Vault

Fifty-Six

I fumbled for my keys, finally getting my apartment key in my hand. I went to push the key into the lock, but my door just pushed right open instead. My heart sank, falling straight out of my chest. Who the fuck has been in my apartment? Because I always lock my door. Always.

Quickly I sent a text to Jimmy. Just in case.

Me: If I don't send you another text in fifteen minutes, call the police

Jim-Jam: What's going on?

Me: I'm not sure. My apartment door was unlocked and you know I never leave my door unlocked. I'm going inside. If I don't text you again within the next fifteen minutes, call the police.

I switched conversations over to my texts with Karl. Just in case, I wanted to say something to him.

Me: I love you.

I took a tentative step inside, looking around carefully. It was empty. Completely empty.

"Hello?" I called out carefully.

Nothing.

I reached into my bag, finding my pepper spray. I gripped it tightly between my fingers as I laced my keys, pointing outward, between my fingers in my other hand. You learn some things as a woman living alone unfortunately. I moved slowly, completely terrified of what I would and would not find still in my apartment.

Step by step, I investigated my living room and my kitchen. Everything was empty. My furniture and all of my belongings; it was all gone. I slowly made my way upstairs, my back brushing against the wall of the staircase lightly so I knew nothing could come up behind me. I watch too many horror movies to know the possibility of that happening.

When I reached the top of the stairs, I kept my movements slow, creeping through every inch of the place I've been calling home for the last five years. I found nothing. No one who was likely here to kill me, but also none of my stuff. Everything was gone.

The sound of my front door made me jump. Confront or hide? Confront or freaking hide! Who would be coming into my apartment? Probably whoever the hell robbed me, and I know the choices the dumb bitches make in horror movies, but I really don't have much left to lose. I crept back downstairs, ready to do whatever I can to defend myself and hopefully it's enough.

I took a deep breath as I stood on the last step of my staircase. It's now or never, you can do this Ava. I rounded the corner, ready to swing, but stopped myself when I recognized the people standing in my empty living room.

"It's a prank!" Chris and Chandler yelled.

"It's all a prank, just a prank," Jimmy laughed.

I dropped my pepper spray, immediately feeling that weird sensation of blood running back to my fingers. I was gripping onto my pepper spray so tightly that my fingers had turned white. I slumped to the ground and covered my head with my arms, finally taking a few breaths. I had basically been holding my breath since I walked inside. Jesus freaking Christ. They have all got to have a death wish, because I'm about to kill all of them.

"It's a prank," Chris repeated nervously, "are you okay?"

"I thought I was about to die," I mumbled, "give me a minute."

Jimmy laughed as he sat next to me on the ground, putting his arm around me. I knew I was safe now, obviously with my family, but I couldn't shake the uneasy feeling of being watched or hunted. It made me sick, feeling my skin crawl.

"Are you okay?" Chris asked again.

"I'm okay, as long as you guys have a damn good explanation for this," I warned.