Lexington And Fifth

Chapter 17: Waking Nightmare

Early afternoon sunlight rouses Ella from her dreams as it washes over her porcelain skin. She rises from her slumber, caught in a state of pure joy as the memories of Andrew stay with her. However, she soon finds reality slamming into her face, and her heart sinks at the realization that Andrew was still gone.

Swinging her legs out over the side of the bed and wiping an unshed tear from her eyes, she sees a handwritten note waiting on her nightstand.

Ella,

I hate to leave when you are this upset, but I had a meeting I couldn't reschedule. I promise to be back by 5:00 at the latest, and will bring some dinner and a bottle of Merlot. I love you, and we will get through this, I swear.

Yours Always,
Connor

Ella smiles, thinking of the way Connor loves to keep the romanticism of handwritten love notes alive in their relationship. She opens her phone and sees its 12:30 PM, giving her a few hours to wake up and get ready for the day. She opens up the last texts between herself and Connor, and writes him.

Connor,

I love you so much and am grateful to have fallen for such a caring person. You are my rock, and give me the strength to carry on. I look forward to your safe return.

Yours Forever,

Ella

Opening up her music app, Ella makes her way into the bathroom, jumping into the shower and letting a warm stream of water rain down on her as the local alternative rock station blasts the latest hits. Closing her eyes, she pushes thoughts of Andrew from her mind, and tries instead to focus on Connor.

The way her heart flutters every time he trails his hands along her back; the way her skin gets goosebumps as he kisses her neck. These thoughts and more rule her mind as an unseen figure moves through the bathroom. The massive shape of a person stares at her through the steamy glass shower doors, cocking its head to the side as it studies her curvy form.

As she washes the soap from her body and shuts off the water, a crash sounds from somewhere in the apartment, causing her head to snap up in fearful anticipation.

"Hello, anyone there?" she calls out, reaching out to shut off the music still playing. No one answers her calls. Stepping out of the shower and wrapping a towel around her, she moves toward the door, prepared to come face to face with an intruder. Before she can do anything, she notices something out of the corner of her eyes, and turns to find a message waiting for her.

Choose Who's Next, Or I Will... the message reads, with both Greg and Nina's names written underneath. The message appears to have been written in blood.

Ella puts her hands to her face, and screams, sliding down the wall as she stares at the threatening message. What scares her more is not that someone broke into her home and has put a terrible choice to her, but with blood-curdling dread she realizes that she knows who she'll choose, if she's forced to, and although she has no reason to, the weight of guilt threatens to pull her down into madness.l