See me

"Mom, I'm really very sorry."

The teapot whistled hysterically, and Jess poured boiling water into a cup with a teabag in it. The blue elephant-print on the pot-bellied porcelain side looked pleased.

“You said that last time.” Mrs. Price's voice was reproachful and hollow.

Jess bit her lip and sighed inaudibly.

Red, a fat cat jumped onto the windowsill and gazed sympathetically at the young woman with his emerald eyes.

"Mom ... I need this job. And if I can do it this time, I'll get a promotion. And I promise," Jess added quickly, interrupting possible mother's objections. "I'll come for Christmas. I give you my word."

Silence hung on the other end of the line. Jess has already missed three family holidays, and each time she promised that this would not happen again.

Jess looked sadly at the smiling painted elephant and shushed Red, who was trying to bite off a piece of begonia. The cat snorted disdainfully and stared out the window.

"Mom?"

Mrs. Price sighed and the conscience bit even harder.

"Okay, honey. Okay. We just miss you. Dad was waiting for you..."

The cat froze like a statue, the hair on the withers stood on end. He looked into the distance, completely oblivious to the owner. Jess stepped closer, curious about the pet's behavior.

"I'm sorry, Mom. I promise to come for Christmas."

Autumn was raging outside the window.

An icy wind chased sparse leaves along the deserted street and knocked slanting arrows of rain from their trajectory. The streetlights were streaking yellow on several cars on the other side.

"Okay, honey. As you want... We love you, you know it, don't you?"

Jess nodded, then remembered that her mother did not see her.

"I love you too. Kiss dad on my behalf, okay?"

She cut off the connection by stroking the cat between the pointed ears. Something alarmed her in Red's behavior.

"What did you see there, sweety?"

Jessica lived on an old street where most of the residents were retirees. Housing was cheap, the area was quiet. Her neighbors were discreet married couples who had been married for more than 50 years. She rarely saw them. The city administration, apparently, decided to modernize the area a little and gave the green light for the construction of new buildings. Now they lined up in a row right in front of the house where Jessica lived.

Rather, while these were unfinished boxes, protruding with uneven sleepers and dark window gaps. The bad weather slowed down the development for an indefinite period and now the brick walls looked ugly at the passers-by.

"What's in there, kitty?"

The cat did not move. His slanting eyes stared at one point, somewhere in a small alley between half-built brick buildings, where darkness billowed coldly. The hair on the withers was almost perpendicular and the hairs on Jess's arm were electrified as well.

"Red?" She decided to calm the pet. The cat reacted instantly, he jumped on the spot, pinching angrily and frightenedly, and the woman barely had time to pull her hand away from the sharp claws.

The animal jumped down to the floor. It seemed he was already regretting the outburst of rage and even ashamed of his indecent behavior. He glanced guiltily at the owner from under his eyelashes and meowed diligently.

"What's the matter with you?" Jess shivered and looked out the window again. Nothing but wind and rain. Then her gaze fell on the bitten begonia.

"Oh, you naughty boy, you still ate a piece!"

Red snorted in disgust. The recent incident was already forgotten against the backdrop of a gnawed plant.

"I'll leave you to Mrs. Stolz for the holidays. Serves you right."

The cat turned around with a reproachful look. Everyone knew that Mrs. Stolz forgets even to drink her regular medicine in the morning.

Jess chuckled. The tension left her, the thoughts gradually occupied the unfinished project and tomorrow's work.

Grabbing a cup of tea, she headed into the living room. Usually, the young woman worked in silence, but today she did not want to be alone. Maybe it was the bad weather ...

The remote control clicked and on the TV screen, the host of the evening show chattered - no beginning, no end. Jess grabbed the laptop, sat down on the couch, and almost delved into the papers.

"... but you admit, officer, that this is no ordinary burglar. He abducts young women literally from their own homes."

"Of course, this person has certain behavioral signs ..."

"So you agree that this is a maniac?"

Jess looked at the screen curiously.

