The officer said, “We are still looking for him. We recently inquired the people living in the next block, and they said they heard really loud noises from hallways.” 

“May I know your name, sir?” I asked the officer; his hair was dark red, and he was quite buff in figure. 

“You can call me Adam." 

The other officer who came out of the building said, “We will need some time to investigate, and we also need you to file a report about this guy who was after you.” 

There was one police car outside the building. I ask them, “I will report about it; would later in the day do, Sir?”

Adam shared a worrying look with his partner. The other says, “Alright, our station is on the east side of Haltin City.” 

Adam taps my shoulder and says, “Be careful; we will get going.”    

I stare at towards the whiteboard, doing my best to not fall asleep, my wonderful sleep plan was bombard due to the intruder. I have not seen Jonas since last afternoon; he called me later after my first class asking how was I doing. I told him I was fine. 

Mason lightly knocks my knee and says, “Why did you not skip today’s class? You can barely keep your eyes open.” 

I internally groan I wish I could skip, but I doubt that place’s safety, that intruder is still out there, his screams are still echoing in my mind. “I don’t feel so good about resting at my place at least for this while.” 

“Wanna crash at my place for a while, Chris?" He asks while pretending to take notes, when Mrs Macy glances at our direction. Mason’s assignment was still due, he got on her nerves in first two months of semester. 

“Ok, I will be at your place around 5pm. Need to file a report about last night.” 

“Alright, my dear friend but remember the roof over your head is not for free.” 

“Well, what you like to have for dinner?" I ask him. 

Mason eyes shifts from being gloomy to bright in an instant, “Oh I wou-” 

Mrs Macy was staring towards are direction, “Mr Groove, and Wilson focusing on this class would be quit beneficial for your mid semester exams.” 

I just nod my head, and Mason follows the suit, we were in wrong here talking in class, but her grading in our assignments is actually to be questioned.  The other students glance us, like they have never seen us before and then focus back towards the whiteboard.

After a visit to the police station; I look around my apartment cautiously and head towards my floor. Someone taps my head from behind and I move my head towards that person “Oh, I thought you were never going to come back again.” It was Jones, I was sure of it, I could tell that, given his green eyes were not odd looking. He was looking at me with unease. 

“You okay, dude?” 

“Yeah, I am fine.” “Thank God,  Sorry I should have returned on time instead of getting wasted.”

“No, it’s okay, it was not your fault.” I was stupid to not catch something was wrong early on, the last night intruder’s behaviour was unusual too.

I head towards my room and get some of my books. “So are you staying here for tonight Jon?” I ask him as I see him carrying a duffel bag him. 

“Nope, going to stay at Richard’s place for a couple of days.  What about you?” 

“I will stay at my friend’s place too for tonight.” I respond.

“You mean, the one from your summer camp?” 

“Yes, I got to go now, are you done?” 

“Yes, I will lock the main door, I hope you grabbed the spares.”

I show him my keys before leaving, he looked anxious, suely it has to do with what happened last night. I will think of my room’s door repair later.

The assignment was dreading but it was better to finish it, there were other things to dread over too.  Mason still had not returned from his shift. The house was in silence, but not for long his cousin was also joining for the dinner, well the more, the merrier. 

I glance around his room, his room was messy but I was no perfect room keeper myself so I don’t have my say here. The photos on wall were the one of those things which remained in place. There was a man and woman standing in garden, in between them was a young black boy who got his ash brown hair colour from his father and hazel eyes from his mother. Below it was picture of Mason and his cousin, Alex. It was form high school time, I guess. Next to it was picture of him, Alex and me in our summer camp uniform, we were standing near a lake, it was of time when we were in our first year of high school. I was sent to that camp, just when summer vacation started; back I thought it would be just me. To this day I am not sure how I ended up befriend them during that summer camp. He was quite straightforward and Alex was and still is confident in herself. Back then I thought us being friends only meant till summer camp activities but we still maintained contact. He sometimes called, the other times we both kept sending letters to each other. I know it sounds like 19^th century. But he loves taking pictures and he prefers having his people to have the hard copies. I am not that great with photos but would occasionally send some to him. Alex tease us, says we literally got a whole stack of pictures of sunsets, plants, animals, and sometimes glimpses from urban and remote urban places, which further increased till we both ended up in same college. Mason says we got lots of stories to tell our grandchildren, something along the lines of each photo has a story behind it.  

They were going to come back in some time; I still have not decided about what to make in dinner.  My phone chimed, it was message from Lyla.

