Deadpan - Bennoda

Chapter Fourteen

Mike and Sage headed to the police department around noon, but had to come back after finding out the person who could help with our case wouldn't be there until the night shift. They both wanted to spend time with me, so the three of us watched a bunch of horror movies together until they had to go. After they left the apartment, I made sure my door was securely closed and locked. I wasn't going to risk anything.

It felt eerie being alone in my apartment. I was getting used to Mike or Sage being there constantly, but I had to admit I was enjoying my alone time. I managed to clean up the whole apartment and made cookies for when the boys came back, which they said they would to make sure nothing happened. I wasn't sure if either of them would try to stay the night with me, but I also wasn't sure if I wanted either of them there tonight. It was good to be alone to let myself wander mentally and try to figure out our situation before it gets too out of hand.

I sighed to myself at the thought of having to pick between Mike and Sage. The decision was near impossible, they both seemed too perfect for me. Just as I was about to further think about the love triangle, I heard a light tapping at my door. I wrote it off as footsteps down the hall, until the tapping turned to knocking and the knocking turned to banging, which by that point, I had found myself cowering in the corner of the room, horrified.

"Pretty boy, I know you're here," A now-familiar voice said and I recognized it as the stranger from the bar. A chill ran down my spine as I decided to check through the peek-hole and get a better look at the rapist. He was as Sage described him and this time, I made sure to not forget what he looks like. "I saw your little boyfriends leave, open the door before I have to do it myself."

I remained silent, hoping he would give up and go away. I sent a text out to Mike, Sage, Brad, Rob, Joe, and Phoenix, telling them that the guy was right outside the door, threatening to break it down. The man was really banging on my door now and I wondered if my neighbors would hear and call the cops on him, since I didn't want to make myself known by talking over the phone. I wasn't sure if he really knew I was inside or just bluffing.

"I know you're here, you're really easy to track down, pretty boy," The guy cackled and I wanted to puke at the sound of his voice. I was wondering what was taking so long for the guys to reply as the stranger seemed to bash his body into the door, making it crack a little in the middle. I held my hand to my mouth to prevent myself from screaming in fear, knowing it wouldn't take long for him to break the door down if he really meant he was going to. I hated that he kept calling me 'pretty boy'. "Just open the door and make it easier for the both of us."

As desperately as I wanted to shout at him to go away, I found myself heading towards the window with the fire escape. I slid it open as I heard another sickening crack from my door as the man body slammed into it again. I knew I didn't have much time left and made sure my phone was on me as I climbed out the window and onto the fire escape. I closed the window behind me just as the man broke my door down and was about to come inside. My eyes went wide and I scurried down the steps and raced to the studio, calling Brad as I did, knowing he should be waiting for me to call if needed. Thankfully, he answered, unlike he had to his text, though both Mike and Sage had replied by now.

"Chester, what's going on?" Brad asked, knowing something was wrong. I had just made it into the studio and was out of breath.

"The... guy... he..." I panted as I tried to explain the situation, but Brad was impatient out of worry.

"The guy what? What happened? Chaz?" He seemed nervous, which was understandable. I caught my breath and tried to clam down enough to talk to him.

"He showed up at my apartment, I went through the fire escape just as he broke my door down," I explained. "I'm in the studio now."

"Doesn't he know you'd probably be there...?" He trailed off and I heard familiar soft tapping on the door. I knew it was him, the creep, and I couldn't stop myself from breaking down into tears as the soft taps went to hard knocking and banging. Brad was shouting at me to hide or find a way to run somewhere and that he was on his way, but I was too scared to reply, knowing this guy could break down this door just as easily as my apartment's, but this time, there are no windows. If he gets in here, I'm done for. There's nowhere to hide and nowhere to go, I'm stuck. My only hope is that Brad can get here fast enough. I hadn't even realized I hung up on him until I looked down and saw I ended the call.

"Pretty boy, you can't run from me," He called through the door and the tears wouldn't stop rushing down my face. I was too scared to move or even scream at him to go away, I was just stuck in absolute shock. I seriously didn't think he'd come after me like this, what the hell is wrong with this guy? "Open the door or do I have to break this one down too? You think I didn't see you going down the fire escape?"

I couldn't reply, only shake in fear. I wanted him to simply go away, was that too much to ask for? I hated how persistent he was on getting to me, it scared me. If he was willing to go this far to get to me, there's no telling how far he'll go once he actually gets me. The thought freaked me out, so I tried to not think about it, until he started body slamming into the door again, making it crack and splinter. I cried out in fear as the door broke down.

"Hello, pretty boy."