A couple of weeks ago, women began to disappear in their small town. Without a trace. Nobody demanded ransom, the bodies were never found. The police vaguely covered the case, without going into details, trying not to disturb the residents. But Jessica bought the pepper spray anyway.

"I wouldn't jump to conclusions ..."

"Is that so? But there is a series of kidnappings. What is it then?"

Young Officer Thompson, as it was written on his uniform, the guest, was sweating and looking bewildered. Probably, he did not expect much pressure from the show host and he was very bad at beating around the bush.

"And he's handsome, what do you think?" Jess winked at the cat sitting next to her. What Red thought about Officer Thompson remained a mystery.

In the kitchen, something rattled loudly, there was a sound of broken glass and a crash. Both Jess and Red jumped in surprise.

"What the hell..."

And nothing more.

Jess turned off the sound on the TV and slowly got up. Her brain feverishly recalled whether she had locked the door. But instead, only pepper spray came to mind. In the bag. In the bedroom.

Her fingers grabbed a ceramic vase, the only thing that could hit the intruder.

Red slipped past, clearly devoid of the instinct of self-preservation.

"Stop, you stupid creature!" Jess hissed and rushed after him, fearing for the unrelenting animal.

There was no one in the kitchen.

Beige flannel curtains fluttered in the breeze, and a ragged hole gaped in the windowpane through which short drops of rain poured in. A piece of wet brick lay on the floor.

Red sniffed the reason for the intrusion in disgust and looked pointedly at Jess.

"What a stupid joke?"

Trying not to step on the triangular shards, she looked out the window again, trying to see the vandal. But the street was still empty.

"Who could have done this?"

The chilly cold nibbled at the skin, settling in droplets on it.

It was unpleasant, a little scary, and completely incomprehensible. Jess began to seal the hole in the window. All this time, she constantly looked outside, as if hoping to see a fugitive criminal under the window.

"Do you think," Jess turned to the cat, tossing the shards into the bin, "Maybe I should call the police?"

Red yawned doubtfully.

"You're right. I don't think they'll take it seriously." The woman closed the drapes, trying not to look across the street anymore.

The frozen picture didn't leave her memory: an empty tape with spots of lanterns. And a dark alley between buildings.

***

In the morning, nightly fears were buried under a pile of papers and a project that required improvement.

The bustle of the office has supplanted the remnants of memories of an unpleasant incident. Being in a certain crowd always has a kind of pacifying effect on a person. It seems what can happen when there are so many people around. Their hubbub instills a sense of confidence and security.

Jess looked up from the papers only when the janitor's cart creaked.

"Still here, Miss Price?"

The man in baseball cap slowly rolled his supplies between the tables.

Jess checked her watch. It was 7 pm.

"Just a little more, Tony."

"An important project?"

The woman smiled wearily, turning her attention back to the computer.

"Something like that."

"The world of capitalism, right?" The janitor gave her a conspiratorial wink.

"The world of reality, Tony."

When she looked again at the round dial, it was already past midnight. Jess pulled herself up, flexing her stiff limbs. There was silence, only the arrows ticked tediously and measuredly.

The white corridor looked like a hospital, the parquet floor was perfectly polished by the diligent Tony and had a meager glow from the lamps. The glass doors of the offices looked like unreal portals to another dimension.

Jess made her way to the elevator, feeling heels on her feet like never before. All she wanted was to take a shower and fall into the arms of the blanket, forgetting about the project at least until the morning.

Knock-knock-knock, heels knocked tiredly. The woman listened listlessly to the echo of her steps when she suddenly realized that something was wrong. Jess stopped. Then she took a step again. Heels clicked on the parquet floor. But not the way it used to be. Now an extraneous sound was mingled with them. Deaf, but at the same time quite distinct. As soon as she froze, the sound also faded. But with each step, she heard it more clearly, louder, closer.

It looked like someone was walking with her. These were heavy steps as if someone was wearing army boots with iron soles.

And they were getting closer.

Jess grabbed the handle of the purse convulsively, looking around. Sticky sweat trickled down her back.

"Who is there?"

Her voice bounced off the walls like a rubber ball, racing further. The corridor was pristine empty, and still sterile pale.

