Deadly Stalker

Chapter XXII: Pre-Revelations

They say if you have ever laughed at someone's problem, you're tried in the same way. When in my senior year, I had laughed at a girl who was crying because of the note her stalker had left in her locker. But it turned out to be someone just messing with her. At that time, I never believed in these things. But now as I am hiding away from my stalker, I believe it and I regret it. I regret laughing at that crying girl.

Tiptoeing down the stairs, I think of the situation I am in. Many times I had laughed at the protagonist in horror films as they entered a room without turning on the lights. But now as I am, literally, in every sense of the term, in their shoes, I know how they feel. Forget the movies, I know how the victim feels when an intruder or a stalker is right outside your house, stalking the grounds searching for a way inside. Or maybe he is inside and is searching for me in this wide house.

I try Zaid's phone once again, hoping he'd pick up, but again the familiar but recorded voice of Zaid is heard. Sighing, I skip the last step which I'd know that would creak and quietly hide beside the fireplace.

An ear piercing scream of a girl is heard and I feel my heart​beat quicken. The scream is followed by a creepy sound which I couldn't​ give a name to. The noises died down and it became quiet again. But my ears were pricked to any sound, even the sound of my heart doing its function. So when I heard a glass window breaking a floor above me, I was all ready. Standing up from my hiding position, I took the nearest heavy object in my hand, which turned out to be a big iron statue that was placed on the fireplace. Though my hands were sweaty, I had a firm grip on it. The creaking of the gate outside divided my attention. My chest tightening and my heart pounding, I slowly walked forward towards the door of the stairs. Now I could clearly hear the soft steps on the carpet at the top of the stairs and also the heavy tread of boots on the gravel drive outside.

My heart beating fast and beads of sweat formed on my forehead as the front door opened first, bringing in the cold winter air, and a silhouette of a man entered the room. Before the person could even utter a single word or even make a single sound, I dashed across the room and in the process throwing the valuable iron statue on the carpeted floor. Throwing myself on Zaid, I hug him tightly, letting all my fears out soaking his shirt as he soothes me.

"Th..There's someone u..Up there," I hiccuped​, afraid that someone will hear it as I point to the top of the staircase.

"Shh... Calm down. I'm going up there to see who it is and you stay down here," He says and I immediately shake my head.

"No. I... I don't want to be al...alone here. I... I'll come with you," I whisper against his shirt, laying my head down on his shoulder.

"Okay. Come let's go," and we climbed the stairs slowly but steadily, my hands not leaving his even for a second. We stepped on the floor and slowly moved forward.

From the light gleaming through the broken glass window, we could see the muddy footprints on the carpet making their to the stairs and then to our room and coming out again, and going back to the window.

"Why does it lead to our room?" I asked after a while, calming down at the sight of the footprints going back to the window. It meant that the person was no longer in the house. It means that finally, we are alone.

"This is getting crazier as days pass. We have to do something before the ball is no more in our court," Zaid muttered but since I was close to him, I heard it clearly.

"What? What does it mean?" I ask, almost afraid of knowing the answer. But I have to keep my fears at bay if I want this over as fast as possible.

Something flashed across his eyes but he was quick to mask it. "Nothing," he replied before going inside the room to investigate.

Should I be suspicious? Yes, I should be! Lately, his behavior is somewhat getting on my nerves and I don't know what to do about it. My instinct tells​ me this has something to do with the notes and stalker, but I am afraid. Afraid of even thinking about lest it comes true. I know I will not be able to handle his involvement in all this. Thinking about it leaves a shiver down my spine.