Three
849 Words
MOANA'S POV
My screams drew the neighbors, and soon a crowd had gathered in my yard. Moments later, the emergency squad arrived, their flashlights sweeping the area. They weren't just checking the puddle of blood—I hadn't noticed the long trail leading away.
Lolita, my elderly neighbor, had wrapped me in a thick blanket while the men searched. One of the emergency workers approached me.
"I need to speak with you, ma'am," he said gently. I nodded and tried to stand, but Lolita held me back.
"She's too shaken. Can’t you see that?" she protested.
"It won’t take long. Just a few questions."
"You—"
"It’s fine, Lolita," I interrupted. "I’ll talk to him. Maybe I can help."
He smiled slightly, leading me to a corner as I tightened the blanket around myself.
"I know this has been overwhelming, but we need to know what happened," he began, ready with a notepad.
"I understand," I replied.
"I’ve been home all day. I took a nap in the afternoon, woke up, and ordered pizza. While eating, I heard a noise outside. I thought it was someone knocking and ignored it."
"Why ignore it? Was it someone you didn’t want to see?" he asked.
I nodded. "My ex. He wasn’t handling the breakup well, and I assumed he was here to plead his case. But then I heard the noise again—louder this time. There was a scream, so I called you guys. I heard a car shortly after and came outside, but it drove away. That’s when I stepped in the blood. I screamed, and the neighbors came out. You arrived right after."
He jotted something down. "Did you catch the license plate?"
I shook my head. "It was too dark, and I didn’t realize what was happening until I saw the blood."
"Any cameras in the area?"
"Not that I know of. You might need to ask the estate management." Our estate prided itself on safety, so most streets didn’t have cameras.
"I’ll need a contact number for them," he said.
"I don’t have one, but the security at the estate gate might help."
He nodded, jotting that down. "Elvis, check the door for prints or blood. She mentioned hearing a noise." A burly man headed toward my door.
"Did someone get hurt?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper.
"We’re not sure yet. There's no body, but it’s possible someone was trying to scare you."
"Scare me? Why would anyone do that?" I asked, confused.
"I’m not sure, ma'am. Here’s my number. Call me if anything strange happens tonight. And for your safety, I recommend not spending the night alone."
I frowned. "Is there something you’re not telling me?"
He shook his head. "Just a precaution, ma'am. We’ve gathered all the evidence. We’ll clean up and contact you if we find anything." With that, he walked away.
"Are you leaving just like that?" I called after him, but he didn’t look back. The man called Elvis passed by, glaring at me.
I watched them leave, a sinking feeling settling in my stomach. They weren’t telling me everything.
"Are you okay, child?" Lolita’s soft voice startled me, but I relaxed when I saw her.
"Yes. You should go to bed. It’s late."
"I’m not tired, and you’re clearly shaken. I can stay longer."
"No, I’ll be fine. Please, go to bed." I didn’t want to burden her any longer, even though her presence was comforting.
"Are you sure?" she asked again.
"Yes. I’ll see you tomorrow."
With a concerned look, she kissed my cheek and headed home. Left alone, I quickly went inside.
The officer’s words about not spending the night alone lingered. I thought about calling Lisa but decided against it. She’d likely be asleep, and I didn’t want to wake her.
I stayed up all night, watching movies with the lights on. Eventually, I dozed off, only to be woken by my phone ringing. I answered groggily.
"Hello?"
"How are you, girl?" It was Lisa.
"Fine. Why are you calling so early?"
"Let’s meet for lunch."
"Sure." I hung up, placed my phone on the couch, and got ready for the day.
The walk to the office felt longer than usual. Someone bumped into me, causing my bag to fall. I crouched to pick it up, but the person didn’t even stop to apologize.
"Rude," I muttered, glaring at the back of his well-pressed suit. As I gathered my things, I noticed another man in a black suit, leaning against a wall. Then, further down, I spotted another.
Was I being followed? Could it be the men from last night? Or did it have something to do with the blood?
A knot tightened in my stomach. Grabbing my bag, I hurried to the office, glancing behind me to ensure I wasn’t being pursued.
Once inside, I exhaled in relief. Behind the safety of the one-way glass, I peered outside. Sure enough, there was a man in a black suit, staring straight at the building. He couldn’t see me, but it felt like he could.
- Writer
