Kaci saw a small beam of light up ahead, but the area that it was coming from quickly went dark after a few seconds. She pulled out her phone to check the message again and make sure that she was in the correct spot. Yep, this was it. The text had come in about two hours ago instructing her to go down this alley and knock on the door six times to be let in. Kaci pulled the collar of her jacket closer as a chill ran down her spine. Just then she saw the light again, but this time a figure peeked out from behind a door. When the person turned in her direction, she took off running down the alley in the direction she had come from.  

          Kaci didn’t stop to catch her breath until she was back out on the main street. She immediately pulled her phone out to request a Lyft. Her eyes darted around, taking in every detail about the area, for the full 13 minutes that it took for her ride to show up. She couldn’t shake the feeling of dread that had come over her while she was standing in the alley. As she settled into the car for the 45-minute ride back home, she thought back to how she had ended up there in the first place.

          A month earlier, Kaci started receiving text messages from someone who only identified themselves as “a friend.” Her “friend” said that they knew her husband, Glen, was hiding something from her and felt that it was their duty to point her in the right direction. After several mysterious texts, Kaci tried calling the number but only reached a voicemail that had not been set up. When she asked the friend direct questions like, “Who are you? How do you know my husband? Why are you doing this?” she received the same answer repeatedly, which was really no answer at all: “just a concerned friend.”

          Thinking back, Kaci wondered why she hadn’t gone straight to her husband with the texts. She told herself that she didn’t want to put any additional stress on him. He had started working extra shifts because they were saving for a down payment on a new house. Glen had insisted that she not take on any extra responsibilities, stating that she was doing her share and more by caring for their four-year-old son full-time and working from home part-time. Kaci knew that Glen had bitten off a bit more than he could chew just based on how tired he was after working late on Friday and Saturday nights, but she also knew how much he prided himself on providing for their family so she didn’t push the issue of getting another job.

          To be honest, she didn’t want to rock the boat. She loved the life they had built together, and she didn’t want to start hurling accusations at him based on some anonymous texts. She could only assume that the “friend” was implying that Glen was cheating on her, but in nine years of marriage Kaci had never doubted her husband’s fidelity. Years ago, right after they were engaged, Glen had gotten caught up in some drama at work after getting too close to one of his coworkers. He had come clean about all of it (flirtatious texts, late-night calls), and even though he hadn’t actually slept with the woman, Kaci had made herself clear that she wouldn’t stand for any of that behavior in their marriage. She was prepared to walk away and never see him again, and they both knew that she meant it. Since then, Glen had tunnel vision. His friends even joked with him about how he seemed oblivious to attractive women when they went out. He wanted a life with Kaci, and he had made it clear that he wouldn’t allow any outside distractions to disrupt that life.

          Even after the mysterious texts started coming in, Kaci didn’t notice any suspicious behavior on Glen’s part or any evidence that he was cheating. In fact, she had told the “friend” to stop texting her if they weren’t going to provide anything other than vague implications. She didn’t want or need any new friends, especially not shady ones with a hidden agenda. Kaci had ended up in that alley tonight for one reason. The text she received last night, an hour after Glen’s extra shift started, was a picture of him headed towards that same alley. And when she called him, it went straight to voicemail. Repeatedly. That had been enough for her to request an address from her new friend and arrange a sitter for the night.

          Kaci let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding as her surroundings started to look more familiar. All kinds of scenarios went through her head as she thought about that door in the alley. She had all but convinced herself that Glen had a gambling addiction and was meeting some dangerous mob boss by the time she reached her front door. She knew it didn’t make any sense, but then again none of this made any sense. She was going to have to go back to that alley next week, she told herself as she finally lay down for the night. She had to get some answers.

          The next week went by quickly. Too quickly for Kaci. Before she knew it, she was arranging for an overnight sitter again for Saturday night and her stomach was in knots. She spent time with Glen and their son as usual, but her mind was already back in that alley. After Glen left for work, Kaci dropped their son off at the sitter’s, then came back home to gather her thoughts. Eventually she convinced herself that she was getting worked up over nothing, and picked up her phone to request a Lyft. She quickly remembered how uneasy she felt while waiting to go home the last time though, and decided to drive instead.

          Almost an hour later, Kaci was circling the block near the alley looking for parking. She found something not too far away, and hopped out of the car rather quickly. The now-familiar chill that ran down her spine didn’t slow her down as she made her way down the dark alley. In less than a minute, she had made it to the door, knocked, and was waiting to be let in… 

Read the complete story in Scattered Thoughtz, Vol 1         

Written By: SM Grady

© 2018 SM Grady

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This story contains some specific elements as it was a response to a short story competition.