The 2 AM Takeout That Cost My Sister Her Life

Two in the morning, and my sister asked me to go downstairs to get her takeout.
Zoey, youre the best!
My cramps are killing me. Can you just get it for me this once? Please?
I was about to say no, but the color was drained from her face, and she didn't look like she was faking it. I sighed and nodded.
But the moment I stepped out the door, a stream of comments flashed before my eyes!
OMG, ZOEY, DON'T DO IT!!!
The delivery guy is her ex-boyfriend, Mark, in disguise! The second you go down there, he's going to stab you to death!
Your sister knows everything. She's using you as a shield, just trying to buy herself some time!
I froze. I turned to go back inside, but the door was already locked from the inside!
Just then, the elevator down the hall whirred to life, its soft hum signaling its ascent.
The comments exploded in a frenzy: RUN, ZOEY, RUN! THE KILLER IS COMING!!!

1
My heart skipped a beat. Without a second thought, I bolted for the fire stairwell at the end of the hall.
The heavy door slammed shut behind me, and in the same instant, I heard the ding of the elevator arriving.
In the dead silence of the hallway, a man's heavy footsteps echoed.
I huddled behind the stairwell door, my body drenched in a cold sweat.
I remembered how my sister, Ava, had been clinging to my arm just moments before, whining for me to get her food.
Please, big sis? Just this one time? Ill treat you to dinner later!
Even then, Id felt something was off. Her eyes kept darting away, unable to meet mine.
So she knew. She knew her psycho ex-boyfriend, Mark, was coming for her.
I clenched my jaw, pressing my ear against the cold steel of the door.
But it was strangely quiet now. The hallway had gone completely silent.
The silence, however, was more terrifying than the footsteps. I had no idea what was waiting for me on the other side.
I looked up, and the comments were still scrolling frantically across my vision.
This is terrifying. Mark is right out there in the hall, listening at every door. Hes not making a sound on purpose. Hes hunting.
I can't even imagine what would've happened if Zoey hadn't run in time.
This is just like last time. Zoey didn't know about Mark, and he stabbed her to death right outside her own door. And her sister, Ava, just listened to her scream for help and never, ever opened the door.
Her and Mark are both murderers!
Damn right! And after everything Zoeys done for her. Zoey, you can't let her get away with this!
Seriously, I'm so pissed. When you get out of this, you have to cut her off. A backstabbing bitch like that doesn't deserve to be your sister!
I bit my lip so hard I could taste blood, my eyes burning with rage.
Growing up, Ava had always been the sweet talker, the master of getting me to take the fall for her.
When we were eight, she was playing with matches and set the house on fire. When I rushed in to try and put it out, she shoved me right into the flames. I was almost burned alive. Afterwards, she told Mom and Dad it was my fault. To this day, any time I make a mistake, they bring that up.
When she was sixteen, she ran away from home because our parents wouldn't let her date some older guy. She begged me to go with her because she was scared. A month later, she snuck back home without me and tearfully told our parents that I was the one who forced her to run away. They made my life a living hell for a month.
But I always thought it was just petty, stupid stuff. I never imagined she would actually try to get me killed.
She didn't want to get a job after college, so she moved in with me, mooching off me while I cooked for her, took care of her, supported her.
And this is what I get in return? My open heart for a knife in the back.
My hands curled into tight fists.
The hallway was still silent. Hiding in the stairwell, I quietly pulled out my phone and called Ava.
The comments flickered in confusion.
What is she doing? Is she really calling her sister to warn her?
Zoey, Ava is the reason you're in this mess! Forget about her!
You're too nice! That's why she got you killed all those other times!
No, don't do it! Just let Ava die. People like her just make the world a worse place anyway!
The light from my phone screen illuminated the small, dusty space around me.
Ava picked up, her silence on the other end heavy with guilt.
My voice was flat, devoid of emotion. "Your food's here. Open the door."
I could hear Avas ragged, panicked breathing. "Zoey, I'm sorry, I was wrong! I didn't actually order any food!"
"Mark said he wouldn't let me go. I thought I thought you could help me. He wouldn't hurt you, right? Can you just talk to him for me? Please?"
"Mom and Dad always said you have to take care of me because you're the big sister! You can't just leave me to die!"

