Chapter 10: When Nothing Goes Your Way

All right, so technically, I went to the exact same bus stop at the exact same time Astly’s murderer friend, Spike Guy (nickname given by me). And of-fucking-course, I was sitting next to Spike Guy, he was looking at my texts from Astly, and Astly just had to make it obvious that Spike Guy and I both were related to him.

“Extremely weird. Perhaps your ‘girlfriend’ isn’t who she seems, huh?” Spike Guy said. Shit, the way he said girlfriend gave away that he knew Astly wasn’t a girl.

I nodded slowly. “Um, yeah… I’ll have to ask her about some things…” I said, scooting away from Spike Guy a bit.

The bus came. Every person at the bus stop got up to get in the bus, visibly glad that they didn’t need to sit around this awkwardness any longer. Now, I needed to somehow shake Spike Guy off…Oh! I would line up in the crowd to get on the bus, and then I would break from the crowd and run away just before the bus left! That way, he’d be stuck on the bus and I would be home free!

“Finally, the bus is here.” I mumbled, in order to make sure he thought that I was going on the bus, walking into the crowd.

I moved through the center of the crowd to the bus door, and then sidestepped just before I was in the doorway. Then, when I made sure that no one was watching, I ran quickly and hid behind the bus. I listened for any sign that the bus was going to depart or if someone was coming towards me. When I heard the bus door finally close and the motor start up, I let some breath I’d been holding. I took a couple of steps away from the bus to make sure that I wouldn’t be suddenly run over if the bus backed up. I then looked around for any sign of Spike Guy, who was nowhere to be seen.

I wasn’t completely sure if Spike Guy actually got on the bus or not, but now was my time to get the hell out of there! I turned around to the direction of home and ran… straight into someone’s chest.

A familiar voice laughed. “Hahaha, cute plan, but it would have probably been a smarter choice to get on the bus."

I recoiled from Spike Guy and stood tensely away from him. How had he gotten behind me!? “Uh, what? I just decided not to get on the bus…where’s the plan in that?” I said, still trying to play dumb.

Spike Guy smirked. “Yes, I usually just ‘decide’ not to get on the bus right when I get to the doorway. And then, after that, I usually hide behind the bus, still ‘deciding’ on what to do.”

“Don’t judge my methods!” I said agitatedly. Maybe I could still fool him!

Spike Guy looked at me cynically. “Really? Come one, we both know what’s really going on Jake.” He said, taking a step towards me.

I took a step back. “Yeah, that you’re a bastard that enjoys peeping at other people’s texts.”

“True, but look at what it got me; someone connected to Card.” His expression turned serious. “So, how are you involved with the Card Collector?”

“The what?” I asked, genuinely confused.

Spike Guy rolled his eyes. “The-Card-Col-le-cter.” He said slowly.

That must have been Astly’s murderer name or something. “Look, these texts were just-”

“Forget it, just shut the hell up.” Spike Guy snapped. “I’ll just have to ask Card himself.” He took out a knife.

“What the hell are you doing?” I asked gravely, staring at the knife. I stepped back.

“If you won’t tell me anything then I’ll have to hope that Card will.” He said calmly, flipping the knife in his hand expertly.

“Why do you care so much about this?” I asked.

Spike Guy smiled. “I’m the one asking the questions right now, all right?” I just stared at his knife. “You can either choose to answer, or things will get…rough.”

“All right, all right! What do you want to know?” I asked.

Spike Guy thought for a moment. Perfect time to get the hell out of there! I ran in a random direction as fast as I could.

I could hear footsteps softly land right behind me. I somehow made myself go faster, the adrenaline fueling me not to stop. All I needed to do was run until I found some people; which shouldn’t have been too hard considering that it was a sunny weekend afternoon.

I rounded the corner of a block and beamed with triumph; there was a small family up ahead! I ran the last couple of yards and skidded to a stop directly behind the family, who shot me weird looks.

“Sorry.” I said through panting, “Just…intense…run.”

They nodded slowly then returned to whatever they were talking about.

I looked behind me to see where Spike Guy was. He wasn’t anywhere in sight, which made me more uneasy than if he was. I just knew that he was going to jump scare like he did at the bus stop.

Whatever, as long as I stayed by people, I would probably be all right… The question was, how would I manage to stand by random strangers for the rest of my life?!

I looked around warily in case Spike Guy was hiding somewhere, waiting for me to part from the in front of me family. I needed a way to get out of this mess before I was caught. Sadly, I could only think of one person that could help me.

Jake: “Astly! The guy u texted like a moron is after me!”

It took a long time for me to finish the text because I was looking around everywhere for a sign of Spike Guy. It only took seconds for Astly to reply.

Private Number: “WHAT? Where r u now?!”

