I can only describe it as a warm preasure between my shoulder blades below my neck. I turned, anxiously, almost expecting to see someone standing on the other side of the room. It was then I saw the curtains had not been drawn shut on the large picture window in the livinging room. I crossed the room with tightness in my chest. I pressed my face to the glass, cupping my face with my hands. Nothing. It was pitch black outside with no moon in the sky to illuminate the property. I exhaled, closing the curtains in an attempt to alleviate the erie feeling. My stomach twisted into knots as the hair on the back of my neck stood up. I felt as though I needed to back myself into a corner simply to be reassured there was nothing or no one behind me. I quickly patrolled the cabin to verify the door and each window was locked a secured. I made my way to the stairs leading up to the loft. The tingling feeling on my back increasing. It felt unbearable. I suddenly rased to the top of the stairs before whipping around. Nothing. I quickly make my way other to the cot where I sit with my back against the wall. My heart felt as though it could beat out of my chest as I struggled to inhale deeply and slowly. My senses on high alert as my ears strained to hear even the slightest sounds. I couldn’t help but think of the strange passage in the journal I had found lying on the table when I arrived this moring. “They come in the night. Secure cabin, cover window in the living room.” What did that mean? Was I just being paranoid? I couldn’t shake the feeling I was being observed by something from somewhere. Thats when I heard movement outside of the cabin. I sat perfectly still for what felt like hours listening as someone or something paced around the outside of the cabin. BANG! Something had smacked the ouside of the cabin right where I had been sitting on my cot. I raced down the stairs, into the living room, and into a corner. I looked around the dark room before realizing I was right by the window in the living room. I continued to hear movement all around teh perimeter of the cabin for hours aling with banging on the walls. Whatever was out there was looking for me. BANG! On the wall right behind me. I stiffled a scream. Frozen. Then silence.

Hours passed with no indication whatever had been pacing around the cabin and banging on the walls was still there. Despite the dreadul feeling in the pit of my stomch, I mustered the strength to stand up and take a few steps until I was in front of the window. With shaking hands I drew open the curtains. Stepping up to the window I pressed my face to the glass cupping my face with my hands. Two big red eyes and pale face pressed against the window stared right back at me.

He didn’t even try to deny taking Alice out for drinks. I gave him 5 years of my life only to find out while I viewed it as exclusive he considered things to be far more open. I had always heard the rumors about Brett but my rose tinted glasses didn’t let me see the ugly truth in what everyone said about him. Those days are over.

I was at Brett’s house when two police officers came to the door. A girl named Alice had been reported missing by her roommate, who informed police the last time she saw Alice she had been preparing for a date with Brett. I could feel my blood boiling as I was presented with cold, hard proof of Brett’s infidelity. Brett left with the officers to go in for questioning and to provide a statement. I waited, pacing back and forth in the living room for him to return. When I heard the door open Brett walked through looking stressed. “What the hell, Brett!” I started to yell but stopped in my tracks as I studied his face. “I.. I had taken this girl, Alice, out for a drink a few days ago. It was after we had that big fight. I had seen her at Mack’s while I was working before but when I ran into her she seemed upset” he explained “Something about some other guy. I asked her out for drinks.” Brett had continued to recap that nights events, explaining the fight he had been in resulting in his black eye was from a man who knew Alice and had a bad attitude about her being out with another man. He went on to tell me about what happened after he left with the police. That they wanted a detailed rundown of what happened the night he took Alice out to the Dog. Due to a lack of evidence they had no reason to hold Brett or suspect him of foul play from what he had told me.

I wanted Brett to feel the pain I was feeling. To have some kind of consequence for breaking my heart. That’s when it dawned on me. If, perhaps, there was some kind of history or circumstantial evidence to point toward Brett as a real possible suspect, then his life would be over. As the man out on a date with Alice the night she went missing it wouldn’t take a lot of evidence to cast suspicion toward Brett. Even if he didn’t do anything to Alice he deserved to have his life turned upside down.

