No Good

Chapter 1 - Not a flying cockroach at least

As I was trying to insert the key to my small apartment, I realized the first odd thing happening: there was no excited barking coming from my dog, which was very strange since he always barks when someone's at the door.

Please don't let him be chewing/eating/ruining anything I prayed. Last time he was alone, he'd chewed the freaking BATHROOM DOOR. Now the bottom edge of the wooden door was gone. James said that it gives the door a character, which was an opinion that earned a middle finger from me.

The second eerie thing was realized when I entered to the apartment. There was no light in the corridor, which I was sure I left it open before leaving in the morning for two obvious reasons: A) For my dog and B) You can't be ready for a cockroach racing towards you if you don't see them coming.

I grabbed the insecticide bottle I knew I placed strategically with my one hand and the metal baseball bat with the other, in case of a thief/intruder. I could hear the voice of blood rushing to my ears as I walked through the short corridor leading to the kitchen. I tried several switches on the way but none of them worked, though it couldn't be a power cut because there was electricity in the entrance of the building.

I was in the middle of the small kitchen when it happened. Before telling you this, you should be aware of the degree of my insect fear. At that point, I was more alarmed for any possible insect than I would be for a thief or a murderer. Thus, when I felt the breeze of a motion behind me, I reacted with two different ways.

Firstly, since I was more afraid of something like a flying cockroach, I sprayed the insecticide with my right hand as I turned towards to the motion. What followed my spray attack was the baseball bat in my left hand, which was hurled through the target by me whirling around. I even gave out a terrifying battle-cry, but it might come out like the most girlish scream of the history.

Eh, what a girl to do.

These two professional attacks of mine gained two feedbacks from the target. A painful wheeze came first, followed by a loud thud. I didn't wait for another sign to run away so I started to sprint but my attempts failed when a strong hand tugged my left ankle, causing me to fall face-first to the hard floor.

The thing attacking me at that moment could not be a cockroach, I realized.

Much to my surprise.

Thanks to the adrenaline secreted everywhere in my bloodstream, I curled my legs and kicked the thing holding my ankle and earned another grunt from it. This should have distracted him enough to let go of my ankle because I was able to get up and sprint towards the door until I heard fast and heavy footsteps approaching towards me. The next thing I know was that him grabbing me by the neck to throw me in a direction that I guessed it was the end of the corridor.

Well, shit.

I felt a sharp pain at the back of my head as I landed to the floor, again. My stomach felt sick because of the loss of direction but mostly, pain and fear. A dreadful scream filled my ears, which I think it belonged to me.

It isn't a cockroach alright.

The footsteps were now more patient and bold as they approached to me but I couldn't move even if I tried to. The footsteps ended near my head and I closed my eyes even if it was pitch black already. A couple of cold, metallic voices came from the above.

Then I heard the most comforting voice from a far, even though it was full of worry and rush.

"Pia? Pia! Are you okay?"

James, I thought. He is here.

A long chain of curses were muttered hoarsely somewhere above me and I heard the steps of the attacker fade away as the James' rushed towards me.