"Tony? Is that you?" The woman made one last attempt.

She backed away, trying to step quietly. On the left, something flashed, and Jess almost screamed in horror. Her legs trembled, the blouse instantly stuck to her back. The pupils dilated... The almost mirrored door reflected Jess herself, scared and cringing, but it was her. Behind the dim reflection was the dark conference room table.

"Lord ..." The voice had dropped, stuck somewhere in the middle of the throat. Jess closed her eyes, calming down. Hysterical laughter rose in the chest, rising upward with a storm of tears.

"Lord ..." She put her hand to her damp forehead. The fingers were icy and wet.

Jess brushed a strand of hair from her temple and was about to move on when she saw him. In the presentation room. It was located two doors from her and through the glass, in the semi-darkness, the figure of a tall man stood. It was hard to see him well, but Jess could see the stranger reach out and tug at the door handle.

"It must be locked," flashed languidly in the woman's mind, her gaze darted to the reader. Only company employees could have a pass ...

"But somehow he got inside," rattled an inner voice. He could hide there earlier and wait for the janitor to do his job...

"Nonsense!"

Jess backed away, feeling for the elevator buttons. But it was still a few meters away. The silhouette froze for a second as if hesitating. Jess frantically and blindly searched for the lift, afraid to take her eyes off the male figure. It seemed to her that if she turned away for a second or blinked and he would be right in front of her.

The mouth was dry, lips were chapped, and the tongue stuck to the palate. She continued to back away, resembling a hare in front of a boa constrictor. The next minute, the green light of the pass on the reader flashed. It slashed her in the eyes, acting like a trigger, and spurred Jess on like a hot whip.

The heels pounded on the floor in fear, beating out a hysterical rhythm. The lifesaving steel doors of the lift were just around the corner. Jess began pressing the call button with trembling fingers.

He was approaching. His gait was wide and hasty. The woman almost screamed as she thrashed the buttons. Finally, the doors parted, allowing her to enter the escape pod. Jess rushed in, hearing the clatter of boots behind her. Or was it her heart pounding?

And at the last moment, before the doors slammed shut, she saw the toe of his shoe. The lower abdomen twisted in a spasm, the legs could hardly hold the body. Jess leaned against the wall, exhausted, feeling that she was about to pass out.

"He can go down the service stairs," an inner voice suggested tenderly.

The woman's eyes widened. He can go down the stairs ... he can wait for her downstairs ... She opened her purse, struggling to cope with the zipper on the lock. Her wooden fingers fiddled with objects inside, then Jess almost dumped the contents on the floor.

What she was looking for was not in there.

The phone was left on the desktop, next to the switched-off computer.

"Damn. Damn it!" She hit the back of her head against the wall.

"Security! There are cameras everywhere, this guy just couldn't get past the cameras!"

Her teeth bounced off a small chant as Jess watched the numbers on the scoreboard, the brain racing feverishly. What if he ran downstairs and is now waiting for her right outside the lift? What if he somehow managed to get past the guards?

Pepper spray! How could she forget. ..

She fumbled in the purse again, squeezing the smooth tube with relief. Then she took off her shoes and armed with them, ready to kick with the heel of anyone who would dare to break in.

The lift jerked slightly, stopping on the first floor. The doors opened smoothly. The woman peered out cautiously.

The hall was dark. Huge glass windows overlooked an empty parking lot, where the only car was Jess' old Mustang.

The guard's counter was also empty.

The room, immersed in the twilight, was illuminated only by street lamps at the entrance, filling the floor with square spots. Jess looked around the silent walls as if the pursuer might suddenly pass through them.

"Cameras!" She licked her dry lips and ran barefoot to the end of the hall, where the observation room huddled with an inconspicuous door.

There was no one inside. The branded jacket hung on the chair, even the cap was lying on the table.

"What the hell ..."

Where could two guards go?

Empty corridors froze on the screens. On one of them, she saw the first guard checking the doors and looking through the glass into the offices. It was just one floor lower than Jess was. His partner was on fifth, doing the same. They were on their rounds.

