Evil Within

CHAPTER 12

Luna’s mind was hazy and she wanted to take some rest but encountering the investigator gave her more headache she was having before. She wanted to get out and roam freely but the sense of being watched never left her since these murders started to happen.

She was alone and the boredom was eating her from the inside. Her head was consumed with wilder thoughts. So she gave up and headed out, despite knowing danger.

“If Lucas doesn’t care about me, why should i listen to him? I will do what I want to, what my heart wants.” she babbled before leaving the house and roam in the streets of the neighborhood.

Random people were eyeing her, not because she was alone but she was humming songs loudly and acting like a free bird. When she got tired, she sat on one of the empty benches in the park, watching the bloomed flowers. It gave her a sense of living from which she wasn’t aware yet.

It reminded her of the time when her parents were alive and she was a young girl. Holding the brown teddy bear in her hands, her grip tightened around her favorite toy. As she watched her parents arguing over her a small issue. Soon, the argument turned into a heated one and her father slapped his wife. He pulled her hair and threw her on the wall.

The sight scared the little Luna, her fingers trembled and her favorite toy went down from her hands. She wanted to cry but she couldn’t. Then she felt a hand over her shoulder and someone put another hand on her eyes, taking her away from the brutal beating with her parents. She was in the room and jerked the hands, but shocked to find Lucas staring at her and asked her to keep quiet, while she listened to her mother’s crying.

Suddenly, the flashback overs and Luna is back into reality. The wound from toxic childhood started to bleed again and it left a whole void in her heart. It shattered her hopes of believing into a healthy relationship.

Her eyes turned watery and cloudy, so she wiped them quickly, leaving no sign behind that she was crying a second before. 

“Hey!” a familiar voice heard in Luna’s ears.

She looked up and frowned after seeing the person’s face.

“Peter? What are you doing here?” she asked him.

“I went to the store to get some groceries, but what are you doing here?” he replied to Luna.

“I am just waiting for someone.” she wanted to dismiss the little chat they were having.

“Okay! Great! Do you want me to stay here until your friend arrives? It’s dangerous being out nowadays.” he suggested to her.

“No! Thank you, I can wait by myself. I came prepared in case I will need help” Luna smiled bitterly and Peter shrugged his shoulders.

“Okay, then bye!” He got his sign and moved back on the way to his home.

Luna thought why did she behave rudely to Peter. All he did was try to be friendly, though we were strangers where her own brother acted strangely. She didn’t want to look bad in Peter’s eyes, so she got up from the bench and approached Peter.

“Hey! I am sorry for the way I behaved with you. I was occupied by something and rushed my anger out on you.” Luna apologized.

“It’s okay! I am not angry!” Peter smiled back.

“Thanks for understanding.” Luan said.

“Do you want some noodles, I will cook.” Peter suggested and Luna thought deeply about it.

“Mmm… seems like a great idea. I am hungry and I will help too.” Luna agreed to go with Peter to his house.

They walked together and Luna was feeling safe with Peter. When they arrived at Peter's house, she was taken aback by the size of the place. It was three times bigger than her own house. Peter unlocked the door and gestured to Luna to get inside first, “ladies first!”

Luna was admiring the interior and decorations of Peter’s luxury home.

“You live here? Really?” she won't believe like she was hallucinating or thinking about this.

“Yeah!! My parents gave me this place!” he winked at her.

“Wow! You live alone?” she asked.

“Nah! Darcy and I share this house.” Peter said.

Hearing the name of another woman made her heart sink a little. She pressed her lips into a flat line and didn’t say a word. Suddenly, she heard a cat meow and a sleek black cat rushed to Peter. He picked it up and pet the cat.

“You have a cat?” Luna asked while staring at the cat.

“Yep! Meet Darcy! My cat! My buddy.” he showed his cat to her.

Luna smiled seeing this and her heart was healing back. She tried to grab the black cat but the cat hissed at her angrily and didn’t leave Peter's side.

“I think your cat doesn’t like me!” Luna stated.

“Nah!! It’s not like that, she is afraid of strangers, but once she will start to know you, she will make herself comfortable around you.” Peter explained to her.

“Okay!!”

“Now, let’s come to the kitchen, you must be hungry!” Peter pointed out the fact.

They both went to the kitchen and Peter started cooking noodles in a pot. Meanwhile the noodles softened, he chopped the veggies and Luna watched everything in admiration. His cooking skills were amazing, in fact better than Luna. she was really impressed.

Peter poured the noodles in a cup and passed it to Luna first.

“Have a taste and let me know if I missed anything.” Peter asked him.

Luna tasted the noodles and gave him a thumbs up, “actually, this is perfect!”

They both talked about casual topics for the time till they finished the noodles.

After that, Peter took her on a tour of his house.

“I guess, I should go back home! I have some work to complete before hitting the college on Monday!” Luna excused herself.

“Okay! But I will drop you home, by car or by foot, you can decide.” 

“There is no need, I can go back home by myself.” Luna explained.

“No! I will not allow that, you will go alone. Haven’t you heard the news lately? Yesterday, a young nurse was killed on the streets and the killer ran away. These incidents are increasing and I don't think you should go alone.” Peter said and took her on the walk.

Soon they reached her home, and Luna bid goodbye.

“Thank you, i will see you tomorrow!” ahw said and went into her house.

Peter waved at her and left.