Human Again (A Jeff the Killer story)

34. New life

Emilie's pov (it's been a while!)

"Sooooooo," Rebecca, my colleague, starts talking to me while I am finishing filling a tab on the computer, "Have you started organizing your wedding?"

"Huum, not really." I reply to her without even looking at her, my eyes glued to the screen. "We're still waiting for my parents approval."

"Haaan that's so sad. I don't understand why some parents are so strict!"

"Haha, yeah." I force a laugh, "We're currently saving money to visit them next summer, so that Peter can receive their approval."

"I do hope it will be fine! You're so cute together." She says while smiling like a teen.

Rebecca has been my colleague since I've started working here, two months ago. As we share an office, we often talk about our lives and random stuffs. She's the closest person I can call "friend" right now, even if I have to tell her lies about my life.

As I've finished my tab, I put on my scarf and my leather jacket which were on my seat, and turn off the computer I've been working on this full day.

"You're going?" Says Rebecca, looking up her screen to me.

"Yeah, my shift is over. Have a nice day!" I wave at her before leaving the place where I work. It's a new company based in the city center, only 10 minutes away from where I live. I got this job only two months ago, and I really like it. Even though I wanted to work in a higher job, I couldn't use my diploma to find something I liked as I'm now Emilie Davis, a French girl engaged with an American boy, who decided after meeting him during Summer holidays to stay here with him. I had to make up a new life, a new myself, to escape my past, to escape him. I think I'm doing well, it's been more than 15 months and nothing strange has happened. I may be able to go back to France soon, I hope...

I'm now walking in the streets, trying to pass through the bunch of people who are chatting next to the shops. There are a lot of people at that time, and I'm trying my best to avoid bumping into someone.

When I finally arrive at my lovely house, I'm alone. Peter usually finishes work at 6 p.m, two hours after me. He's currently working in a small company which cleans cars. He couldn't find a job as a waiter, so he took the first one he found. Because of this house and our new life, he had to find a job quickly as my former part-time job couldn't pay the rent.
I'm feeling bad for this, he used all the money he has saved to study surgery to rent this house, buy furniture etc...He's always saying that he doesn't care, as long as I feel safe and fine, it's worth it. But even with that, I feel bad. I promised myself to make a lot of money to let him achieve his dream.
After all he's done to me, that's the minimum I can do to repay him. I want him to be happy.

I let go of my jacket and scarf, before heading to the living room and drinking water. I then take an empty bottle of water which I full with tap water before watering the roses Peter gave me 2 days ago, placed next to the kitchen window. He's so sweet with me, always trying to make me smile.
I can say for sure that I'm happy with him, and I'm so excited to be his wife forever. He makes me feel safe, makes me forget everything, and makes me want to believe in love.

When I finish watering the roses, I look up outside my window. That's when I notice a black bmw car parked just in front of my house. It has tinted glass, so I can't see who's inside. I'm starting to feel weird, when I remember that I'm safe. It's just a car, nothing much. Maybe someone is lost or has just decided to take a break there. I can't help but feel uneasy just by watching it, so I quickly leave the living room to go to the bedroom. I have to get away from this strange car.

Yeah, I'm scared easily these days. Since I left Anders' manor, I repeatedly had nightmares about Jeff. Sometimes, he killed me and made me suffer, torturing me for hours, saying I deserved to feel the most horrible pain in the world for escaping. That was my punishment. Sometimes, my nightmare was only a replay of the scene when we kissed, before he suddenly killed me by surprise. Or sometimes, he just found me here, and made my world fall apart again. In each nightmare I had, he always said the exact same sentence: "you can't escape me, Emilie. I'll find you, I'll find you!", like he was telling me to be on guard.
Peter told me it was normal, that I was in shock by all I've seen and endured. Maybe he's right. I'm safe here, so I shouldn't be scared. But still. I won't feel totally safe until I'm allowed to come back to France. The fact that I'm here, having a fake perfect life whereas I don't know if my parents are alright is unnerving. But I have to stay strong, for them, for Peter and for me.

I need to stop thinking about all this.
I grab the book next to my bed and start reading it, as I have time before cooking. After 30 minutes, I finally get up and head to the kitchen. I don't know what to do for dinner, so I might go to the store and find something interesting.

When I get to the kitchen to see what I have in the fridge, I hear a knock coming from my front door. Who can it be? I'm not waiting for anyone.
It took me minutes to finally head to the front door and open it, only to reveal nothing, no one was there. I take a step towards the exit to see if someone was in the streets next to my house, when I hear a soft sound coming from my feet. I had just walk onto something, and it looks like an envelop.

I carefully grab it and open it. What is inside makes me so scared that I put my hand in front of my mouth in shock.

A photo of me, watering the roses. I have the same clothes as today on the photo. It might be from earlier!

The car.
It must be it. The person inside took a pic of me, the bastard! I knew there was something wrong with it!

There's a paper as well, that I read slowly:

"YOU CAN'T HIDE NOW. I'M COMING FOR YOU."

Oh. My. God.

I immediately come home and take my phone out, nearly dropping it on the floor as I'm shaking. I call Peter, and he replied after 4 tones.

"Hi Emilie, what's going on? I'm nearly coming ho-"

"Peter" I cut him off, shaking and crying, "it's...it's him. I think...I think he found me! I'm scared, I..." I can't finish my sentence as I burst into tears with Peter trying to reassure me.

"Stay inside, I'm coming home right now." Peter says before hanging up.
After that, I fall onto the floor, crying like never before.

Please no, please let it be all a joke. Please leave me alone.

************

Tadaaaa~
Who do you think this person is? Jeff or Gary?
By the way, I've started a new story, called "Nightmare." If you haven't read it yet and if you're interested, please give me an opinion. It'd mean the world to me if you could read the beginning and tell me what you think :)
Thanks!