The silence on the other end of the phone was oppressive. Lina felt her stomach clench. What would Lukas say? Would he take her seriously? And what if Max had already found him?
"Lina? What's wrong? You sound... scared," he answered, and she could hear the concern in his voice.
"It's about Max. He's... he's killed people. And he's always leaving these messages. I... I think he won't stop until he finds us," she explained hastily.
She heard Lukas take a deep breath. "That can't be happening. You're probably just worried. I'll go check on you right now. Where are you?"
His attempt to reassure her only brought more panic to her heart. Lina knew she had to act quickly before it was too late. The madness around her was spinning faster and faster, and she felt like a pawn in a game whose rules no one knew. Max was a psychopath, and his love was deadly. She had to regain control before it was too late.
The headlines about Max's arrest were all over the news. "Psychopath arrested after leaving bloody trail!" read the large, bold letters. Lina could hardly believe it when she saw the pictures of the arrest. Max, in handcuffs, with a blank stare, as if trapped in another world. The whole situation was surreal. It felt as if she were trapped in a nightmare from which she couldn't wake up.
The police had picked up Max in an abandoned building where he had been hiding. It was a place that had long been considered sinister to many. Lina knew the officers were looking there for clues to Max's actions, but for her, it was also a place of memories, a place where she had often met with Lukas to talk and share her worries. The thought of it made her chest feel heavy.
Max's arrest was a relief, but at the same time, she felt lost. The fear she had felt of him was now just a shadow that still haunted her. Her thoughts swirled. What would happen to him now? Would he be held accountable for the actions he had committed? And what would that mean for her?
When the first reports of the arrest came in, Lina was surrounded by worried friends. They tried to comfort her, but it helped little. "Lina, it's all over now," a friend said as she handed her a cup of tea. But Lina couldn't help but think that the danger might not be over yet. Max wasn't just a murderer, he was also a master manipulator.
She had to find out how he was doing now. How much did the police know about him? Would he still have her and Lukas in his sights? Questions raced through her mind as she tried to organize her thoughts.
The next few days were a mixture of relief and lingering dread. Max was behind bars, but the feeling that he wasn't truly gone remained. The media reported on the circumstances of his arrest and the gruesome acts he had committed. Every new detail made Lina's stomach churn. She knew Max wouldn't forget her, that he might still have a plan.
It was as if she lived in a constant state of vigilance. Even though Max was now locked away, the shadow of his actions still hung over her. The constant fear that he might reappear one day gnawed at her. And then there was Lukas. Her thoughts kept returning to him. She knew she had to apologize. Their argument was like a weight on her heart, pulling her deeper into the darkness.
One afternoon, sitting alone in her room, she decided to contact Lukas. The words swirled in her head as she tried to formulate a message that expressed both her apology and her concern for Max. She wanted him to understand that she was no longer able to handle things on her own.
"Lukas, I'm sorry for everything that happened. I hurt you when I least wanted to. I know now isn't the right time, but I need you. Max is in custody, but the fear remains..." she typed hastily into her phone.
As she pressed "send," she felt a certain weight lift from her. Maybe, just maybe, Lukas would let her back into his life. The uncertainty was grueling, but she knew she had to try. She needed him to escape this nightmare.
Lina waited nervously for a reply from Lukas. The minutes seemed to stretch into hours as she repeatedly looked at her phone in her hand. Every vibration made her heart beat faster, but nothing came. The uncertainty gnawed at her, and with every passing moment, she felt lonelier.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the phone vibrated. It was a message from Lukas. Her heart leaped as she opened the message. "Lina, I'm sorry. I was just overwhelmed. Let's talk."
A feeling of relief washed over her. She knew she had to tell him everything—about Max, her fears, and the dark shadows hanging over her life. With trembling hands, she replied, "Thank you, Lukas. I really need you. Can we meet?"
A few minutes later, she received a reply. "How about tomorrow at the café at 3 p.m.?"
Lina nodded in agreement, even though she knew he couldn't see it. Tomorrow she would see him again. Anticipation mingled with fear of what the encounter would bring. Would he look at her as before, or would he give her the same look he had last seen her with? The thought of their last argument made her heart sink.
The next day, Lina got up early. She couldn't think about anything other than meeting Lukas. In the hours leading up to it, she felt like time stood still. She carefully chose her outfit and tried to maintain a sense of normality while a storm raged inside her.
