“Hey, are you okay?” Emily asked, her voice pulling me back to the present. She reached out, touching my arm, her fingers soft but hesitant. “You look… like you’ve seen a ghost.”

I blinked, forcing a smile. “Yeah, just a little distracted, I guess. How did the test go?”

She shrugged, her eyes darting to the hallway behind me as if she were checking to see if anyone was watching. “Same as usual. They said they’ll call me if anything’s wrong, but… it’s probably nothing.”

I nodded, but something in her tone, her posture, told me otherwise. Emily was never the type to act like this over a simple medical test. Her back pain and dizziness—those were legitimate complaints, but they didn’t seem like they warranted the tension I was feeling in my chest.

“Are you sure everything’s okay?” I asked, my voice quieter than usual. “You seem… off.”

She smiled again, but it was forced, a practiced smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “I’m fine, really. Just tired, I guess.” She looked at the door where the doctor had disappeared earlier. “Let’s get out of here, yeah? I just want to go home and rest.”

I nodded, trying to hide my concern. I could feel the weight of the doctor’s warning heavy on my shoulders. He had told me to act normal, but how could I? Something was wrong—deeply wrong—and I wasn’t sure how much longer I could pretend everything was fine.

I led Emily toward the side exit as the doctor had instructed, my mind racing. Every step felt like it was carrying me toward some unknowable truth, something I wasn’t prepared for. As we passed the waiting room, I saw the faces of the other patients—none of them seemed to notice the turmoil that was clawing at me. How could I explain this to Emily? How could I tell her that I had to call the police without knowing what the hell was going on?

We reached the side exit, and the cool air outside felt like a slap to my face. It was refreshing but harsh, the chill sinking into my bones. The parking garage was nearly empty, the sound of our footsteps echoing as we walked toward my car. Emily seemed distracted, glancing over her shoulder every few seconds, as if expecting someone to appear. But there was no one.

I couldn’t wait any longer.

“Emily,” I said, stopping in front of the car. “I need to tell you something.”

She looked up at me, concern in her eyes. “What’s going on? You’re starting to freak me out.”

“I—I don’t know how to say this.” My throat felt dry, tight. “The doctor… he said something to me. He told me I need to call the police.”

Her face paled, and for a moment, she just stared at me, silent. “What? Why?”

I swallowed hard, trying to piece together the fragments of what little the doctor had said. “He said it’s not just about your health. It’s about something criminal. He said someone might be watching you. That you’re in danger.”

Emily took a step back, her eyes widening with fear. “What? Who? What are you talking about?”

“I don’t know, Emily.” I reached for her hand, trying to steady my shaking fingers. “But the doctor was serious. He said if we didn’t act… we could both be in danger.”

She pulled her hand away, her face turning pale. “This is insane. Are you telling me the doctor thinks there’s something going on? That someone’s watching me?”

I nodded, my heart pounding. “He said I shouldn’t ask too many questions. He just told me to call the police and get us out of here.”

“Call the police?” Emily’s voice rose, a mixture of panic and disbelief. “For what? What do they even think is going on?”

“I don’t know. I don’t have all the answers,” I admitted, my frustration mounting. “But the way he said it… it was like he knew something I didn’t. Something about you. And I—” I stopped, my voice faltering. “I need to protect you.”

“Protect me from what?” she demanded, her voice trembling now.

I felt my stomach drop. I didn’t want to tell her everything. I didn’t want to drag her into this. But I had no choice.

“Emily, I don’t know who it is. But the doctor—he looked at me like he was scared. Like someone’s watching us. Watching you.”

Her breath hitched, and she took a step back, her eyes scanning the empty parking garage. She looked around like she was afraid someone might jump out from behind the cars.

“I—” she began, but her words were cut off by the sound of a car engine revving in the distance. I turned, instinctively looking toward the source of the noise. The headlights of a dark sedan came into view, moving slowly down the parking lot.

“Is that…?” Emily’s voice trailed off as the car came closer.

I could feel the hair on the back of my neck stand up. “Stay here,” I whispered, stepping between her and the approaching vehicle. My hand instinctively reached for my phone, ready to call the police if needed.

But the car didn’t stop. It passed by us, its tires squealing slightly as it turned the corner and disappeared. My heart pounded in my chest as I looked back at Emily.

“That was too close,” she murmured, her voice shaky. “What’s going on, really? Why is all this happening?”

I didn’t have the answer. But I had to protect her, even if it meant doing things I didn’t understand.

“Get in the car, Emily,” I said, my voice low and steady. “We need to leave. Now.”

She didn’t question me this time. She nodded, her face pale, and climbed into the passenger seat. I slammed the door shut, my fingers trembling as I started the engine.

As I pulled out of the parking lot, my eyes scanned the rearview mirror. I couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was still watching us. The doctor’s words, Emily’s anxiety, the feeling that had settled like a cold weight in my chest—it was all too much.

We had no idea what we were really running from, but we were already in too deep.

I gripped the wheel tightly, the road ahead uncertain, but one thing was clear: this was only the beginning.