Ghosts we leave behind

chapter 17; cold soup

She hadn't made it halfway back when she was forced to notice the unwavering lights in the back. Her eyes flickered momentarily to her mirror, spotting a silver older model of a ford fiesta. If it had been any other car, she may have not have given it a second thought. However, she knew too well that it wasn't a coincidence. The car had been following her for the past five minutes.

The dull streets were unhappening as usual, with a scarce amount of cars out. She looked back in the mirror to see the headlights jittering. Slowing down, she found a space nearby and parked the car. With the seatbelt still stiffly hugging her body, she fixated on the mirror and watched the ford park directly behind her.

A few moments later, Elijah got out of the car and closed the door behind him. He was in his usual long coat and without looking around, approached Nora's passenger seat.

She rolled the window down just as he arched.

"What happened?" Nora asked just as his eyes met hers.

He checked the lock and opened the door, quickly sliding on to the seat and closing the door behind him.

"Elijah?"

"I am sincerely sorry for not being able to make it."

She didn't realise she was frowning until she could feel the muscles in her forehead overstretch, slightly cramping from the intensity. Her furrowed eyebrows fell back into place, "I told you it was okay."

"It didn't sit right with me."

"I'm sorry I wasn't convincing enough," her top lip mimicking some sort of half smile.

"I'm free now," he turned to her in his seat. "If it makes up for lost time?"

Nora ran her hands down across the steering wheel and let them drop to her lap. "I don't want to unload on you, especially since you said your dad..."

"He's doing well," he corrected her. "I want to know what's on your mind."

Nora's mouth was dry, she felt a disgusting taste at the back of her throat. "Something's been stalking me."

Elijah was quiet and when he didn't respond immediately, she glanced at him. He opened his mouth as if to speak but took a moment. "You're serious about this?"

"Yeah," she swallowed, nervously.

"Do you know who it is? You should report it to the police."

"I can't-"

"Why not? Stalkers can be dangerous, Nora."

The hard part was coming. Nora could sense the impending awkwardness where she would now have to say it all out loud. She didn't know how he would react. But she had to do it.

"It's not a person," she quickly said. "I don't think it is."

"What?" he was bewildered.

"I'm going to sound absolutely psychotic," she cleared her throat. "But the thing isn't human, it doesn't have a face..."

"It doesn't have a face," he said out loud, as if he'd understand better if he did.

"Yeah."

"What does that mean?"

Nora pulled up her sleeve and stuck her arm out for him to see. Elijah looked down in a delirious confusion until his eyes widened, slightly.

"It was in my grandmother's basement," she confided in him. "And I was stupid to have followed it but it grabbed on to me and this happened."

He was quiet while his hand reached out to hold her outstretched arm. His fingers curled around her arm, inspecting the marks. She watched him, her own breathing shallow and worried about judgement.