"Not knowing the thing that's chasing you is a lot scarier than seeing it right in front of you." - Oren Peli
"Miss Taylor..." The officer sighs with defeat brushing his fingers through his hair. All these questions is making my head spin. Who is he? What happened? Why were you there? With him?Soon after I passed out I woke up in the hospital where they kept me over night. There was a police man dressed in blue, constantly at the door that let to my private room. Thank goodness for medical insurance otherwise I wouldn't be so lucky to have a private room. "Miss Tay...""Lilith." I interrup the doctor fiddling with my fingers. I just want to go home, lay down and try to piece everything together. What happened? Why did the guy assaulting me change his mind. It is like he had multiple personalities. First assaulting me then calling the police for... himself?"There is no serious injuries. You might need a bit of rest, but you will be fine in a day or two." He place my file on the table standing at the food and end of my bed. "It is possible to not remember everything, don't let it keep you up. You have been through a lot." He let out a sympathetic sigh, but my eyes only caught the police man at my door. Pacing up and down. Gaurding the door like there was something of value inside. Why is there a police man at my door."Miss Taylor." The officer slam his hands on the table infront of me snapping me out of my thoughts. "I need to know what happened. That is the only way I can help you.""It's Lilith. My name. It's Lilith." I remind the officer leaning back in his chair. "I told you what happened. He was on top of me. Feeling me up. I tried to fight him off, but I couldn't. Then I passed out." I answer shrugging my shoulders."That was Mister Kuznetsoc's son who you claimed was doing that to you?" His voice is bold. I am unsure if that was a question or a statement. Claimed? It happened. Why doesn't he believe me? Am I not the victim? I just want to go home and pretend none of this happened."Like I said I don't know him. I had an appointment with a Mister Ivanoh." I throw my hands in the air. "He wanted to buy the place. I screwed things up." That I did. Shrew things up. How could I meet someone in a place like that. I should have known something was wrong."Listen to me Miss..." He clear his throat stuttering before he speak again. "Lilith. Mister Kuznetsoc junior is dead. I need the person who is responsible for his death. Who shot him?" His voice instantly filled with irritation. I don't remember anyone being shot and maybe if I saw who shot him I sure has hell am not the one telling them. He saved me. The things that was about to happen if he didn't show up... My body tense at the thought. He deserved it, but there was no one other than me and him there. I only saw him. Kuznetsoc or whatever. He had a sudden change of heart. I think, but I am not telling him that. No one believed me this far, why would that change now?"I don't remember anything after I passed out. If you are not charging me with something I am leaving." I abruptly stand up gathering my jacket and handbag storming out of the police station.I fall down on the couch as soon as I get home to my apartment turning on the television and flicking through the channels until I come across something worth watching without any violence. Nothing like a good old soppy love story to ease my mind of things happening in real life. Real life like I ever had a life until today.I don't have many friends. Actually I only have one friend. Isabella. I met her the first day I started working at Golden Properties. She was there looking for an office space to rent and since then everything just kind of happened. We went out for lunch a few times, which turned into dinners then sleepovers and finally we moved in together. We became best friends, 'sisters' she called us.Isabella is a very talkative person. She love stories and reading is her passion, maybe that is why she is so good at her job. She is a publishing agent with lots of fans. Anything from Sci-Fi to Rom-Com. She is a multi genre girl, she sometimes called herself that.One would think that it made her non-social, but on the contrary. She loves a good gathering and is as much an adrenaline junky as the next sporty and outgoing, adventures person.I jump up at the sound of a noise coming from my room grabbing the vase on the table infront of me. I tip-toe towards my room holding both my hands a few inches away from my head with the vase between them. The dark hall is quiet and I slowly walk around the corner, but my knees grow weaker at the second. I press one hand over my chest hoping to calm my racing heart. If there is actually someone in my room I am afraid they would be able to hear my heart pumping viciously.I peak my head slowly into my room then forward my body until I was standing