Shadows in the Night

  I run. I run for my life. Next to me is my best friend, Jessica Linwell. Behind us is a white Jeep Cherokee. Why he was chasing us is still unknown. The moon-lit streets guide our path to our unknown destination. The headlights behind us pierce through the darkness. I don’t dare stop as one single question runs through my mind over and over again. Is this the end?
           
It all started from a simple walk, that was all. We weren’t getting into trouble or anything. Our friend Keira had to go home so Jessica and I had decided to walk her home. The walk back to my house was when the trouble began.
           
A starry night sky twinkled above Jessica and I. A drastic hill lay before us, awaiting our ascent. The glowing yellow lamp before us burnt out.
           
“It’s kind of creepy out here this time of night.” Jessica chimed. “Don’t you think? I can hardly see a thing.” She overdramatically threw her arms in front of her pretending to nearly be blind.
           
I couldn’t help but to laughed at her charade.
           
Just then a speeding Jeep sped by, passing us.
           
“What a creeper.” She exclaimed. “Alexandra,” she stated, using my whole name. She only did that when she was scared or just felt like it. She was the only one who could call me that. Not even my parents could get away with calling me that. “Did you see his face?”
           
“Not really.” I responded with a smile tugging on my lips. “I was concentrating more on how fast he was driving.”
           
Thinking we were safe, we started up the gray cement hill again. Suddenly, the same car came around again but he didn’t just pass us this time. He sped as fast as a race car coming right to us. Petrified, we both run down the hill to escape this stranger in the Jeep.
           
The roar of the engine fills the quiet streets. I didn’t look behind me as I ran. When I finally looked to my right, Jessica had vanished. Butterflies filled my stomach. Horror ran through me, nearly making me sick.
          
I had to keep running, it was my only hope.  I forced one foot in front of the other. My lungs felt like a volcano ready to blow at any moment.

The stranger’s jeep pulled on the side walk, driving right behind me, almost running me over. I turned around and ran back up the hill, hoping to slow the stranger down. It worked. When I ran a little further, I found Emily crouching behind an ancient off white colored bulletin board. Relief washed over me.
           
“I yelled you’re name,” she said shakily as we ran up the hill. “But I guess you didn’t hear me.
           
Since my house was still quite a few blocks away, we ran to the closest house by us.

We hid behind a maroon colored Durango terrified to move. My heart wa thudding loud in my ears. I attempted to slow my breathing down and get a hold of myself. I was as scared as a child lost at the mall.

“Call your mom.” Jess cried out of breath. My shaking hands retrieved my phone and dialed my mother’s cell phone.

It rings...once...twice...a third time...then fourth. No answer.

I scrolled through my contacts until my panic filled eyes discovered my father’s number.

With trembling hands, I put the receiver to my ear, in desperate hope for an answer.

“Hello?”

“Dad? Dad!” I was thrilled. “Hey, we’re on Semo street. Please pick us up!”

“Alex, what’s the matter?” He asked, confusion and worry tied in his voice.

“I promise I will explain everything when you get here.” I told him in a rush. “Just hurry.”

“On my way.”

The receiver went dead. And that was the las time I heard his voice. But I didn't it then.

Jessica’s face was as white as paper, pale and fragile.

“He’s on his way.” I said, trying to comfort her.

She let out a sigh of relief.

How long had she been holding her breath?

We waited.

Every second seemed like a long hour. Each minuet dragged by. We waited in in silence but didn’t know the worst part was yet to come. A stranger lurked not far from us. Waiting, just as we were. But it turns out that he was a little more patient than we were.