doing here?" I hid my taze-gun behind my back.
"I wanted to see how you are holding up," she said, hanging her coat on the hook. "Did you find out who it is?"
I wanted to tell her. I wanted to say everything that was going on in my head. Everything about the past 4 months, everything about my mother, and this psychopath making my life hell... but I couldn't.
"My dad has a lead, but nothing is looking good."
"Oh, that sucks. Is it okay if I sit down?" She pointed to the couch.
"Yeah, no, go right ahead." I forced a smile. She walked over and sat down, I followed. She placed the book at her side, soon forgot about it.
"So, how are you holding up?"
"Me?" I asked as I sat next to her, my tazer at my side. She still hadn't noticed.
"No, I'm talking to the third person in the room." She sighed. "Yes, you. You never answered my question."
"Oh..." I thought about it. How was I holding up... it was a simple question. Most people answer without thinking, but I wasn't sure. I thought I knew how to answer.
"Alyson?"
"Yeah?" I hadn't realized I was trapped in thought. Megan didn't answer.
"What is it?" I asked, worry seeping through my voice. "Megan..."
She breathed deeply, and slowly. She didn't blink. I followed her eyes and saw her looking at the door. The hallway was darkened... someone had turned off the light. I felt my hand move across my lap and clutch the tazer. I put my thumb on the trigger.
"Megan-" I began to say before being interrupted. Fear spiked inside my chest, I felt the adrenaline begin to rush through me. I didn't want anything to happen. I just wanted to sit here and be left alone. From all thus happening. All this in the past few weeks... I didn't want anything more. I thought all this in milliseconds, and finally Megan broke me from this,
"Someone's here."