No one could know it was me. That would be far too dangerous, but I wanted-no, I needed someone to find what I’ve kept hidden deep down in the depths of my core. So, I set out on the busy streets of my hometown. I’ve walked these streets many times. Each time with different intentions. Except this time, with darker intentions than I’ve had before. I searched the many faces I passed. The young, the old, the stressed, the free, the dark, the bright. Chatter filled the air. Some talked into their phones stressing about work, there were children screaming to one another and smiling, new parents talking about the hottest parenting tips, experienced parents playing with their children, and so much more. I passed by a woman I knew very well. Yet, she didn’t even know my name. I pulled my hoodie over my head and over my eyes, then I walked into her coffee shop. I pulled a note from my pocket that had been waiting for this moment. The lined paper had the words “Dig into the heart of the woods.” Written in a cursive fashion, not my usual style. She shouldn’t be able to tell I’m the one who wrote this. My black leather gloves will prevent fingerprints from being traced. I walked up to her. Her apron tied tightly around her waist, her gorgous shoulder length blonde hair was now in a high ponytail. I grabbed her wrist and put the note in her hand, whilst keeping my head down. Then I left.

“Hey wait!” She called after me. I’m sure she read the note and was wondering what it meant, but I ignored her. She couldn’t leave her shop. There were far too many customers to tend to. She couldn’t and wouldn’t follow me. I arrived back home from my long walk. I took down my hoodie and took off my leather gloves. I looked into the mirror, into the face I’d been questioning. Dark brown hair framed my face. My sapphire eyes matched the coldness of what I’ve hidden in the depths of my core. If my calculations were correct, she’d head straight for the woods after work. So, I turned the Tv on to the news channel and waited. Boredness overtook me eventually and I started a fight to keep my eyes open. Alas, I lost. My eyes closed and I sunk into my little grey couch, curled up in a blanket.

My eyes opened quickly in what felt like minutes later, but the clock said hours later. I looked at the Tv. The distinguished fear on the reporter’s faces told me what they found. What the lady at the coffee shop dug up. I knew what it was, and waited for them to say. I turned up the volume.

“Today a body was found in the heart of our very own woods. Here with us we have the woman who found the body herself, Coffee shop owner Maria Roberts. Tell us, what made you go digging in our woods today?” He asked her.

“I was handed a note while working today.” She said in a somewhat shaky voice as she pulled out the now crumpled piece of paper. “Whoever it was covered their identity well. They were wearing leather black gloves, grey leggings and a greyish blackish hoodie that they pulled over their face, but what I can say is from their body shape they looked like a woman.”

“Okay, thank you Ms.Roberts.” He turned to face the camera. “The body has been identified as Savannah Bridges. Whom Ms.Roberts says to have seen two days ago, in her coffee shop. This body seems to have been dead for about a week though. We’ll be back with more information soon.”

I shut off the Tv. Panic overwhelmed me again. I had simply found her-or my body in my house. I didn’t know what to do. Why she looks exactly like me and has my exact name, is beyond. And that scares me. Maybe a doppelgänger? All I know, this isn’t good at all. I only told someone so that I could watch what they find. I looked at my watch. 9:30 pm. I should get to bed, I guess. I want to be able to be awake enough to watch the news. I went to my bedroom and collapsed onto my bed. My eyes started closing immediately until they closed completely.

I woke up in the same position I feel asleep in, but something felt off. I wasn’t alone. I lifted my head. There she was. Sitting on my vanity. There was blood on her hands and she was smiling at me. In her eyes, there was nothing. Not even the sparkle from the blue. She spoke in a maniacal voice. “You’re wrong” She cackled in the maniac voice.

Then I woke up. For real this time. It took me a moment to realize I was laying in a pool of my sweat. Gross. My thoughts started to wander back to my nightmare though, ingoring the sticky feeling. What did she mean by “you’re wrong”? Why did she have blood on her hands? I stumbled out of bed and into my living room. I grabbed the remote and turned the Tv on. They were already recording about it.

“Thirty-nine year old Maria Roberts, a local coffee shop owner who found this shocking mystery was murdered last night. We have found traces of Savannah Bridges being her killer.” The label at the bottom read ‘Killer Risen From The Dead’. “We now have no leads on this chilling case. We urge anyone whi knows anything to come forward. We have police off to the side who will protect you if you choose to do so. Back to you Lauren.” Then the Tv switched to a blond woman as she went over the top ten worst car crashes.

“Well, now I know who’s blood was on her hands.” I muttered to myself. “If I go up there, they’ll arrest me most likely, but what do I do then?” I paced around the room. “Screw it, I’m going up there.” I grabbed my keys off the kitchen table as I walked out the door. I slammed the door shut and then unlocked my car with my keys. The silver painted car sat in my driveway unbothered. I pulled the door open and sat down. I shut the door then, without paying attention I slammed on the gas. Next thing I knew I was slamming on the break. “Shit!” I cursed at myself for nearly hitting my neighbors new convertible. Luckily, neither of them were in the car so I didn’t have to listen to them scream for the next hour. I put the car in reverse, backed it up a little and then started on my way again. The thirty minute drive felt like it took hours. I parked the car and got out. I locked it with my keys, then I started out towards the woods. I expected someone to be there investigating. I trudged through the mud, stepped over the tree roots, and maneuvered around poison ivy. Suddenly I came to a halt. I jumped behind a tree and watched the officers and investigators at the scene. They were looking down into the hole I dug and whispering something, but I couldn’t hear them. Suddenly a hand appeared on my shoulder and another on my mouth. “Mmhmhmh!” I mumbled as I squirmed in my attacker’s iron grip.

They put their mouth up to my ear so I could hear their manic laughing. I stayed rooted to the spot. Then, when she was done, she left. I watched her walk past the authorities and get right back into that hole. I put my hands up, prepared if they draw weapons as I stepped out from behind the tree and took a few small steps closer into the open. “Hello?” My voice came out shakier than I expected. Their heads turned to me. “Savannah Bridges? But you’re right here-“ He turned and looked down into the hole, sure enough he saw her body in there. “But how-“

“I don’t know. I found her body in my house and buried her here. I was scared to go to the cops for fear of where I might end up.” At that moment my look alike got up again and went to attack the officer I had been talking to. “LOOK OUT!!” I screamed, but it was too late. He was already on the ground with her tearing him up like an animal. I lunged toward her to get her off him, but a hand sprung out my waist and pulled me away last minute. It was another cop. He looked horrorified. I struggled in his grasp, but he refused to let me win. She stood up atop his now lifeless body.

“You humans are so easy to fool” She cackled in that same maniacal voice. “And you.” She looked directly at me. “You’ve been calmer than the devil himself up until now. He’ll be so proud of the chaos I’ve caused.” She cackled again as she ran off.

What just happened