2
I bit down hard, my teeth grinding together. Before I could say a word, she hung up, probably terrified of what I was about to scream at her.
So Ava knew everything. She was deliberately sending me to my death.
The comments were even more furious than I was.
Is Ava even human? How can she say that with a straight face?
The audacity. He's an unstable maniac with a knife, and she tricked Zoey into facing him alone. That's not just messed up, that's attempted murder!
Shes a monster. Zoey, if you make it out of this alive, you have to disown her. For good.
I took a deep, shuddering breath, forcing myself to calm down. Panicking wouldn't help. The only way to survive was to get out of the building as fast as possible. If I stayed here, Mark would find me eventually.
Steeling myself, I started to creep silently down the stairs.
But just as I took the first step, the stairwell light flickered on without warning, blinding me.
My first thought was: I'm screwed.
The light from the stairwell would bleed through the door's window, creating a bright rectangle in the otherwise pitch-black hallway. It was like painting a target on my back.
A second later, I heard it. The sound of footsteps in the hall, slow and deliberate, like death itself approaching.
I didn't think twice. I flew down the stairs, taking them two, three at a time.
Behind me, the stairwell door slammed shut.
Mark was coming after me.
While running, I managed to dial my mom, my voice trembling.
"Mom, you have to come help me! Ava Ava is trying to get me killed!"
My mom's voice was sharp with annoyance. "Don't you start with that attitude, Zoey. I ask you to do one simple thingwatch out for your sisterand this is how you behave?"
"Ava has always been a good girl. You're the one whos always causing trouble. How dare you say something like that about her? Stop calling me in the middle of the night with this nonsense!"
She hung up. I tried calling back, but it went straight to voicemail.
A wave of despair washed over me. It was always like this. If Ava said it, it was gospel. My words meant nothing. They still meant nothing.
Our apartment was on the eighth floor. The ceilings were high, making the stairs long and steep. But I couldn't stop, I just ran, my lungs burning, the metallic taste of blood filling my throat. I stumbled several times, nearly tumbling head over heels.
The sound of his footsteps was a death knell behind me. I couldn't stop. I wouldn't stop.
Only when I reached the ground floor did I dare to glance at the comments again.
My heart plummeted.
ZOEY, DON'T GO DOWN!!!
Mark padlocked the main entrance when he came in! You can't get out that way!
I skidded to a halt, my legs turning to jelly. The sound from the stairwell behind me was a terrifying promise. A dead end. I was trapped.
The footsteps grew closer, closer. In my mind's eye, I could already see the cold glint of the knife in his hand.
In a panic, I burst out of the stairwell and into the lobby. The main door was just as the comments had saida heavy padlock gleamed on the handles. No way out.
My eyes darted to the elevator. It was a long shot. I sprinted inside, frantically mashing the buttons for every floor.
But I knew I couldn't actually take the elevator. Mark was right behind me. He'd catch me before the doors could even close. It would be a steel coffin.
Just as the doors began to slide shut, I slipped back out and dove headfirst into one of the large trash bins in the lobby.
The comments seemed to hold their breath with me, the stream of text freezing for a moment.
A minute later, Mark emerged from the stairwell.
Through a crack in the lid, I saw him standing in front of the elevator, his head tilted back, his eyes fixed on the floor numbers lighting up above the door.
He was watching it, trying to figure out which floor Id gone to.
My heart hammered against my ribs, but a wave of relief washed over me. Thank god I hadn't taken the elevator.
It looked like hed bought it. He thought I'd gone back up.
This building had another exit. The elevator went down to the underground parking garage. If I could just get back to it, I could escape.
But just as Mark seemed ready to head back up the stairs, my phonemy goddamn phonestarted ringing at full volume.

