Page 13 of Carnival Monster

I shake my head. No, Charlotte can take care of herself. She’s probably being extra cautious, ensuring she doesn’t blow our cover.

I keep walking, my eyes darting from side to side as I scan the shadows for any movement. Every sound makes me jump. Every flicker of movement in the corner of my eye sends my heart racing.

But there’s nothing there. Just the empty streets and the distant sounds of the carnival. I’m feeling foolish again like I’m just being paranoid.

And then I hear a soft rustling sound, like someone brushing against a bush. I freeze, my breath catching in my throat as I strain my ears to listen.

There it is again. And then a faint echo of a footstep on the sidewalk. Someone is following me, I’m sure of it. Focusing on walking, I keep my pace steady. I sense the heaviness of someone’s eyes on me.

I glance back over my shoulder, hoping to glimpse my pursuer. But the street is empty.

Quickening my pace, I run the last few blocks to my apartment. I can still feel the weight of someone’s gaze on me. But every time I glance back, there’s no one there. Once I reach my building, I stumble inside and rush up the stairs, fumbling with my keys to unlock the door. Finally, I unlock it and run inside, slamming it shut behind me and locking it with trembling fingers.

Pulling out my cell, my fingers fly over the screen as I type out a message to Charlotte.

Did you see anyone following me?

I hit send, my heart in my throat as I await her reply. But the minutes tick by, and there’s no response. I frown, a twinge of unease settling in my gut. Charlotte always replies right away, no matter what.

I hit the call button, holding the phone to my ear. But there’s no answer, just the sound of her voicemail greeting.

“Hey, it’s Charlotte. Leave a message, and I’ll get back to you. Maybe. If you’re lucky.”

My hands tremble as I stare at the phone. There’s something wrong.

I scroll through my contacts, my thumb hovering over Dan’s name. He’s the only other person I trust. I hit the call button, my heart pounding as it rings once, twice, three times.

“Hello?” Dan’s voice is groggy like he just woke up.

“Dan, it’s me. I need your help.” My voice is shaking, the words tumbling out in a rush. “I think something’s happened to Charlotte.”

“What do you mean?” He sounds more alert, concern creeping into his tone.

“I don’t know, Dan. We had this plan...” I trail off, my voice trembling. “I’ve had this feeling someone has been watching me the past two days. So, Charlotte met me after my shift, and we walked to her place together. But then she was going to pretend to go inside and follow me from a distance to see if anyone was stalking me.”

My heart pounds in my chest. “But I didn’t see Charlotte behind me the entire way back. I kept waiting for her to catch up, but she never did. And now she’s not answering her phone or responding to my texts.”

I can feel the panic rising in my throat, threatening to choke me. “What if something happened to her, Dan? What if whoever’s been following me hurt her?”

There’s a moment of silence on the other end of the line, and I can practically hear the gears turning in Dan’s head. “Okay, let’s not jump to conclusions,” he says, his voice calm. “Maybe her phone died.”

“But she would have followed me to my apartment,” I argue, my voice rising. “She knows how freaked out I am about this whole stalker thing. She wouldn’t leave me hanging like that.”

“You’re right,” Dan concedes. “Okay, here’s what we’re going to do. I’ll head over to yours and pick you up now, and then we’ll go to Charlotte’s place and see if she’s okay.”

I nod, even though he can’t see me. “Okay. Yeah. That’s a good plan.”

“Just stay put, okay? I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

“Okay,” I whisper. “Please hurry, Dan. I’m freaking out.”

“I know, Aurora. I know. Just hang tight, okay? I’m on my way.”

I end the call, my hands shaking as I set the phone on the counter. While I relish fear, not when it might mean I’ve put my friend in danger. I glance around my apartment, feeling like the walls are closing on me. Either I’m completely losing my mind, or something has happened to Charlotte. I couldn’t bear it if I put her in harm’s way. It would be all my fault.

9

GAGE

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