Page 23 of No Mercy
EVA
“Please,can we go home now? I don’t think we need any more candles,” Mandy whines beside me. I ignore her, picking up my sixth candle of the day. “Oh, this one’s Sandalwood,” I say aloud, inhaling the scent. “My god, I’m going,” she snaps, storming off down the aisle. I can’t help but giggle as she disappears around the corner.
All day, she’s dragged me around—eight different stores in total. Clothes shopping, dinner sets, and don’t get me started on the plants. This is my payback, and I’m going to enjoy it.
Just as I’m about to drop the candle into my basket, I bump into something solid. I stumble back, only to have strong arms reach out to steady me. “Oh, I’m so sor—” I start to apologise, but the words catch in my throat when I look up.
The man standing in front of me is strangely familiar, though I can’t quite place him.
Where have I seen him before?
He doesn’t speak, just stares at me, his face slowly paling.
“Do I know you?” I ask, trying to connect the dots in my mind.
Behind him, Mandy rounds the corner, her gaze locking onto me. She steps closer, then doesn’t hesitate to speak to him. “Eva,are you okay?” she asks, her voice full of concern before she turns toward him. “And you are…?” His eyes shift to her, and he lets go of me. He opens his mouth as if to say something, but no words come out.
The silence between us grows thick and uncomfortable, and I can feel the tension rising. His eyes widen, and I see the panic settle into his expression. It’s like he just recognised Mandy too.
Mandy and I exchange a confused look, waiting for him to explain himself. But before I can even ask another question, he abruptly turns and bolts down the aisle. We both stand frozen for a moment, staring after him as he disappears around the corner.
“Who was that?” Mandy asks, her voice low, urgent. “I… I don’t know,” I reply, still trying to figure out where I’ve seen him before. “But I swear I’ve seen him somewhere.”
Mandy crosses her arms, her eyes narrowing at the empty aisle where the man had disappeared. “Well, whoever he is, he definitely recognised you. Or both of us, judging by that look.”
A chill runs down my spine. It wasn’t just recognition—it was shock. Like seeing someone you thought was long gone. I pull out my phone and check the time.
“Maybe I can catch him outside,” I suggest, already heading toward the store’s exit, abandoning my candle. Mandy follows quickly. “Are you sure that’s a good idea? What if he’s some kind of stalker?”
I hesitate, then shake my head. “I just need to see where he goes.”
When we reach the parking lot, we scan the rows of cars, but there’s no sign of him. The lot is nearly empty, only the sound of leaves rustling in the wind breaking the silence.
“Well, that was a bust,” Mandy mutters. “Guess he really didn’t want to chat.”
I bite my lip, still feeling that nagging sense of familiarity. “If I’ve seen him before, maybe it was around here,” I say, more to myself than to Mandy. “I just need to figure out where.”
Mandy huffs, crossing her arms over her chest. “You’re not seriously going to chase him down, are you?” But I’m already scrolling through my phone, trying to dig up anything that could help me place him. Why did he look so startled to see me?
We run back into the store to grab my candle basket, and then head towards the car. As I climb into the driver’s seat, my stomach growls, reminding me that I haven’t eaten all day.
“Feeling peckish after all that candle shopping?” Mandy teases. I roll my eyes but can’t help the smile tugging at my lips. “A little. Want to grab Chick-fil-A on the way back?”
Her face lights up. “Now you’re talking. I thought you’d never ask.”
A few minutes later, we pull up to the drive-thru. The smell of fried chicken fills the car, and I can’t wait to sink my teeth into some waffle fries. We place our orders, then settle into the wait, the earlier encounter with the mysterious man still lingering in my mind.
Once we have our food, we head back home. As soon as we step inside, I head straight for the living room. The sofa sits in the middle of the room, facing a TV mounted above the fireplace. I collapse into it, my bag of food in hand.
“This-” I say, holding up my chicken sandwich, “-is the only thing keeping me sane right now.” Mandy chuckles, setting her drink down on the coffee table before joining me.
“Want to watch a movie before we start work tomorrow?” she asks, turning on the TV.
“Mhm,” I mumble, taking a bite of my food.
Once the movie ends, I say goodnight to Mandy and make my way to my room. The house is too big for just the two of us, but it’s nice to have my own space compared to our cramped apartment back in Boston.
As I reach the top of the stairs, a chill sweeps over me, causing goosebumps to prickle along my skin. I brush it off and continue toward my room. When I step inside, I notice the balcony door is slightly ajar. I remember Mandy coming into my room before we left this morning—she must have opened it and forgotten to close it. Typical Mandy.
