Read See Tom Run for Free Online Page B

weird. I started
freaking out. I ran outside and saw that nobody’s lights were on
anywhere. I started running up to people’s doors and pounding on
them, hoping that someone would answer … It never
happened!”
    Tears came to her eyes. Tom went over and kneeled
beside her, resting a hand on her arm to comfort her. She was
clearly overwrought. He could understand why.
    “It’s okay—you’re not alone anymore,” he said
softly.
    She smiled faintly, breathed a sigh and
continued.
    “I didn’t know what to do. I wanted to just start
running somewhere—anywhere—and find somebody to talk too! But the
storm was getting worse and worse, and I realized that it probably
wouldn’t do any good. So I just went back to my apartment and
decided to wait it out.
    “I lit every candle I had in the house. All of the
time, I kept telling myself that the power would surely come back
on, or the phone would ring, or something—
    “I had some pot so I decided to smoke a joint—you
know, to calm down my nerves. I smoked one and had a beer,
basically hoping that I could get messed up enough to simply pass
out. Nothing was really working so I smoked one more joint and had
another beer. I finally fell asleep on the sofa.
    “The next thing I knew, I heard a horn honking
outside. My apartment is on the second floor and faces the street.
The horn just kept honking and honking. I got up and went over to
the window to look out. I knew right away who it was. It was Kyle!
He had driven all the way here to find me. Somehow he had found out
where I lived but apparently wasn’t sure which apartment I was in.
Like I’m sure I was going to just run out there to his car and
start chatting!”
    Erin’s wry smile turned into a frown. She suddenly
looked distraught.
    “I couldn’t believe it! Kyle had managed to find out
that I’d moved to Columbus and I am sure wanted to make me pay for
leaving him. He is, so—”
    Tom wanted to ask something but Erin continued.
    “I saw him glance up at me in the window. He got out
of his car and ran toward the building. I totally freaked out! I
ran out my door and up to the third floor, hoping that I’d get a
chance to escape.
    “I heard him shout out my name as he ran up the
stairs and went into my apartment. ‘Where are you, bitch?’ he was
screaming. I knew I only had a few seconds before he realized I
wasn’t in there, so I crept back down the stairs and past my door
as quietly as I could. When I reached the first floor, I ran out,
got into my car and sped off just as he was running out from the
building. I saw him get into his car in my rearview mirror as I
drove onto High Street and down a side street, hoping to lose him.
I eventually got onto Route 315 and headed south until I ran out of
gas near the North Broadway exit. That’s when I ran on foot to
Riverside Hospital and stole your Jeep.”
    Tom was taken aback by her story. He wanted to know
more about Kyle and why he was pursuing her so ferociously.
    “Why was this Kyle fellow chasing you down? You said
something about leaving him—is he an old boyfriend?”
    Erin’s expression changed dramatically. She paused
for a moment and replied, “It’s a long story, and I’m way too tired
to get into it right now. Let’s just leave it at that, okay?”
    Tom decided not to push her. It was more than obvious
that Erin didn’t want to divulge much more than she already had
about this particular topic.
    “Okay. I certainly don’t want to be prying into your
personal life, Erin. I guess what is eating at me is why this Kyle
acquaintance of yours is apparently the only other person left in
this town besides you and myself. Is there a reason, or is it just
coincidence?”
    Erin shook her head. “I don’t know. All I can say is
that Kyle is the last person on earth I ever wanted to see and this
is just my luck! I’m sure glad you’re here, though. I’m more
grateful to you than you can even imagine.”
    “I feel the same way about you,