I sat on an old wooden bench in front of one of the abandoned buildings, legs crisscrossed as I fished a small bag of peanut M&Ms from my pocket. I popped a yellow one into my mouth and stared at the decrepit structure... a skeleton of a place that still breathed the ghosts of its past. The sun filtered through the trees, trickling down in golden ribbons that kissed my skin. For a fleeting moment, I smiled.
Snap.
I jumped, heart in my throat.
A twig cracked... sharp, deliberate, too close.
The sound sliced the quiet, and suddenly the air felt thick with eyes.
Then, from between the trees, a deer's tiny head lifted... wide-eyed, delicate, curious.
"Oh hey," I whispered, exhaling a shaky laugh. "You scared me..."
Another M&M.
Time to go.
I made my way back to the Jeep, glancing over my shoulder every few steps. Left. Right. Again. The sun was sinking fast, dragging the light down with it. By the time I reached my car, the air had cooled, and my nerves still hummed.
I climbed in, buckled up, cranked the music... loud, just to drown out the silence.
That's when I saw it.
Lavender.
A bundle tucked under my windshield wiper like a love note from nowhere.
The hair on my neck stood straight.
I hit the wipers and flung it off as if it had teeth, then peeled out of there, gravel spraying.
Home came with the comfort of wine and a movie.
I barely made it through half the glass before sleep dragged me under... until a buzz jolted me awake.
"EmilyWonders68 has requested to follow you."
Who the fuck is this?
Declined.
Seconds later — "EmilyWonders68 has requested to follow you."
Blocked.
I set my phone down and drifted off again, this time haunted by Mariella... and The Fox.
Get... off of me...
I startled awake, forgetting I'd fallen asleep on the couch. The cat yowled as I rolled off, tangled in a blanket.
"Oh my God," I groaned, rubbing my face. "What time is it? 10:00 AM?!"
I shuffled into the kitchen, still half-dreaming, when I saw my purse spilled open across the counter. My ID, change, lipstick... and a note, scrawled in tiny handwriting:
iamsirtoyou@gmail.com
I rolled my eyes so hard it almost hurt.
Taking a sip of water, I stared at the note, tapping my fingers against the counter until the thought clicked.
Then I picked up my phone. Thinking to myself "who even emails anymore?"
"Hello."
Thirty seconds later:
"Hello."
"Did you want to meet?"
"Yes. At the mall. See if you can find me. 1 o'clock."
I checked the time — 10:23.
"But where? The mall's huge."
"See if you can find me first."
"Give me your number and I'll message you when I get there."
"Let's make it fun. You don't think you can find me, little rabbit?"
I squinted at my screen, unsure whether I was more annoyed or intrigued. Probably both.
"I'll message when I arrive."
...silence...
I darted into my closet — jeans, heeled boots, tight black sweater, light jacket — and at the last second, grabbed my choker. Of course.
12:45.
Shit.
I bolted out the door.
At the mall, I sat in my parked Jeep, staring at the entrance like it was the gate to heaven or hell.
I shouldn't do this. I definitely shouldn't do this. This is weird, right?
I mumbled to myself in the mirror until I caught the confused stare of an elderly Asian man in the next car. Perfect.
"1:05," I muttered. "Okay, okay..."
I typed: "I... am... here..."
Nothing.
Fine. Play it cool. I'll just shop.
I strutted past the food court, nerves buzzing beneath my skin. My intuition didn't flare, nothing felt off. I tucked my hands deeper into my jacket, trying to disappear into myself. Then, a flash of pink neon, Victoria's Secret. Familiar territory.
Inside, lace shimmered under the lights. I ran my fingers along the racks, soft satin whispering against my skin. Every few seconds, I glanced over my shoulder. Nothing. I checked my phone. Still nothing.
Two teenage girls in front of me gossiped loudly, bragging about their "expensive" perfume.
I smirked, Good Girl, Carolina Herrera, $175, thank you very much.
Then my stomach dropped.
Heat rushed through my veins.
There he was.
Walking casually past the storefront, Auntie Anne's pretzels in one hand, a comically oversized drink in the other.
He looked in.
Our eyes met — just for a moment.
My breath hitched.
I smiled before I could stop myself and dropped my gaze.
He's having a snack while he should be hunting me? Unbelievable.
"Next!" the cashier called.
I stepped forward, pulse hammering. From the corner of my eye, I saw him turn back toward the store. My heart climbed into my throat.
A low voice brushed past my ear.
"Excuse me."
He moved right in front of me. I let out a tiny laugh... quiet, nervous.
Focus.
I paid for the panties.
Another whisper behind me — "Excuse me..."
A subtle brush against my back.
No one else noticed a thing.
The world kept turning while our private little storm swirled between us.
He disappeared.
Then I felt him again... his footsteps echoing behind me as I left the store. Steady. Intentional.
My walk shifted. Confident. Measured. I led him... past storefronts, through the department store at the far end of the mall, my hips an unspoken challenge.
Perfume counters. Racks of silk. The escalator hum.
I knew this terrain.
I circled behind the handbags, slipped behind the Michael Kors display, pretending to browse.
Then I saw him.
Searching. Fast. Anxious.
The predator had become the lost boy.
A dark smile pulled at my lips.
Who's the rabbit now?
I left the display and darted out through a rarely used side door. Outside, I paused just long enough to see him emerge, scanning every direction — everywhere except mine.
I smirked, then ran.
In my car, breathless, flushed, alive, I gripped the steering wheel and laughed.
Exhilaration hummed through me. I felt powerful. Dangerous. Turned on by my own defiance.
Back home, I slammed the door, locked all three bolts, stripped bare, and crawled into bed.
My fingers traced my lips, still tingling from adrenaline.
A soft moan escaped before I could stop it.
Then... buzz.
"Where did you run off to, little bunny?"
That single line sent a jolt through me... sharp, sweet, and ruinous.
Pleasure came in waves until I collapsed against my pillow.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter 5:
Track: Frances Go - Wind Blow
https://shorturl.at/tda2l
YOU ARE READING
Jenna & The Beast
Mystery / ThrillerJenna was a young woman with goals and dreams like everyone else. And like everyone else, she endured her fair share of trauma. When Jenna left her marriage of ten years, she unknowingly found herself prey to something darker, someone who had been w...
