That fear you hold so deep within, he can sense it. That fear keeps him interested. Now he is close to you my dear, now he is close.
Your panic is his entertainment. He craves you. You may choose to hide or fight, if you fight, you will lose. If you...
"You often meet fate on the road you take to avoid it."
-Jean De La Fontaine
-❤-
Two Years Earlier
𝒜𝓁𝑒𝓍𝒶𝓃𝒹𝓇𝒶
Expensive wine covered the shelves along the side wall, small rustic wooden tables along the span of the red brick floor, traditional Italian sweets that we left over from today were displayed behind the glass display in front of the register.
Time seems to stands still – I finish preparing the cafe tables for a new day. My eyes keep flicking back to the antique clock above the door, indicating it was almost 10:30 pm, the sound of its ticking melodic to my ears, almost calming. The sound of the ticking is the only thing that promises me time is actually passing. Confirming my hope for the end of my shift.
"Sweetie!!" I hear my elderly boss yelled from the kitchen at the back. She's a sweet old woman, kind and caring, forgetful sometimes too.
I finished the last table and rush back to see what she needed.
"Honey, I'm awfully tired, would you mind closing up? I can't believe Jerry would leave us here to go out with his old pals!" Mrs. Rossi mentions with a tsk. I smile and tell her it's probably for the best, seeing as they are old friends catching up and reminiscing their youth. She smiles sweetly at my response and pulls my cheeks in awe, making them redden.
"Of course I don't mind," I answer kindly as Mrs. Rossi starts collecting her belongings.
"Don't forget to turn the light off for the sign too, darling!" She yells before I heard the door to the entrance close. I release a sigh and begin to collect my belongings as well. I take off my little red apron and hang it on the rack behind the counter. After I fetch my purse from the staff shelf and find my phone to check my notifications.
Six missed calls and one message – all from the same contact.
"Jackass:
Stop ignoring me, Alexandra."
Ignoring the message, I turn the lights off for the kitchen and head to the front. Double-checking the register to make sure I locked it correctly, I turn around and glance at my surrounds making sure I didn't forget to do anything. After a confirming nod, I open the entrance and lock it behind me, making sure to wobble the handle just in case. The 'Café De Rosa' sign above my head is already off, I figure Mrs. Rossi turned it off after she told me to.
I start walking down the dark streets of Holmes Chapel, contemplating the decision to use my earplugs so late at night. I choose to just compromise listening to Michael Bublé and hum his melodies. It was the first day of November, which for me, meant time for bringing back Christmas classics.
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