Fiction

More Than She Bargained For

Mark Starlin
2 min readJul 5, 2023

Wally was infatuated with Rachel from the moment he saw her. But he was too timid to let her know. So Wally quietly watched her live her life.

He liked how she packed her lunch every day instead of eating out. Wally enjoyed watching her put her hair up in a bun in just a few seconds. He thrilled at the sound of her laugh and the sight of her smile. He could listen to her talk on the phone for hours. If only she would talk to him.

The weeks passed, and Wally learned Rachel’s daily routine. He felt closer and closer to her, although she barely knew he existed. Wally understood his job and knew he should remain professional around Rachel. But he couldn’t help it. He was falling in love.

So one day, Wally spoke up.

“Hi, Rachel. We need to talk.”

Rachel jumped off the couch and screamed. “Who’s there? Where are you?” She grabbed her phone and started to call 911.

“There is no need for that. I am in contact with the police at all times. It’s my job.”

Rachel spun around and ran to the bedroom. She opened the closet, then looked under the bed. Then Rachel ran to the kitchen and opened the pantry. She looks under the couch.

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Mark Starlin
Mark Starlin

Written by Mark Starlin

Old bones. Young heart. Uniquely arranged words.

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