Into Darkness

Chapter 7

Ryler:

I leave in the morning before Nikki wakes because I don't want her to force me to make that phone call. I'm still not ready for some reason. I guess a part of me is just worried that maybe Austin or Matthew isn't really stalking me and then I'm going to get the police involved and ruin his life. I don't want to ruin his life. I want to have concrete info before I bring in the police anymore than I already have.

I know Nikki is going to be pissed at me but I'll deal with her. I know it's only because she loves me so much that she'll be yelling at me like a lunatic. She'll more than likely call Agent Hawthorne herself once she finds me gone when she wakes up.

I head to the gym and do my usual workout. Hitting the heavyweight bag is a huge stress reliever for me and I feel a lot of the tension in my shoulders deflate once I'm done. The gym is quiet this early as per usual and I actually prefer it this way, but today for some reason I feel uneasy about the quiet. I feel like a storm is coming.

I wave goodbye to the girl working the desk as I do every morning and I walk out of the gym. The campus is still pretty dead at this hour being that classes don't start for another hour or so and I'm suddenly wishing there was more people awake so early. I have that familiar sense that someone is watching me as I quickly head back to my dorm. I whip my head around back and forth checking to see if there is anyone around but I see no one, that is until I hear someone call my name.

"Ryler!" he yells again. I turn and see Austin/Matthew making a bee line straight for me. I want to run from him. My whole body is screaming in fear for me to run, for me to get away, for me to get somewhere more public, but I don't. I don't want to alarm him and if I run I will. My reaction towards him is everything. If there is one thing I have learned it's that you don't want to piss off your stalker. Nothing good comes of that.

"Hey Austin" I say as I force a smile on my face to cover up how shaky my voice is. "What are you doing up this early?" Besides following me.

"Studying" he says. "I have an exam this morning and I was doing some last minute cramming. I saw you walking though and figured I'd come say hi. It's been a while since I've seen you."

I want to say it's only been a few days but I don't because that may set him off. "Yea I know" I say. "I've just been super busy with classes and work. You know how it is."

"Yea" he says as he shifts his back pack on his shoulder. His eyes move over me and I can't help but feel like he is looking at me like he's missed me, like it's been years since he's seen me. It puts me on edge. He doesn't know me well enough to be looking at me like that. "How are you?" he asks with a deepness and affection that signals to me he really is concerned with how I am. I become even more unraveled by his tone.

"I'm okay" I say forcing the words out with an ease I don't necessarily feel. "Could be better, could be worse" I add hoping this will suffice as an answer and that he won't probe to know more. I can feel the onset of a panic attack lingering waiting to claim me.

"That's good I guess" he says with a small a chuckle I can tell he doesn't really feel. He looks up at me with worried eyes and as he scans my face I can't help but feel like he is looking at me the same way he had the day we met, like I'm a ghost, like he knows me from some other life, but that can't be true.

I become even more unsettled under his watchful gaze and I shift my posture nervously, hating that he is getting a physical reaction from me. "I should probably get going" I say with a friendly lilt to my voice. "I need to shower before class, but it was nice seeing you Austin. Good luck on your test" I add hoping being as friendly as possible will help me make a clean getaway.