The Hit List

Chapter 3 ∞ Anonymous Texts

Edited

⚣ Jack ⚣

I laid in my bed, trying to think up a way that I could convince Johnson to date me or at least let me smash. Most are immediately won over by my good looks and irresistible charm. I've never had anyone straight up hate me from the beginning. This is the most resistance I've ever encountered. In all honesty, it's probably all my fault. I've never lead with the wrong move before and had to recover from anything.

I sped over to his house with my mom just to be kicked out today. Which bitch kicks out guests? This kid obviously has no manners. Suddenly my phone vibrated in my pocket. I had received a text from an unknown number.

'Go to the forest and find a rock marked with the name 'The Hit Lister'. Follow the path.' The text read. I quickly typed a text back, asking this mystery person to identify themselves. After a few seconds, I got a message back that was identical to the first one.

What fresh hell is this? What if it's a stalker or something? I quickly sent a text to my friend Shawn telling him where I was going. I told him that if I didn't text back in twenty minutes, he should call the police.  I hastily stuffed my phone into my pocket and grabbed my black messenger bag off of the floor, preparing for my journey.

After exiting my room, I bolted down the stairs, adrenaline rushing through my system at the idea of going on an adventure.

"I'M GOING ON A WALK! I'LL BE BACK IN FIFTEEN!" I call out to my parents as I grab my keys off of the hooks where we keep them. I knew my mom was about to ask one million and one questions before I left so I tried to get my shoes on as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, I wasn't fast enough.

"Where are you going?" She asked while resting her hands on her hips.

"The mall. I'm going to get my boyfriend, Jack Johnson, some stuff." I replied quickly while looking anywhere but directly at her.

"What are you getting him?"

"I don't know, I'll find something." I responded.

"How about a dress and some pantyhose." My mom chuckles. I tried not to laugh since I know it was disrespectful but I couldn't help myself.

"That's not funny." I snort.

"I'm sorry, you can go now." She dismissed me before heading back to the living room.

"Thank you!" I called to her as I opened the front door. My twenty minutes were slipping away. I made a beeline for our backyard. Beyond our property line laid a forest, which I hadn't entered since I was a kid. I used to climb through the thick trees, and play hide and seek with Nash in these woods. Those were the good old days before everything got so complicated.

I bit my lip in concentration as my eyes scanned the woods for the small dirt path that had been created by many people trampling the wildlife as they entered and exited the forest over the years. I took a deep breath of crisp evening air before finally walking into the forest, following the path as I was told to. I constantly swiveled my head in all directions, looking everywhere for the rock that the anonymous texter had mentioned. 

Something in my lower peripheral vision caught my attention. It was a bright neon pink line drawn around the circumference of a stick. The neon line seemed to have been drawn in the fluid that comes in glow sticks. I looked around vigilantly for another sign as to where I should go. A few feet beyond the boundary of the path, I was able to spot a bright neon pink circle the size of a quarter painted on a tree trunk. I stepped off the path to walk over to the tree. Dead leaves and twigs crunched under my weight as I approached the marked tree. I looked around once again, searching for another bright neon pink direction. Further away, my eyes could only just detect the bright corner of a rock that laid behind a bush. I hurried as quickly as a I could over to the bush, making sure to keep myself from tripping over any dangerous roots. 

I shone the flashlight on my phone at the rock, spying a note that had been placed on top.

I lifted the note and brought it closer to my flashlight. All it said was:
'Lift me,' and it was signed by The Hit Lister.

Assuming that the note was referring to the rock, I bent down and secured my grip at the bottom. I put my years of strength training to good use and lifted the rock, placing it to the side. The rocks' change of position revealed a shallow hole in the ground.

In the mysterious hole there was a beige box which looked like it could have previously been a shoe box. I lifted the box out and opened the lid curiously. The only thing inside the box was a black satin pouch and another note.

"I can help you get Jack Johnson, but you have to do everything I say. If you don't want to take this offer; close the box and replace it under the rock. If you do accept my offer, take the box home and look at the contents there." I read the note aloud.

I put the lid back on the shoe box and stopped to think for a moment.

This could be a bomb, or poison soaked spikes, government secrets or a check for ten million dollars. For all I know, this is a sham and I could be the butt of the senior prank. What should I do? 

(Last update of the day & make sure to add this to your reading lists or libraries)