Chapter 4

But if I kept hiding at home, I was as good as dead.

Steeling myself, I clenched my teeth and took the leap.

Crack!

I slapped a hand over my mouth, choking back a scream.

Even though I'd braced myself, I still ended up with a broken ankle.

I limped toward the parking lot, fighting through the pain.

When the guy knocked on the door, my phone was charging in the bedroom so I didn't have time to grab it.

That meant I couldn't call the police now.

Luckily, my car was parked nearby. If I could just get in, I could make my escape.

I gritted my teeth and made a mad dash for the parking lot.

I was so desperate, I didn't even realize I'd lost a shoe along the way.

Soon, I found my brand new car.

I couldn't help but thank my lucky stars that my electric car had voice unlock function.

If it was a regular car, I would need the key. I'd be dead meat then since my car key and phone were together sitting on my bedroom nightstand. There was no way I could go back for them.

I dove into the car all at once, slammed the door shut, and locked it tight.

Just as I got inside, I heard someone screaming for me to help outside.

"Where are you?" Christine's voice rang out, trembling with fear." Please, help me!"

Christine's desperate cries echoed through the deserted parking lot. I jolted, my heart leaping into my throat.

How did Christine get here so fast?

She was screaming for help. Did that mean she was being chased by the murderer too?

But how did she manage to escape from him?

Did she slip out the front door while he was busy banging on the bathroom door?

I started to worry about Christine.

She was my sister, after all. If I could help her escape while I was running for my life, it would be better.

My guard dropped for a second, and I was just about to shout back at her when words flew before my eyes.

[Don't be stupid! Don't answer Christine. She's just trying to trick you into coming out.]

[Yeah, Christine doesn't look like she's in any danger. She's just casually walking by the roadside, waiting for you to take the bait.]

[Holy crap, could Christine be in cahoots with the killer? Why is the murderer just calmly hiding behind her? Moreover, she doesn't even look scared. That's a killer, for crying out loud.]

I clapped a hand over my mouth and hid under the seat, heart pounding.

Thank goodness those words popped up just in time.

If it weren't for them, I would've opened the door and let Christine in.

I was just about to gun it and speed out of the complex when the words stopped me again.

[Don't even think about driving out. The killer's standing right at the exit with an axe.]

[Any car that tries to leave is toast. The glass isn't bulletproof. One swing of that axe and you'll die.]

I was stunned. The killer was blocking the exit? But there was only one exit in this whole lot.

These words had a point. If the guy swung his axe at the driver's window while I was behind the wheel, I'd be toast.

No way I was gambling on whether the glass was tougher than an axe. I'd rather be paranoid than dead.

Plus, the words unanimously said the killer's axe could bust right through the window. If I floored it and tried to bolt, I'd be dead meat.

What the hell was I supposed to do now?

I sneaked a look outside the window.

The side windows were freshly tinted, so no one outside could see in.

I saw Christine going from car to car, searching for me.

She was moving slowly, her face totally calm. There was no sign of panic at all.

But she kept shouting for help, pretending to be scared.

My heart clenched.

Christine's every move was proof the words weren't lying. She was trying to lure me out.

I couldn't wrap my head around it. Why would she do that? Christine was my sister. Why would she try to lure me out?

She could've just made a run for it. At the very least, she had her phone. She could've called the cops in a heartbeat.

Why would she try so hard to lure me out? Wasn't she afraid of that killer?

Was it really true, just like words stated, that she was in cahoots with the killer? The thought made my stomach drop.

But how would Christine even know a guy like that? None of this made any sense.

That dude looked like he'd never seen Christine before in his life.

None of this was adding up. Doubts were swirling in my mind.

But now wasn't the time to figure it out. Survival came first.

What the hell was I supposed to do now?

Words kept popping up before my eyes, full of helpful suggestions.

[Why not just stay hidden for now?]

[There are hundreds, maybe even thousands of cars in this parking lot. No way they'd find you that easily.]

[Just wait a bit longer. Once more people start showing up, the killer won't want to risk getting caught and will have to leave. That's your chance to make a break for it and drive away.]

Honestly, that sounded pretty smart.

If I just kept my head down and stay silent, there was no way they could find me, right?

Time crawled by, every second stretching out forever. It had only been a minute, but it felt like a whole year.

My nerves were shot, like I'd been stuck here for ages.

Words continued to appear.