Sniper

Chapter 13

I draw the blinds closed, I couldn't bare to look outside, any cover I may have had was relieving to me. I check my phone again, not really believing what was happening.

"It's almost to the day. This isn't right. This can't be." I mumble to myself again, pacing back and forth in the living room. My paranoia was through the roof. Every noise put me on edge. Every car horn, every bird tweet, even the clock ticking send waves of fear through my body.

"Aghh Tord when are you coming home, I don't want to be alone. He's going to get me if you're not around." I mumble again to myself

Somewhere throughout these last few weeks I'd come to the conclusion that Tord was my good luck charm, he'd been with me almost the entire year and they hadn't shown up to get me, so it must be him keeping them away. He was special I knew it.
I check my phone again, the date was still the same. Tomorrow will have been the 1 year anniversary of me hiring that god damn hit on myself. 1 full year almost to the day and I'm still here! I couldn't even just come to the conclusion that it was a scam, not until the day passed. Probably not until the second year passed would I truly be able to relax again.

Suddenly I hear footsteps from outside the apartment door and my heart begins to pound out of my chest. I scramble into our bedroom and crawl into the bottom of the wardrobe. Tears streamed down my face as I gently rocked myself back and worth, shaking uncontrollably, feeling my heart pounding in my throat and in the tips of my fingers. Time seemed to slow completely as the world became eerily silent until...

"Tom?! Where are you?" Tords voice broke the silence, his voice sounding like an angels.

I was still frozen to my spot in fear but I let a pathetic whimper escape my lips as I finally broke down into sobs. The sound of my crying must have alerted Tord to my hiding place as what seemed like mere seconds after my first sob escaped my trembling lips he was by my side cradling me, comforting my shaking body in his warm, secure arms.

"Shhh shh shh, it's okay, I've got you. You're okay." Tord spoke in hushed tones, his voice felt like my security blanket, soothing and warm, I loved everything about it, the inflection in his accent, the raspiness it'd get in the mornings, the gentleness of it when he whispered. Everything just felt safe about him.

"Tord," I cried pathetically against his chest, "I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry for what I've done!" I wailed like a child, pouring my heart out to him, my every last emotion.

"Shhh, it's okay, just take your time and tell me what happened." His hand rubbed my back gently soothing my shacking frame, filling my body with warmth.

"I made.. the biggest mistake.. of my life," I sobbed between words, each word I spoke left me feeling winded.

"What?" Tord sounded both scared and concerned but continued to comfort me.

"A year ago," I started, taking a few breaths preparing myself to finally spill everything to Tord. The night I hired the hit, the reasons I had been so reluctant to get close to him, everything, "a year ago, almost to the day... I hired a hit on myself. I used all the inheritance I got from my parents and I hired a fucking hitman to kill me!!" I began to sob again.

Tords face contorted from confusion to horrified. All the colour drained from his cheeks. His eyes welled up with tears. His fingers trembled against my back.

"Why?" Tord mumbled quietly, "...WHY?!!!" He almost screamed, his voice filled with so many emotions, he hugged me even closer to him, slumping over me his body now shaking

"I was scared, I wanted to die, but I just couldn't do it myself, no matter how badly I wanted to, I just couldn't... so I thought I'd get someone else to do it." I admit, feeling pathetic for thinking that was a reasonable way to go.