in the doorway. The certain flap against my desk at the window calming my body in the prosses. I must have left open the window before. I am so clumsy, I shrug my shoulders turning around on my heels."What the Fuck!" I scream almost hitting Isabella over the head with the vase, but thank God for fast reflexes she quickly move away. "What are you doing here?" I finally breath."I live here." Obviously you live here. I meant... right now... In my room... oh I don't know what I meant. "You okay?" She glare at me wide eyes searching for some answers."Yeah... fine." I brush her off with the shake of my hand. "You just scared the shit out of me." I pass by her heading back to the living room. Why am I so paranoid. I am perfectly save in the apartment. The reception desk won't let anyone into the building without permission. Although there was this one time when Isabella picked up a fight with a really angry looking guy. He was covered in tattoos and really drunk. They did let him pass...or did he threaten them? He was quite threatening, but of course Isabella the adrenaline junky she is wasn't scared. I am not sure how, but she managed the situation."Why are you so shaken-up, honey?" Isabella place her hand over mine the moment she sit down next to me. I couldn't help it. I tried stopping myself, but I couldn't. I wasn't strong enough. I broke down and started crying. Letting out an unlady-like snort. Crying until my eyes burnt and my throat tightened. I was helpless leaning on Isabella's shoulder unable to speak. All I could do was cry.After a few minutes of non-stop sobbing and snorting I sit up wiping the tears and snot from my face. "Look. at. me." I breath through hiccups. "I am such a mess." I state taking the next tissue from Isabella's hand. She was quiet the whole time shushing me while I let it all out patting my back in a matter of comforting me."Why don't you start at the beginning. I'll pour us a glass of wine while you settle on the couch, okay?" I nod and then she gets up obeying her promise. Isabella loved drinking wine. She is the one who persuades me the first time to drink wine. I would usually have coffee while she took to the cold bottle in the fridge, but coffee won't make me relax. Maybe if I have three glasses I might get some sleep tonight. It seemed pretty easily last night."So...?" She motion leaning her head in an awkward position after I told her what happened. I told her everything. I told her about Mister Ivanoh phoning me to meet him about his interest in 'The hub'. I told her that I haven't met him before and that all I was sure about was that he is Russian. Little unorthodox how most people in my life were Russian...or had somehow some connection or trade of a Russian. I myself am totally Italian, but I am not opposed to the idea of going to Russia one day. Vacation of course. Call it a dream. Something on my bucket list I didn't scratch off yet. In detail I told her what he did... try to do to me. I explained every last detail to her until I left her with a 'Then they asked me who he was.'"So?" She glare, waiting in anticipation. Her eyes locked on mine when she freezes on the spot.
"What so?" I question the look on her face. It wasn't a 'so' like So you are fine now don't worry. It was a question. And that confuses me. What is she asking?"Who was he?""Haven't you been listening to anything I have been saying?" I look at her in disbelieve. Unbelievable. I just poured my heart out and her mind wasn't even near me. Urgh... I gulp down the glass of wine eagerly. "I told you. There was no one!" I yelled glaring at her with my mouth open."Let me get this." She cups my face closing my mouth with her thumb. "You were led to a place unaware of whom you are meeting. Yet you went..." I nod tempting to punch her for treating me like a toddler. "Then you went up the stairs with a stranger in a drunken state of mind?" I nod again. Get to the point Isabella. "Then he started feeling you up asking you questions like if you were trying to sell him the place and if you knew who he was?" I glare at her nodding again. Didn't I just tell her this? "And the next thing you remember you were on the ground with him on top of you and just before you passed out he told you that you will be okay and the police are on their way and when you awake they told you he was shot, dead?" I nod for the final time. What is your point, Isabella?"That is what I told you, yes." I try hiding the irritation in my voice unsuccessfully taking the bottle of wine in my hand and pouring another glass."Who shot him?" She frowns frantically throwing her arms in the air."I don't know." I sigh. "Maybe he isn't even shot. That should have wakon me upright. I wouldn't... couldn't be unconscious through all that. I" Isabella place her hand over my mouth so I can stop babbling."Colour me curious." She whispers