A Hundred and One Encounters
2. Stalker
Kaoru pulled her jacket closer around herself as if the tightened cover would erase the chilling sense of being stared at. She paused slightly, her boots cracking and tainting virgin snow with her imprints. She shuddered and bit her lip in frustration.
Someone was following her. She knew it, it was in her gut and every trained instinct of hers screamed the obvious. She wanted to find this stranger and beat him to pulp for causing distress to a female. He hid well though, as if he could meld into shadows or move inhumanly fast, or…or, it could be her overactive imagination playing tricks on her mind.
Kaoru frowned and tugged her scarf closer as well, continuing on her way and pretended not to notice. What she needed was a hot cup of chocolate. Yes. A hot, steaming cup of hot chocolate that would warm her stomach and thaw her frozen digits and could also act as a convenient weapon to discourage any stalkers –Kaoru mentally whacked herself.
You're not going to throw steaming hot drinks in people's faces Kamiya Kaoru! She scolded herself as she exhaled angrily, her feet bringing her towards a nearby coffee shop.
Even if the idea is incredibly tempting…
She felt that weird prickling feeling again, resisting the urge to turn around and find the cause of her ire she pushed into the coffee shop and stomped in.
"One cup of hot chocolate please."
The lady at the counter raised an eyebrow at her grumpy tone but said nothing as she took her order. After paying and claiming her hot drink, Kaoru retreated to a far away seat by the windows, sipping the hot drink slowly as she calmed her nerves.
No need to be skittish, Kaoru you're just overly paranoid after kendo class. She reasoned mentally, sipping her hot drink as she looked out the windows, watching snowflakes fall. The city was coated in a fresh layer of virgin snow, untainted (for now) by footprints and tires. The winter scenery calmed her frayed nerves as Kaoru relaxed slowly into her chair, before something bright and unnatural against the pure white snow caught her attention.
Azure eyes widened with surprise and Kaoru nearly dropped her scalding drink, noticing the quick flash of red before it disappeared around a corner and out of sight. A cold shiver ran down her spine as the raven haired lady clutched her drink tightly, using the warm drink to ground herself. She saw them. Violet eyes that locked on her and pierced straight into her soul.
Her fingers drummed nervously on the thin paper cup as the lady debated on her next actions. Stay inside? Or bolt out the doors? She shivered again, suppressing the urge to look out the windows again. Where was her bokken when she needed it?
It's her stalker; she knew it had to be him. Kaoru forced herself to think positively as she stood up from her seat. No longer in the mood to sit down and relax, she pushed her way out of the shop and quickly walked away, gripping her drink so tightly it created dents in the fragile container.
She walked aimlessly, without a destination to reach, hoping to lose the stalker one way or another. She tried pushing stubbornly through crowded streets, walking around in circles and even escaping into the park maze. But the presence always came back and lingered. Never too close but always the same distance. She began to panic as she became more desperate as her options dwindled. What should she do? This one was persistent!
Oh! A policeman! Kaoru started towards the officer, her fear and rising panic quickening her steps.
"S-Sir!"
The tall officer swiveled around, eyebrows raised in a questioning expression as the lady nearly ran into him.
"Wo- How can I help you ma'am?"
Kaoru turned around, trying to catch a glimpse of the stranger but like her many previous attempts she couldn't find the skillfully hidden stalker.
"I-I…t-there's someone following me." She breathed quickly, her eyes scanning the area warily.
"Hmn?" The policeman frowned as he scanned the area for potential threat and 'creepers' but found nothing out of the ordinary.
"This part of town is very peaceful, perhaps a stray alley cat made some noise that spooked you?"
"No… I.. saw him just now." Kaoru whispered uncertantly, sapphire eyes narrowing into slits as she scanned the area again. She knew he's here. She could sense him, his awareness ghosting down her back like a warm breath of air.
"Would you like an escort then?"
The lady looked at the police officer then back at the street again. Her house was only a few blocks away… An officer walking close with her might deter the stranger.
Kaoru bobbed her head slowly as she took the offered arm of the officer, wincing suddenly as the feeling of the stalker's eyes on her intensified for a second before ebbing off.
"I-I live just down the street." She whispered and the police officer nodded as he began pulling the scared lady along, patting her arm in reassurance.
"You don't have to be scared Ma'am. I've been patrolling this area for years, this place is so peaceful it's putting us officers out of work!" the older man chuckled, trying to ease the tension from Kaoru as they walked closer and closer to her apartment.
Kaoru was not paying attention to the officer's words. Her attention was focused on her surroundings and the eerie sensations of being watched –even as a police officer walked besides her.
This place, peaceful? Perhaps the police force weren't doing their job right. This stalker definitely felt like a first class murderer to Kaoru. Dangerous.
"It's here, officer. Thank you!" Kaoru muttered quickly when they arrived and quickly disentangled herself from the policeman's grip, dashing into the apartment elevators and closing the doors as fast as she could.
She was beyond nervous, the constant feeling of being watched without knowing who it was, irritated the young lady. The elevator doors slid open and Kaoru ran straight to her flat, opening her door and slammed it shut when she got in. Locking her door, she quickly ran to the window and peered outside, horrified to find the redhead stalker standing before her apartment entrance and looking up at her floor.
Their eyes met for the second time in that day and the feeling of being electric shocked coursed through her, eliciting a gasp from the lady as she stumbled back and broke the contact. The male seem to smirk knowingly before turning around and began walking away.
"What… was that?" the raven haired lady whispered, one hand clutching her rapidly beating heart as she watched the redhead leave slowly.
His steps were slow and deliberate, seemingly to communicate it's owner's current emotion –smug as hell.
Why that…
Anger born from fear and nervousness consumed the raven haired lady as she glared at the retreating back of her stalker. The nerve of that guy! He followed her all morning, ruined her afternoon, nearly gave her a panic attack, followed her back home, got her all worked up for nothing…and he dared to smirk.
Furiously, Kaoru stomped to her door and flung it open, stepping out into the hallway and made her way down the stairs.
If he thinks he'd get scat free for acting all smug and mighty…
The lady exited the apartment doors and found the footprints of the stranger. Sapphire eyes narrowed dangerously at the tracks left by her irritating stalker.
It's time to turn the tables around.
Because he's not the only one who can stalk someone silently.
Never thought I'd get another short story up again so soon! xD
Thanks for the wonderful reviews ;u; they really mean a lot to me~ helps keep the writer's muse going as well xD
WARNING: NEVER LEAD A STALKER TO YOUR HOUSE. it's unethical. srsly.
AND DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT STALKING HIM BACK EITHER!
Kaoru can do that, because... she's Kaoru. xD
The idea came to me before as I was preparing for bed. Couldn't sleep until I got it out of my system.
Oh look! We're not dead! \o/ this is a celebratory story for surviving the non-existent end-of-the-world crisis! yay!
Oh darn. Now i have another idea. 8I
Oh well. See ya soon!
Comments are loved~
