Fragments

With His Knife – Page 3

“So, Nicole,” he said, turning back to his cooking, “Why were you outside my door?”

With His Knife

Page 3

“I was going to visit a friend.”  He considered this.

“Your friend lives in this building?”

“Yeah, down the hall.”

“Will she be worried?”

“What?” Nicole asked.

“Your friend.  Wasn’t she expecting you?”

“Oh, right.  I should hurry on over.”

“I won’t keep you, then.  Nice meeting you.”

“Nice meeting you,” she agreed, standing up, “Thanks for letting me use your bed.”

“Glad to help.  Go see your friend.”

---

Someone was knocking on the door.  Irritated, Anthony stood up, abandoning his lunch.  Why did people always have to show up while he was in the middle of something?

“Yes?” he asked, pulling open the door, “What do you want?”

It was Nicole.  Why was she here?  She couldn’t have been gone for more than fifteen minutes.

“Nicole?  I thought you went to see your friend.”

“I did,” said the girl, “But she wouldn’t answer the door, so then I tried calling her, and she didn’t answer that either!  This has never happened to me before and now I don’t have anywhere to go and I don’t know what to do!”  She was crying now.

“Do you want to come inside and tell me what happened?”

She sniffled.  “Can I?”

Anthony stepped aside to let her pass.  “Of course.  Come in.  Sit.”

The girl shuffled into the apartment and took a seat at the table.  Anthony closed the door and sat across from her.  “So, what’s wrong?”

Nicole fidgeted a bit.  “Will you tell anyone?”

“What?”

“You have to promise not to tell anyone.”

“Okay.”

She hesitated for a moment.  “I ran away from home.”

Anthony wasn’t sure what to say to this.  He finally decided on, “Why?”

The girl looked at him helplessly.  “It’s not safe there.”

He waited for a clarification but none came.  “Why do you say that?”

1. [removed]
2. Her mother is a serial killer.
3. She’s afraid that the police might find her.
4. The house is trying to kill her.