Chapter 13

I chew ony nails, still in my car.

The words keep pulsing in my head.

Owen is here.

I found him.

After so many years.

Does he recognize me?

I take a deep breath, trying to calm myself down.

Should I go tell him that I'm his long lost cousin?

I consider this for a minute.

Its going to be so awkward.

Imagine me going up to him all of a sudden and tell him that I know him.

That he's my cousin and I'd found him.

And who knows who else is there.

Their all going to give us perplexed looks.

No, I finally confirm.

Then what should I do?

I consider this thought for minutes until a thought appears in my head.

I should follow him, and then I can talk to him in private.

I suddenly realize that he'll be done by 2:30 after his break.

I glance at my phone screen to check the time: 1:04.

Perfect, I just have to wait for only an hour.

But out of my peripheral view I notice him coming out of the agency. I follow his direction.

Isn't he having a break?

No, maybe he just needs something?

I carefully stalk at him to see that he's getting in his car.

I abruptly start my car, and follow him out the parking lot.

Where is he going?

There is a traffic light ahead, so I stop with him.

Luckily I'm behind him so he can't see me.

A few seconds ticks by and finally the light turns green.

I take a turn with him, then follow him straight, endlessly.

Finally, he turns a corner and I find myself in a very gloomy neighborhood.

The light from the sunshine before had disappeared behind a wood of trees. Barley any sunlight passed through, which made everything dull that aligned the neighborhood.

It was like no one lived here.

There were no cars, aside from mine and Owen's, and no one was outside.

A few moments later he pulls into his driveway and I park my car a few feet away, so he can't see me.

He gets out from his car and walks out.

I follow him, carefully away from his view.

What is he doing?

Did he get out early or something?

He then alters into a dark alleyway.

I see another presence in there.

I flinch when I realize it is a mafia member.

His back is against the wall of bricks, a cigarette in his mouth.

His hood is covering his face as he's playing with his gun.

I made sure I am out of his sight.

He notices Owen walking by.

I can see his lips curve up.

He points his gun at Owen.

"Hey you! Don't move!" He shouts.

Owen stops and looks at him directly in his eyes.

"Good, now let me see if you have some cash on you." The mafia ponts his gun at Owen with one hand and starts to pat his jacket with the other.

I am frozen in shock.

What am I doing? I can't let Owen get robbed.

Or worse: I can't let him get shot.

Not after I've found him after several years.

I am about to jump out of my hiding spot when Owen suddenly grabs the mafias throat

abruptly and knocks the gun out of his hand.

"Hey! What are you doing?!" The mafia shouts.

But Owen doesn't reply.

Instead he presses his lips against his throat.

And I realize what he is doing.

Blood.

The word pops into my brain.

Suddenly I'm twelve again, watching Owen drinking blood from the young teenaged girl.

Before I can stop myself, I scream.

Owen flinches, his shoulders hunched.

He turns around towards me and his eyes bulge.

Blood is dripping from his lips, sliding down his neck.

Tears sting my eyes.

I am scared and astonished.

Owen loosens his grip on the mafia, and he drops onto the pavement.

I eye the mafia.

He's dead.

My heart stops completely.

Owen carefully looks at me up and down, still astonished.

Then he walks towards me.

The fear in his eyes from before switched to anger.

"What are you doing here?" He bellows.

I'm too numb to reply.

I witnessed these scenes twice.

"I-I..." The only words I manage to say.

"You followed me, why?" He asks.

I bite my bottom lip.

I can't answer him, I have to run away.

But I have to confront him.

"Owen." I sputter, boldly.

He flinches back, the surprise returning back into his eyes.

"I've found you, after all these years." I continue.

"And yes, I did follow you, because I wanted to talk. But you can forget about that." I say, and turn on my heels away from him.

"Wait, Ashley!" He shouts behind me, but I ignore him.

I run to my car, the eerie feeling prickling in my skin.

I get in my car and get away from the dark, dull, neighborhood, away from the dead mafia's body, away from Owen.