After I left Brett’s trying to conceal my rage, I called Daphne“I need to talk to you.” “What’s up?” Daphne responded. I explained everything that had just happened and then explained to Daphne my plan for revenge. I would need Daphne’s help of course to ensure the story was believable.
“You know I’d do anything for you. I knew he was pig. I could smell it.” Daphne responded, “I’m in. Just tell me what you need me to do.”

So it was time to put my revenge into action. Brett would never be able to forgive me for what I was about to do. Honestly, I don’t know if I could ever forgive him. If he did have something to do with this missing girl, and honestly who could say for sure, what I was about to do would be for the best.

I walked up the sidewalk and opened the door. Entering the building I locked eyes with a woman sitting behind a desk. “Hello, I’d like to report a crime.”

I can smell cigarette smoke. I’m laying on a dirty, hard carpeted floor. I try to open my eyes but they are so heavy and my vision is blurry. I hear a mans voice but I cannot make sense of what is being said. I try to get up, trying to push myself up onto my hands and knees. My body is so heavy. What happened? How did I get here?

“Should I wear the blue one or the purple one?” I remembered asking Jan. She had responded with her typical eye roll followed by a comment about the dresses’ similar patterns. I had stepped outside onto the side walk and had gotten into a black sedan.

I can taste blood. I am so tired but I feel I must find the strength to get up. Something is very wrong. What happened?

“Where would you like to go? I was thinking the Dog?” He asked glancing over at me for moment as we pulled away from my apartment.
“The Dog sounds great!” I remember exclaiming. “I prefer the dive bars around here to the downtown scene if I’m being honest.” “Downtown is a different atmosphere for sure. Not to mention all the weirds get tossed out of the bars at 2 AM and start wondering around drunk trying to figure out where to go next.” He had responded so casually. “We can get a bite to eat at the Dog too. Have you had their wings?” “They are the only wings in town I like” I had responded unable to hide my excitement for the evening. We had met 1 month earlier at Mack’s one Saturday night while I was out with Jan. He was so cool. He exudes confidence. the kind of cool confidence that makes you want to be around them, be there friend. I wouldn’t mind being more then just his friend but that would complicate things.

I manage to pick my head up an inch or two from the carpet. I see what looks like dirty walls and boxes of clutter. Get up. You need to get up. I struggle to pull my chest up off the ground, supporting myself on my arms. I hear talking. What is being said? Where am I?

I had ordered a gin and tonic and he ordered a beer.
“How about a shot?” He had asked. “What were you thinking?” I inquired. “Nothing to hard. How about a green tea?” He had suggested. “Sure!” I remember replying enthusiastically. Jan would have advised against shots or drinking hard liquer on a first date but I just hate to disappoint. I wanted him to like me. I needed him to like me. In the wake of my spat with Nick, I just wanted someone to want me.

I manage to crawl over to a stack of boxes, using them to pull myself up. I struggle to get my feet under me before I stumble away from the boxes and grab onto a pole in the center of the room. It’s dark here with a light at one end of the room and stairs? Are those stairs? Am I in a basement?

I had stood up and excused myself to the ladies room. Thats when I felt it. Dizzy and buzzed. Maybe I shouldn’t have downed my drink so quickly. As gracefully as I could, I had navigated my way to the restroom. I felt sick by the time I made it there. I’ve never puked after drinknig that little. This date had not gone as planned. When I emerged and headed back to our seats at the bar I remeber saw a familiar figure. Nick. He was yelling and carrying on.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?!” Nick yelled. “It’s just drinks, man. Calm down.” “Nick!” I yelled, “You need to calm down. Don’t make a scene.” “You going to start seeing other guys everytime we have a fight?” Nick had demanded looking me up and down. Something about his temper and possessiveness in that moment was appealing to me.
“I bumped into Brett earlier and he suggested taking me out for drinks to cheer me up.” I had responded trying to speak slowly and clearly without slurring my words.
Nick was pissed. He grabbed Brett and tossed him out of his seat before landing a blow to his right eye.

