I try to frighten the child by making shrill faces at him, but he is stubborn and sits on the swing, not intending to give way to me. He knocks himself on the forehead with his finger, letting me know that I should treat myself.
I feel like kicking his ass, especially since his mother is not around.
I am not fond of children. They irritate me exceptionally, perhaps in the future I will change my mind about it.
- You are too old to play on the playground," he speaks in an offended voice, letting me know that I should leave him alone. - Big people should be banned.
I feel like throwing this kid out of here, and preferably giving him a decent kick in the skinny little ass.
- You're not going to tell me, shithead, what I'm too old for. Grow half a meter, then we'll talk.
I turn my back on him, intending to let go and leave him alone before I get completely down to his level, but words come out of the kid's mouth that chill me from head to toe in an instant.
- Don't trust the owner of an unknown number.
I think of all the horror movies I've watched up to this point. In most of them, it was the children who played the main roles, being possessed by evil spirits.
- What did you say?
I look at the kid with wide eyes, believing that someone is actually playing a prank and having a great time doing it.
- A gentleman asked me to repeat these words to you. He gave me shells he found on the island a year ago.
I swallow my saliva, and my eternally brave attitude, fades away.
- What did this gentleman look like? - I ask, carefully watching the smiling kid. It seems to me that he made an electrifying impression on him, since thinking about him all the time he stretches his lips, showing off his bared teeth.
- He was very handsome! He was carrying a toy gun, the kind I have at home for bullets! Talking to me, he scratched his head with it, he looked so cool! - His enthusiasm amazed me.
I'm afraid that this gun was not a toy gun but this naivety can be forgiven him, given his young age.
Who is this stranger and what does he want from me? After all, I haven't gotten under anyone's skin in recent times. Am I actually in danger, or is someone playing a prank? Maybe Henry is right?
I'm looking at the phone screen when an incoming call sounds. I tentatively press the green receiver, fearful of who is on the other end, calling me from a restricted number.
Perhaps I had better ignore it? But what am I supposed to do when my inquisitive nature wins out every time?
- Didn't the kid warn you that you shouldn't trust unknown numbers? - It's his voice, though it sounds rough. - You're either brave or just plain stupid. I think stupid, though, since you lost your head to a guy you didn't even manage to meet.
Chills once again shake my body.
- Are you playing a joke on me? Are you mocking me? You took a number from me and called me back after a year to treat me this way?
Silence falls between us. In time it is broken by the boy's laughter.
- You are so pretty, Solar. I'll never forget the sight of your body in a bathing suit as you walked across the beach and combed your hair over one shoulder. I think by a large measure it was your beauty that saved you from death.
- Excuse me?
I awkwardly look around, getting the strange impression that I am being watched. I don't know what's going on, but I'm beginning to fear that this isn't a joke.
What if Henry is right? Maybe there is actually something wrong with the boy I met on the island? After all, I don't know him at all, I don't know who he is, and what's worse: that night he went missing and was presumed dead, and now he's calling me!
- Where did your glint in the eye go, Solar? You look scared.
This really stops being funny. My breathing accelerates and it seems that when I look carefully around me once again, everything is spinning in front of my eyes out of fear.
- Are you watching me? - I ask in a whisper.
- I'm not just watching, I'm hunting you, deer.... - A moment later, the connection is severed, and I lower my cell phone and wide-eyed stare at a single point.
I'm generally brave and nothing can scare me, but this stops being fun.
I shift my gaze to the swing where the kid was sitting just a moment ago. Now it is empty and is only swayed by the wind, which also plays with my loose hair.
I am horrified.
*
I close the store's refrigerator and the drink falls out of my hand when in the reflection of the glass I see a man with a dark hood over his head behind me, but when I turn to face him, no one is there.
Am I becoming paranoid yet?
I bend down and take the bottle in my hand, heading toward the cash register with it. I hand it to the employee and as I pay, I notice the man looking at me strangely.
- Is something wrong? - I ask, watching as he hands me a box of candy. - Why are you giving me this?
- At the request of a customer.
I furrow my eyebrows as I think the package is too heavy for ordinary caramel candy.
- What did this customer look like?
- A young boy, over twenty years old. He was wearing a sweatshirt in this heat, so if you go out now, I think you can easily find him.
I grab the bottle and the candy wrapper, then run out of the store. I frantically look around me, hoping to spot him somewhere, but he has already managed to hide.
I open the box and for a moment I get weak. I turn pale on my face, letting it out of my hands. With wide-open eyes, I watch huge numbers of nasty bugs fleeing outside. A girl walking past me squeals in fear and flees in leaps, and I just stand there, staring at the abomination with disbelief in my eyes.
My attention is caught by a piece of paper at the very bottom of the package.
Biting my lip, I reach out my hand and reach for it, vigorously shaking off the bugs walking on it. I unwind the card, tracing the text written on the computer with my eyes.
"Look deeply into my eyes before you decide that this kiss will be the last..."
- What does he mean? - I whisper under my breath, mulling the piece of paper in my hand. - What's going on?
I hide the paper in my pants pocket and hastily walk away. I'm starting to get seriously scared. I'm being followed at every turn, and I don't know why. I haven't done anything to anyone, I haven't even gotten into any trouble lately, so why would someone want to hurt me?
I'd tell my parents, but I'm sure my father would put me through hell, claiming that I'm sure I've gotten into it myself, since I'm constantly bringing trouble on myself.
I'll wait and see how serious the matter gets. Maybe he'll just get tired of it soon?
Somewhere in the distance someone honks, and I feel myself being grabbed by the arm and forcibly dragged into one of the side streets.
With frightened eyes I look at the boy in the hood, whose only mouth is visible. He presses me against the wall, completely incapacitating me. I am unable to make any movement.
- This card brought you to me," he speaks in a low voice that sounds sexy. Damn it, why am I even thinking about it when I'm in danger? Is it because he sounds exactly like the island boy? - Look deeply into my eyes before you decide that this kiss will be the last.
- How can I look deeply into your eyes when I can only see your lips?
I watch him carefully as he pulls the hood off his head and shows me his face. I am shocked when I notice the island boy in front of me. He looks different from a year ago, but I'm 100 percent sure it's him. I would never forget that face in my life, even though the red dye is gone from his hair and it has regained its natural dark color.
My heart is beating harder, and I don't know if it's at the sight of him, or more from fear?
- What do you mean? Why are you doing this to me?
He doesn't answer. He just looks into my eyes and I could swear that his gaze is pained.
- I'm not doing this to you, I swear. You are safe with me, but don't trust the owner of an unknown number. Don't believe a word he says, because you are in danger.
- What are you talking about? After all, I know it's you calling me from a restricted number! It's your voice!
With my gaze I measure every nook and cranny of his face, reminding myself how handsome he is.
- Look deeply into my eyes. Do it the same way as when we met on the island.
I part my lips and obediently direct my gaze to his eyes, feeling my heart beat even harder. The feelings that hit me a year ago when I saw him for the first time come back to me.
- The real me, he will never hurt you," he claims, putting his hand around my face. -Trust me, but never believe a word spoken by a man who will call you from a restricted number.
- What are you talking about? I don't understand any of this," I say, being totally confused. - Who wants to hurt me? If not you, then why did you leave me a package full of bugs!
- Keep your eyes open, Solar - His hands come down to my shoulders, which he squeezes tightly. - This is all a game, and your life is at stake.
He puts the hood over his head and, without looking back, walks away. He leaves me with total confusion in my head. I don't know what's going on anymore myself. I don't understand any of this.