Jake: “I don’t know, I ran away. I’m now by a family and can’t c him anywhere!”

Private Number: “Stay by the family and keep an eye out. He’s probably trying to sneak up on you. Tell me when you see a street name or something.”

I nodded to myself, looking around frantically like a paranoid loon.

Private Number: “Are you near the bus stop by your house?”

Jake: “Yeah.”

Private Number: “I’ll try looking for you.”

I hoped that Astly would find me fast…which was probably going to be the only time where I’d want to see him. I tried to relax; relying on the hope that an insane psycho wouldn’t find me and another insane psycho that was infatuated with me would protect me… which you can imagine was very “comforting”.

I craned my neck to see past the family in front of me. We were nearing the end of the block, where the street names were attached to a tall pole. Oh, so I was Williams Ave. I took out my phone and started texting Astly where I was.

“Hey Jake! How are you?” A voice said, followed by an arm being wrapped around my shoulder.

I widened my eyes in terror at Spike Guy, who had been waiting at the curve. I frantically tried to finish and send my text to Astly.

“Who are you texting?” Spike Guy asked playfully, snatching my phone away before I could hit send. He then leaned down and whispered, “Just so you know, I have a knife pressed to your lower back, near the spinal cord. It would only take someone like me seconds to sever through that and make you unable to use your legs for the rest of your life, that being a better outcome. So, why don’t we walk this way?” He guided me across the street, away from the family.

“Where are we going?” I asked quietly.

“Away from people, that’s where.” He answered simply.

We walked in silence, for a many minutes. Spike Guy would rub the knife around my back occasionally to remind me why I wasn’t going to do anything.

We ended up walking along a quiet street with only a car driving by every now and then. Spike Guy made us stop in front of a foreclosed rundown home overrun by weeds.  “We’re going in here.” He said to me, giving me a light push forward. I reacted by rapidly trying to run to the side, but Spike Guy caught me with quick ease and returned the knife to my back. Crap…this house looked exactly like the type of houses where people would be found dead months after the death! Or in my possible case, murder!

We quickly cut through the front yard before anyone came by, and then entered a gate to the backyard.

“Hmmm…” Spike Guy hummed pensively, dragging me around the house. He stopped at the back door. “This is as goo of a place as any.” He said to himself. Afterward he turned to me and forced me to sit next to the door. “You just sit there for a moment.” He said. He turned away to face the door.

I instantly started looking around for a way to escape while unattended. “Don’t even try Jake, I could catch you and gut you like a fish before you even got the chance to scream.” Spike Guy said confidently, reading my mind. I leaned back against the house in fearful defeat.

Spike Guy placed his knife into the keyhole of the backdoor and jiggled it around. The door opened almost immediately. This Guy knew how to break and enter…as expected of someone who was probably a wanted criminal.

“After you.” Spike Guy said, motioning for me to get inside with his knife.

I didn’t move at first, uneager to enter the empty dark house with someone capable of ‘gutting me like a fish’, but I slowly got up and walked into the dusty home, deciding it was better to listen to him and have a chance at seeing tomorrow.

As soon as we entered, Spike Guy closed the door and relocked it. Spike Guy smiled. “Was that so hard?” He asked.

I glared at him, remaining silent.

Spike Guy rolled his eyes at me. “Just take off your jacket and sit down by that wall.”

Shit, if I took my jacket off, he would be able to see my gorgeous bruises, which would only raise more imaginable questions. “Why?” I asked.

Spike Guy rolled his eyes again. “Uh, you’re associated with a killer, so you could have weapons… in fact you should have weapons, because Card is deadly as hell.” His face soured when he said the last part. Oh great, he didn’t like Astly, which would make things awkward if he found out that Astly was… Astly, with me.

“If I was hiding a weapon, don’t you think I would have used it already?” I asked cautiously.

Spike Guy smirked. “Maybe, but you have to be hiding something if you’re this reluctant.” His green eyes narrowed angrily. “I’ve had enough of your stalling; take off your damn jacket and sit against the damn wall.”

I nervously complied, throwing my jacket to the side, trying to show Spike Guy that there was nothing I was hiding. I then sat down on the cold dusty floor and sat with my legs to my chest, feeling slightly protected by the limbs.

Spike Guy crouched in front of me and looked at my bruised arm. He opened his mouth to say something, and then closed it, muttering something about wasting time. “Now, let us get to the real root of this matter.” He said with a big grin, taking out my phone. “This thing has been going crazy for the past while. Let’s see what it’s about.” He held up my phone so we could both see the updates.

Private Number: “Jake, do you know where you are yet?”

PrivateNumber: “Jake?”

Private Number: “Jake, answer me. Are you okay?”

Private Number: “Jake! Where the hell are you!?”

Private Number: “Jake, if this is some sick joke, I will kill someone.”

