“There’s a stalker outside my house, stalking me!” Her veins were launching out from its walls, restraining herself from punching the detective in front of her. Who was still giving her the lackadaisical look? Jotting nothing she said on his jotter but doing what he deemed fit.

“I said.”

“I heard you, but what could a stalker possibly wants from someone like you ERM Miss what?” He lifts his eyes, with a blank look down her reddish face that was soon to explode.

Her eyes wither on him, and she wanted to flip at him.

Slowly, her lips parted and, in a low growl, she whispered.

“Eve…”

***

It was getting to that time of the year again, the jingle bells. For some reason, it was nothing to be happy about. Her back was against the window after she draws down the curtain.

Her long golden brown hair covered her pale face and slowly sliding down into the darkness of the room.

She’d been wide awake since the early hours of the morning. After she woke up from a nightmare and was peeping through the curtains to be sure the stalker was still there.

From her nape, down to her thighs was a connected tattoo.

The stalker was outside her window, and tonight, with a little stretch, she took the knife that was on the table. She would protect herself with this, but instead the knife went to her skin and she slit it over her thighs.

She let out a tight gasp while muffling her cries. The nightmare she had, the gruesome man who had his hands around her neck, the big hands, pressing and restricting air from her lungs. His eyes were dark and devoid of any passion. He was guffawing and having fun while she was dying.

Now, she could breathe, at ease again. She had eased herself off the pain of the trauma by cutting herself with the knife. The pain was soothing, as the blood flows from her injured thighs. Made her feel alive again.

She dropped the knife beside her and hugged herself tightly at the corner of the room, which was likely at the edge side of the bed, and buried her head in between.

“…get a shirt on, another nightmare?”

Fanny hurled the shirt onto the table on her body. Taking a seat by the small bed. The room wasn’t spacious, everything was squab together. Though she did cover up more space, she was just as tiny as Eve but a bit shorter than her.

“What’s it this time, same dream?”

Slowly, she nods.

“The same man, he tried to strangle you again?”

Another nod.

“I wish I could kick his butt, why the fuck does he keep coming to you?”

Every night, she had nightmares of the same man hurting her. She had to take off her cloth, so she could breathe and cut herself with a knife or any sharp object that was close to her, and then she smokes. That’s how her life had been for the past five years.

She was suicidal and pessimistic about life.

“You need drugs?”

She shook her head at her, and gently lift them.

“I didn’t hear you come in, Fanny, you should lock the door.”

Standing up again, Fanny locked the door and took the first aid kit aside from the wardrobe.

“And the stalker? He’s still on you?”

“Still out there,”

“I thought you reported to the cops.”

“Didn’t do anything about it, called me drunk. Fuck them.”

“Those pieces of shit.” Fanny clunks her tongue.

“I should clean your wound, you don’t want it to get infected, and put on a shirt.”

She slid the shirt on.

“What if he tries to accost you again?”

“I’ve got prepared for it. I’ve to protect myself.”

“Isn’t that too risky?”

She stares at her eyes, the unique deep ocean blue eyes of Eve. There was something about those eyes of hers. Sometimes made her look like some lost puppy that you couldn’t stop but help. Sporadically, a witch you would rather not get close to.

They shared a room, she stayed in there at night, and fanny stays in the morning. Because she was always on night shifts at work. And the room won’t be enough for two, Fanny was home. She had to get out of the room.

“I lived for it.”

She cleaned the wound, and take up her stuff by the table, and had her backpack over her shoulders. Her phone and her earphones were plugged into her ears. Some music would do good.

Put her souls together.

“See you at night, I’m going to get a good sleep, damn tired.”

“Can’t wait to kick me out.”

The shirt she wore, was a big polo shirt, which stop at her upper thighs revealing her tattoos. She slides into black leggings.

“...and it'll be fine. You don’t have to be scared. You might be the real Montana.”

“I’m one.”

The doubt in Fanny’s eyes, made her shut the door hard. And it felt the entire three-story building was crumbling.

“EVE!”

The stalker was still out there, she had to be mindful of who was walking behind her. Her legs nibble through the stairs, as she hurried down with her bag.

“Leaving?”

The tobacco, which the old man was smoking, went into her nostrils, and it felt harsh to her nose. The smells were hovering around him and the place he sat.

He owned the building, always at the down of the stairs. Smoking, early morning, and late night.

“Yes.”

“Be careful out there.”

If it was true that he does see the future, she doubts it. He was just a drunk old man. That speaks from his drunkenness.

“…something would change you.”

“Something already has changed me.”

“Don’t be too hard on life.”

“Life?” She scoffed, holding her bag tightly.

With a slant look his way. Marched out of the building. It would be a waste of time listening to the old man talk. Not when the stalker was still out there waiting for her to get out of the house.

Like a shadow walking behind her, her grips went tightly to her bag. She could feel his presence, he was behind her again. Somewhere close, not far. His smell of engine oil was getting strong.

Her pace hastened, and slowly she reached out for the dagger she had kept on her. If he gets closer, she would pull it out.

Her heart was beating so fast, that she couldn’t hide the fear in her eyes.

Before she took the next step, a hand pulled her into a dark alley, she twirled her left into his arm, and immediately take out the dagger and stabbed his arm off her, with her body shivering from his hold.

“Argh!” He groaned, but hold her again, pushing her close to him.

“Listen to me…”

His grip on her was hard, and she kept struggling with him until he forcefully turned her to stare at his eyes.

“Listen to me!”

When their eyes met and in that instance she froze, staring at the eyes, the familiar gaze. This moment was similar to her. The last moment she had with her brother. Before they parted.

Just now, the stalker was staring at her in that same way.

Emotions filled her eyes. The way her brother had stared at her, and how she’d looked up at him.

“Eve. You’ve to listen to me. Argh!” he moaned. Blood was oozing out of his hand into the shirt. His hand went to her face and cupped her cheeks.

“You’ve grown so well.”

“I hurt you.” Her lips quivered while she stares at him with realization dawn on her.

“It’s nothing, I’ll be fine.”

He pulled her into a tight hug. It was less than a minute. Before he pulled back from her.

The man he was seeing, looked draft, skinny, and unkempt. What they had familiar with was the color of their eyes.

He squeezed a paper into her hand, forcing her to take them and not open it until they were out of there.

“I’ve been chased. And I don’t have too much time.”

“Is it truly you, brother?”

He smiled faintly. His hands were on her cheeks again.

“It’s me. I came just like I promised.”

“Brother…”

“There’s not enough time, you’ve to listen to what I’ve to tell you. Listen, Eve…”