ON YOUR LAST BREATH | Mike Schmidt ✔️

chapter three .. no evidence left

CHAPTER THREE - " no evidence left "

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          FOR A HANDFUL OF SECONDS, Haley was left too stunned by Mike's sudden exit to actually react in any way whatsoever. It was only when one of the nuns of St. Joseph's came around the corner with a new donations bag to store behind the reception, Haley finally blinked the startled state out of her eyes.

"Sister Irene," she called, exiting the booth.

"Oh," the nun looked up, absolutely delighted by the surprise of seeing Haley there. "Dear, the event has been so well received."

"Yes, marvelous, but—"

"Where is Mike?" The nun interrupted, looking over the reception desk.

"That's exactly why I would really appreciate if you could take over reception until I get him back here," Haley rushed to get all the words out. Without waiting for an actual answer, she exhaled at once — "Thank you!" — wasting no further breath she otherwise had very little off anyway to get going with an alert pace back towards the gym.

To her confusion, both connecting doors were left wide open and a couple of volunteers were exiting with wary looks back and unintelligible mumbles passed. Haley pushed right past them to get inside, already feeling her lungs begging her to take a moment for some proper inhales and exhales. However, the havoc she was met with in there allowed for no such thing as a break.

"Mike!" She shouted across the gym floor, as loud as she could, managing to still Mike's hands from shaking Charlotte by her arms. Whatever he had been shouting in her face was abruptly interrupted and his gaze moved over to Haley, incomprehensible fear hidden behind the warmth of his eyes, corrupting their peace.

Charlotte hurried to shake him off of her and take several steps back towards the wall before hugging one hand to her chest, over her heart, while the other pointed a finger towards Mike in incriminating fashion, "He just came out of nowhere, shouting and getting all violent over these toys."

Alas, Haley's attention was drawn by Charlotte to the stage. Foxy and Bonnie had been knocked over and off the stage.

"Mike?" Haley looked back at her boyfriend, awaiting his explanation of what had happened so very fast.

"We need to go," Mike unfroze the moment Haley called out his name a second time, walking now towards her. "We need to leave."

"What are you on about?"

"We are not safe here anymore," he grabbed her hand and Haley took notice of the coldness of his shivering palms. What in the name of God had managed to scare him into a cold sweat? she wondered, staring back at the stage.

Since she only saw the image of an erratic man grabbing her friend with the intention of dragging her along with him, Charlotte started searching herself for her phone. "That's it, I am calling the police—"

"No!" Haley quickly extended her free hand towards Charlotte, standing her ground to not let Mike pull her further away from the spot she stopped on, somewhere in the middle of the distance between the stage and the exit. "Charlotte, this is just a misunderstanding."