CHRISTINA.


    The airport is crowded, as always. Lots of light. Vico holds my hand.


    “You’re too small, you’ll get lost,” he jokes.


    “You’re too worried about me. I’m not five,” I object.


    “Not five,” he agrees, “but that didn’t stop you from getting into trouble.”


    “I’ll be more careful in the future,” I promise.


    “You try.”


    We can’t go any further together, and Vico says goodbye to me.


    “You deserve better,” he says, hugging me, “take care of yourself.”


    “Oh, come on…”


    Nevertheless, I don’t resist and hug him too. We stand like that for a while. I feel very comfortable in his arms. Appearances can be deceiving. In fact, Vico is kind inside, but he doesn’t let people get close. And his straightforwardness adds to his sense of arrogance and coldness towards people. But he has a good, happy family. They will always support him. It is priceless.


    “Time…” Vico reminds.


    “Yes, yes, I’m already on my way.”


    I walk forward, turn around and wave my hand to him, and he to me. The last minutes, three hours of flight, and I’m home. Although, is this home? Edinburgh is almost unknown to me.


    “You can handle it,” I convince myself.


    JOHN.


    Classes are over. Today a guy with glasses came to see me, a typical nerd, meticulously asking me to repeat every point. I had to explain it to him several times. I don’t like people like him too much, but I have to do my job well. Sharing knowledge is not a pity, especially when it helps someone. And when it brings you income, it’s doubly good. Tomorrow two more will come to see me. A brother and sister. High school students. I like these two much more. They are always polite, moderately curious and carefully take notes on my explanations. I also have an online meeting with a student. Life goes on as usual. So I can afford to rest. I’m lying on the bed and playing the console when I receive a message from the same number as yesterday. I open it. I’m curious what’s there this time.


    “Oh my…” I can’t hold back an exclamation.


    Christina and some nice tall guy are walking with suitcases, holding hands. I call her all the bad names, but not out loud. I’m angry, really angry. I hate her and myself at this moment.


    “She should be yours John. Why is she with someone else? And where are they going, although what difference does it make?! As if your anger will change anything... You’ve already lost her because you only wanted to get her, but did nothing for it,” I tell myself.


    I need to at least find out how she’s doing. I write a neutral message in direct. Someday she’ll read it anyway, and I’ll find out about it, oh, the almighty social networks.


    I need to freshen up and calm down, I’m too worked up. Soon it will be evening, and it will start to get dark. I want to watch a movie in the evening, and relax with a bottle of whiskey, of which there is very little left. This is the only thing that helps me fall asleep if she is not around.


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    CHRISTINA.


    “Fasten your seat belts, the plane is about to land.”


    The passengers perk up, and so do I. Two years ago, I flew on a plane for the first time, just from Edinburgh to Rome. I was afraid the whole time, either clinging to the table or holding the window closed so as not to see how quickly we would fall down. Now I laugh at myself. It’s not scary at all, and even fun.


    The plane lands. The pilot says goodbye to the passengers over the radio. We get off. And go wait for the luggage. This is my least favorite moment. Half an hour later, I can finally leave the airport and carry my two suitcases. The cold air hits my face. It’s windy. Luckily, there is no snow. A blizzard is not at all what I would like to see and feel now. The hotel room is already booked, I took care of that yesterday. Now I just need to call a taxi and get there. Then I can get some sleep and decide what to do next. I have some money left, I’ll probably ask Peter to help, but I’m not sure about it yet.


    JOHN.


    An hour later, I’m back home. I’m relatively calm. A refreshing breeze and a cup of coffee from the nearest pastry shop around the corner brought me to my senses. No, I probably shouldn’t drink today. My life is too boring, it’s time to change something in it. When my grandmother invested in my education, she hardly thought that I would come to this. We had conflicts, but she believed in me. And my father and mother worked to provide for Christina and me. They almost never even took vacations. They expected us to grow up to be smart and successful people, but it seems that I failed. A screen behind which there is nothing.


    Another message from a stranger. I decide to ignore it, but something catches my attention.


    “Watch carefully what’s about to happen to this cutie.”


    What the hell? A video file. Should I open it? They probably want to piss me off again. Before opening it, I write:


    “Who are you and what do you want from me?”


    “Hello, my love. Have you seen the video yet? It’s so sweet, right? I could have done it with you, but Glenn and I decided it would be much more painful for you, if we choose this way. And Glenn was able to take revenge on your “sister” for turning him down. It’s a shame we couldn’t finish it. But you will be responsible for the rest of your lives for choosing each other. Goodbye... Now I will live happily with my girlfriend, and I don’t need you anymore.”


    Anxiety fills me. What is this? I think it’s Edinburgh Airport! Shit, did she come back and not tell me anything? Although, why should she? Who am I to her?


    The woman seems to be waiting for something. She keeps looking around. There are two suitcases next to her.


    “Wait a minute, that’s a dash cam recording,” I guess.


    Finally, she waves to someone and is about to cross the road. The car accelerates, and the woman gets closer. I’m starting to guess what’s going on.


    “Hey, hey, don’t go any further! Come back!” I don’t even notice that I’m expressing my emotions out loud.


    The distance between the girl and the car is rapidly decreasing. She turns her head and tries to move away, but the suitcases are making it difficult for her to maneuver. The car flies and crashes right into her. The suitcases fly in different directions, and she flies away and falls, just like in the movies. I jump up.


    “Oh, my God, my God!!!”


    I start to mechanically search for my jacket. I have to get there as fast as possible. But it seems that’s not the end of the video. She doesn’t get up. The car drives back and accelerates again, it seems they want to finish her off.


    “Nooo! Those bastards! My poor girl!”


    The car approaches again, but then people who ran to help stand in front of it. Luckily, the car brakes sharply, turns around and drives away. I am overwhelmed with emotion. I jump up, pull on my shoes, grab the phone, run downstairs and get behind the wheel.


    It seems I forgot to close the door, but what does it matter now? On the way, I dial Jack.


    “Good to hear from you, son,” the voice on the phone answers.


    “Father, father,” I almost screamed, “come here urgently.”


    “Inhale - exhale. Count to five…” I wish he wasn’t so positive right now.


    ”Leave it all! Christina was hit by a car at the airport. I’m on my way there. I’ll look for the hospital she was taken to.”


    “Seriously?! When did this happen?”


    “Probably very recently. Some crazy people sent me a video.”


    “Aela and I will be there as fast as we can. Have you called the police yet?”


    “No, but I know who did it, and we can always catch them. Now is not the time. We need to take care of our girl.”


    “Stay in touch, son... Why did this happen to us?” I hear before he disconnects.


    Really, why? There is no limit to the anger of people, and they will answer for this to us and her