Chapter 2
Holly walked into the small auditorium, scanning for open seats. This was her largest class, her other classes were far more intimate now that she was in 3rd year. She made a small wave to a couple of girls with whom she had worked on a group project in a previous course, but sat down by herself. Soon the professor walked in and addressed the class. "Today we will be looking at the work of Jorge Luis Maria de los Pinatas. Holly pulled out her notebook, poised to write down her thoughts. Before long, her mind began to drift. Slide after slide brought her mind back to Mexico. And Mexico made her think of her adventures with Robert.
The hordes of students poured out of the auditorium, jostling and chattering as they went. Holly dabbed at the corners of her eyes. It wasn't often that she indulged in a little cry over the past. She looked around at her fellow students and marvelled at their youth. "The things I had seen at their age, and the experiences had after that...I wonder if any of them will know such adventure?" She let the waves of winter coats, boots and sneakers flow by, and was one of the last to exit the auditorium. This time she caught a glimpse of a man in a dark coat doing an about-face and heading outside. That same feeling of warning came over her, but again she shrugged it off. "My days of excitement are long past," she thought to herself, "unless someone wants to ruin my academic career!"
Holly mulled over her afternoon schedule. She had another class at 4 and a few hours to kill. She pulled out a notebook and looked at an assignment for a term paper. It was for a class with her favourite professor, so she felt motivated to get started on it sooner rather than later. She decided to head over to the Redpath library to begin her research.
An hour or so later, Holly stood up from one of the computer terminals with a list of books that she needed. "I think I'll take the stairs," she thought to herself, "I haven't been exercising enough lately". Holly Sutton pretty much looked as she had in her 20s, but now she just had to work harder at it and put up with a bunch of fine lines. She picked up her bag and coat and headed upstairs to the stacks.
Holly reached the 3rd floor. The books she needed were quite high on the shelves, and at her height, she definitely couldn't reach them. She began pulling a large wheeled stepladder over to the shelf, just missing a couple making out on the floor in the process. Rolling her eyes, Holly manoevered around them and over to a row behind them. She climbed to the top of the ladder, and began reaching to the top shelf for the books she needed.
Meanwhile, the man in the parka came silently out of the stairwell. Glancing furtively from side to side, he began moving along the rows, towards Holly. His hand reached into his coat as if to grab something. He inched closer and closer to Holly, eyes moving to and fro all the while. Unfortunately, he hadn't thought to look to the ground, and as he came around the corner, he tripped over the young lovers of HQ to HS, knocking over a bunch of books in the process.
The couple took one look at the older man in the coat who had interrupted their tryst. They were not in the least embarrased to be found in such a position.
"Watch it, you pervert! Watch where you're going! What the hell do you think you're doing, anyway, sneaking up on us?" The young man, adrenaline pumping, was itching for a fight.
"Sorry, sorry," the man mumbled, scrambling to his feet
The raised voices and tumbling books attracted Holly's attention. She peered over the top of the stacks, and saw the man she had noticed earlier rushing to the stairwell. She clambered down her stepladder and sprinted for the stairs.
"Wait! You! Why are you following me? I saw you earlier, you've been following me all day."
The man paid no heed and continued down the stairs.
"Stop! I want to know what you want with me!" Holly shrieked.
As the man turned to head down the next flight of stairs, he glanced up for a moment. Holly caught a glimpse of his face and her heart stopped.