A hysterical laugh escaped the woman's chest, she sat down heavily on a chair, covering her face with trembling hands.

"Well, you are a stupid fool."

Now it was clear where the "stranger" had gotten the passcard from. It was the usual stupid detour.

After sitting in this way for several minutes, Jess still found the strength to rise. She was a little shaky from the stress, her legs were like cotton, and her head was full of light bubbles. Putting on shoes, she once again grinned mirthlessly and went out into the night.

A harsh cold wind beat on the legs in gusts, spiky drops of rain crawled under the collar. Jess ran to the Mustang and jumped into the cabin with relief, cutting herself off from the bad weather.

"Oh no."

Only now the phone left on the table popped up in the woman's memory. Jess looked longingly and doubtfully at the dark windows of the building.

"Okay. Okay. Let's think practical." She caught her eye in the mirror. "I need a phone. But on the other hand, the project is finished and tomorrow all I have to do is to present it. I will come before everyone else to get ready. So I can do without a phone until morning. Isn't it?"

There was no desire to go back, the adrenaline rush was still walking through the veins and the decision was asking itself. In the end, she just started the engine.

"No matter. I'm not coming back today."

Autumn drove cars to garages, a small town hid behind closed windows and the Mustang cut the rain in splendid isolation.

The wipers worked continuously. Their measured movements had a calming effect on Jess, and her pulse had already returned to normal. She found it funny and felt stupid and even ashamed.

"It's time for you to rest, babe." The woman winked at herself in the rearview mirror.

Suddenly, two yellow lights pierced the shower wall. They hit Jess in the eye sharply, irritating the receptive retina unpleasantly. A white van was driving behind. It quickly approached Mustang but did not attempt to overtake it. Just stayed on the tail.

An unpleasant chill ran down Jess's spine. She signaled to the driver, giving a sign that she would let him go ahead. But he did not react in any way.

"What do you want?"

The Mustang sped up. The van did the same.

Jess shifted anxiously. Recent obsessive thoughts about the pursuer returned in horrific progression. Maybe he's just an embarrassed hard worker like she was?

"He's on your tail, you idiot!" An inner voice barked. "He's following you."

Her fingers gripped the steering wheel so hard that the knuckles ached. The van did not overtake and did not attempt to drive closer. It kept its distance, blinding with its headlights.

And that was the most unnerving thing.

It's time to remember the forgotten phone again.

It wasn't far from home, it was only necessary to turn the corner, right behind the old park.

"Come on," Jess whispered to no one, adding speed. She was shivering, the chills stuck to her skin like a thin duct tape. And just kept looking at the blinding headlights behind her.

"Don't panic ... don't ..."

Clap! Mustang swerved sharply to the side, and the woman hit the brakes, barely managing to get away from the collision with the park fence. She was thrown forward, and the seatbelt slammed painfully into Jess' chest, holding her breath. She coughed, freeing herself from the constricting captivity.

There's no doubt what that clap meant! The car was spinning a flat tire and skidded. The tires were blown out. The first thing she did was pull out the pepper spray. The van was nowhere to be seen. Only rain and darkness, scattered by dim lanterns.

"He's there," the voice whispered. "Just turned off the headlights waitin' for you to get out of the car."

Jess trashed about the cabin. There was only one way out, run and call the police. She took a deep breath and opened the door. A chilly wind hit the face. The woman put off her shoes and almost screamed. Legs plunged into a puddle of ice.

Then she ran.

Mustang had already disappeared around the bend, and as the van, it was hard to see it from the neighboring houses. To the left of the park, there was a roundabout turning into a wide track. The park trees were about 30 years old, so densely intertwined with branches that it was impossible to notice two cars from the houses on that side of the street.

Van ... A minivan. Big enough for ...

"For transporting the bodies there."

Jess ran, not feeling the pain in her legs. And not looking back. The windows were dark, the lovely, retired neighbors had a strict schedule. And all nature led a woman according to the principle "My home is my fortress." She had already seen the entrance.

But suddenly Jess stopped as if she had been dug out, frozen in the middle of a huge puddle that burned her tender ankles.

