“Alessia!”
“Go away!” I yell.
“You need to get up or your mom will be furious.” I hear my best friend Amity call back.
I groan as I get up to open the door to let Amity into my sleeping chambers. She enters with a smile on her face. Amity is a petite woman with strawberry blonde hair and blue eyes. Her freckly face is mousy with prominent laugh lines. I wonder why she's smiling more than usual then I see she's holding a green gown that can only be what I have to wear to the Grand Ball of Warkinles.
“Do I have to wear that?” I ask with dread pooling into my body.
“Of course,” she responds simply “what else would you wear to such an important event?”
I groan again trying to protest but Amity seems to be set on getting the dress on me.
After she gets the green gown on my body I can't help but admire how the satin catches the light. The gown has off-the-shoulder sleeves, with a floral texture for the top half. It goes all the way down past my ankles so that you can barely see the gold heels that Amity forced onto my feet. The outfit is topped off with gold jewelry that harnesses sparkling emeralds.
I look into the mirror admiring the high bun Anity put my brown hair into. I look at my olive-colored skin which seems to be flawless. My sharp jaw makes me seem serious but anyone who knows me will tell you that I am quite humorous, I just get grumpy easily.
I stare into my own dark green eyes which I am told I inherited from my father. I don't remember my father much, he died when I was only 2 years old. He was killed when a group of hags attacked the carriage he was in. The only memory I have of him is when he took me to a secret cliff that overlooked Warkinles. I remember him telling me how I would rule this kingdom one day, he also explained that my name means warrior for that is the way of Warkinles. Never in history have we lost a war. We will always do what's better for the country no matter what, for that is our oath.
“Alessia,” Amity snaps, “stop staring into space. Your mother needs to talk to you before the ball.”
“Sorry.” I say sheepishly“ I was thinking about my dad.”
“Oh, you poor thing!” she says with sympathy.
“Don't call me a poor thing, I don't need any of your pity.” I snap.
I sigh and then say “I'm sorry, you are a great friend.”
“It's ok, I know you want to be all tough and stuff,” she says, playfully smacking my arm, “but you can never be tougher than me.” I laugh as she puts her hands up in a fighting stance. She puts her hands down and says “Now let's get going before your mom blows a gasket.”
I'm so pretty. I think this as I get ready while looking a mirror. I look away from the mirror to grab my makeup bag. When I look back I smile at my reflection but instead of it smiling back its glaring. How is that possible. I blink, it's probably a trick of my imagination. I look at the mirror again but it's still glaring. “Why are you looking at me like that?” I ask the mirror not expecting it to answer. “Because you got the better version of us than me,” it answers. I scream and the mirror version of me reaches her hand out of the mirror and pulls me inside.
I thought I understood But I was wrong I made a stand because I thought I should Now I’m in grave danger
I should’ve paid more attention Now everything is in flames I have caused this tension I should’ve paid more attention
The world is over It’s my fault I’m such a pushover I should’ve paid more attention
“We need to solve this case now!” My boss, Mr.Malick, shouts “If we don’t we will be put out of business, what kind of detective agency are we if we can’t even solve a case!” “Sir?” My coworker Alan says “This murder happens 5 years ago, why are we working on it now?” The certain murder we are talking about is the grand murder of Mohanna Kait. Mohanna Kait was a celebrity who was known for ruining companies. Everyone hated her but that’s not a reason to murder her. “Good question, Aden,” Alan cringed when Mr.Malick got his name wrong “if we solve this case it will put this agency on the map. So I am putting Parker, Hannah, Alex” Alan cringed at his name being mistaken again “and lastly Eva.” My ears perked up when my name was called. Finally I can prove myself. This is what I’ve been waiting for. “Okay everyone, meeting concluded.” Malick said. Alan ran up to me exited to finally be put up for a job. “This is going to be great, I finally got put into the field!” “Calm down Alan, Parker and Hannah are much more experienced than us.” I say “There’s a very small chance we will solve the case.” “Don’t be such a party pooper Eva.” he says with a smile still plastered to his face “I’m going to go celebrate, see you later.” I wave goodbye and walk to my office to grab the case files. I then walk to my car and think “What if I can do this?”. It’s a very small possibility but it’s fun to think I can be successful.
**********
The next morning I wake from a nightmare in a cold sweat. In my dream I saw the dead woman Mohanna. I saw the murder from the murderers point of view. I shudder and rub my eyes and get up for the day. I put my dark hair on a high ponytail then go downstairs for breakfast.
Today I will be working from home on the case. I go to my home office and open the case file holding anything that has to do with this murder. Time to get to work.
*********
I don’t get it. After hours and hours the clues seem to paint an image. I’ve found the name of the murderer but it can’t be her. It can’t be her because….I am her.
All of those dreams that haunt me aren’t dreams, they’re memory’s.
I can’t believe I would ever do that but then it comes to me. It’s so very simple.
I have forgotten.
