Eyes everywhere
754 Words
The library suddenly felt too quiet.
I stayed exactly where I was, my back pressed against the bookshelf, my fingers gripping the edge so tightly they hurt.
The footsteps were gone.
The boots were gone.
But I couldn't make myself believe he had really left.
Not after everything.
Not after hearing his voice inside my head.
Not after knowing he had been standing only a few feet away.
I counted to ten.
Then twenty.
Then sixty.
Nothing.
No thoughts.
No footsteps.
No voice.
Just silence.
Slowly, I forced my legs to move.
One shaky step.
Then another.
I peeked around the end of the bookshelf.
The aisle was empty.
My knees nearly gave out with relief.
He's gone...
The thought sounded dangerous.
Hope had become something I didn't trust anymore.
I stepped into the main walkway of the library, trying my hardest to look normal.
Students sat scattered around the room, completely absorbed in textbooks and laptops.
Someone sneezed.
A printer hummed quietly in the distance.
A girl laughed under her breath before covering her mouth when the librarian glared at her.
Everything looked...
Normal.
So painfully normal.
For one stupid second, I wondered if I'd imagined everything.
Maybe I was having some kind of breakdown.
Maybe I'd finally lost my mind.
I kept walking.
Then I noticed her.
A girl sitting alone near one of the windows.
She had an open book in front of her.
Except...
The book was upside down.
She wasn't reading.
She was looking straight past it.
Toward me.
Our eyes met.
She looked away immediately.
A cold shiver crawled down my spine.
You're imagining things.
I forced myself to keep walking.
A boy leaned against one of the study tables, scrolling through his phone.
Except...
The screen was black.
Completely black.
It wasn't even on.
My footsteps slowed.
If he wasn't looking at his phone...
What was he looking at?
I turned the corner too quickly and almost walked straight into a janitor pushing a cleaning cart.
"Oh! Sorry," I blurted.
He smiled politely.
"No problem."
His voice was warm.
Ordinary.
I nodded awkwardly and hurried past him.
Behind me...
I heard a tiny click.
Almost instinctively, I glanced back.
The janitor had lifted one hand to his ear.
Like he was adjusting an earpiece.
My stomach twisted.
No.
Stop it.
Not everyone is after you.
You're scared.
That's all this is.
You're scared.
I repeated the words over and over until I almost believed them.
The library doors finally came into view.
Just a little farther.
Almost outside.
Almost safe.
The security guard beside the exit smiled as I approached.
"Leaving already?"
I froze.
It was such a simple question.
So normal.
But...
How did he know I'd only just arrived?
I had never spoken to him.
Never signed in.
Never looked at him.
I forced a smile that probably looked more like a grimace.
"...Yeah."
He nodded.
"Take care."
I pushed through the doors so fast they nearly swung back into me.
Fresh air filled my lungs.
The courtyard buzzed with conversation.
People hurried between lectures.
A football rolled across the grass.
Someone shouted for their friend.
Life went on.
I stood there for a moment, trying to convince myself I was finally out.
That this nightmare had stayed inside the library.
Then—
"South entrance."
The voice crashed into my head so suddenly I gasped.
I spun around.
Nobody.
Only students.
Laughing.
Walking.
Living.
Across the courtyard, a boy wearing headphones lifted his head.
For one brief second...
He looked directly at me.
Then he turned away and kept walking.
I couldn't tell if he had been looking at me...
Or through me.
My breathing quickened.
I reached into my pocket with trembling hands and pulled out my phone.
Please...
Please answer.
I pressed Mum's contact.
It rang once.
Twice.
Three times.
"Mum..." I whispered.
The call connected.
"Mum?"
Nothing.
Just a low crackle of static.
"Mum? Can you hear me?"
Silence.
Then—
The line went dead.
"No..."
I called again.
Straight to voicemail.
Again.
Voicemail.
Again.
Voicemail.
My fingers shook so badly I almost dropped my phone as I tapped Dad's name.
One ring.
Two.
Three.
Voicemail.
"Dad... please..."
Again.
Voicemail.
Again.
Voicemail.
Again.
Nothing.
I lowered the phone slowly.
The voices around me blurred together.
Hundreds of people walked past without noticing the girl standing in the middle of the courtyard, trying not to fall apart.
For the first time since all of this began...
I didn't feel hunted.
I felt...
Alone.
- Writer
