Carol was sitting on the couch waiting for Troy to come home when suddenly the power went out. Carol yelped in surprise and looked around. Why did the lights suddenly go out? And damn it, why did the lights have to go out when Ricki and Jun were already going home? Carol was left all alone here, in the dark!
Carol blinked and tried to adjust her eyes to the darkness. Carol stood up from the sofa and stretched her arms forward as she walked. Her foot tripped over the table and Carol nearly fell.
"Damn table! I'll burn you later!" she cursed annoyed.
Carol was limping and was about to get out when she heard the sound of the front door being forced open, being kicked in from outside. It's definitely not Troy. Carol always locks the door after Jun and Ricki get home, as Troy says. However, Troy usually opened the door right away because he had the key with him too.
Carol stepped back. Until she hit the wall. She used the wall to find her direction and walked into the kitchen, to the back door. Whoever it was, they came to this house when the power went out, trying to break in. As soon as she arrived at the back door, Carol immediately unlocked it and walked out.
Then, without looking back, Carol ran. She passed through his neighbor's backyard and out onto the main road. The road was dark and Carol kept walking straight ahead. After about a hundred meters of running, Carol looked back. This time she was sure, she was really being chased. The black shadow behind her chased after her.
Carol screamed when she hit something hard. Carol turned and found herself in someone's arms. Carol tried to struggle until she heard Troy's voice,
"It's me."
Carol limp and relief at the moment. She nearly fell to the ground, but Troy grabbed her.
"Someone is following me … this time there really is …"
Before Carol had finished her sentence, Troy had let go of her grip on Carol and stepped past her. When Carol turned around, she couldn't see clearly, but Troy was approaching the shadow of the person chasing Carol. Carol didn't know what was going on up ahead, but when she heard a groan of pain, Carol immediately became worried.
"Troy?" call Carol. "Troy, are you all right?"
Carol backed away as a black shadow ahead approached her.
"Troy?" Carol called the man back.
"It's me," replied the shadow that drew closer to her.
Carol breathed a sigh of relief and walked over to Troy. She looked up, trying to check the man's face for injuries. However, the street was so dark. They were on a street that was not lit by streetlights.
"Are you hurt?" asked Carol.
"What about you? Are you okay?" Troy asked again.
"I'm fine," Carol replied. "That person …" Carol held her tongue.
"You know that person?" asked Troy.
Carol looked down, shook her head. Likely, it was the person her family sent to get rid of Carol. And if they found Carol here … that meant Carol had to get out of here right away.
Carol gasped when she felt Troy grab her hand.
"Let's go home," said the man.
Carol nodded. As they passed the person chasing Carol earlier, Carol gripped Troy's hand tightly. Carol turned and saw the man lying motionless on the road.
"How is that person doing? Did he faint?" asked Carol timidly.
"Don't worry about him," Troy replied, pulling Carol's face up so she was looking at him. "He won't be able to bother you anymore."
Carol frowned. "Do you know him?"
"I've seen him around here. Looks like he's been eyeing this village. Looks like a thief or a robber," Troy replied.
Does that mean, he's not the one Carol's family sent? She's grateful if that's the truth.
***
As soon as they got home, Troy clenched his fists in anger at the condition of the lights off his house and the broken and open front door .
"Come in first," Troy said to Carol. "I'll check around the house."
Carol turned to him. "Eh?" The girl looked scared.
"I'll just check inside first. You wait here a moment," Troy said.
Carol nodded.
Troy leaves Carol in the yard and goes into his house. Troy turned on his cell phone's flashlight and shone through his house. He checked the room and bathroom as well. Nothing was touched.
Troy goes out to get Carol. He gave his cell phone to Carol for lighting.
"Wait inside. I'll check around first," said Troy.
Carol nodded. As soon as Carol entered the house, Troy checked the electrical fuse. As expected, the electricity was deliberately cut. Troy then checked the front door. The door could not even be closed. Troy had to fix it right away. Troy then went around the house and made sure no one else was around, then he entered through the back door and locked it.
"The lights are on," said Carol, who was sitting on the living room sofa.
Troy nodded.
"Are any of your things missing?" the girl asked.
Troy shook his head.
"Are you sure? Please check again," said the girl.
Troy was sure. Because he knew the purpose of that person coming here. And those aren't things at Troy's house. Even so, Troy heeded Carol's words and went back to checking the house.
"Nothing's missing or damaged," Troy told him as he returned to the living room and stood beside the couch where Carol was sitting.
Carol breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm grateful."
"But … why don't you scream for help?" asked Troy.
Carol grimaced. "Wouldn't that make it even more dangerous?"
Troy frowned.
"There are only grandparents in this village. And a child. If they came out because of my screams, they could be in danger because of me too," explained the girl.
Troy saw Carol's hand gripping Troy's phone tightly in his lap. Even though the girl was so scared, she still had time to think like that.
"My cell phone." Troy reached out for his cell phone.
Troy winced at Carol's trembling hands as he picked up his phone. Troy took his cell phone, but he held Carol's hand afterwards.
"Are you sure you're not hurt?" asked Troy as he gently grasped the hand.
Carol shook her head, but she didn't pull her hand out of Troy's grip. Troy finally sat down on the back of the sofa, still with Carol's hand in his. He then typed a message on his cell phone, ordering Ricki to clean up the man's corpse.
"But, what about that person? Why don't you take him to the police station?" asked Carol.
"No need," said Troy. "Ricki and Jun have already taken care of it."
Carol frowned. "You mean they took that person to the police station already?"
Troy just nodded in response. There was no way he could have told Carol that the man had died at Troy's hands.
Troy suddenly wondered what Carol would do if she found out who Troy really was. Will the girl run away in fear like most people who know his identity?
"But, how long are you going to hold my hand like this?" asked Carol.
Troy looked down at his hand which was still holding Carol's hand.
"Until your hands stop shaking," Troy replied.
Carol looked surprised.
"Looks like it's stopped," Troy said as he let go of Carol's hand and stood up. "I'll make a hot drink for you."
Without waiting for Carol's response, Troy went into the kitchen.
***