“Mama!” I yell. “What do you need Bailey?” She asks. “Can I go play outside?” I ask hopefully. “No! I’ve told you a million times you can’t go outside when it rains!” “Why not?” I ask sadly, I was hoping to ride my new bike. “Why not!” She says in disbelief “Because of the man hidden in the rain of course.” “Who’s the man hidden in the rain?” “Well there is a myth. A myth about an old man who used to walk around in the rain with his umbrella. Whenever it would rain he would go outside. One day when he was out walking a group of kids rode past him on their bikes, one accidentally ran into the old man. The kid thought he ran into a mailbox because he couldn’t see through the rain so he just kept riding. When the man was hit he fell into the gutter and couldn’t get back up, he died from the injury he received. It is rumored that a demon formed from is soul. Now the demon walks around when it rains and kills unexpecting kids on bikes, hoping to find the kids who caused his death.” I shudder “Ok mama, I’m going to my room.” She pats my shoulder as I walk toward the stairway. When I’m out of mamas sight I dash toward the back door. It’s just a myth, there’s no actual man hidden in the rain. I pull my raincoat on and grab my helmet. When I get outside I quickly grab my new bike from the garage. I ride for about 30 minutes in peace before I start to head home so mama doesn’t notice I disobeyed her. A few blocks from my house I see a figure holding an umbrella. The story of the man hidden in the rain come to my mind but I push it away. When I’m a couple of yards from the figure I slid to a halt and gasp in fear. Its face is hideous. The face is just a skull with bulging white eyes. I get back on my bike and try to make a run for it but the creature grabs me by the back of my coat and everything turns black.
************
I though I was dead for a few minutes because everything is white. Then I realize I’m just in an extremely clean white room with silver furniture. I look over and see the creature who took me to this overly clean place. I try to scream but find I have lost my voice. “It’s okay,” A soothing voice says “your safe now.” I wonder were the voice came from and realize it was produced from the ugly creature. “My mama was right!” I croak “There is a demon who kills kids on bikes and it’s you!” “This is just a misunderstanding,” the monster says “look.” In horror I watch as he peels the monstrous face on and leaving a handsome face instead. “Ho-how did you do that?” I ask. “Just let me explain,” the now handsome man says “would you like a cup of tea?” I nod, how I wish I listened to mama. He grabs a serving tray that has a teapot and two cups on it and pours me a cup then hands it to me. I take a couple small sips while I wait for him to start talking. “I must first explain first explain who I am,” he says “I am Balan, a demon who is sent to save the kids that are victims of the man hidden in the rain. My job is to locate the man hidden in the rain and save his victims. You are not dead, you are in a safe house and you will soon be returned to your parents once it’s safe.” This is all so much, first I though I was dead now I have been saved by a demon. What a day. “So your not going to kill me?” I ask. “No, I’ve saved everyone the man hidden in the rain has tried to kill.” He answers. “So I can go home?” “Yep.” There is a few minutes of silence while I sip my tear and then I feel a writhing pain in my stomach. I gasp trying to breath. “Hurts doesn’t it?” The man ask “You should have listened to your mother.” He peels back his face and reveals the scary creatures face. “Goodbye” is the last thing I hear.
Love… for the past year all I could think about is how fast he makes my heart beat. Before the nuclear explosion we use to have picnics at the beach then watch the sunset. I loved him and he loved me. Oh what a shame this had to happen.
The first month I never stopped looking for him. Even when it was still to dangerous to go outside. I looked and looked and looked, but still found nothing. Well nothing until two weeks ago. I went to a meadow on the out skirts of our home town. I was taking in the sweet smell of all the flowers until a rotten stench reached my nose. I walked five more feet then screamed. There he was, his life less body burned and shriveled. The only reason I could still recognize him is because I saw the heart shaped pendant I gave him. I wept for a week.
When I finally stopped crying I was burning with rage. I decided to take my anger out on anyone who was left. I’ve spent the last week hunting down every living thing that remained. Right now there is no living thing except me and one other thing. I’ve seen it’s heartbeat on the machines I acquired when I broke into the science lab that started this whole thing.
One more thing until I have my revenge. I’ve been tracking it for 2 days, and now I am a quarter mile away from it. I’m running and running and I won’t stop till I’ve killed this creature. I’ve reached the spot we’re the signal is coming from and sprint out. I stab the creature in the heart with a knife and let out a laugh.
“I’ve done it, I’ve gotten my revenge for the death of my beloved!”
“Ellie?”
I’m startled at the sound of my name, I forgot that I even had a name. I look at the face of the animal to see that it’s a human, but not just any human.
“Jayden?” I ask with a crack in my voice “I though you were dead, I saw a body with your necklace.”
“Well cupcake, Im not dead.” he says with a chuckle, “Well not until now.”
“No don’t leave me, I need you, I went crazy at the thought of you dead!” I plead with him hoping I can fix my mistake. I shake him but I can tell he’s already dead.
Dread is all I can feel. I went psycho when I fought he was dead but now it’s my fault he’s actually dead.
I don’t know why I don’t get up and walk away. Perhaps I’ve gone into post traumatic shock.
I get a thought in my head and consider it. This is the only way I will be happy. I’ve made the decision. I can’t live in this world without anyone, especially with out him. I look at his lifeless body then bring the knife up to my throat. This is for the better. I slice my throat and then drift off into the numbness of death.