Someone was in her apartment.

A light was on in the window.

"It can't be ..." Jess backed away. They entered the house! Her house! She looked around helplessly.

"Run to your neighbors. Knock on all doors!"

The drapes on the window moved, and Jess instinctively staggered back, leaving the intruders' sight. She dived into the darkness, away from the street lights. The back pressed against the rough surface of the brick wall. The drapes parted a little, and ... Red appeared. He stared straight at her. A silhouette flashed by him, and a scream lodged in Jess's throat like a prickly lump.

At that moment, a rough man's hand blocked the access to oxygen. The stranger covered her mouth and jerked back, dragging Jess into the darkness of the alley. The acrid smell of chloroform hit the nose. The high-pitched screaming stuck in the woman's throat. She waved her arms in the air, trying to find support. Nails scraped against the wall, ripping and breaking. Her pupils, dilated with horror, fixed herself, looking out of the window opposite. And there was a phone in Jess'-second hand... Misunderstanding and despair worked as a catalyst. The head was spinning, the consciousness began to fall into the darkness. On an almost unconscious level, she raised her hand and pressed the spray.

A muffled roar barked, the hand disappeared, and Jess finally inhaled the fresh air. She coughed, spitting out thick, viscous saliva. The stomach did somersaults, the woman fell to her knees, unable to breathe. Everything floated before her eyes, tears flowed in a stream.

A sharp pain threw her back. The attacker grabbed Jess by the hair. She screamed, clutching the man's leather glove, feeling like she was being scalped. The fire burned in the head, the mouth twisted in a scream. Jess couldn't see where she was aiming. Just pressed the spray again. The irritant hissed, the stranger howled, furious. He yanked Jess, and they fell to the ground. The woman thrashed furiously, striking randomly and trying to free herself from the grip. Her hand rested on something sharp and angular. Without hesitation, she grabbed it and swung it.

The strike hit the target, the man growled, and Jess struck again. And again. Until the stranger's hand released her.

She jumped up, and without seeing the road, ran to the blurry light of street lamps. A damp veil obscured the vision, the lungs were burning, the cough was tearing the trachea, causing gagging. Jess didn’t even notice the blood oozing from her right knee, mixing with the rain.

The drapes on the windows were drawn again, but the woman knew. It meant that the second one was sitting there on the couch watching the night show with the guest Officer Thompson.

Jess has already gone up the first step of the entrance, not yet quite realizing what to do when she gets to her apartment. The door flew open, and a tall man in a dark jacket appeared on the threshold. The hood covered part of his face so that only the chin was visible, overgrown with stubble. He blocked the passage, and Jess nearly stumbled, stopping abruptly.

"Thank God!" She raised her teary eyes to him. "Help me! Someone is chasing me ... Help me!"

The man did not answer and did not move. At first, she thought that he did not understand her. The mouth was full of viscous saliva, and the words clumped into one continuous mess. But then her gaze accidentally fell on his hands. In black leather gloves. And shoes. The army boots with iron soles on them. And only now she realized that the stranger was standing under the awning, but his jacket ... his jacket was wet.

"Two! There are two of them!" Jess's brain screamed. Or she screamed it herself. And before the man took a step, a dazzling thought pierced her:

"I need to give her a sign. She needs to see!"

Jess staggered back, waving her hands awkwardly, and only then realized that she was still clutching something in her palm. A piece of brick. And before a rough man's hand grabbed her again, squeezing the woman's throat and not letting to cry out, Jess hauled off. The debris flew through the kitchen window.

The last thing the woman heard was the sound of broken glass. She managed to cast a pleading glance at the security cameras in the corner of the entrance. The red light did not blink.

Then the silence swallowed Jess.

***

The autumn wind blew unhindered through the deserted streets, throwing sparse leaves from corner to corner. Sometimes it tripped on closed windows and doors, sometimes on silent gloomy houses.

The wind anxiously ruffled the soaked ads on the poles and flew on.

One of them said: "Missing", and a color photo of a smiling Jessica Price.