Something just wasn't right. He turned. Nothing. He turned again to see the outline of a dark figure following him down the dark alleyway. He ran and ran, as fast as his legs could carry him. 5 minutes later after he stopped running, his legs week, he turned again. No-one.
Puffing and panting he was now at his front door struggling to get key in. He could hear a car behind him. The door slammed. Then he could hear footsteps, getting closer and closer. "Finally." he whispered to himself. He flung the door open and rushed in, in such a hurry that he nearly fell flat on his face, he closed the door quickly and curled up into a ball on the floor. The silence surrounding him, himself and his thoughts. This had been going on for weeks, strange phone calls in the middle of the night, presents left on the doorstep (Mostly flowers and chocolates) He coudn't stand it anymore. This had gone on too far. His stalker had gone too far.
"Hello Michael...I know you're in there." Linda said in a soft voice
It was the voice he wanted to hear, the voice of a angel. A angel who had been there beside him ever since he met her at the start of secondary school. The person who had helped him through his dad getting cancer, his mum dying in a car crash and his sister commiting sucide. She'd been there every step of the way and he loved her for that.
"Michael...Michael..Let me in." She pleaded, it was pouring a rain and she was getting soaked. He slowly made his way off the floor, pushed down the door handle and pulled the door open.
She could see that he had been crying "Oh Michael, what's wrong." She pleaded but being his stubborn self he wouldn't tell her anything. "It's nothing." he told her. He was angry that she was sticking her nose in his business...AGAIN. He wiped away his tears and asked her "What are you doing here?" "Your birthday, you know we always celebrate." It was his birthday tomorrow and ever since uni they made a deal that everytime it was each others birthday they would celebrate because Linda was the 'last of his family'. "I wanted to be the first to wish you happy birthday." she told him. "Em..do you want to come in." he asked her. She was soaking from head to toe, her hair was a mess and her make-up was streaky. "Yes please." She made her way into the house, making a puddle as she walked into the living room. He ran upstairs got a towel and one of his old shirts for Linda to wear. He quickly ran back into the living room where Linda was standing looking at the photos when of back in uni when they had time for each other but because of work and other commitements they didn't spend as much time together now, but they still were best friends and nothing could tear them apart...or could it. "Here I brought you a towel...you need it." "Thank you." She said taking the towel and shirt out of his hands and walking away to the bathroom to get changed.
They had been sitting on the couch for the past 2 hours, it was nearing 12 o'clock and Michael's favourite film, Die hard, had just finished. She reached for her bag and pulled out his birthday present. "Here you go." she said passing the present over to him. It was a small, box like present. He teared the paper off of the present, Linda had been droping hints for the past week and Michael knew what it was. "Linda you shouldn't have, thank you." he said thanking Linda. "It must have cost you a lot." he half asked her. "Only the best for my best friend." She replied. "She went over the top with this present." he thought. "An Iphone for me." "I remember you telling me that your phone broke so I bought you a new one, I know how much work you have." she told him.
The door bell rang and Linda went up to answer it. "It's a bit late for someone coming to want me." he thought. What Linda didn't know that the guy who had sworn his revenge on Michael was at the door...with a gun. She twisted the handle down and pulled back the door slowly, it was 12:15am and she was still in one of Michael's shirts. Wayne didn't care who got killed as long as it caused Michael despair. Wayne reached into his jacket and In one slick move Linda was shot. Blood pouring from her wound as she lay on the hallway carpet motionless. The sound of the gun shot filled the silent house with a terrible sound and the scream, Oh the scream was nearly bursting his ear drums. Wayne ran and ran the thrill of what he had just done, the pain that he just caused Michael was shooting through his veins and up and down his body as he stood in the dark alleyway. Michael rushed through to find his friend and only family member on the grounded wounded.
"Time of death 1:15am. We tried our best." The doctor said congratulating his team. Michael was sitting outside the room and didn't know yet what fate had fallen on his best friend. Blood on his shirt...her blood and the only thing remaining of her. Running his fingers through his hair thinking about all the things he and Linda had went through, what they had fighted to get this far...If she died tonight he didn't know what he was going to do. "Mr Byrne." a doctor shouted over. Michael slowly rised from the seat and made his way over to the doctor, his feet dragging along the ground. "I'm sorry to say." Michael knew what was coming. "That your friend has passed away." Michael fell to the ground. He was crying uncontrolably his best friend had gone and now he didn't even know if life was worth living. He walked over to the window and looked out to the dead of night, hoping in some way that he would get an answer of a sign from god to tell him about what to do next but all he saw was a masked figure. He knew who that masked figure was and he knew what he was after and Michael knew that HE WAS NEXT.