3
My heart leaped into my throat. The cold sweat returned, soaking through my clothes.
Who the hell was calling me in the middle of the night?
Mark stopped dead in his tracks. His cold, dark eyes scanned the lobby, zeroing in on my location.
A wave of nausea washed over me, and I almost gagged from fear. I clamped my hand over my mouth, my terrified eyes watching as he turned and walked directly toward me.
He stopped about six feet away and bent down, picking up my shrieking phone from the floor. I must have dropped it when I jumped into the bin.
I watched in horror as Mark answered the call and put it on speaker.
Ava's annoyed voice filled the silent lobby.
Zoey, why are you calling Mom and Dad? I just asked you for one little favor!
I swear, youre doing this on purpose. Youre what, twenty-five? And youre still tattling to our parents? What is wrong with you?
If Ava were standing in front of me right now, I would have ripped that lying mouth right off her face. How could she? She was the reason I was trapped here, hunted like an animal.
The comments had come back to life, and they were a torrent of fury.
THAT BITCH AVA DID IT ON PURPOSE!
She was afraid Mark wouldn't be able to find Zoey, so she called to give away her position!
How can a person be this evil?
I forced myself to stay calm, to stay silent, pressing my hand harder against my mouth.
Mark stood there, holding the phone, a cruel smile playing on his lips as he toyed with the knife in his other hand. The sight sent a chill down my spine.
Ava's voice continued, oblivious. Oh, by the way, remember you can take the elevator down to the parking garage to escape. Mark would never think of that!
The comments were practically screaming.
WELL, HE KNOWS NOW, YOU FUCKING IDIOT!
I hope you die in Zoey's place! I'm so angry I could spit!
And to think, last time, after Zoey died, that bitch got away with it. Her parents hired the best lawyers and she walked free. It makes me sick.
Hearing that, Mark let out a low, guttural laugh. Oh really? You think she can still run?
There was a moment of silence on the other end, followed by a piercing shriek.
Mark! If you want someone, go after Zoey! Dont come after me!
Were broken up!
Ava hung up. Mark pocketed my phone, then slowly walked over to the electrical panel on the wall and yanked it open.
I knew instantly what he was going to do. A second later, he took his knife and sliced through the main wires, plunging the entire building into absolute darkness.
The only light came from the eerie green glow of the emergency exit signs.
An icy dread crept through my veins. He had truly cut off every single escape route. The elevator wouldn't work. I couldn't get out of the building.
I was completely and utterly trapped.
Fear made the world spin, dark spots dancing in my vision. I dug my nails into the soft flesh of my thigh, the sharp pain the only thing keeping me conscious. If I made a sound now, Mark would find me in the dark.
And then he would kill me.
The lobby was a black void. I could barely see my hand in front of my face. The faint moonlight filtering through the glass of the main door was just enough to silhouette Mark's hulking frame.
He took a few steps toward me, his presence a suffocating weight in the darkness.
His voice was a rasp, laced with chilling malice, and it sounded like he was whispering right in my ear. I know youre in here.

4
For a second, my legs gave out, and I nearly collapsed inside the bin.
He knows. He knows Im in the trash can.
What do I do? If he finds me now, Im dead. Its over.
My eyes were locked on the shadowy figure in front of me. He slowly raised his arm, his hand reaching for the lid of my hiding spot.
My heart was a frantic drum against my ribs, threatening to burst from my chest. Cold sweat poured down my back.
I held my breath, praying with every fiber of my being.
Dont open it. Please, God, dont open it.
Just then, a mans voice echoed from the fire stairwell, laced with curses.
For fucks sake, a power outage?
My AC just died! Im roasting in here!
It was another resident!
A surge of hope shot through me. If that man came down here, I could scream, I could point Mark out. I would be safe.
Mark heard it too. He retracted his hand and moved to stand by the stairwell door, knife raised. He was waiting. If that man came down, Mark would lunge.
My heart sank. What if Mark killed him? An innocent man, dead because of me.
If I screamed now, the man would live, but I would die for sure.
But how could I just sit here and let someone walk into a slaughter?
Thankfully, the man seemed to just be venting his frustration. After a few more muttered curses, the stairwell fell silent again. He must have gone back to his apartment.
The comments let out a collective sigh of relief with me.
That was too close. I really thought that guy was about to get shanked.
But what about Zoey? Its so dangerous for her out there alone, and now shes completely trapped.
Just then, Mark moved.
But this time, he didn't come for me. He pushed open the stairwell door and headed back up.
As the heavy door slammed shut, the tension in my body finally broke. I gasped for air, my lungs aching.
The comments relaxed too.
Thank god. He must think Zoey went upstairs after all.
I really hope she makes it this time. Last time, after she died, her own mother left her body at the morgue and didn't even claim it. Instead, she spent a fortune on lawyers to get that monster Ava off the hook.
Its so tragic. Nobody in that family gives a damn about Zoey. Youre better off alone, Zoey!
Reading those words, a cold fury settled deep in my bones. I clenched my fists.
Whatever happened before, it didnt matter. This time, I was going to live.
Gritting my teeth, I pushed open the lid, climbed out of the trash bin, and followed Mark back into the stairwell.
The comments erupted in shock.
Whoa, Zoeys got balls! What is she doing following him?
This is a bad idea! What if he turns around? She was safe downstairs!
Oh god, its so dark in there. This is terrifying.
I ignored the stream of text, focusing all my energy on listening, my breath held tight in my chest.
Soon, I heard his footsteps echoing from above. Mark was going up.
I crept silently to the second-floor landing. Just as I suspected, he had jammed something in the door handle, locking it from the stairwell side.
He was clearing the building floor by floor. Since I was trapped, it was only a matter of time before he found me.

