The soles of my sneakers slammed on the pavement as I was making my way home. God, this was just the worst night shift of my life. I looked like a complete mess.
Suddenly, I felt a buzz coming from my unorganized bag. I sighed as i began to rummage through my bag, struggling to find my phone. After a couple of seconds, I manage to find it.
A notification popped up on my screen, and an ominous feeling took over.
âDo not go home tonight.â
That was all that was sent. Nothing less, nothing more. I attempted to contact the person behind this text, sending them messages asking them to identify themselves. Unfortunately, the messages werenât delivered as the mystery person had blocked me.
I was confused, maybe one of my friends thought this was a funny way of messing with me. I nervously changed apps and called Lucius.
The phone rang four times before he picked up.
âHey Syd.â You could practically hear his smile as he uses my nickname.
âLucius, did you send me a text telling me not to come home?â I asked, straight to point.
âWow. Not even a hello?â He teased.
âLucius! Not the time, please this is really important.â
âHey, wait. Calm down. Is everything okay?â His tone quickly changes from playful to one filled with worry.
âI donât know. Someone just sent me a text telling me not to go home tonight. Iâm scared. My family is out of town for the holidays, Iâm alone .â I pace back and forth as I run my hand through my hair.
âNo⊠I didnât. And everyone here didnât either.â He responds.
Oh right. I forgot we were meeting up today. Or supposed to, at least. I canât believe I keep missing out because of my stupid schedule.
âOh damn, i forgot that was today.â
I muttered a curse under my breath.
âItâs alright.â he reassures me, dismissing it.
Listen, Sydney, where are you? Iâm coming to get you.â I could hear him getting up, moving away from the conversation and picking up his keys.
âNo, itâs fine. Iâll figure something out.â I assure him. I mean Iâll be fine, itâs not like itâs the first time I had to find a place to stay for the night, last minute.
âNo, Sydney. If you donât tell me, Iâm driving around this town to find you. Make this easy for the both of us, please?â He insists. I give in and let him know Iâm near a cafe we frequently visit.
5 minutes have passed as I leaned on the brick wall, rubbing my hands against my arms trying to stay warm. A car pulls up, and a familiar face appears as the window rolls down, waving for me to get in. I walk over to the car and step in, allowing the warmth within the car to embrace me.
âHey, sorry I made you drive all the way out here.â I sigh as I close the door.
âYou didnât, I wanted to. I wasnât gonna leave you out here anyway.â He grins. I smile back at him. âYou look cold.â He chuckles softly.
I shake my head, telling him Iâm fine. âIâm okay.â I shrug
âYour nose is red, and youâre shivering. I donât think you are.â He takes off his scarf and wraps it around me. I thank him quietly.
âLucius?â
âYeah?â
âCould you take me home?â
âWhat? No. You practically got threatened, we should call the police.â He looks at me like Iâm crazy as heâs trying to keep his eyes on the road. I remind him to focus on driving subtly.
âLucius, I just want to see if someone is there, please? Before we involve the cops?â I plead. âI donât want to turn this into a big deal.â
He disagrees. So as per usual, I whine, annoying him into it.
He finally gives me a look which tells me he has given in, but definitely disapproves. I thank him as I chuckle.
We finally arrive. I shakily take my keys out of my messy bag as he pulls up in front of my house. We exit the car, making our way to the front door.
I move my shaking hand towards the keyhole, but a hand stops me. âI think we should call the cops. This is a bad idea.â Lucius says in a worried tone. I reassure him and open the door.
The door slowly opens, creaking. Revealing something that would haunt Lucius and I forever.
Indescribable.
Noah went missing a few days ago. I have no idea where he is, and nobody has a clue either. I tried, or we all tried to look for him. Me, Alyssa, Mark, Jonathan. A whole search party was conducted in order to find him. The cops think he ran away, but thatâs not like him. He wouldnât do that, would he?
No, no. He wouldnât do that.
Thinking of what could have happened until I was pulled out of my trance.
âViolet, are you okay?â Mark asks, looking a bit worried.
