A wave of panic washed over me.
I ignored the shower and called my best friend.
I was certain the woman I’d seen earlier was her.
The phone connected but no one answered.
But I did hear a vibration, coming from somewhere inside the apartment.
This unit had a strange layout. There was a guest bedroom right by the entrance, then the bathroom and kitchen were sectioned off and a small door led to a separate balcony.
The vibration was coming from the balcony.”
Phone in hand, I tiptoed over, opened the door and nearly screamed.”
There she was.&
My best friend was slumped in the corner, unconscious. A rag stuffed in her mouth. Her body bound with ropes.>
The vibrating sound was her phone.
My scalp went numb. A chill rushed from the top of my head to the soles of my feet.
What the hell was happening?
Why did Sebastian kidnap Sophia? Why lie?
Sure, they’d never gotten along but this?!
I yanked the rag from her mouth, untied the ropes and pinched her philtrum.
Thank God she woke up.
Weakly, barely able to move, she looked at me and her expression changed dramatically.
She pushed me toward the door with all her strength.
“Jessica, run! The chimp isn’t dead!“}
“Sebastian, he…”
Before she could finish, the door behind us burst open.
Even without the rest of her sentence, I knew.
Sebastian was no longer Sebastian.}
Or rather he was a chimpanzee wearing Sebastian’s skin.
Sebastian, if ! could even call him that, stood there holding a boning knife. His smile was twisted and crazed.
“Well, you figured it out.”
“Jessica, you’re being naughty. Since you’re disobedient, I’ll have to punish you.“>
He lunged at me.
I snatched the fire extinguisher beside me and blasted it at his face.”
He shrieked, blinded by the dust.
I slammed the extinguisher into his head and dragged my best friend out of the apartment.
When we reached the elevator, we realized it had stopped working.
I tried to carry her down the stairs, but she shoved me away.
“Jessica, go call the police! Leave me!“}
“If you take me, he’ll catch up. Don’t let me drag you down!”
I was furious.
“What nonsense! I’m not leaving you behind! I’ll carry you out, even if we die trying!”
Just then, a roar echoed through the corridor.
It wasn’t human.
It was animal.
“Jessica, you bitch! You’ll regret this!“?
A monstrous howl rang out.
My friend and I turned pale.
She shoved me hard.
“Go! Only you can save us!”
“If you hesitate, we’ll both die!”
Tears streamed down my face as I fled down the stairs.