5
Mark was on the third floor now. I crouched on the second-floor landing, silently counting the seconds.
Exactly one minute. It took him one minute to search an entire floor.
Even if I tried to get help from a neighbor, hed catch me the second I started knocking. Besides, this was a new building; half the apartments were still empty.
I only had minutes.
As he moved up to the fourth floor, I saw my chance and scrambled up the stairs, moving as fast and as silently as I could. I didn't dare make a sound until I was back on the eighth floor.
I crept to my apartment door and knocked softly.
Silence. No response.
I pressed my face close to the door, my voice a low, urgent whisper. Ava, I know youre there. Open the door. Let me in.
A moment later, Avas trembling voice came from the other side. Im sorry, Zoey. I cant. Im too scared.
I fought back a wave of rage, speaking slowly and clearly. Do you really think youll survive after he kills me?
The whole building is locked down. After hes done with me, hell just wait right here for you to come out. Unless you plan on staying in there for the rest of your life, youre next.
If you let me in now, we can figure this out together.
Silence. My heart hammered against my ribs. It had taken me two minutes to get back up here. My time was running out. If she kept stalling, Mark would find me trapped in the hallway.
This was my only chance. It was a gamble, but I had to take it.
The seconds ticked by. Still no response from Ava. I kept my eyes glued on the stairwell door, mentally counting down, urging her on.
Have you made up your mind?
This building is thirty percent occupied. If I die, there will be no one left to help you.
The next second, the stairwell door flew open.
Mark stood there. He saw me, and a slow, cruel smile spread across his face. There you are.
My breath caught in my throat. I watched in horror as he advanced on me, his smile widening with every step.
At that exact moment, the apartment door was yanked open. I scrambled inside and collapsed on the floor, gasping for air.
Ava slammed the door shut behind me, her hands shaking as she fumbled with the locks.
Only when the deadbolt clicked into place did she lean against the door, breathing heavily. Zoey Im Im so sorry.
I didnt mean for this to happen. I was just I was so scared.
I pushed myself up from the floor and stared at her, my jaw clenched so tight it ached.
Why did you lock me out? You knew Mark was coming for you, didn't you?
Avas eyes immediately filled with tears, her face a mask of pitiful innocence.
Zoey, I swear I didn't mean to. I didn't know. I just wanted you to talk to him for me.
I never thought hed have a knife
I took a deep breath, trying to smother the fire in my chest. Then why didnt you call the police? Why didn't you tell Mom and Dad?
A flicker of guilt crossed her face. If Mom and Dad found out I was dating Mark, theyd kill me.
Besides, youre fine now, right? So just dont tell them. Please.
I shot her a look of pure hatred.
Just when I thought we were finally safe, I heard a faint clicking sound from the lock. The sound of a key sliding into the mechanism.
Avas eyes widened in terror, her pupils shrinking to pinpricks.
He he has a key!
Listening to the keys jangling outside, trying one after another, I understood. He must have gotten a master key from the building management.
I forced my voice to stay level. Help me push the sofa in front of the door! Then call 911!
Ava just stood there, paralyzed, staring at me blankly. My my phone is dead. Im too scared. I cant move.
In that moment, I honestly wanted to open the door and let Mark have her.
I let out a cold, humorless laugh. Then I guess you can just wait here to die.
That seemed to snap her out of it. She scrambled to her feet and helped me shove the heavy sofa against the door.
Once it was done, she looked at me wildly. Zoey, what do we do now?
I kept my eyes on the door. There are over eighty apartments in this building. Even with a master key, itll take him a while to find the right one. We have to use that time to get out.
My eyes darted to the window. The window. Theres a maintenance pipe running down the side of the building. We can climb down.
Without waiting for a reply, I started tearing sheets and clothes into strips, knotting them together to make a makeshift rope.
But just as I was finishing, Ava shoved me hard. I was already exhausted, and the push sent me sprawling to the floor.
I looked up at her, my mind reeling in disbelief.
She had snatched the rope. Tying it around her waist, she started climbing out the window, tossing a hasty apology over her shoulder.
Im sorry, Zoey, but I have to go first. Hes almost in!
I cant die. Im too young! I want to live!
As she started to lower herself over the edge, a horrifying realization hit me. Ava, wait! The other end isnt tied to anything!
But it was too late. Ava, and the rope, plummeted eight stories to the ground below. The fall ended with a sickening crunch of bone on concrete.
I peered over the edge. Her eyes were wide open, staring blankly at the sky. A dark pool of blood was already spreading out beneath her.
She was dead.
Before I could even process what had just happened, I heard a final click from the door. Mark had found the right key.
The next second, he kicked the door open, splintering the frame, and stormed into the apartment.

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