I knew I made a mistake when I ran off. Despite that I’m a terrible actress, if I could start over, I might pretend nothing happened and keep finishing the shooting. However, what’s done is done, the only option left is escaping.
So I sprinted through a few blocks and didn’t bother to put on some clothes. No need to look back, because the humming followed, and just listening to it made me want to turn back and please it so it could give me a deadly hug. But I focused on the scary scene I witnessed, urging myself to speed up.
I guessed that why that lady approached it.
Fortunately, I was familiar with this area. I made a close friend back in college, who chased her dream and became a popular influencer. We used to hang out when she moved to this town. Watching a silly movie, grabbing a cup of coffee or wandering around the funny stores, something like that.
Then one day, she stopped replying my texts or picked up my calls.
It was hurtful at first. We had a lot of great time and memories, how could she completely left behind? I sent tons of messages to her, angry, upset ,even begging her to respond, but nothing. Last time I visited her, the landlord told me she moved out, abandoned all her stuffs just vanished.
Eventually, I moved on, and never came back.
Until now.
I dived into the crowd to hide my trace. I didn’t know how it hunted me, hopefully blending into people would make it confused. I squeezed through the crowd and found myself standing in the lobby of a huge department store. I went upstairs by the escalator, I needed to find a lavatory. Running in barefoot started to get painful and I was nearly naked. The elevator was too dangerous, I wouldn’t stand a chance if I bumped into it.
I quickly entered the lavatory at the third floor. It was all pink with black dots on the wall, Yayoi Kusama style. I hided into the first cubicle and got changed. Wearing shirt and sweatpants probably the best decision I’ve made so far.
I couldn’t hear the humming anymore, somehow this made me even more nervous. When the sound sustained, it gave a clear direction. But now it could be anywhere, I didn’t know which way I should go. Suddenly, the click-clack of high heels entered.
“Hello? I saw you ran in here. We haven’t chatted for a while. I knew it a bit too late, but I wanna apologize. “
The voice was familiar, could it be……
I stepped out of the cubicle, she stood next to the window and smiled sheepishly at me.
“How……?”
“Call it fate, the universe wanna give us a second chance. “ she said.
“I am still mad at you, but I feel so relieved at the same time. You wouldn’t believe what I just……”
“Yeah, I know. Before we chat, care to give your bestie a hug?”
Something was off.
“I beg your pardon?”
“Won’t you give me a hug?”
She is never a hugger. We have a lots of differences, however, we share this in common.
I rushed to the exit, and the humming combined with its screaming shouted behind me.
The sound was so sweet, it used to be her voice.
My tears dropped when I was on the run.
Now I know why she couldn’t reply.