The Amity Affliction (Ahren Stringer) *COMPLETED*

Chapter Four

3 WEEKS LATER

NINA

One benefit of Dan being away on tour was that I didn't have to go food shopping every other day because the cupboards and fridge were empty due to either Dan stuffing his face, or when he had the guys over occasionally. But I was out of a few things, so I had to make a trip to the shop today.

Everything had been running smoothly, almost a little too smooth for my liking. Not that I was mad at it because I'd been given a few commissions from bands I'd never worked with before and they were pretty flexible, found twenty dollars down the back of the sofa, and even got all my current commissions completed and sent out.

Grabbing the shopping bags off the backseat of Dan's car, a shiver runs down my spine, which was odd because it wasn't exactly cold. Locking the car, I glance around the car park to see I was alone. But it felt like I was being watched and it was starting to creep me out.

Taking two steps at a time, I make it back into the apartment in record time and lock the door behind me. Dumping the bags in the kitchen, I go to grab a bottle of water from the fridge and walk past the answering machine seeing a missed call and not thinking anything of the message I hit play and continue getting a bottle of water. The machine beeps, and a familiar voice reaches my ears.

'Nina, this is Officer Wayne, I worked on your case against Will and promised to keep in touch with you. I only wish I had better news. Someone paid Will's bail, and he's back out on the streets.'

The bottle of water slips out of my hand and bounces across the kitchen tiles. Fear floods my veins; this couldn't be happening right now. I knew things had been running too smoothly today. Who would pay Will's bail? The judge set it high; damn, he must know people with money. I was screwed.

Running around the apartment like a headless chicken, I lock all the windows, draw all the blinds, and even switch off the lights. That creepy being watched feeling I had in the car park could easily be Will stalking me. I needed to ring Dan; he would know what to do. Will wouldn't be stupid enough to come after me when I had a restraining order out on him that would send him straight back to prison.

Finding my phone, I dial Dan's number, but it goes straight to voicemail. Next, I try Ryan and it also goes to voicemail, and lastly, Joel's phone also goes to voicemail. The only reason they'd have their phones turned off was during an interview. I'd keep trying Dan.

AHREN

The show had just finished, and we were back on the bus drinking because we were too lazy to go to a club. My girlfriend was off doing god knows what and for once I was probably the soberest person on the bus tonight.

On the table next to me Dan's phone wouldn't stop buzzing, and it was doing my head in. Dan wasn't paying attention so I pick up his phone to see several missed calls off Nina of all people, along with twenty unread messages. The last message was the most disturbing and confusing.

Nina: OH, GOD HE FOUND ME!

All caps normally meant someone was pissed off or scared. Opening the contacts, I hit call and bring the phone to my ear. Nina picks up on the first ring, and I'm shocked to hear her sobbing hysterically.

'Dan...he found me...'

I clear my throat, 'Err it's not Dan its Ahren. Are you okay?'

Before Nina can respond, I make out a man shouting in the background, 'OPEN THE DAMN DOOR NINA! LET ME IN BITCH!'

Nina continues crying. Who was this man? Where was Nina?

'Who is that, Nina? Where are you?' I ask kind of frantically.

'I'm in the apartment...my abusive ex Will...someone paid his bail...now he's tracked me down...Police are taking too long...Will promised to kill me if I ever snitched him out for hurting me...I'm scared...'

Dan said she had bad relationships in the past, but there was something about this ex that tipped her over the edge.

'Is he in the apartment? Can you get a weapon?' I say, sobering up with each passing second knowing she was in danger.

Nina sniffles, 'He's pounding on the front door...I'm in the bathroom...I feel safe in here...Ahren, please keep talking to me I don't want to be left alone to die...'

It was gut-wrenching to hear the pure fear in her voice, along with the sense that she'd given up and was waiting for death. She needed to stay strong and fight while I figured things out on my end.

'You're not going to die Nina.'

Looking around the bus, I take note of Ryan walking out of the bathroom looking the soberest next to me. I grab the sleeve of his jacket, and he stumbles towards me slightly.

'Why did you pull my sleeve?'

I shake my head, 'Nina's on the phone, says her ex Will is outside apartment trying to get in and she's locked in the bathroom scared out of her mind.'

Ryan sobers up instantly, 'Oh shit, keep her on the line, Ahren.'

I watch him rush towards Dan and frantically explain the situation as best as he could. Everyone stops drinking, and I put the phone on loudspeaker, so Nina had all of us to comfort her.

'Ahren are you still there?' she whispers.

'You're on the loudspeaker, and all the guys are here,' I reply.

'I TOLD YOU I'D FIND YOU, LITTLE BITCH! I'M GOING TO ENJOY SLICING YOUR UNGRATEFUL THROAT! COME OUT OF THE BATHROOM!'

Will had made it inside the apartment and was pounding on the bathroom door. Dan looked the most stressed. This was the first time he'd left Nina alone, and now she was being attacked in the safety of her home. Nina screams, something smashes that sounds like glass, and then the phone line goes dead.