I hear foot steps coming down stairs. They must be stairs. I feel like I have exhausted all of my energy. “Finally awake are we?” I hear. I cannot respond. My mouth is so dry and my head is killing me.

I walked through the thick brush across a meadow toward the woods, my boots squelching in the mud. We were all spaced roughtly 20 feet part as we entered the treeline. The sky was grey and the air cool. It rained most of night and into the early morning hours but was now only misting. I tried to keep my focus on my surroundings; after all, that was the point of trudging through the woods in the first place, but I couldn’t help but think of Alice.

The last time I had seen Alice I had just arrived back to our apartment and she was curling her hair in the bathroom mirror with a curling wand. “Where are you off to tonight?” I had asked.
“I have a date!” Alice exclaimed. “Do you remeber, Brett? The bartender from Mack’s?” “The one with dark hair and a bad reputation?” I had inquired. “I don’t exactly have the best reputation myself, y’know” Alice had quipped, “And yes. The tall, dark haired, handsome server. I bumped into him today and he invited me out for drinks tonight.”

We had met Brett one night while out drinkning with friends at a local dive bar. He was your typical, conventially attractive career bartender in his late 20s or early 30s who used his Saturday night shift to scope out future potential hookups. Unfotunately for Alice, Brett set his sights on her. But who could blame him? Alice was fit, average height with light brown hair and the most brilliant green eyes. Alice was known for falling in love at first sight. When she laid eyes on Brett that night at Mack’s, I knew she was smitten. Brett flirted with Alice all night and only charged her for a fraction of her drinks. She was so giddy when we returned home. Lovestruck by any male attention cast her way. We all tried to bring her back down to earth when she got like that but were never successful.

“Should I wear the blue one or the purple one?” Alice inquired while holding two sundresses with tiny white flower designs on both of them.” “They are literally the same dress, Alice” I had advised her while rolling my eyes. Alice was the type of person who found a shirt, dress, or pants that she loved and bought it in every color she possibly could. Her closet was extensive, making outfit choices a daily struggle for her. She could be incredibly indecisive. Alice could never decide what to wear, what she wanted to eat, or if she wanted to date this boy or that. The latter of those had gotten her into trouble quite a few times as well as caused her to be notorious for having multiple love interests. Not only would Alice fall in love at first sight but she coudl fall in love while being in love. Or at least what she thought was love.
“Does Nick know you’re going out with Brett tonight?” I asked. “Nick has been so distant. I can’t bear it.” Alice responded, “Maybe if he finds out he’ll put in a bit more effort. A bit of friendly competition really.” “Nick has a temper and a bad mood.” I cautioned as Alice changed into her dress.
“Nick loves me. You don’t need to worry about it. Besides, it’s just drinks with Brett. Brett and I have nothing more than a casual flirtation… at the moment.” Alice stated.

Brett seemed to have a “casual flirtation” with lots of girls around town. There were rumors surfacing the last two days. Other girls who had gone “out for drinks” with Brett the bartender from Mack’s after previous casual flirtations had suddenly started revealing details of their respective dates. Or rather the lack of details they remember after getting drinks with Brett. Lots of other girls, just like Alice, had gone on there own dates with Brett but never seem to be able remember anything after their second drink. All these other girls claim they woke up the next morning unsure of how they made it home from the night before. Too embarassed to say anything, all of these women kept their mouths shut until now.

I stumbled over a root in the woods catching myself on a tree. As I focused on my surroudnings I noticed a grassy area uphead and heard the sound of running water. A stream. I walked forward, focusing more on my footing to not trip again. The grass was knee high and blocked my view of the stream but I knew it was just up head. As the sound of the trickling stream grew louder I noticed what looked like a possible mass in front of me, flattening the grass about 4 feet away. I slowly walked towards it to see what had caused the grass in that area to be flattened. Thats when I saw the blue sundress with tiny white flower designs on it.

My heart sank and I thought I might puke. I blew my whistle to signal to the other searchers I had found something.