silently taking her hand from my mouth. "Who is the guy that got shot?" She finally asks after a whole thirty agonizing seconds."Uhm... Some Katnez... No... Kuzento..." I stutter over my words trying to remember what the police officer said."Kuznetsoc?" Isabella interrupt me with a questionable sigh. I nod immediately with the recognition of the name. "Do you even know who that is?" She asks astonished just like the guy himself was asking. I should know who he is... was... I don't know a lot of people. Is he important somehow? He must be. Right, that is why everyone is acting like this."The son of another Kuznetsov? The police did say, junior..." I try to brighten the mood, but it did exactly the opposite. Isabella started pacing up and down the living room floor scratching her head. This was how she thought. That much I learned from living with her. She usually did this when she had too many things on her plate or when her boss was giving her a hard time."Lily..." She states placing her hands on my shoulders bending over in front of me. Her face was pale as a sheet and her eyes wide. "You need to leave...""Bella, you are scaring me what is going on?""You should be scared." She throws her hands in the air muttering to herself and start pacing up and down again. "Ooooh, you should be so Fucking scared right now." She repeats herself seeming more scared than me. Isabella never got scared. This scared me. I am scared to see her scared. What? Great now the both of us is scared for no particular reason. Why should I be scared? I did nothing wrong. I am the victim. Why is everybody blaming me? I didn't ask for this. I didn't want any of this. I grab my handbag while Isabella is still pacing a path into the living room floor and head out the door."There is an old saying: If you want to hide the treasure, put it in plain sight. Then no one will see it." - Larry DosseyI pull the cap of my jacket over my head when I turn onto the busy sidewalk of a very busy New York City. I should be thankful that I live in a city that never sleeps, imagine how visible I would be if I was alone. Making my way through all the people I stumble and fall over a box meeting the ground with my knees and palms. Hands pushing forward, knees bending at instinct, but in the air, fall. Could my night get anymore embarrassing. 'Who leaves a box in the middle of a sidewalk.' I mutter under my breath getting up and dusting the dirt from my knees. My body is aching and my head throbbing. I just need a place to think. To sit down and go over all of this. A place that I can find aspirin for my head.At least no one seemed to notice me going head on with mother earth. I glance around me. It could have been worse I follow the man infront of me into the coffee sho
"Knowing his strength, to cover the scar even though it's always there, however, to be impossible is for one to see his weakness as, not an adversary, but the cherry on top of his strength, to rearrange the scar so that it compliments his features." - Criss JamiA hand care over my cheek making its way up my forehead outlining the frown on it then suddenly he stops. "You awake?" I don't respond letting him think I am still asleep. His touch is on my cheek again warming up the line as he touches me. I open my eyes meeting the brightest blue eyes I have ever seen when suddenly they scare the shit out of me making me jerk away and fall from the edge of the bed and make a thud sound as I crush 9nto the floor."Shit. Are you okay?" He roll over onto his stomach letting his head hang from the edge of the bed. "Peachy" I nap making an 'o' with my forefinger and my thumb. "I just want to go home, okay." I place my palms flat against the bed pushing myself up. "I'll take you." He sit up brus
"Hidden love is better than open hate." - Matshona DhliwayoArthur's POVAfter a quiet night infront of the television forced to watch Ryan Gosling desperately trying to love some rich girl who's parents doesn't approve of them, but unlike real life things seem to work out for them. I peek over Lilith to find her fast asleep. People who tend to live separate lives should probably continue doing so. If someone writes a book about how a woman's mind works the first chapter should state why woman believe that love from two different worlds could actually work.I lean back my head resting it on the edge of the couch keeping my gaze on the woman asleep with her legs thrown over mine. She had a life of her own before I intervened. She looks so peaceful in her sleep not a worry about the monsters chasing her... or the one who actually have her in his possession.I let her legs fall onto the couch when I stand up looking over her turn for a second, but she doesn't wake. She mumble something
