Page 117 of Obsession

“No,” Kristen shouted. “Kath don’t, please. We’ll find a way to shut it up.”

“Calm down. He’ll come over, shut that thing up and then leave. I’m not going to fail the class because of him.”

“If he comes over here, he won’t leave.”

I shook my head, ignoring her. They both looked frightened, but I couldn’t stand the screaming any longer and shoved the doll under a pillow.

I called him and waited while Kristen kept mumbling “no” and I rolled my eyes at her overreaction.

“He’s coming here,” Candice whispered.

Yeah, that was the whole point. I motioned for them to be quiet and focused on the call.

An annoying beep sounded, and the call was disconnected.

“Fuck, he’s not answering,” I muttered angrily, while Kristen and Candice sighed in relief. Cowards.

The doll still wouldn’t shut up.

I picked it up from the bed, turned it on all sides and then banged its head against the pillow.

“For fuck’s sake, if he doesn’t come to stop this thing, I’m going to break it. A mother should be able to make her baby stop crying on her own. Stupid project,” I cursed and called him again.

“Come on, Kath, we’ll find a way to shut it up. Don’t make him come here,” Candice pleaded, looking out the open window.

It was already dark outside.

“Shut up,” I muttered, just before that stupid beep sounded again.

Damn it, where was his phone?

Angrily, I dialed his number another time, and I wouldn’t stop until he picked up his fucking phone. How long was he going to stay with that redhead?

This time it only rang once, then he picked it up, and I winced as I heard the sounds on the other end. It seemed like he had his phone in the middle of a tornado.

“What?” he answered.

He seemed agitated, and the noises around him seemed to be coming from an engine, actually many engines.

“Harris, you have to come and stop…”

“Katherine?” he interrupted, seemingly surprised.

He seemed so preoccupied that he didn’t bother to check the call before answering.

“Listen, Katherine, I’m a little busy at the moment, I’ll call you later.”

I could barely make out what he was saying because of the loud noises around him. He was driving, probably in the middle of a race or something. A strange and ridiculous joy spread through me when I realized he wasn’t in the arms of who I thought he was.

“No, Harris…” I began, but my heart rose into my throat as the loud boom of a gunshot pierced my eardrums, and then more of the same.

“Harris!” I screamed, fear seeping out of me as all I heard was loud braking and then the connection was cut.

I stood there paralyzed, holding the phone to my ear.

“Kath, what’s wrong?” Kristen jumped out of bed and came to me.

I let her take the phone from my hand while I looked at the screen, which had switched off. I tried to speak, but I couldn’t. The sound of the gunshot was still echoing in my ears, and I realized that this was no ordinary illegal race.

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