Lyla: Hi, it’s me Lyla. How are you?

Me: Hey, I am good. What about?

Lyla: You are weird, you just got in some danger recently and you are worried about me?

Me: Well, you were out there late at night babysitting my drunk roommate and your friend.

Lyla: Yes I am great, it’s not my first time with those two especially. :-|

Me: Well, you are really great, other than that you were also getting help for me. Thank you, really Thank you. If it were not for you I don’t know what could have happened.

Lyla: It was the least I could at that time. Anyways, are still staying at your place?

Me: No, not for today. I am at my friend’s place.

Lyla: Oh, well that’s nice, Jones said he would be at Richard’s house.

Me: Yeah, he mentioned that.

Lyla: I’ve got to go know. I will talk to you later. Bye :-)

Me: Ok, Bye. Take care.

I look towards my papers, well better get it done.  I can think of dinner later.

The doorbell rings, I look through peephole. There is a hazel eye looking inside. I smile to myself. It was Alex. I open the door, I am greeted with a quick hug, “Long time no see, Alex how are you doing?” 

She tucks her curly hair behind her ear, but it seems like that the hair was not listening to her, it gets back in the same position it was before. She was wearing a vest top with jeans and was wearing a backpack. “I am fine, what about you Chris?” 

“Doing great, just trying to keep up with college and some online work.” 

Her brows furrowed with concern, well it seems Mason told her the story. “I am alright okay, now come inside.”

“You are still continuing your typing job?” she asks. 

“Yes, but I will take a break from it mid semester exams are lurking in the corner now.” 

“Well, don’t we all have that one thing to deal with us ever since we started walking on two legs, who was that guy who invented exams?” 

I lightly smile, “I don’t remember, well anyway what would you like to have for dinner?” 

“Mason says it’s beef today with some good wine, it sounds tempting, but he is getting the ingredients, does not trust me with it.” She huffs. 

“He mentioned he will back in half an hour.” 

She raises her eyebrows, “He’d better stick with those words, I will freshen up.”

I was about to head to the kitchen when main door swing open. Well speak of the devil, “Hello my dear friend and grumpy Cuz. It is nice to have all of us together in a long time.” Mason was standing at front door like he was on cloud nine. 

Alex and I exchange look at each other before laughing for apparently no reason, but it was really nice to have us all together back. 

“Hey, stop laughing, and you chef, get working, I will help you with it. Alex is banned from using the kitchen.” 

Alex whines, “Oh come on, don’t do that it was just one time, it won’t happen again.” 

Mason raises his finger, pointing towards the roof, “The orders have come from above, you shall not go against them.” 

I raise my brows with confusion, “Who told her that? And why?” Mason grins like a Cheshire cat, “Well, it’s a story we can discuss at dinner table, now get working.” Alex groans from her room and shouts, telling him to keep his mouth shut. I began preparing with beef, while Mason takes care of the vegetables.

“How was your work?” I ask Mason while making sauce paste of tomato, soy and anchovies. 

“It was neutral, just some annoying customers, complaining about getting wrong drinks, even though they clearly ordered that same drink. Luckily, one of them admitted their mistake and was able to calm their group down before it turned into a screaming match. The word ‘manager’ was not used once by them due to that guy.” 

“Well, it seems like everything was under control.” 

“Yup, I was already planning to kick them out, it was disturbing other customers too.” He says while leaning against the counter. 

“How far have you reached with Mrs Macy’s assignment?” 

He cusses something inaudible under his breath, well I had my answer. “Oh come on, don’t say her name, I don’t understand which life’s sin she is avenging from me.” 

“I can help you with homework, if you would like.” 

“Yes, that would help, thank you, if we were not cooking now, I would have squished you in a hug, Chris.” 

“Ahh.., well let’s get this cooking done, or we might need Alex’s help.” 

He looks towards me with firm eyes and said, “Nope, not gonna happen.” Then we both shift our focus to cooking.

“It’s delicious, Chris” Alex says. 

“Oh my goodness, it’s got a really nice texture, I will get some more.” Mason says while pouring some wine to all of us. 

“Well, Mason you helped me with that and got the right beef too.” I say while eating, not sure how to frame the words properly. 

“Yeah no doubt about the beef, but you got the flavours right, mom and dad are really missing this out.” Mason interrupts. 

“When are they coming back, though?” I asked him. 

“They said they were not sure, but they won’t be back home this month.” 

Alex sighs, “Well, that’s quite unfortunate. But be careful, both of you there lots of people going missing these past months in Haltin.”