Soulmate

      Katrina paused as she stood on the corner of Tyson and 56^th Street. Her eyes caught the figure of someone who was familiar, but she couldn’t figure out why. She thought back to the days before when she was commuting to work. Her usual seat behind the bus driver was always occupied, and by that same guy… Or maybe it was just her paranoia. Or maybe not. Katrina hesitated outside her apartment, watching the figure of the male as he crossed the street. He was taking long strides directly towards her. As he came closer, Katrina could see his features much more clearly. He wore the same thing, a navy hoodie with a plaid blazer, distressed black jeans, and some trendy sneakers. He actually looked quite handsome and had a posh feel to him, which befuddled Katrina as to why he was in a neighborhood like hers. Tyson avenue was a known street for illicit activity. Prostitutes stood under streetlights; gangs convened in dark alleys. The occasional luxury car would drive by and sit on the corner, obviously waiting for a drug deal. It was a sketchy area, but it was one Katrina had called home for 15 years. She knew all the typical characters who would be in the area, what people in her area dressed like, how they spoke… Which was why this man stood out like a sore thumb.

           He was in front of Katrina now, his pace slowing. Katrina stood still, her body developing instant rigor mortis. The man never took his gaze from her as he walked by. He was much more handsome up close. His tanned skin was accented by strong facial features and dark hair and eyes. A black hoop stood out on his pale pink lips. Katrina breathed a sigh of relief as he continued by her. Still, that feeling of paranoia prodded at her chest. She turned her head slightly, finding the area behind her empty. That was also quite strange… 56^th street was known for its long blocks and large apartment complexes. How did he disappear so quickly? Katrina didn’t bother thinking too much on the subject and quickly took out her keys. She jammed the key into the lock and hurried inside.

           11:00 AM. Katrina’s hand trembled as she snatched her curtains closed. He was there again, this time right outside of her apartment. Katrina’s window was on the inside of the complex and she had a great view of the pool and grill area, or rather what was left of it. Right in the desolate space of abandoned pool chairs and rusted barbeque grills stood the strange man, dressed in the same clothes as yesterday. Katrina debated calling the police, but what would she tell them? That a man who she doesn’t know is following her? Nowadays, the police don’t take such reports seriously, and she would be placed on the backburner. Against her better judgment, Katrina opened her curtain and lifted the window. She tipped her head out, her blonde locks spilling onto the windowsill.

           “Who are you?” she asked in a shaky voice. The male stood there; his dark eyes stared into Katrina’s blue ones. There was a painstakingly long silence before he finally spoke.

           “I’m your soulmate,” he said in a deep, gravelly voice.

           Is he serious? Katrina thought as she clenched the ledge of her window. He was definitely strange… No, this was beyond strange. “I’m going to call the police if you keep following me,” Katrina said with more confidence than she felt. “I mean it,” she said as she moved her hand to grab her receiver.

           “I wouldn’t do that,” he warned.

           “Why?” Katrina demanded, the receiver now to her ear. The male moved forward, his tall frame moving quickly toward the fire escape beside Katrina’s window. He jumped to the ladder, which hung almost six feet from the ground. Within seconds, he was already at the top of the fire escape, right beside Katrina’s window.

           “Because I could kill you any second.” The male grinned, flashing two rows of pearl-white teeth. His teeth were so perfect, they almost looked false. “Let me in.”

           Without another word, Katrina slammed the window shut. She dialed the police, the receiver droning the dial tone in her ear. Her feet continued to shuffle back from the window as she waited for the operator. It felt like she was waiting years for a response.

           “911, what’s your emergency?”

           “Oh, thank God!” Katrina breathed a sigh of relief. “Please send someone, there’s a guy on my fire escape! He… He’s been following me for days, and-”

           “What’s your address?” the operator droned.

           “847 Tyson avenue, apartment 41.” Katrina began moving around her apartment, putting together an overnight bag. “Please hurry, I think he might break in my place.”

           “Don’t worry, ma’am. We have an officer 10 minutes away. He’ll be there shortly,” the operator said. Her tone was flat and unconcerned.

           “C-can you ask what their ETA is?” Katrina asked as she sat down on her bed.

           “Shouldn’t be long. I have to let you go, ma’am. I have many other calls to connect.” Before Katrina could protest, the operator terminated the call. Not a moment after the call was ended, a knock was heard at her door.

           Could that be the officer? Katrina thought as she moved to her front door. She hesitated a moment, wondering if it could be the stalker. She moved to grab a knife from her kitchen, placing it in the waistband of her jeans. “Who is it?” she yelled, regretting her decision to install a peephole-less door.

           “Police. We were called for a possible home invasion?”

           “Oh yes, yes!” Katrina quickly moved to the door and opened it. She looked at the officer before her. He looked trustworthy, with warm brown eyes and smile lines. “Thanks so much for coming, officer, I-”

           Before Katrina could finish her sentence, the officer’s eyes appeared to shut off like a lightbulb. His large frame slumped, then fell to the floor. In the back of his neck was a small blade, the hilt only visible. Katrina couldn’t find her voice to scream or move for that matter. A shadow cascaded over the floor in the hall. The sound of dull, slow footsteps echoed down the corridor. All of Katrina’s senses went into overdrive. She quickly moved further in her apartment, stumbling into her bedroom. She slammed the door closed and locked it. Before she could find a place to hide, the bedroom door was forced open. Splinters from the doorframe fell onto the floor as the man from her balcony strode into her space. His face still held the same grim expression.

           “Don’t make this harder than it needs to be!” He shouted as he approached her. Katrina found it hard to move under his presence, his dark eyes held her in place. “You don’t belong here. You need to come home,” he said, stopping a foot before Katrina.

           “What are you talking about?” Katrina asked, her voice weak. “I don’t even know who you are, or why you’re following me!” Katrina tried to move, but rigor mortis returning to her limbs.

           “You don’t belong here. I don’t know why you’re wearing this… façade and living in this trashy neighborhood.” The male moved closer to Katrina; his hand clasped around her wrist. His grip was gentle as he turned her wrist over, palm up. “This is proof that you don’t belong,” he muttered before placing his palm gingerly on top of hers. Katrina felt a tingling sensation, then a soft glow of white light spilled from the space of their joined hands. Katrina’s eyes widened; she felt the tingling throughout her entire body.

           “What are you doing to me?” she demanded and tried to move her hand back. Her palm wouldn’t move from his. Knowledge, memories, secrets, whether they were his or hers, she knew them all. The man before her really was her soulmate…