Arriving at the café, she sat down at a table in the corner. Her gaze wandered to the door as she waited. As the minutes passed and she took a sip of her coffee, she noticed her hands shaking. Suddenly, the door opened, and Lukas entered. He looked different than last time—tired, but still the dreamy boy she'd met.
When he saw her, he smiled slightly, but it was a forced smile. Lina suddenly felt small and vulnerable. "Hey," he said as he sat down.
"Hey," she replied quietly, nervously fiddling with her glass. The words seemed to catch in her throat.
Lukas looked at her as if he could read the thoughts in her head. "I got your message. I'm sorry I didn't reply right away. I... needed some time to process everything."
Lina nodded, but felt even more pressured. "I understand. I just wanted you to know how sorry I am. For everything."
"It's okay, Lina," he said, placing his hands on the table. "I'm worried about you. How are you?"
"I don't know if I can answer that," she confessed. "Max is in custody now, but the thoughts of everything that happened won't leave me alone. I'm afraid he might hurt me or you, even from prison."
Lukas's expression changed. "I can't promise you that everything will be okay, but I'm here. You don't have to go through this alone."
Lina felt her heart beat faster. "This means a lot to me. I feel like I'm trapped in darkness, and I don't know how to get out. Sometimes everything seems so hopeless."
"We'll find a way," Lukas replied, his voice gentle but firm. "It won't be easy, but I'll be here to help you."
These words touched Lina deeply. She knew she could rely on Lukas, but the darkness in her heart was difficult to overcome.
"I... I wanted to tell you something too," she began hesitantly. "After everything that's happened, I've decided to no longer let fear control me. I want to regain control of my life. There's so much I want to change."
"That sounds like a step in the right direction," Lukas said with an encouraging smile. "But you don't have to do it alone. There are people who care about you. You are not alone."
Lina felt her eyes moisten. These small moments of Lukas understanding melted the gap between them. But deep down, she knew that the danger still lurked, and that Max, no matter where he was, would always remain part of her story.
The hours passed, and the conversation between Lina and Lukas developed into a dialogue full of openness. They talked about their fears, their hopes, and the shadows that haunted them. Lina could feel some of her inner darkness begin to fade as Lukas sat by her side, staring at her seriously.
"You know, sometimes I feel like I'm trapped in an endless labyrinth," Lina confessed as she sipped her coffee. "Every decision I make only leads me deeper into the darkness."
Lukas nodded understandingly. "I know that. Sometimes it seems like the darkness is swallowing everything up. But you have to remember that there's always a way out. You just have to be willing to look for it."
Lina looked at him, his words sinking deep into her heart. "It's hard to believe that, especially after everything that's happened. Sometimes I wonder if I'll ever be happy again."
"It will take time," Lukas replied. "But you're strong, Lina. You've been through so much and you're still here. That's admirable."
A small smile crept across Lina's face as she talked about "I don't want the darkness to continue to dominate my life."
The conversation eventually shifted to the lighter topics of life—music, movies, and the little joys they experienced when the world wasn't so gloomy. It felt good to put the worries aside for a moment.
But the longer they talked, the more Lina felt that the darkness still lurked in the corner. She thought of Max and the danger he continued to pose. Even though he was behind bars, she didn't feel safe. "I can't stop thinking about Max. What if he escapes? What if he..."
"Lina, I know you're worried, but you don't have to burden yourself with it," Lukas interrupted gently. "I'll do everything I can to protect you. Don't let him control your life, even if he's no longer with you."
Lina nodded, but fought the wave of memories and fears rising within her. "I know I shouldn't think like that. But sometimes it seems like the darkness never fully goes away."
"That's okay," Lukas said. "It's normal to be afraid. The important thing is that you try to take one step at a time. We can do this together."
Lina felt encouraged, but the thought of Max was like a shadow that wouldn't go away. Glancing at her watch, she realized she had to hurry. "I should go now. I still have a few things to do."
Lukas smiled and nodded. "But don't forget what I said. You're not alone, Lina."
With one last look at him, filled with gratitude and a hint of hope, she left the café. As she walked down the street, she felt a slight pressure on her chest, reminding her that her problems were far from solved.
In the days that followed, Lina tried to keep Lukas's words in mind, but the darkness persisted. She felt as if she was fighting an invisible enemy that kept coming back. In the midst of this battle, however, she encountered Max in her thoughts and dreams, and it seemed as if he would never leave her side.