These texts were followed by an endless amount of texts that merely said “Jake”.

Spike Guy grinned sneeringly. “Looks like someone is popular.” He hummed. He handed me my phone. “Unlock it.”

I froze. Now that was something even the threats of gutting didn’t compel me to do. If I unlocked it, he would have access to all of Astly’s stalker-ish texts. “No.” I said simply.

Spike Guy glared at me. “Why? I can kill you in an instant you know?”

I averted my gaze, trying to avoid being intimidated. “There’s stuff there that I don’t want people reading.”

“No shit, that’s exactly why I want to read it!” Spike Guy hissed.

“Haven’t you read enough of my texts today? Why don’t you just call him?” I muttered.

“I’ll do that after you unlock your phone.” He said, now resorting to violence. He harshly gripped my badly bruised arm.

“Augh!” I yelped in pain. It took a lot of willpower not to make any more noise. I felt the nerve in my arm flowing with pain waves.

“I’ll let go once you unlock the damn phone.” He hissed.

“No!” I yelled. What would he do to me if he found out me and Astly’s ‘relationship’? Probably worse than this.

He tightened his grip. “You little bi-”

RINGINGINGING!

My ringtone! I looked to see Private Number calling.

“My my, what nice timing.” Spike Guy said with a small laugh. “Answer it, put it on speaker, and pretend I’m not here. If you say anything about me, where we are, or anything else to give him a tip, I’ll-”

“You’ll kill me! I get it!” I hissed, desparately trying to remove his hand from my arm. “Just let go.” He let go and I immediately clutched at my injured arm, taking the phone with my other hand.

“Hi.” I said, trying to sound like my normal self.

“Jake! Thank goodness. Why weren’t you answering your texts?” Astly’s relieved, but masked, voice said.

“Uhhh, bad reception.” I said.

“Uhhh, you’re a liar.” He replied, his tone growing angry.

I looked over at Spike Guy to see if he had anything to say. He just motioned for me to keep going. “No…Uhh, yeah. So what if I didn’t feel like replying?” I said, trying to think of un-suspicious things to say on the spot.

“You’re being chased by a fucking murderer Jake! I know you don’t trust me, but for fuck’s sake, know when you’re in godamn danger! I’m the only one that can help you! First Kyle, then this! You’re lucky that you even got away!”

Spike Guy gave an amused smiled. I wished in my head that Astly would just shut the hell up!

“Sorry, can we just not talk about the Kyle thing… Or this thing… It’s not good, erm, for my internal…health.” I said, trying to sound sad, hoping he would ignore all the awkward pauses.

“…Okay, you’re being too weird. What’s going on?” Astly demanded.

Spike Guy glared daggers at me and shook his head, waving his knife around warningly.

Crap, why was all this crazy pressure on me!? I couldn’t think up good lies under pressure. “Uhh, nothing’s going on! Can’t I just be stressed!?”

“Of course Jakey, but only when you actually are stressed. Now what’s making you lie through your damn teeth? Very badly, I might add.”

I resisted a big cringe at the word ‘Jakey’, which sounded like a strange nickname a married couple would use (which I did not approve of). I needed to divert our weird conversation away from anything related to our ‘relationship’.

“I-I’m just worried that more people will die now that the new person is here…”

“Like I said, I’ll take care of it. You just need to stay out of it, and stay inside your house…which you should go to now by the way. I can’t risk you getting in the middle of shit again, which apparently is a thing with you. And also, what, the, fuck, is, wrong? You sound like someone who’s trying to cover up cheating.” Astly laughed a little. “Though I guess that wouldn’t be much of a problem for someone like me; I could just kill whoever that person was, because you’re mine Jake.”

Normally creepy-ass shit like that would make me scared. But fuck; now my life was on the line and Astly just gave away all that I was trying so hard to hide! I glanced over to Spike Guy, in case maybe, just maybe, he had gone temporarily deaf while Astly was talking.

Spike Guy stared at me with an expression of sheer shock and enjoyment.

“Astly, you son of a bitch!” I yelled in frustration.

“Huh? What did I do?”

“You just informed me of how special Jake is, that’s what.” Spike Guy said, staring at me with pure amusement.

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Ta-dah! Faster update! I was working like a mad beast trying to finish this! So many things were getting in my way! I'm going to the airport in literally two hours, and I was held up at the doctors because of some abnormal heart things and an accident! But I made it ! *Dances like some crazy biatch at a rave*. Thanks for you readers' support!!!!

And also, sorry to inform, I wont be able to write or update for 2 weeks. T_T( my summer work is also gathering dust... oh, I'll shun that from my mind a bit longer.)

Have a good weekend and an AWESOME summer holiday (that is, unless you don't have one)! \(*^*)/ I hope you enjoyed this chapter!