There was an eerie silence in the house, as peaceful and silent as a stagnant river. I was determined to find out who the person my brother claimed was following him. He would never lie about something like that, let alone even have a serious conversation about these topics—he would always joke around.
**_“Steph? I really want to talk to you about something.” Mark said, fidgeting with his thumbs.
“Yeah? Just spill.” I replied.
“I..I’ve had a feeling someone’s been following me when I walk home. It’s like their eyes are piercing through my back. I can feel their presence.” Mark’s demeanor has changed completely from trying to stay calm to panic mode.
“What? Are you sure bro? This is serious. We have to say something.”
He continued. “No.. We can’t. I can’t. It’s too much of a risk I don’t want to take. I just wanted to put it out, I had to tell someone.”
“Do you know who it is?”
A pause.
“No.. But I have some guesses?”
_**I recall what had happened a week ago between me and my brother. Last seen at our bus stop on the way to school, he has been missing for a week and the police keep telling us, “He could show up. We’re doing everything we can.” Surely in a week, you can at least find something to tell us. But as each day passes, nothing.
I search his room, determined I could find a lead somewhere if I put my mind to it. Scuffling through his box of junk, I see a tin can of baseball cards, legos, a frame of him as a baby, and more useless junk. It seems as if everything was normal. I search his desk. His drawers. His shelves. If I was Mark, where would I put my most prized possessions?
Oh, his closet. He would hide it in a drawer, somewhere no one in his family would think of looking. Sock drawer? Underwear drawer? Ew.
I search through all his stuff in his closet and come upon a shoe box stuffed behind the folded clothes on the floor.
Letters. Papers. Screenshots. It was like a detective’s dream. Possibly everything I need would be in here.
_Mark, _ _You think you could just get away from me that easily? Oh, just wait. _ _Signed Anonymous. _ __ _Mark, _ Don’t be afraid. Keep your head up when you walk. Don’t look at your phone crossing the road. You do want to live, do you?” _ __ No signature. _ __ __ These letters.. Were they given to him at school? Why.. And Mark had always known?
The screenshots were texts between my brother and an anonymous number. There were dms full of threats, violence, and blackmail. All from the same person.
I deciphered what the number was.
I decided to text it. **“Where’s Mark?” **
**?: “Mark?” **
**“I know you have been stalking him. Just give us Mark back, We’ll find you!” **
**?: “I’m not who you think I am. ** **You will never find me. ** **Or Mark.” **
**“I’ll find him, to my last breath if I have to.” **
?: “Be careful what you wish for, Stephanie. Watch your back****_. You could be next.” _
