Page 153 of Pretty Thing

Despite the tremors spreading throughout my body, I reach for the mouse.

I’m having an out-of-body experience or a waking nightmare. I can’t be sure which.

The screen flares to life.

Shit.

Lock screen.

Think, Eden. If I’m Felix, what is the password?

I try my name, and that doesn’t work. I glance around and snoop through some pieces of paper before trying Pretty Thing. Still doesn’t work, and I only have three tries left.

“Come on, think, think, think.”

My fingers still, then rapidly fly over the keys with myprettything. That does it. The computer gives me access, and I suddenly wish it hadn’t.

File after file is perfectly labeled.

Eden at school.

Eden at work.

Eden at the beach.

Eden at the movies.

Eden and her mom.

There are so many that I can’t even imagine organizing my life like this, but one catches my attention.

Eden in the shower.

Swallowing hard, I double-click on the folder, and dozens of tiny clips appear. I choose the first one and open it.

I step back, gasping. The camera is somewhere in the ceiling, maybe in the vent or the fan. I’m humming a song as I run my hands over my hair. My body is on display, not a single thing covering me from his lens.

“Oh…my…fucking…God.”

I grab my head and the desk as a wave of light-headedness threatens to knock me over.

When I jerk off, I think of you.

He literally meant while watching me. For years he’s been fantasizing.

I turn in a circle, wanting to tear it all down. Instead, I dart out of the room and grab a duffel bag.

Where the hell do I go?

I can go to the cops, but…there is a part of me that doesn’t want to see him locked up. He hasn’t hurt me despite him stalking me and it’s obvious he easily could have.

Fuck.

What is wrong with me? Why am I not calling 911 right now?

A tear runs down my cheek.

I can go to Kris, but then what? If she’s right and he did kill Kyle, then what’s going to stop him from finding me there and hurting her or her parents?