Page 11 of Encounter

A jolt of fear shot through my chest when he said it, making me sink into the seat. I felt relief at first, but quickly realized he was going to leave me here alone, unprotected. He was supposed to watch over me!

“Come on, then.” He waved his hand, walking out of the door.

Blinking, I jumped up and followed. “Wait!” He wasn’t abandoning me at least, but me going out on errands with him definitelywasn’ta part of his contract, either! “You want me to go with you?” I gasped once I finally caught up with him. “We should stay here. I-I think it’s safer and—”

The man halted, turning to me faster than anticipated. Gulping as our eyes met, I regretted voicing any concern.

“I’m paid to watch over you, aren’t I? So—you gotta go with me,” he said it like it was a matter of fact. “Look, I ain’t too used to being a bodyguard or whatever your daddy thinks I am,” he added with a sneer. “I didn’t even get a notice that I’d have to do all this crap, so be a good boy and follow me without bitchin’, alright?”

I don’t have much of a choice.

It was probably safer outside with him than in the house alone. If therewassomeone coming to get me, they already knew where I lived. They grabbed me on the way home, afterall, so—

A gasp escaped my lips.The LP.

Oh my god, the LP!

Freezing on the last step of the staircase, I held my breath and stared at the main door. My school bag with that vinyl record was still out there, somewhere. There was no way in hell it still sat at the same spot where I dropped it, but... I could track it down, right? Follow a trail. Maybe someone left a note or took it to a lost and found somewhere. I had to try. Ihadto try and get it back.

Maybe this strange man would let me go and check.

Maybe he can help.

As I looked up, I was met with Chast’s calculating gaze. “Hm? Are you having a flashback or somethin’?” He frowned, and I couldn’t quite figure out if that slight undertone in his voice was annoyance or actual worry.

“I’m fine,” I finally responded, continuing down the last step. His eyes followed me still, distrustful.

“I really don’t want you throwin’ up in my car,” he mumbled. “You can stay here, I don’t really think that—”

“No!” I interrupted him with such vigor it made him cock his brows in surprise. “I’ll go. Let’s just go.”

He sighed, reaching for the leather jacket hanging next to the door. “Fine.” As he lifted his arms, I noticed his gun was back in the holster, ready if needed.Did he lie when he said no one else would come after me?“It’ll be quick,” Chast said as he opened the door, earning a tentative nod from me.

Grabbing the keys to the house, I followed him to the car, trying to not remember the last time I was there. Once I sat down in the passenger seat, I noticed a cigarette stench that I didn’t seem to pay attention to before.

“Hey!” Chast snapped his fingers in front of my face, giving me an annoyed glance. “Any time we're in my car, you buckle your damn seatbelt, understand?” he ordered, and all I could do was nod, quickly following his command.

Jeez...

As we made our way out of the affluent area I lived in, I couldn’t help but start studying the passing scenery, freaked out by the fever-like memories of the night he took me home. I could smell blood and smoke again, faintly, and the pinkish evening sky was the only thing assuring me I wasn’t back in that moment.

We drove through the city in silence, and moved toward the more industrial, rougher part. Every so often, I glanced toward Chast, who seemed entirely focused on driving, with one of his elbows resting on the edge of the half-open window.

He finally checked on me when we appeared to be close to the target destination.

“You always this quiet?” he asked with what looked like a faint smile hidden under his mustache.

Shifting in the seat and still leaning against the door, I sucked on the inside of my cheek. “What... should I say?” I asked in a low voice. Glancing at me briefly, Chast’s grimace remained. Quickly, I realized that if I didn’t attempt at leastsomeform of casual conversation, he might not agree to my request later on.That’s a problem.

When we stopped at a red light, my gaze finally traveled to the left. “You said you usually don’t do this...”

His surprised glance told me he didn’t expect me to talk for the rest of the drive. Chast puffed through his nose. “Yeah. I don’t.”

“So... Do you just kill people? Is that it?” Right after, I regretted voicing that question.

As Chast changed the gear, my eyes studied his arm, covered in slightly faded tattoos. They looked like something one would get done in the army. Traditional-style eagle, some stars, a cursive date... Some of them were ruined or disfigured by small, raised scars, others covered and made indistinguishable by his thick body hair.

“If I told you, I’d have to kill you,” he said, turning at me briefly with a threatening smirk. After I held my breath and widened my eyes at him, Chast laughed and turned toward the road again. “I’m jokin’! Well, we won’t ever see each other again, and it ain’t like you’re gonna tell anyone, huh? But no—I don’t ‘just kill people’. I’m a fixer, if anythin’. I fix situations that... people need taken care of. Whatever that might be. Mostly, it’s killin’ what needs killin’.”

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