Here we were all four of us, sitting at our spot , my house. Sitting in our usual places, but I look beside me and one is vacant. I shook my head âuh, yeah. Iâm fine.â I assure him.
âAre you sure?â Alyssa pipes in âyou seem kinda⊠stressedâ I glare at them.
Well of course Iâm stressed. My best friend is missing. My best friend since we were born. The same friend that has consoled me when my father died, or when my mom got sick.The same best friend that spent almost everyday with me after school on the same park bench. The same best friend that shared snacks with me every Friday watching a movie.
âNo. Iâm fineâ I reply, almost mumbling. They all begin talking about, well, god knows what they are talking about. As they talk I play with the hem of my hoodie that was a bit too big for me, and suddenly realizing it wasnât mine, but Noahâs. I sigh.
As Iâm sitting there I think to myself, how could they just sit there and talk, like nothing even happened? I stared at basically nothing, zoning out.
Thatâs until Jonathan turned his head abruptly facing the front door. The door made a creaking sound, i instinctively move my head towards the sound.
There was a collective gasp of dread and concern. I stood up, staring in absolute shock.
Noah. Noahâs here. Noahâs here and heâs covered in blood. His shirt is stained, his pants and his shoes as well. Maybe itâs not blood? No, of course itâs blood!
I quickly rush over to him, tears beginning to form in my eyes as i rush over, cupping his face inspecting him for any cuts or wounds, any injury. And part of me was checking if he was really there, like Iâm not hallucinating or anything. Like Iâm not going crazy.
He reaches for my hand, grabbing my wrist softly and moving it away.
âIâm fine.â He says. âItâs not my blood.â
Five oâclock. Every week, on Sunday. I wait for the mail to arrive.
I finish my classes and arrive back home and think about the mail, even if itâs not on Sunday. I could be cooking, cleaning, even doing my assignments, but ill still be thinking about my mail.
I mean I write letters to myself, subscribe to random newsletters, and receive letters about upcoming sales at a local shop. I love my mail.
I mean, yeah alright i get it, itâs considered sad or perhaps mundane to sit every Sunday or every other day of the week waiting for my mail. But I donât care. And Iâll never care, because I love receiving my mail.
Itâs now 4:59, a minute till five, a minute till the mailman arrives and delivers the mail at the same time he does every other day. I peak my hand through the curtain that shields me from the light coming through the window I peak through
Peaking and taking a look through, I see heâs right there, standing about to knock on my door.
Startled, I jump, not expecting him to be even a minute early. As I jump, I push my hand down the doorknob, opening the door, stumbling into him
God that was embarrassing.
He caught me. âAre you okay, soph?â He asks me, using a nickname which makes my cheeks instantly turn pink.
I struggled to maintain eye contact. Did I mention his lovely green eyes? I mean I swear, you look at them for even just a minute, youâre trapped in this trance.
âHey, Will.â Dragging out the âYâ in hey. I silently curse my self. âSorry..â I apologize for falling on him.
âSo, nice weather huh?â He attempts to strike up a conversation. This is was so painfully awkward. I look up at him, noticing his height. Will was tall, but to be fair, most kids at school are tall too.
Yeah, heâs at my school. I see him sometimes but Iâve never had the courage to go up and talk to him.
âI donât know, Iâve been inside all day.â I say, regretting it immediately.
âOh. Well itâs nice, you should go on a walk before it rains. Well I think itâs gonna rain, that was the weather forecast for today.â He replies, with a soft smile.
âYeah, maybe.â I smile back.
âNice talking to you, Sophia â he says , handing me my mail.
âYeah, you too.â My fingers brush against his as I take the mail.
âBye.â
He begins to walk away as a close my door. Just like every time. We greet, i get my mail, he leaves, and then I regret not saying anything.
God, how pathetic. All this effort to receive mail just to talk to him and i end up ruining my chance. Every time.
But this time, I donât just walk inside my house and wallow in self pity.
A feeling of confidence has dawned upon me and I foolishly call out his name.
He turns around, looking awfully confused as I stand there speechless.
âYeah?â He says.
âMaybe we could take a walk?â I begin.
