CHAPTER SEVEN: JAKE

"Jesus Jake, where have you been?" Mom says as I enter the door. "It's 1:00 A.M, Jake"

"I walked Mona home mom, Vicky got kidnapped and she saw everything." Mom slowly walks toward the couch and sit before looking up to me.

"Vicky? Victoria Peterson? Jesus Christ," I nod, and I told her I accompanied Mona to the police station and reported everything she saw. Mom looks so worried and scared; she immediately pulls out her phone and starts typing something. I bet she's telling all her mom friends about what happened. "You go to your room, it's late, you should sleep," mom says.

I walk inside my room, and I see the kitten I got from the street yesterday, she's sleeping on my pillow. I slowly lift her up and move her on the side so I have a space where I could lie down. I change my clothes before going to bed, and immediately fall asleep the moment I felt my bed's comfort to my body.

—

I woke up from the feeling of little stomps on my chest, it's the kitten. I check the time and it's 4:00 A.M.

"Maybe I should name you now." She lays down on my chest and starts purring. "Naomi, yes. Naomi."

"Your name is Naomi." I lift Naomi and adjusts her on my bed beside me so I could sleep again. But the moment I was about to fall asleep, my phone starts ringing. "For god's sake, who is calling me at 4:00 in the morning," I mutter.

I look at my phone and Mona's calling, again. I take the call and she start talking, I still feel like I'm asleep, I don't understand a thing she's saying, "Slow down, what is it, Mona?"

"Jake, there's someone standing in front of our house, he's wearing a black jacket and a black cap. His body is built like one of the kidnappers that took Victoria." She speaks so fast I almost didn't get anything to what she's trying to say. But why is she calling me, shouldn't she call the police and not me? "Have you called the police Mona?" I ask her. "Of course, but they told me maybe it's just someone from the neighborhood," she says. I don't know, but the fear in her voice makes me feel something in my stomach. I ignore it.

"Maybe you could take a picture of the man from your window, I'll check the photo tomorrow. Just don't go outside and make sure to lock all the doors and windows." I tell her since I don't know if mom would allow me to go outside at this hour.

"Already did. Thanks Jake, sorry for calling you at this hour." I end the call and as I try to fall asleep, I suddenly think about the man Mona's talking about. Are they targeting Mona? Maybe they heard that someone reported a kidnapping and found out it was Mona? I don't know why I involved myself in this, but I can't just let Mona be in danger because of this. A random thought enters my head about how it would feel to be the one standing in front of Mona's house, making her scared. I should be the only danger near her. What am I thinking?

I think I should sleep now. My eyes are starting to get heavy; I'm starting to fall asleep again. I let myself.