Story 52/1001

• warning
• suitcase
• mist

“Dave, I just got something weird.” Leonard said, opening his e-mail.

“A weird mail?” Dave asked.

“Yes. How did you-“

“Wait, I think Vicky got the same thing. She just sent me a screenshot.” Dave looked at his phone.

Leonard nervously tapped on the table, reading the e-mail over and over.

“She did. It’s the same thing.” Dave said. “I’ll add her to the call.”

“Dave!” Vicky exclaimed. “What is this? A warning? For what?”

“Hi, Vicky.” Leonard said. “I got the same thing.”

“What? Why? Why us?”

“Maybe someone else got it, too.” Leonard said.

“I don’t care about anyone else.”

“Vicky, what are you doing? Sounds like you’re in a tunnel or something.” Dave said, straining to hear her.

“I’m packing my suitcase, Dave, and getting the hell away from this small town. Something I should’ve done ages ago.”

“Vicky, wait.” Dave pleaded. “Just stop for a minute.”

“I’ll get in my car and just drive, Dave.” Vicky answered.

“Vicky, stop being so stubborn and listen.”

The noise stopped. Vicky sat on the bed, next to her phone and clicked her tongue.

“I’m waiting, Dave.” She said.

“Whoever sent this knew all three of us.” Dave said.

“I figured that much.” Vicky said, getting up from the bed.

“But we haven’t seen each other since high school.” Dave continued. “Since-“

“Don’t mention that day, Dave.” Vicky said.

“Guys, no one knows about that.” Leonard said. “And even if they thought they knew something, the police ruled it as suicide.”

“Will you stop talking about it, Leo?” Vicky yelled. “I don’t want to hear it. I’m leaving town.”

“The e-mail said to meet them tonight or there will be consequences.” Leonard said.

“They can shove it -“

“Vicky!” Dave yelled, his tone making her flinch.

It was just like that night. She didn’t know what to do, she was sobbing, pacing up and down, and talking to herself. She doesn’t remember how long Dave tried to talk to her, but the moment he grabbed her shoulders and shouted her name, she snapped back to reality.

She could feel his hands on her shoulders all over again.

“I think we should go.” He said calmly. “If we don’t, we’ll look guilty.”

“But-” Vicky protested.

“He is right, Vicky.” Leonard said, lighting a cigarette. “If we don’t want this to come back, we need to set the record straight with whoever wrote this.”

The call went silent. Vicky sat back on her bed, biting her nails. Dave looked at the shelf in front of him, the shelf that hides the only safe in the house. Leonard filled the room with cigarette smoke, like he wanted to recall the mist of that morning.

Whenever someone gets hurt, all the witnesses say it happened so fast. For Leonard, it lasted as long as a lifetime. He remembers every detail, every word that was spoken. But, most of all, he remembers the mist on that April morning, while he was driving to school like nothing happened.

“Okay.” Vicky said, breaking the silence. “But this is the only – no, the last thing I’ll do. Afterwards, I’m leaving town.”

“Afterwards, do what you want.” Dave said. “Leonard?”

“We all meet at my place and go there together? It’s close to here.” Leonard answered.

“Sure.” Dave said. “I have work to do. Let’s meet at 6?”

They agreed and Dave ended the group call. He went to his shelf, removed some of the books and touched the safe.

He knew exactly what was in it. And he knew he shouldn’t have kept it. Now, that this mysterious person showed up, he should get rid of it.

He should, but he won’t.

He stacked the books back on the shelf, hiding the safe. He sat back in his leather chair and turned it to look outside.

It is April 17th. The day he got his first souvenir.