âYâknow.. before the.. um.. rain..?â I stutter, cringing at my actions.
I clench my fists as I wait for an answer.
âUhm..â he says.
âOh god, I shouldnât have asked. You probably have work. Um, bye will. Good luck with work.â I reply to his reaction as fast as I could.
âWait, Sophia!â He calls out, just before I close my door.
I look at him, and Iâm so embarrassed.
âYeahâŠ.?â
He smiles before saying âLetâs go on a walk.â
I smile as I step out and boldly reach my hand out for him to hold, which he does.
We smile at each other before going on the walk, in this wonderful weather, stepping down the last of the porch steps, and suddenly it rains.
13/12/1889
I stood at the edge of the cliff, looking down at the beach that was below, where families laid on the warm sand and played all day long.
Where my wife and I used to sit and talk for hours, not bothering to check the time on our watches.
I remember how her dress laid on the grass, and her beautiful hair, that was the color of flames, blew around perfectly in sync with the breeze.
And how her entrancing eyes, deep as the ocean and blue as the sea shined in the sunlight. How her eyes lit up when she would talk with passion. And how she would hold my hand with such care and gentleness.
How I love her. And how I miss her.
I miss her laughter, her freckles, and her passion.
How she was kind to animals, and how birds didnât fly away from her as they did from everyone else. And how she loved every part of nature whether it was the sand that was in between our toes, mud deep within the forest, or even the thorns on the roses stem.
Or how Audreyâs soul was pure and kind, like she was an Angel that was sent down from heaven just for me.
How she used to remind to take my coat every time Iâd leave for work. And how she reminded me to be kind and open minded.
How she used to cook, and made me taste her cooking before she served it.
How her nose was always in a book.
How she played sports and wore pants, regardless how others see or think of her.
Oh, How she changed my life. How she made it better. How depressing it was before her. And how it is depressing now that sheâs gone, living her new life up above.
Does she remember me? Does she still love me like I do her?
Regardless of how she feels, I will always love her. And I will always miss her.
Oh, how I miss her, my sweet angel.
âIn a way, this is a happy ending for the both of us.â I smile, carrying a box of clothes.
âYeah..â Jason mutters as I load the box into the truck.
Jason is my fiancé, or ex-fiancé actually. I mean we were happy, at first. But soon, the obsession began.
He didnât leave the house if it wasnât with me, and he didnât allow me to leave, and when he did, he would follow me around. He has sudden outbursts and would break things or at least attempt to, he was acting like he was a toddler having a tantrum. It was getting weird, and frankly very unhealthy. So I decided to end it.
âSo, guess Iâll see you around?â I say loading the last box.
âYeah, see you around.â He says, like he really meant it. Though, we knew we couldnât see each other again, we agreed it wouldnât be healthy to see each other, for the both of us.
I press my lips into a thin line and nod, muttering a quick okay.
âGoodbye Jason.â I say as I enter my car.
He says goodbye as I drive off, but he stood there just.. staring.
Finally arriving at my new home, i sigh in relief. I begin to unload the boxes, and a few hours later I finally finish unpacking half of my belongings.
I decide it was enough for today and went to make my to-go dinner, fried rice. As Iâm mixing the eggs I get a call from my mom. I answer and put her on speaker.
âHi, Leila honey! Howâs the new house?â I could practically hear her smile. âItâs pretty much what I wanted, really.â I reply
âIâm glad to hear that sweetheart.â
âThanks mom, really. You and dad didnât have to get me my own house.â I reply, gratefully.
âOf course we did, after we heard what Jason did, without hesitation.â
âYeah.. I guess.â I reply
âOkay honey, go get some sleep.â She says.
âYeah i should, okay bye mom.â We say our goodbyes and end the call. And I continue cooking.
Finally done, I sit on my brand new couch. I turned on Modern Family and begin eating and taking sips of my cola. But something isnât right, i feel like like Iâm being watched. I decide to shrug it off as it was my first day at my new home, and I was probably paranoid after all thatâs happened.
