Fiery Trap

Chapter Ten: A Rocky Message

"What!" was the word that spouted from Rachel's mouth once she saw the couch was emptied. Alyssa had left her apartment again and left the door unlocked without saying anything to her. A piece of notebook paper lay on the couch. Rachel didn't feel like reading what she had to say. She quickly got her cell phone from her bedside table and called her. It went straight to voicemail and Rachel told her that she needed to speak to her as soon as possible. She sighed sibilantly. Her stomach growled; she needed something to eat so she went straight into the kitchenette.

When she was done eating her cereal, Rachel decided to read the note.

I hope I wasn't much of a problem. Thanks! I'll email the attachment of my slides to you.

Rachel flipped the paper around to be sure if there wasn't more writing, and there wasn't. It was a one-line message that made Rachel angrier than before. She decided to complete her part of the presentation at the library. She wished she never agreed to be Alyssa's partner. She just hoped Alyssa would email the slides by the time she got to the library as she went back into her bedroom, prepping herself to face the world.

The smoky clouds drifted by the azure sky; the wind was calm, yet it seemed like—in a nanosecond—it would become gusty. It appeared that rain might fall in an hour or so. Rachel, however, was well prepared as she had her umbrella with her. Due to the weather, Rachel decided to wear sweat pants—instead of corduroy—and sandals with a long-sleeved baseball shirt her father brought her. After locking her bike, she cloaked it with a blue tarpaulin before climbing the front steps of the library. After the elevator ride, she stepped into her new area, the fourth floor, despite the fact no one was with her. She sat at the desk by the window and fumbled for her laptop, longing to see what Alyssa emailed her.

Nothing! Rachel thought angrily, staring at her computer screen. Rachel called Alyssa and it went straight to voicemail. Rachel left a message, urging her to email her slides as soon as possible. Rachel raked the top of her hair, deeply worried. The presentation was tomorrow and it wasn't finished yet. Rachel tucked her concerns away and began to do her section. It took her a little over an hour to complete her portion and the next hour to practice her speech to her satisfaction. (Luckily, no one was around to shush her.) She checked her email and yet again nothing showed up from Alyssa. And with that Rachel decided to do some of Alyssa's parts since she already discovered some information herself, but placed it aside. Now those nuggets of information would help her do some of Alyssa's portion of the presentation. With that on her mind, Rachel blew out hot air angrily. She knew it would take all her effort and all day to complete. Rachel began typing, zoning out everything around her.

At least I've a complete business plan, Rachel thought to herself after she did a mediocre job on Alyssa's portion. At least she had something if Alyssa doesn't email her at all or if her work wasn't up to par. Rachel withdrew her eyes from her laptop.

Gazing at the wide window, she noticed it was dark. It didn't rain like she thought it would. The street lamps scattered along the pavement were lit with a glossy halo. Rachel was brain-tired and decided to leave the library for the day. Packing her belongings, she didn't know how Alyssa would react when she saw different slides for her part, but Rachel didn't care. It wasn't her fault Alyssa didn't email her work; it wasn't her fault Alyssa hadn't called her for the entire day; and it wasn't her fault Alyssa dragged her to the club yesterday instead of finishing their presentation. Rachel had no choice but to do this. She needed backup just in case the worst happened. So it was up to Alyssa to figure out how to present it in class. Rachel stopped thinking about her ordeal, as she feared she might get a migraine. Rachel rose from the chair and headed toward the elevator.

Outside, she uncloaked her bike. Barely anyone roamed the premises. The scenery felt a bit creepy for some odd reason. Get a grip, Rachel, she thought. You don't have time to be afraid. I'm already tired as it is. Rachel pocketed the tarpaulin behind the bike and then mounted it. She rode off on the pavement that led her out of the campus grounds. She veered her head to the right. Shadows cast everywhere. The streetlights were now far away, faintly shining on the pathway. The wind blew harder, whistling in her ears. The trees cast dark shadows, dancing along with the wind in an eerie manner. Rachel took an intake of the fresh outdoor air to calm her nerves. It worked for a while till something caught her eyes at the far left, ahead of the pavement. By a thick-trunk tree, Rachel noticed a silhouette of a human being. She couldn't really describe the shape, but she knew sooner or later she would see what it was as she wheeled closer. Her heart throbbed. She wondered who it was—why someone stood in the shadows, watching her by the dark tree.