GUN IN MY HAND

CHAPTER 25: DARKEST HOUR OF THE NIGHT RENDEZVOUS

'You saw things that shook your core

Things you've never seen before

Could've walked away instead

Ah

Now you got no one you can trust'

I was sneaking out, lying, disrespecting promises, and it wasn't useful to mention where my banging heart had set its destination.

Yet I had no second thought, no glance behind, and no shake as my feet pushed on the pedals of my bike to start putting it into motion.

The fresh air quickly slamming my face felt good against the flushing emotions swirling in my head, and the pulling efforts on my muscles were annihilating any remains of crippling sensations. I was going fast, and between the loud thuds of my heart and the scraping of mechanics under me, I felt as if nothing could reach me.

The similar houses and well-trimmed gardens all turned into a blur of dark shapes, and the white fences formed a line following my escape. I was unstoppable.

Though the surroundings quickly changed as I exited the suburbs, and I had to slow down my pace to get my bearings.

The buildings started to get taller, creating larger shadows as the street lamps were scarcer, and everything looked more spine-chilling.

With my efforts slackening, I took in all the details with more awake senses: the remaining cold sweat down my back, although I had changed clothes, the faint rustling between each of my heartbeats and pedal strokes, and all the small hairs arising one by one at the back of my neck, as if someone was watching me.

I hit the brakes and turned around abruptly in reflex, but I caught nothing moving, not even a cat or a leaf floating with the breeze. Everything was calm, too calm now that my heart was slowing down and the rustling stopped.

It seemed to leave more room for my doubts to come back.

As my gaze scanned the surroundings from one side of the road bordered with uneven buildings to the other, I realized I didn't even know what time it was. In my rush to escape, I had once more not thought, and deep inside, there was a small voice, which though, didn't sound like my conscience, telling me my impulsive and reckless behavior would lead me into serious trouble one day or another.

I just hoped it wouldn't be this Saturday, or Sunday, as, judging by the thickness of the shadows, it was already the darkest hour of the night, and I couldn't turn back now. I was too close to my destination, and it wouldn't be ridiculous impressions that would stop me. Though maybe I was just too scared to go back and meet my possible stalker.

What would I even do if there was really someone following me? I doubted it would be out of curiosity or to talk, and I had nothing to defend myself with, just my bike and my 'shitty instincts'. Besides, I doubted there were people who would hear my cries for help at this hour.

That was why I didn't even try to use my bike's headlight to illuminate all the shadows and corners forming between the various buildings, and I focused ahead again.

Sometimes it was better to stay in the dark, and when I gripped my handlebars again, and the slight movement of my headlight cast light on a corner of the next street, I was reminded why with the jump of all my nerves.

The sensations from my nightmare rushed back, more real than ever, at the sight of two silhouettes: a man and a woman. Well, in the dimness of a too-far street lamp and the faint red light at the window above them, their figures were hard to distinguish, and they could have been anyone. The only characteristic I could catch was the watch at the man's wrist, reflecting my headlight in its surely too-shiny-for-this-area-of-the-town band.