ANGELIQUE SLOAN
Right after that incident, I immediately ran back to where we live. I just took a short shower to remove the stains of blood that got all over my body, I also made sure that I changed my clothes. There was nothing else that I had to do at home. I'm certain that people or some who are seated on the higher ups would surely investigate how my parents died. Mostly those people who always pay my dad on time just because of our videos that purposely get leaked on the internet. I only took my credit cards, my mobile phone and a wallet with cash of course. I didn’t bother packing up for my clothes and other belongings since I am currently in a hurry to leave this place.
It took me a few hours before I was able to reach some place that was unfamiliar to me. The sun was about to rise which made it easier for me to travel, unlike earlier when I had almost nothing to see. I continued my journey until I was tired and decided to take on a break. It seemed like luck was on my side since there was already a restaurant which was open, I’m guessing that it’s always open 24/7. Once I had finished having my breakfast, I proceeded to a nearby hotel and decided to check-in for a while. The entire muscles all over my body kept on aching, which is why I had the reason to at least rest for a little bit.
But I guess, this time, luck wasn’t with me.
My phone suddenly vibrated at the same time that I received a text message that came from an unknown number. “I’ve witnessed everything that you did in that forest, woman.” My eyes instantly enlarged when I read what it was about.
This can’t be real, right? I mean, even I couldn’t see clearly during that time since it was too dark around the forest. Then, how come can this person say that he or she witnessed the whole thing? There was something odd with its message and I can’t even sit still. I feel like all of my exhaustion from earlier suddenly vanished with this simple message.
After a few seconds of staring at the screen of my phone, another one appeared. “I’ve secured video footage just in case you don’t believe my words. Click on the attached file to check what I’m talking about. Once you’ve watched it, I’m sure that you’ll come running to me and beg for me to delete it.” That’s what was written in the next message.
My fingers were shaking as I slowly pressed onto the link that was attached. It really was footage of what happened earlier, as if it was a shooting for a film. It was perfectly shot like some sort of professional videographer took it while we weren’t aware. I didn’t finish watching the entire video, I ended up calling whoever was behind this number.
“Hello?”
“That was fast,” a voice of a man said from the other line. Now that I’ve confirmed its gender, it might be quite difficult to have a deal with him. “So, what do you say? Do you want this video to spread all throughout the country and let the police do their jobs and serve you a warrant of arrest?” he asked for my opinion, knowing that I would not be agreeing to such a thing. “I’ll take your silence as a rejection, then.”
“Who are you?” I asked with my eyebrows almost touching one another. I was biting one of my nails since I’m really getting terrified of the fact that I don’t even know who’s behind this. “What would you even gain from spreading something like that?” I added to my first query.
I heard a short chuckling noise from the other line. “You can’t even recognize who I am, Angelique?”
The moment that he mentioned my name, my heart started to thump like crazy. “H-how do you know my identity? Who the fuck are you?” I was already beginning to feel a little bit pissed off.
“Chill, woman. I'm still trying to be a nice guy here, so if I were you, I'd not trigger anything that can anger me," he stated which made me shut my mouth and decided to calm myself down first. I need to understand his motive and where he's coming from so that I would be able to come up with the right solution to this situation. "I only want one thing in exchange of not letting this video be watched by anyone else, Angelique. If you realize who I am soon enough, I'm pretty sure that you'll also determine what it is that I'll be wishing for."
That was the last passage that I heard from the man whom I called. I couldn't even get his name before he dropped it. I was in the middle of an attempt to call him once more, but his phone was already unreachable, as if it died on purpose. I excessively heaved out a sigh in utter frustration. It feels like all of my effort to come all the way here in order to escape from our house has served no purpose.
I placed my arm above my forehead and it covered my eyesight as well. I was trying to think of the people, mostly guys whom I’ve been with, who might actually be behind this. But, it took me long enough to even come up with someone.
I’ve fallen asleep already and when I woke up, I was out of the hotel with absolutely nothing with me. The three things that I brought with me earlier are gone. I tried to search for it from my pockets and even in the surroundings, but it was hopeless.
I might have been involved in a robbery while I was asleep.
I slammed my palm on my cheeks when I realized that I’m left with just myself.