Posture straight, shoulders upright, head high in a ponytail, clothes perfectly straighten, heels clanking against the floor; she walked in sync with Alex keeping her distance from the back, rest of the staff followed them from behind as Alex lead the way. They reviewed the stores in the main mall, all of them presented their best gave their best response after all their boss and his team were here for analyzing.
A ringtone was heard and Alex came to a sudden halt making everyone else to stop as well. Alex's body turn to stone, his hand clutching his phone tightly he turned around and looked at Sarah taking out his phone Sarah took a glimpse it said unknown number "you continue, I have to take this call" with that he left ordering Sarah to lead.
She moved on the next shop was Baskin Robins her favorite ice cream shop whose isn't. She examined the ice-cream flavors from outside through the glass window like a 5 year old girl. Reflections of people were visible on the glass she stared at them for a moment lost in her own thoughts as her team went inside the shop; something caught her eye and she felt the floor being pulled beneath her feet; it was like, a lightning had hit her; she felt her hands turning sweaty as memories- she had long abandoned in her head four months back – flooded in her mind. A dark figure wearing a black p cap phone on his ear his face was clearly visible to her and was easily recognizable by her, his features were etched on her mind like a stamp that she couldn't ever forget. She wanted to close her eyes and wish for him to vanish but this wasn't the time for it she had to confirm if he was real or not. She turned around and there he was standing on the opposite side his face stood out most prominently between others, his fierce eyes bore into hers an evil smirk appeared on his lips he said something in his phone putting it away he turned around. Sarah lunged after him she ran at full speed; dodging and separating the crowd not looking right or left. She almost reached him as he entered another corridor until her clumsiness got her again she fell on the floor face first as her ankle twisted but managed to steady herself with her hands.
He passed by her in opposite direction, she took off her heels and went after him not giving up this time. She turned left from the corridor and saw him walking in front of her in her reach; she grabbed him by the back of his hood and forced him around, but it wasn't him it was someone else he didn't have the same face, "what the heck is wrong with you missy don't you have any manners" that guy was clearly in no mood for fun "I am sorry "she apologized and went back. She moved towards where she came from clearly lost in a daze, she was disappointed, she had lost him again, it was someone else, but this was not the only thing that was clawing at her brain at the moment it was the fact that he was still alive, still living when he was supposed to be already dead 4 months ago, she clearly wasn't hallucinating. She was sure she wasn't.
She just moved, unsure of where she was headed until she bumped into someone. She looked up to see who it was; it was Alex his brows knitted together, murderous expression covered his face: a shiver ran down her spine and she wondered whether to tell him about the gunman or not. Before she could speak Alex bent down she looked down as well and his phone lay on the ground, texts tab was open there were messages with unknown number. Sarah picked the phone up before he could and ran her eyes over the texts and uneasy feelings churned her guts up and sown
Messages
Unknown number: she is right in front of me want me to tell her
Alex: don't you dare
Unknown number: then don't test my patience boy
Alex: what do you want?
Unknown number: you clearly know what I want
Alex: I won't turn on my promise
Unknown number: you better not because you know the consequences
She was about to check the time of texts when Alex jerked his phone out of her hands. "What do you think you are doing" he screamed at her getting everyone's attention. "Wh-who was that" she stuttered, afraid of her fears coming true. "That is none of your business. What are you doing here instead of working" "I apologize sir. I'll get back with the team" she knew better than to keep pestering him.
As she walked back to her team, her thoughts jumbled, she tried to piece all the thoughts in her mind together piece by piece like in a jigsaw puzzle but it was too messed up. This time she was more afraid of her fears coming true than afraid of gunman.
She had no proof that gunman was alive nor those messages were talking about her and she felt helpless the feeling that was hated by her the most.
Alex stared at her back as she moved between the crowds, he looked balk at his phone as if it would answer him that how much she saw and how much she understood, he was definitely not eager for her to find out about any of this. As he too walked back to his team, he soothed himself by the thought that he was quick in snatching the phone from her and she didn't see anything but his gut feeling said otherwise.