I give Luka step-by-step directions. As we approach the street, the feeling of dread deepens. I shiver.
"Are you feeling cold?" Luka asks.
"A little, by the way, the net street is the one we want," I tell him. I was a little cold, but the dread I felt was what made me shiver. I didn't see any cars coming and going from the street. He drove past the street once and didn't see anyone coming down. Turning around, he went down the street. He parked about 5 houses down. I saw Jess in the living room with the twins. I texted her we were coming down the road and didn't see anyone, as we passed she must have read my text. I saw her shoulders sag in relief. I hated this feeling and it didn't help that she clearly felt off. Something was wrong.
"You okay beautiful?" Luka asked
"No." I tell him. "Something feels wrong. I don't like it." I admit.
"I agree. Something feels off." Luka seemed tense. The feeling grew and grew. All of a sudden, headlights appeared. "Get down. Luka pushed me down below the window. I didn't move, I couldn't breathe, I felt like an invisible weight was pushing down on me. It was crippling.
Luka eased off me. Lifting his head up and snapped a pic of the plate of the car as it passed and sent it to someone.
"Who did you send that to?" I asked.
"A friend who can look up anything. We need to know who is possibly stalking your friend. Oh. And here." Luka said, handing me a black hoodie. "You can put this on if you're still cold." I smiled at the hoodie.
"Thank you. I tell him. And put it on. It was warm and comforting. I could sleep in this. My favorite thing was that it smelled like him.
"Looks like I won't be getting that back." Luka laughs to himself.
"What?" I looked at him, confused. What did he mean by that?
"Don't worry about it. You look good and very happy with it on. Please keep it." Luka smiles at me. And kisses me on the forehead.
Ring ring ring.
Both of our phones vibrate at the same time. Luka reads his text and is typing out a long reply. I read Jess, and she asks if we saw the car go by. I told her we did. We also got the car's plate. She was thankful that we did; she still felt dread, but felt a little better knowing we were here. She informed me that she was taking the twins upstairs to put them to bed.
"Jess is putting the twins to bed." I tell Luka.
"Okay good, do you know if the kids feel it too?" Luka asks. Strange, but I sent a message off to Jess asking.
"Luka wants to know if the kids feel the same." I ask. A minute or two goes by until my phone lit up with a response from her.
"Not that they mentioned. They played and acted normally. I didn't want to panic them by asking. Just in case it was me being crazy." Jess responds.
"Jess, you're not crazy. We felt it too. Heck, I felt something was off after you left. It's okay. I am always here for you, no matter what." I tet her.
"Thank you.(:" Jess responds.
I look outside and take in all the darkness. I feel like something is lurking around the house. It was almost like at the mall. I rub my arms trying to chase way the shiver of cold dread.
"You okay?" Luka breaks me of my thoughts.
"Honestly… No." I tell him with out meeting his gaze. I didn't want to blink let alone look away from the back corner of the house Jess was baby sitting at. I feel Luka shift. I think he is trying to look at what I am but I am unsure.
"What do you see?" He asks. Gently.
"Nothing… but darkness…" Dread claws at my throat.
"What do you feel?" Luka asks. I dont know why but I answer him.
"Dread, suffocating dread," I tell him.
"Where?" He asks; he was probably still watching me. I refused to look away.
"Back left corner of the house, it's like when we were at the mall. It is somehow getting darker the more I stare." I admit. I don't know why. He was probably going to a mental hospital to get checked out. Darkness and shadows don't get darker the more you stare at them.
"Do you know how to use a gun?" Luka asks, and I break my stare down with the darkness. When I look at him he is not looking at me. He is now having his own stare down with the darkness.
"No…?" I answered him, confused, and I watched him reach under his seat and grab a very shiny silver gun. My eyes widen. What was about to happen?
"Make sure you undo the safety like this." I watched my eyes widen. "Then aim and fire as soon as you have a clear shot. You have a case with a gun under your seat. Here's the key. Unlock the case just in case." He places a small silver key in my palm. It felt heavy. "I am leaving the key for the truck here in the cupholder. If things go sideways. LEAVE without me." Luka looked at me now. Eyes begging me to listen. What the hell was going on? "Text Jess to lock her self in the room with the kids. Block the door and window as best she can."
"Why…?" It was the first thing I could get out. My stomach sank with worry now.
"Do you trust me?" Luka asked. It took me hardly a heartbeat to admit that I did, even though I hardly knew him, and yet something deep in my bones reminded me he would never hurt me.
"Yeah," I say out loud.
"Good. No text her." Luka orders. And I do so. She asked why, and I told her Luka asked. He thinks someone might try to break in maybe? That's the only reasonable explanation I had for this. As she was telling me she blocked the window and door. Thankfully the kids were already asleep, so they couldn't ask questions. Luka phone softly rings.
"Hey Alex. Yeah, its a cold blue. No I am not going to wait. Someone is in possible danger. I am going in. Come as soon as you can." Luka tells the person and hangs up.
"Danni, even if you hear gunshots. Do me a favor… DO NOT call 911." Luka tells me as he hops out of the truck, locking himself out.