Sinister Obsession | ONC 2024

3| The Seeker

The parking lot of Brookshire's Grocery is more empty than I expected, but I definitely can't complain. A fewer number of people means I won't have to wait in line for a thousand years just to check out four items.

The less time I spend here, the more time I have to work with my podcast. And boy didn't I have an interesting take to share with my beloved followers!

My seatbelt whispers softly as it treks back to its place and I step outside of my car. The breeze caressing my face is slightly warm and heavy with the promise of rain. One quick glance up at the slowly darkening clouds confirms it.

I love rain. It's beautiful, purifying. It takes the old and the dusty, running its fingers oh-so-gently over everything until there's nothing left but bright life and sparkling droplets.

A part of me hopes I'll get caught in it. My soul needs a good cleansing, especially with the delve into darkness I plan once I'm home.

One of the bag boys sporting a red uniform shirt and khakis greets me and I return it with a soft smile.

He pauses with a shopping cart in hand. “Need a buggy?”

“No thank you,” I reply with another smile.

He nods at my answer and continues onward while I step through the moving doors.

The brilliant white of the floors glisten under the lighting and I blink for a moment. A couple of other shoppers sporting hand-held red baskets and shopping carts move leisurely throughout the aisles with a few stationed at the checkout line.

The pleasant scent of peace wafts all around and I breathe it in. My stomach instantly churns and I fight the urge to vomit.

Peace is sickly sweet, and the taste of it is like bile on my tongue.

Unlike this place, a grocery store nearby is no doubt full of turmoil. Worried people continuously casting glances over their shoulders, each being plagued by the death of a young woman with fear for their own lives. Mothers huddling small daughters close, and husbands constantly by their wives' side and keeping their children in sight.

It's that very reason why I seek the truth. A truth many may not be willing to find for the amount of shadows and evil surrounding it. But such wickedness is no stranger to me.

Since the ripe age of twelve, this gloom became a part of my life forever with the murder of my mother. If not for one individual – my father – who sought for answers, her killer would remain free to walk the earth today.

And that's precisely why I do what I do. Someone needs consolation and the strength to keep fighting for justice, and I will give that to them no matter what amount of demons I must fight to bring it to them.

Ashley Sheppard will never know my name, but I'll make sure everyone on this planet knows hers. Along with the other poor souls taken by a devil under the guise of the Boogeyman.

The sudden halting jolt of my body crashing into another snapped me back to reality in seconds and heat danced across my cheeks. “Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry–”

“Don't be.”

Not only did the words cut me off, but so did one look at this man. With electric blue eyes and a boyish face, he towered a couple inches over me.

It isn't his looks that pierced my train of thought, but the fact I recognize him. He's the man from the cafe earlier. The very one whose gaze latched onto me and almost didn't let go.

“I'm sorry,” I repeat before scuttling away.

The fire on my cheeks has long since turned cold and I bite down on the inside of my cheek. There's nothing super unusual about running into a random stranger twice in the same day, but this sends my senses tingling.

Something didn't feel right. I just can't put my finger on what.

Making my way through the mostly empty aisles, I snatch up a jar of peanut butter. My craving for dinner definitely isn't something fabulous, or even healthy, but why the fuck not? Especially when it's only three ingredients and takes about twenty minutes tops to make. It makes the perfect podcasting snack, so it's a win-win in my opinion.

The ping from my phone nearly sends a flinch through my body. I take a deep breath before letting it out.

Everything is okay, anxiety. Stop terrorizing me, damnit.

I unlock my phone with one hand and slide down the notification center.

Noah: Got plans for tonight?

I sigh softly. I do have plans, plans that include making peanut butter balls and diving headfirst into everything related to the Boogeyman and his heinous acts. But if I say yes, I'll feel bad. Especially since we already have a few rain checks.

Me: Not really. What's up?

Seconds later, my phone goes off again.

Noah: Bet. Any chance I can come over and hang?

Noah is great and everything, but I'd rather get into my research. Of course, I can't say that, but I wish for once I would.

Me: Sure. But I'm only planning on having some peanut butter balls to eat.

Maybe that will deter him.

Making my way down another aisle, I grab a bag of powdered sugar and a vial of vanilla extract. Everything I need is now in my hands and I can get the hell out of here.

Another text comes through my phone and a slight huff leaves my lungs. Shifting everything to one arm, I check the notification.

Noah: That's fine. We can have that, and I'll also bring some pizza. See you around 5?

I have around two-and-a-half hours to get started on my studying. Well, close to two if you count the drive home. Unless I punch the gas a little.

Me: See you then :)

Pushing my phone into my pocket, I speed walk towards the nearest cashier and set my items down. The transaction happens with little interaction. Or at least, none that I'm aware of. But with my thoughts running a mile a minute, it's possible I didn't hear any attempts at conversation.

I slide my arm through the loops in the plastic back with the green apple leaf logo and begin the short walk to my trusty Ford Fusion. About halfway to my car, a chill slowly licks up my spine and I cast a look over my shoulder.

Everything in my body freezes the moment my glance meets the icy eyes that previously bore into my back. This marks the third time those frosted irises punctured mine and it weirds me out.

Things happen by chance all the time, including instances such as I find myself in right now. But it didn't settle the anxious butterflies frenzying in my guts and battering around my chest cavity.

This feels nothing like happenstance and everything like precalculation, and nothing can change my mind.

I rush to enter my car and toss my groceries on the passenger seat. In moments, my car is started and both of my hands grip the wheel so tightly they turn pale. I chance another peek towards the door, but the stranger is gone.

See, anxiety? Nothing sinister is going on here. It's just you and your meddling.

My focus lands on the rearview mirror as I begin to back up, but all my movements halt instantly and I frantically reach up and grab at the mirror.

It's gone. My mother's amethyst pendant necklace is gone!

Nausea chords my stomach and threatens to rise up my throat. Maybe my anxiety is right after all.