This time he’s gone too far. He’s threatening my friend and family.
Abi runs inside the apartment. She can’t hear me calling her name. She’s in her own world now, downspiraling. I close the trunk and run after her.
She’s sitting on the couch. Her hand covers her face as tears flow down on the sides of her cheeks.
I shake my head. Why is Charlie not waiting for the deadline he gave me?Doomsday is insixty-three days. The only answer I can come up with is that he’s not well. He obviously gets off on inflicting pain on others—physical and emotional.
My phone vibrates. I pull it out from the side pocket of my running leggings.
As soon as I see the text, I can’t breathe. I don’t recognize the phone number, but it doesn’t matter.
Unknown phone number: I’m destined to be with you. And you’re not here. So if I suffer, you’ll suffer too. And your friends.
My knees are weak, ready to give up any moment. My hand flies to my stomach, which is twisting with pain.
I need help. I need to set this right.
But what I really want to do is text Charlie back with a piece of my mind. My finger hovers over the letters on the screen. I may make it worse.
I open a new group message and text Victor and my brother.
Me: I need you both. Are you in your apartment?
Victor: I’m in the gym. What’s wrong?
Alek: What’s going on?
Me: I’m in trouble.
Victor: On my way.
Alek: me too.
Me: Abi and I will meet you in your apartment.
I sit next to Abi, pulling her close into my arms. “Alek didn’t do that. I’ll prove it to you.”
She lifts her wet face, smudges on her glasses.
“You have a key to Alek’s apartment, right?”
She nods.
“Let’s go. He and Victor are on their way. I’ll explain everything.”
“I don’t want to talk to Alek right now.”
I sigh. “Just come with me, please. It’ll make more sense soon,” I beg.
We move from our couch to the guys’ couch. They show up faster than I expected. As soon as Alek sees Abi’s face, he runs to her, kneels, and starts kissing her face. Abi’s wide-eyed and looks confused.
Victor stands in front of me, examining my body from head to toe, not with the spark he usually has in his eyes.
“We didn’t get hurt. Physically. But I’m scared something bad may happen.”
Alek hugs Abi and sits next to her. Victor pulls over a kitchen chair and sits next to me, while I stay standing.
I tell them about the picture in Abi’s car and Alek interrupts me.