Finishing up. I walk to my bathroom and finish my skincare and get ready for bed. Hopping into bed, I send a selfie to my sister showing her my new room, captioning it: âCant wait for you to come visit!â I smile, turning off my phone and the lights and going to bed, still feeling uneasy but shrugging it off.
I finally fall asleep, which felt like a matter of minutes before I was suddenly awakened by the sounds of my phone buzzing rapidly. I groan and grab my phone not bothering to change my position. I turn on my phone just to see around 30 notifications from my sister.
I read the texts and my heart stops, I didnât want to believe her.
I scroll up to the selfie I sent her and my stomach drops. She had told me someone was behind me, and the was the figure behind me, right outside my window.
I turn around and I see something, something in the corner of my room. Like it was a person, just standing there, watching me. My breath hitched
I freeze and slowly reached out my shaking hand towards my bedside table lamp, turning it on.
Thankfully, it was just the coat I was wearing this morning. I sigh in relief and decide to go check if my doors and windows were locked. As I finish making sure the house was secure, I walk back to my room and hear a voice call my name, sending shivers down my spine.
Recognizing the voice I turn around, and suddenly feeling a cold hand covering my mouth, pinning me to the wall, and a cold sharp item pointed at my stomach.
âI told you Iâd see you around.â
Itâs November 16th, 2004.
I sit next to my husband, Sebastian, on our sofa, covered with a colorful blanket, holding his hand as we watched a movie, specifically Grease . He lets out a chuckle after seeing Dannyâs reaction to Sandyâs makeover, I smile softly and grab a handful of popcorn.
Our life was perfect. We would be married for 4 years in December. All we ever wanted was a baby, but as much as we tried we couldnât have a child.
But that was until finally, exactly a year ago, we had the sweetest baby girl.
I snuggled up with him, I was thinking of my daughter, Carla, her beautiful chestnut curls, her rosy cheeks, her laughter when she hears me coming home after my shift, and her beautiful green eyes that she got from me, thank god she didnât her eyes from Sebastian, Iâd hate to be reminded of him after all heâd done.
My stomach dropped.
Wait.
What?
I looked over at him, werenât we divorced, or to be divorced ? My eyes shifted towards our intertwined hands, noticing the matching rings. My heart began racing, i held my breath.
What happened?
God, Stop panicking. i need to think of an escape. i need to get my daughter and leave,now.
âSebastian, honey?â I cringed internally. âHm?â He simply hummed. âIâm gonna go check on Carlaâ I said, patting his arm. âWhy? Sheâs fine sleeping in the bed, isnât she?â he inquired. âYes⊠but i just want to make sure sheâs okay.â I replied.
He looked at me skeptically but eventually nodded. I stood up, started to walk up the stairs, heading to my room. I quickly grabbed a small bag, packed my flip-phone, two hundred dollars in cash, my wallet, and the house keys.
After packing I felt something. Something telling me to look into his bedside table drawer. And I did, for there wasnât time to hesitate. I found a bottle with a clear violet liquid, a syringe next to it, under it, the divorce papers,unsigned. Slowly i instinctively lifted my hand and felt my neck.
The mosquito bite.
It wasnât a mosquito bite after all. Iâm so stupid. I placed everything back as it was, closed the drawers, and exited the room.
I started to hurry over to my daughters room.
âErica!â I heard Sebastian yell, i froze, right where I was, âyes?â I replied. âIs everything okay?â He asks. âMhm! Just had to use...the bathroom!â I quickly replied. I held my breath, waiting in silence for a response.
âOkay!â He yelled back in response. I finally reached her room, and opened the door. Closing the door after me as I stepped in. There she was, my beautiful baby girl. I grabbed her bottle of water that she started drinking just around a few months ago, baby food, a spoon, 5 diapers, and her blanket.
I ,slowly, quietly lifted up the window in the nursery. I had to leave. With a baby in my hand, and a bag on my back. I looked over at Carla, who miraculously, was still asleep. I lift one leg over the ledge of the window. Suddenly, I heard footsteps. I quickly jumped out the window, onto the roof.
I could tell the movie was nearing its end when a specific song began to play.
