Testing Vickie

Chapter Twelve

Thick, damp air hit me as the humidity was not was I anticipated as I started the crawl through the vents. The metal warmed under my skin as my knees, elbows and palms kept pressing upon the warming metal. The only sound I hear is my shuffling amongst the eerie silence. Then something squeaks. Maybe it was just a rat. Probably. Most likely. Hopefully. I pick up my pace and hear the squeak again as soon as I see the light of outside.

“Hello!” A voice startles me as much as the light from outside startles my eyes. “Hey! Over here!” I turn my head around to find myself at the side of a building accompanied by a tall, roundish boy-man. His dull caramel, messy blonde hair just sits on his head as his face is flushed red with exhaustion.

“Who are you?” I hiss at him, staring down below, hoping no one looks up.

“Howdy do! I’m Hank!” He looks too happy. I stare at him. “I’m here to-. Well actually I don’t darn diddly know why I’m here.” He started to look a little blue. I start to make my way down from the ledge, shimmying down the drain pipe. “Hey. Um… Hello? There’s a door here.” I turn in annoyance to see him opening a door and slipping inside. I cling onto the pipe and consider following him to tell him to get out. He could be killed in there. I decide against it and continue my way down, never looking up. When there’s only 2 metres down below me, I jump and hear a voice behind me. “I did say there was a door up there.” I groan inwardly.

“What do you want?” It sounds harsher than I intended.

“Me? Oh uh, not much really.”

“Then why are you here?” I grit out. I start to walk away (more like storm away) yet he follows me, trying to keep up.

“Oh! I’m just watching, observing. You know? Getting into the zone.”

“What on earth is ‘the zone’?” I spit out. I’m running at a steady pace now. What’s this kid’s name? Harry? Harvey? Doesn’t matter. He’s sprinting beside me, wheezing. “You don’t run much do you?”

“Huh?” He got distracted by a dragonfly flying past. “Oh, ah no. No I don’t run much my dude, I’m more of a sitter ya know?.”

“You don’t say.” I mutter under my breath. I continue in silence in the direction of Nick’s apartment trying to lose Hugo. In the end I ran an extra kilometre but lost Henry at the library. As if on instinct, I go over to the closest phone booth and dial 462 820. The phone rings 4 times until Tom picks up and yells:

“Whaddya want?”

“It’s me.” I say in a low growl.

“As if I’m supposed to know what that means. There’s a lot of me’s you know?” Tom sounds like he’s starting to get pissed.

“Yes, because you know it’s me and that I can’t risk exposure.” I say, my voice turning sweet as honey.

“Again, whaddya want Vickie?”

“I’m at the corner. How do I get a good vantage point now?”

“Go to 866 and get the key for apartment 9D. You’ll find extra stuff there and try not to stuff up.”

“I won’t.” I snap back. “I never do.” But by then he had hung up.

“So what was that about dude?” I turn and see the last person I want to see. It was Harrison? Surely that can’t be his name. It’s something like that

“Nothing” I say, turning away. “Ok can you leave me alone now?”

“Nah I can’t cause it looks like we’re headed in the same direction. I’m due to go into 866. Say man, you ain’t going there as well are you?”

“Look Herbert-”

“It’s Hank.” I don’t feel bad at all.

“You just do what you need to do and stay out of my way ok?” I don’t give him time to reply as I run across the road to 866.

I enter the clean, modern building, walking briskly to the desk where the security guard sits.

“9D” I say, barely acknowledging the guard. I stare off into the distance in the direction of the apartment across the road.

“Here.” Says the guard in a gruff voice. I take the key and march to the elevator making. Before reaching the elevator I glance behind me making sure Hank wasn’t behind me. No one there. The security guard stares at me. I give him a cold smile, the flicker of a genuine one in my eyes.

The apartment is bare, a simple studio apartment with a telescope at the window to the other side of the road. Laying on the floor on the right wall was a white mattress and a fluffy pillow. I stare through the telescope and see him through the window. My breath catches and I breathe in short shallow breaths. Then I something is blocking my view. A chubby round head with caramel blonde hair.

“Hey lady, If you wanna star gaze you gotta point the telecscope at the stars.” I groan inwardly.

“What do you want?” I grit out. “Who are you? Why are you here?”

“Oh you know, just hanging around, making friends, eating snac-” Then I snap.

“Look, stay out of my way. We’re not friends and we never will be. Just leave me alone!” It came out sharper than I intended and he genuinely looks hurt.

“Oh uh… ok. I’ll leave you alone man, Sorry for bothering you dude.” As sudden as he appeared, he disappeared. Well, from my sight. I return my attention to the telescope and can’t find Nick. s**t. s**t s**t s**t where is he? What day is it? This is the day before ‘I’ enter there which was Sunday so today is Saturday. He has soccer training this evening. Well I guess it’s off to the soccer grounds. I grab a bottle of water from the fridge and a pair of binoculars and prepare myself for a run. See you in 30 minutes I guess Nick. I really hope I don’t break down into tears when I see him.