Poison

Chapter Nine

Another dead end. Great. This is the fifth dead I hit within in the past 20 minutes.

"This is getting old!" I mentally shout to the vent gods. As if they can hear me.

As if they exist..

"I do not want to argue with you right now." I whisper scolding myself.

Crouching my head back the direction I came, I  check to make sure that there is no one behind me.

God it's so quiet!

I'm scared if I slip deep into thought I'd never come back.

Instead I cling to the hum of the generator, voyaging deeper and deeper through the dark hole.

I wonder if anyone is looking for me...Someone has to be looking for me. Lately all everyone's wanted is for me to be dead. I've honestly never been more popular! I just wish the circumstances were better.

Suddenly my right hand rubs against something fluffy and wet throwing me off guard causing me to slip forward face first.

That's the last time I daydream and crawl through a dark vent.

"What was that?" I rub my hands against my shirt, automatically thinking of the worst.

"Please don't a dear rat," I chant. 

I feel around for my phone quickly turning on the flashlight glancing around the tiny space for what made me slip. Scanning around the darkness, what looks like a dead rat comes into light and just like that I'm consumed in the putrid smell of death.

A maggot crawls out of its mouth and makes its way over to me slowly.

"Oh god." I smack my left hand over my mouth covering the shrieks that can't help but spill out.

"God." I rush forward on my hands and knees without further thought. I ignore the wetness on my hands and look for any sign of daylight. I have to get out of here.

"It's okay. We're okay." I whisper. But is it? I mean I'm crawling around an air vent with dead rats laying inside of it, hiding from society because apparently everyone wants me dead.

I just don't understand. Why me?

I work hard, I pay my taxes. I don't really go out that much, but thats the way I like it. Why does everyone I know or meet want me dead?! And why am I still in this air vent?! Where is the exit in this thing!

I pull my phone out of my pocket again to check the time. Blood caked on my finger tips.

The phone reads 5:15pm.

Okay so an hour has passed. I begin scrolling through notifications to see if anyone called.

39 missed calls from Jess! She's probably turned half the city upside down by now looking for me. I have to call her.

I feel so bad I haven't had time to call her within the last few weeks. Austin feels as though he needs to rub every part of my life.

I hit the call button on her contact and quickly hang up.

"No. Not here." I can't risk anyone hearing me and coming up here.

Instead I send her a text telling her to meet me at Eric's old apartment in one hour with a water bottle, a wig and a change of clothes.

I also mention that she shouldn't bring her boyfriend. It isn't safe.

"Please don't call. I'll. Explain. When. I. Get. There." I finish up the text and wait for a response.