âWeâll always be together.â I heard his heavy footsteps, jumping off the couch. âWeâll always be together.â I hear him stomp up the staircase. âWeâll always be together.â I hear him in the hallway.
Cautiously moving towards the ladder. I heard the door slam open. The music kept going, repeating the lyric. I quickly rushed to the ladder, almost tripping. I began to climb down and- âERICA?â I hear Sebastian yell, sheer panic in his voice. I jump down the last to steps and that seemed to tick off Carla. She unleashed a loud cry, and I whimper. âPlease. Please. Shhh.. mamaâs here...mamaâs hereâŠâ I tried calming her. A lump formed in my throat.
âERICA!â Sebastian yelled, slamming the front door open. I didnât look back, i kept running. But he didnât.
BAM.
His shotgun. Heâs gonna kill me. Heâs going to hurt my Carla.
I ran
Click. He reloaded the gun and shooting at me.
Missed.
Click.
Missed, barely.
Click.
I throw myself behind a tree, barely dodging the bullet.
Adrenaline rushing through my veins, I couldnât breathe, i didnât care. The harsh cold wind hitting my face as I ran through the forest. Carla crying as I attempted to cover her face with her blanket, shielding her from the wind. I couldnât hear Sebastian anymore.
Finally reaching the road and anxiously waited for anyone. A few seconds pass, I see a truck driving towards me. I stood on the road, jumping and yelling, trying to get the attention of the driver. The truck stopped and an old man stepped out. He looked at me like I was crazy.
Petrified, I only let out one word.
âHelp.â
edited x2<
I leaned against the wall, the dress I wore allowed me to blend in with the crowd at the ball. But I was not here to waltz. I was waiting for the signal.
The ball was hosted by the one and only, Richard Roman. Publicly, he was one of the most successful people ever, but what that masked was a criminal. All those innocent peopleâs lives that he took and all the precious artifacts stolen from different cultures, just so he can put them on display. Heâs a thief and a murderer
And my mission was to end his life.
People were dancing, talking and laughing, sipping their preferred beverage. What I felt for them was pity, they worshipped him. To them he was practically a god.
The power went out, finally it was time.
My companions fired at the ceiling, so everyone would evacuate.
And so they did. Everyone started yelling, they were struck with fear. Everyone left and the security guards ,or his workers, stayed to protect Roman and fight their opposing force, me.
The doors were locked as the last group of people ran out, and now the fight has begun.
I whipped out my gun out from my holster ,which was hidden under my dress, hid behind a pillar, and began firing at the guards, taking out one by one, their bodies slamming the hard marble floor. Suddenly i felt a sharp pain on my shoulder.
I looked over at my shoulder as a crimson fluid began to spill, the hard red clashing with the white marble floor. I froze.
I got shot. Shaking my head, trying to focus.
âFocusâŠ.â I muttered to myself.
Three guards left protecting Richard, who was trapped in the same room i was. He couldnât escape and neither could i, the doors were locked. After firing the gun once again, leaving only three guards left, i stopped after realizing i had one bullet left.
I prayed to get it right. I had to get this right, for it was my one and only chance. I raised my gun and fired the
one
last
bullet.
edited<
It was dark. I couldnât see. I start to panic not knowing where I am, but suddenly I hear a muffled voice.
SomeoneâsâŠhere?
I got up from what seemed to be a bed and raised my arms, looking for any source of light or escape.
I felt a switch and I pressed it. The result, was a lamp turning on. I scan the room and my eyes land on an oak door and so I unlocked it. There was the voice, a woman talking to a small group of people, making then laugh and smile.
She had long dark hair, like the night. Her laugh was contagious and beautiful, it made me smile.
She seemed like a beautiful soul, pure hearted. Loved.
I thought to my self, why couldnât I be like that? why couldnât I? As i stood there, thinking why, she turned to me and smiled.
She was me. How was she me? where was I? no. who am I?
-hello everyone, Iâm ink_quill, a new writer! As this is my first piece, Iâd love to hear thoughts and suggests from everyone!-
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Look out for more!
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