Ten Little Chapters

Ten little chapters is what Chuck Wendig is asking us to do this week... and this is what I've done.  My Dad and I are looking for a car for me.  And so I thought to write about a creepy car.  I wouldn't want this car following me around anywhere.

Chapter One

My life changed the day I met her.  I fell in love.

She was my soul mate and I was hers.  We hung out and enjoyed the same places the same ways.  I bought her presents, and she loved me for what I did for her.  It was just how our love affair affected everyone around us that concerned me.

Everyone thought I was obsessed with my sweetheart.

They thought I was spending far too much time with her.

They wanted to break us up, but I made sure it didn’t happen… so did she.

Chapter Two

Lissa was the first person who claimed my soul mate hated her; and I had known Lissa since primary school – not much could come between us… not even a soul mate.  We swore to this.

“She tried to kill me.” The brunette sobbed into my shoulder in my kitchen, “Please, you have to stop it with her.”

“I’ll see what I can do.” I promised.  I saw her to her house down the street and walked home slowly, trying to think of way around this.  Trying to find a way to find an equal ground.

But by daybreak, Lissa was dead.

Chapter Three

I had more friends tell me that my relationship with my soul mate was becoming lethal within weeks of Lissa’s funeral.  And I was finding that she was keeping secrets from me – secrets I found around the place – like the odd garment with what looked like paint on it, but it was blood.

I didn’t have the stomach to ask if she had been out ‘dealing’ with my friends her own way.

Stupidly, I chose to ignore it.

Chapter Four

Even when I moved, my problems with my soul mate moved with me… so knew it wasn’t something my old friends did.

It was something about her.

She was the jealous type; and I should have seen this in her after the first month.  But I didn’t, and wouldn’t, see it.

I started to drink, so I didn’t have to go out with her.

Chapter Five

I got to a point where I had to sneak out to go anywhere, but my soul mate found me more times than not.  I’d walk out of a club with some people and there’d she be across the road under the street light staring at me.

Shit it felt like she was stalking me just to see where I was going… I think it was.  So, I reported her to the police, and they laughed at me, just as I thought they would.

I hated myself for doing it and drank more.

Chapter Six

It was hard living with something like this.

My friends were in danger of me ever speaking to them.

My family couldn’t visit without her intimidating them.

I noticed that, within a few months of moving into my new house, the neighbours were crossing the road to make sure they didn’t have to speak to me.

My soul mate was getting bored with me – I could tell.

She went out without me a lot and came home in the early hours of the morning… I’d hear the garage door close and the alarm switch on.

Chapter Seven

Pretty soon, I was hearing news reports of mystery where men were found dead at the local make-out places.  A certain type would frequent there every other night and leave at around 4am, leaving a body nearby.

This was something I was afraid of that she’d do.

It was time to move again.

Damn.

This time, I had to leave her behind.  I had to move without telling her anything… but how would I do it?

Chapter Eight

Within the week, I found a new place.  I had searched at work, explaining to my boss that my jealous ex-girlfriend couldn’t know where I was moving to and if it was okay to use my workplace as storage until the big move.

He understood perfectly, “Of course.  Sorry to see you go so soon.  Enjoy working in the San Fran office.”

Over the next month, I moved my stuff into boxes and to the office with a friend’s car.  Then, my moving day arrived on the last Friday of the month.

Chapter Nine

I had left my soul mate without so much as a goodbye.

I didn’t miss her.

I felt relief.

It was so good to be away from her.  I felt so free. 

San Francisco’s beautiful views and the bay were just lovely.  Within a few weeks, I met my neighbours and we all got along really well.  Parties were had on the roof and I enjoyed the gorgeous bookstores in the city.

But one day, I sat in the park, and could swear I saw my soul mate down near the water.  I shaded my eyes…

Chapter Ten

... and by the time I focused on the road along the water, I saw nothing but parked cars and other people.

But I was still spooked just a little.

“Hey, you okay?” Brian asked from the gazebo, “Who are you looking for?  We’re all here.”

“Yeah, I thought I saw an old friend from another city… somebody I broke up with.”

“Oooh… stalker.” He teased.

But I couldn’t shake my feeling.

That night, I opened my window to let in the warm Summer air.  I looked down to the street to find her parked… the bitch on wheels… my 1987 Toyota Celica Liftback