Deadly Lies (Sequel to TBFOWS)

Deadly Lies- Chapter 5

            I ran to the pillow and snatched up the envelope. My body was buzzing and my fingers wouldn't cooperate as I tried to open the damned thing. I closed my eyes and took in a deep breath, steadying my fingers, I tore the sticky flap off and opened the envelope. My heart was hammering in my chest as I looked inside and saw what appeared to be papers. I reached in and curled my fingers, biting my lip- it wasn't paper at all! I pulled out the cardboard like material and felt my shallow breaths stop as I looked at the contents. There were five or so pictures, each of a different scene, but one thing remained constant. I could've recognized those eyes anywhere.

            Both John and I were laughing, dressed in tonight's clothes. I swallowed the bile in my throat and looked through the pictures. The pictures were Polaroid snapshots of us walking in different neighborhoods, one was of us kissing, another was us from behind, walking into 21 Club and the last one was of us standing in front of my house. Both of us, looking into the camera without even knowing it. 

            They're still here! My brain yelled at me and the photos fell out of my hands. Grabbing the first thing I saw, I threw open my closet, cell phone in hand. Empty. I dropped down to my knees and checked under my bed and again, nothing. I searched my entire room until every crevice was accounted for. They could be in house. After a thorough search of the house, I closed the window and I closed my blinds.

            Sitting down on my bed, I squeezed my eyes shut and felt the warm tears roll down my cheeks. Stifling a sob, my chest heaved with each breath. What was going on? Who's idea of a joke was this? I rubbed my hands against my face and choked on sob. Desperate for a deep breath, I inhaled through my mouth and held the fresh air for a few seconds before letting go. The tears began to recede, but the fear remained. Call John! No, this must be someone's dumb prank. I stuffed the photos into the envelope and threw them onto my desk. I ripped the dress off of my body and dropped it by my bed.

            Crawling under the covers, I stared at the ceiling unable to do anything but listen to my raging brain. Call John- this isn't a joke-the phone calls, tell him about the phone calls-they know where we live-they know our phone number-who told them?-what am we going to do? What am I going to do?

            Unable to fall asleep, tossing and turning from one side to the other, my brain kept demanding to call John. What if this is all some kind of a big joke? I don't want John to think I can't take a childish joke! John was distracted by something tonight, he was looking onto the dark street, he heard something! He must've heard the camera going off. Powerless over my body, I stood up and grasped my phone. Punching in the phone number, I listened to the ringing. The sound echoed in my head, vibrating in my hollow stomach. On the fifth ring, my ears pricked at the sound of his voice.

            "Sophie?" John asked, his voice alert, as though he wasn't asleep himself.

            "John-" I stopped and looked at the pictures on my desk. Was this really a situation or was it some hoax?

            "Sophie, what's wrong? Are you okay?" He asked and the concern in his voice was filling the empty void in my stomach with anxiety.

            "Yeah..." I said after a moment and stuffed the pictures into my desk drawer. "I was just-um bored."            

             "It's-" He stopped and I listened for a second as he scrambled around papers. "It's one in the morning, why aren't you asleep?" I closed my eyes and savored the tenderness in his voice.

            "I couldn't sleep." I whispered and sat down on my bed. "Why aren't you asleep Mister?"

            "Well my lady, I couldn't sleep either." John chuckled, but it was strained.