Chapter 23: Skinny stranger
Kathe stood deep-rooted to the ground, confused as to what was happening. Even Jark himself was confused as he looked at Thompson, wondering if they had missed any information.
"You don’t remember me, do you?" he asked, opening his arms wide.
"No, I don’t," Kathe replied, shaking her head.
"It’s normal for you to forget me. It happened four years ago."
"What happened four years ago?" Kathe questioned back as she tried hard to remember him.
"Do you remember that skinny young man whose life you saved years ago from getting killed?"
Kathe stared at him, surprised, as she had a flashback of four years ago.
.......................................
Young Kathe walked out of the mall. The following day was her father’s birthday, so she had gone to the mall to get a gift for her father.
She had sneaked out with the help of her mother. She knew that her father wouldn’t let her leave the house that late at night, but she was determined to get her father his gift.
She walked down to the underground parking garage, where her car was parked waiting for her, but when she got closer, she noticed that the garage was dimly lit.
She was confused because when she had left to go inside the mall, the garage was never dark, but she shrugged it off as she thought that maybe the mall garage was out of power.
Since the mall was recommended by her mother and she was asked to go there, she didn’t think much of its safety as she used her phone flashlight to locate where her car was parked.
She finally found her car. She tapped on the driver’s window. She needed his help to open the door because her hands were full, but she didn’t get any response from the car.
Just as she was about to give another light tap on the window, she heard footsteps behind her, making the hair at the back of her neck stand up.
She suddenly felt the presence of danger as goosebumps suddenly ran all over her.
She couldn’t help but turn around, pointing the flashlight toward the direction where she had heard the footsteps, but she found nothing. She rested her back against the car as her hands kept shivering.
Just as she was scanning the dark, she heard another footstep behind her, making a light sound.
Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.
She turned around again, facing the car’s direction. If she was having goosebumps earlier, this time she was really scared.
"Who’s there?" Her voice came out shaky as she fiddled with the car handle, which refused to open. Kathe’s palms became sweaty as cold sweat began to run down her body.
"If this is a prank, it’s not funny."
She used all her strength trying to open the car door, but it seemed tightly shut.
"Fuck! C’mon, open up!"
She suddenly heard footsteps behind her again. This time, they weren’t slow like before; they were fast.
Kathe quickly turned around with her flashlight pointed in the direction as she saw a shadow. She couldn’t identify if the person was a male or female. All she could see was a male or female. All she could see was that the person was dressed in black with a hat on their head.
Kathe’s survival instinct kicked in. She turned to the door again, struggling with the handle.
"C’mon, open up!"
She couldn’t hold back her tears.
She turned her head to look behind her again. The shadow kept moving toward her direction at a steady pace.
Just when she was already in panic, she suddenly heard footsteps in all directions. She couldn’t keep her calm anymore. She quickly ran to the passenger seat.
She tried the handle first. It didn’t open. By then, she was already covered in cold sweat.
"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!"
She was about to kick the car out of frustration. Luckily for her, it opened on the third try.
She quickly went inside the car, locking it as fast as possible. She had dropped all her bags outside, as the only thing that came to her mind at that time was saving her life first.
She was about to point her phone flashlight toward the shadow when a hand suddenly snatched her phone away from her, making Kathe’s heart jump to her throat, her eyes wide.
The stranger’s hand quickly covered her mouth before she could scream out.
"Shhhhhhh, don’t make a sound. They will leave on their own. Lower your head."
Kathe was still in shock. She didn’t know how to react. The stranger, understanding that she was shocked, pushed her head down, his hands still covering her lips.
They stayed that way for five minutes before the lights suddenly came on, making Kathe faintly breathe out in relief.
"Sorry I scared you. They were after me, and your car was the only one I could find open in the garage."
"Where is my driver?" Kathe didn’t pay attention to him as she looked at the driver’s seat but couldn’t find her driver.
"I don’t know where he went. I met the car empty, but can I know my saviour’s name at least?"
Kathe turned to look at him. That was when she noticed that he was covered in blood.
"You... you’re hurt."
"Yeah, it doesn’t matter. What’s your name?"
"Kathe."
"Oh, thanks once again. And also, don’t stay out late next time. It’s dangerous."
Kathe didn’t know if that was meant to be advice.
With that, he walked out of the car and the garage. Kathe looked at his back till he disappeared.
Tap. Tap.
Making Kathe startled, but luckily she found her driver tapping on the window. That was when she remembered that immediately the stranger had left, she had quickly locked the car again.
She quickly unlocked all the doors.
"Ma’am, I’m sorry for keeping you waiting. I hope you didn’t wait for too long."
"Where did you go?" Kathe asked, her eyes scanning him all over.
"I was in the garage when the lights suddenly went off, so me and the rest of the drivers went to check the power."
That was when Kathe noticed that the garage was now filled with people.
"Oh, I left the bags outside. Please, can you help me pick them up?" Kathe was clearly scared of stepping out. Who knows what might happen?
"Okay, ma’am."
The driver went out and picked up all the bags, putting them inside the car.
He got in and drove the car out of the garage. As the car was driving out, Kathe couldn’t help but feel like thousands of eyes were fixed on her. She quickly looked through the back window but found that everyone was minding their business.
"Ma’am, are you okay?"
The driver asked, looking at her through the front mirror.
"I’m fine. Just get to the mansion fast."
She had managed to compose herself.
.........................................
"From your expression, it seems you have remembered. Once again, hello, Kathe."
He smiled, showing all his teeth.
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