"I believe in everything until it's disproved. So I believe in fairies, the myths, dragons. It all exists, even if it's in your mind. Who's to say that dreams and nightmares aren't as real as the here and now?" - John Lennon"Bitch" His voice echo through the empty building sending ripples bumping against my skull. My feet comes to a pause and I grab my head with both my hands each on a side. Stop. I need the voice to stop.Suddenly I fall onto the ground my face hitting the ground instantly. The sound of teeth clenching pain in my ear. An enormously heavy shadow crush me to the ground. I can't scream. I can't move. The inner line of my mouth is plastered with the horrible taste of metal. Warm thick liquid wet my dry lips letting drops roll over my cheek to the ground. I try pushing the weight of off me, but it is too heavy. My lungs heaving for air. I cant breath. I am suffocating. I loose control over my arms and legs. My whole body turn numb. I need to fight this. I need to.My e
"When we speak we are afraid our words will not be heard or welcomed. But when we are silent, we are still afraid. So it is better to speak." - Audre LordeIsabella's POV"Have you heard of her since she left?" Feodor roll onto his side flexing every muscle in his upper shoulder, reminding me why I agreed to go on a date with him six months ago. He eyed me at the gym for a while, but when he came over looking all manly, buff and damp with sweat to ask me out for dinner I couldn't resist. We were kind of in the same line of work, which we adore and we immediately hit it off."No." I turn on my side to face him dragging my finger over the outline of his tattooed sleeve. "I am really starting to get worried. She doesn't have any friends beside me and she hasn't reached out to me yet." I follow the line onto his stone hard chest."Maybe you should reach out to her." He suggests moving me underneath him. "You really think that is a good idea?" I position myself so that his knee can fit be
"People always talk about how hard it can be to remember things - where they left their keys, or the name of an acquaintance - but no one ever talks about how much effort we put into forgetting. I am exhausted from the effort to forget... There are things that have to be forgotten if you want to go on living." - Stephen CarpenterSlowly I close the apartment door behind me when I get back to the apartment. The sun is setting, evaporating the light between the white walls of the open plan kitchen and livingroom. I am late. I should have left earlier, but I missed Isabella so much and to be honest. I wasn't ready to say goodbye. My eyes search for any sign of Arthur, but there doesn't seem to be anyone here. I take a step deeper into the apartment dropping my phone into my pocket."Shh..." A whisper next to my ear send bolts of terror exhilarating through my body. A huge figure behind me set his hand over my mouth and a strong arm wrap around my body. He pull me back with him until we r
"Life is so full of unpredictable beauty and strange surprises. Sometimes that beauty is too much for me to handle. Do you know that feeling? When something is just too beautiful? When someone says something or writes something or plays something that moves you to the point of tears, maybe even changes you." - Mark Oliver Everett"Please don't fuck this up again." Arthur open the door in the dark garage where he parked the sleek black Lamborghini. Can you believe the answer to the make of the car was on the steering wheel all along. I didn't notice that before Arthur got out of the car.He switch a dim light on waiting for me to take the first step into the room. I step through the doorway into a room filled with old furniture and sealed boxes. "From better to worse." I mumble stepping between newspapers scattered over the floor."I am glad you feel that way." I turn to face him looking at me with a grin on his face. This is funny to him. "This is where I'll lock you up if you even th
“What the fuck did you do?” Feodor enters my bedroom a fury ball of fire. His eyes dark and staring. Feodor nearly never gets angry. He is the most considered and caring guy I know, which doesn’t really suit his job description as he is supposed to be a very mean and uncaring person. Sometimes I am not sure to why he decided to choose this job, but he seem to be good at it so who am I to question his motives. “What are you talking about?” I immediately stand up straight feeling like a five year old girl who got caught with her hands in the cookie jar, although the five year old will know what she did as she is doing it as to I whom doesn’t have a foggiest. I clasp my hands together behind my back. Standing there like a dumb struck teenager, but there is no fear, no sweating of palms, no heart raising or even a twitch of anxiety. The only emotion peeking from behind the curtain is uncertainty. I don’t know what the fuck I did. “Do not play innocent with me, Isabella.” He whispers stalk