Neighbour

xiii

Lucius called me a lot of names and told me to leave his house after I proposed that I could be his partner in crime, literally.

I drank some NyQuil to sleep and woke up the next afternoon. It was refreshing to have my mind stop racing for a few hours, it was quite nice.

I was feeling very uneasy and stressed due to the fact that everything that could have possibly gone wrong in my life had happened, so I decided to go and buy some scented candles with the hope of them calming me down a bit. As I turned into the parking lot of the local shops, I noticed a black Honda Civic behind me. I found a parking space and tried to find the car, but it wasn't in sight. I brushed the thought of the car away before I walked into the shop and bought one Maple Butter scented candle and one Warm Vanilla Sugar.

As I turned out of the parking lot, I noticed the Honda again. I decided to test if the car was really following me. I drove around town for twenty minutes. I drove into different neighbourhoods and even stopped at Taco Bell, but the car didn't leave my tail.

I entered Maple Leaf Drive and watched the car pull into Lucius's driveway as I pulled into mine. I got out of my car, angrily. I watched Lucius descend his black Honda Civic and look at me innocently. I felt like punching him in the guts.

"Why the hell were you following me? It's a damn Tuesday! Do you even have a job?" I asked.

"Come inside." He replied and walked into his house.

I walked in without hesitating. I had a feeling that he wouldn't hurt me. If he really did want to harm me, he could've done it a long time ago. This man had some other agenda on his mind.

"Wait here. I'll be back." He said and left me inside his house. I heard him start his car and soon he was gone from Maple Leaf Drive.

I could've left. I could've bolted myself inside my home. I could've taken a bubble bath while breathing in a Vanilla candle. But I won't get the same opportunity twice. Now was the best time to look around Lucius' house. I didn't let my fear overpower me, I held onto every last bit of courage that I could find and searched everywhere I could. I looked for something unusual in every single room. I looked into his wardrobes and cupboards. I even tried to find a secret wall-door, but I couldn't find anything. I didn't even spare the bathrooms. I tried my best to find something; anything. But nothing looked out of order.

After approximately 15 minutes after Lucius had left me alone, I heard his car outside. He entered his house with someone else. There was another man with him. But the man's mouth had been taped shut and his hands were tied behind his back with rope. After a minute, I recognised him.

Nigel.