Claire sat nervously on her bed. Words filled her head offering help, reasons, and excuses. Her stomach was filled with angered butterflies that pushed her to the point of nausea. She was like a trapped fly and the spider was moving in.
Suddenly, the clock struck seven; the exact time she was expected to meet her parents. Like a prisoner on death row she gathered her thoughts, left her apartment and set off down the corridor. She could feel her chest getting tighter and her pulse beating like a drum inside her ears. Maybe she was overreacting? Maybe she will understand? Somehow this was incredible unlikely and the thought disappeared from her mind as quickly as it had appeared.
"Good morning Claire," said an unknown voice. Claire turned to her left to see a rather shady figure leant against the wall. She carefully examined his face but had absolutely no clue as to his identity.
"Who are you?" Claire asked "…and how do you know who I am,"
The figure was silent for a moment before responding.
"Oh forgive me…where are my manners," he said in an eerily friendly manner "My name is He- I mean, um, perhaps you should refer to me as simply JD,"
Claire raised an eyebrow, "Excuse me?"
"Look who I am isn't important, what is important is who you are,"
"Why?"
"You have a partner don't you, a certain Hershel Layton," he asked moving towards her.
"Why, who wants to know? She asked defensively. The unknown man grinned,
"A concerned party," he replied slyly "Hershel and I go way back,"
Claire paused for a moment to think.
"Really, he has never mentioned you,"
The man turned away, which unnerved her. His demeanour changed and he spoke with acid-tongue "No…he wouldn't,"
Claire decided she had enough of this mans mysteriousness and realised that she really needed to be somewhere else.
"Look I don't know who you are but I just want to know how you know me," Claire said. He turned back to her and smiled. It was a warm smile but one that was hinted by a sly undertone.
"I have my sources," he replied "But you don't need to worry about that,"
Claire frowned. The two stood in silence for a few minutes before she finally spoke.
"Look I need to be somewhere," She then turned round and headed off down the corridor.
"What?" his voice called sarcastically "To tell your parents about your unplanned pregnancy. Dear oh dear they will be disappointed,"
Claire froze. How did he? How could be possibly? Swiftly, she spun around and headed straight for him. He simply stood there, grinning like a Cheshire cat.
"Like I said before, I have my sources; I also have the power to make your life very difficult," he grinned, grabbing her wrist.
She writhed from within his grasped but he just gripped tighter "What do you want from me?"
"Not from you my dear," he said released her wrist. Claire just stared at him with both fear and confusion etched across her face. She then proceeded to rush down the corridor.
"Oh and be dear and don't mention this to Hershel!" He called.
This time Claire did not stop. She just continued down the corridor. As if her day wasn't going to be bad enough she didn't need some freakish stalker making her life any more of a living hell.
