Paranormal?
Scarlett's POV
I look at the sky. Dusk was falling rapidly.
The sound of the birds had been silenced, like we changed realms. Eerie should have been an understatement. Because, the only sound heard were of our footsteps. Michelle's constant humming and my scared beating heart.
"It's growing dark out here." I whisper. Oh God, who am I fooling? It's not the night that bothers me. It's the thought of a third person. Michelle hmm-ed like usual. I continue walking silently, observing even the slightest movement around. If there wasn't a presence, I would have made one. Paranormal. Twice it was a rabbit. Then, I hear footsteps again. I still. I look back, even if it's against the rules. I was just about to yelp a scream, when I sensed that it wasn't a rabbit that hopped out.
I close my eyes. I don't want to see it.
"It's a deer, Scarlett." Michelle admits, trying her best to not sound annoyed.
I know, I'm being a pain in the derriere. "Oh." I all but say. "If it's about the tale. Then, don't think about it too much. It's just a stupid bonfire story." Michelle convinces, voicing out my new found fear. "Myth, Michelle. It could be real. The story has been passed on from centuries. Something might have happened for it to be told again and again."
"And that's why, I asked Briana to keep her mouth shut. But, she had to go on and fuss over her creepy old details of the haunted hunter."
"Don't." I stop her. "Don't say his name."
"Why? Because he's gonna jump out and say peek-a-boo!" Michelle fakes a haunted accent and starts laughing. Isn't that what the rule book says?
You hear footsteps don't turn, just run. Don't say his name, you'll wake him from his death sleep. Don't wander out alone, he craves scared flesh. He's the haunted hunter. He just doesn't kill you. He keeps you alive for your own death show.
"Scar, it was a story. Maybe to scare kids, to not wander out alone." Michelle starts. "And we aren't kids anymore."
"I don't trust this forest." I say, almost hinting back to yesterday's events. "You don't have to. It's not a person." Michelle smiles. I don't say anything else; as we cover our distance and time passes by. I begin to realize; maybe she is right. We don't come across a supernatural man, who wants to kill us, enjoying the torture. No paranormal footsteps and I don't discover any bloody organs either.
She inserts key on the back door.
Since, the bonfire spot is closest from this spot, rather than the front one. We walked on a straight track and ended up right. "I'll go change." That's the first thing she says, as she gets inside. I nod, sitting back on the comfy couch in the living room. She rushes upstairs, and I get up as my curiosity gets the best of me.
The deep red door at the end of the living room catches my unwavering attention. When I swing the doorknob, it budges but the door is jammed. I push my body against the hard surface and it opens up. I cough, as soon as the dust of the vacant space hits my nose. This must have been closed for months. Or years. My subconscious interrupts. When I flick the switch, the light doesn't make its way towards the room. Looks like no renovation in this part of the lakehouse. So, I pull the curtain and the moonlight streams inside showing me the details of the room.
A library.
Heavy stacks of books lined in a perfect manner. Cupboards twice as tall as me. The dust lining them, makes my coughs start again. They've been untouched. What a pity. So, much of the world lies inside and we enjoy the outside beauty. Ungrateful people.
"They don't deserve you." I whisper to the books.
"Who are you talking to?" Michelle questions.
As I hold onto the cupboard for support. "You scared me." I gasp, as I place a hand over my chest. She flicks on the light switch. The room comes to life. But.. Wasn't it not working? When I roam my eyes through the cupboard, I held for support. I walk back in shock.
This can't be. What in the world?
My throat goes sore. Because now, there aren't any books in front of me. There are boxes. Many boxes. From up to down. Left to right.
"The books," I point out to Michelle, who is busy searching the boxes.
"Where did the books go?" I gulp, as I frantically look around the boxes and the huge racks, searching for even a single corner of the room, I saw earlier. "Huh?" Michelle mumbles, hardly listening to me again but I continue, "Books, Michelle. Two minutes ago, before you flicked on the light there were stacks of books not boxes." Michelle keeps rummaging, hardly paying me heed. I sigh. Never mind.
"What are you looking for?" I ask, instead.
"Phones." Michelle says, reminding me. Oh yes. I forgot. Nista held one of these cartons as we placed our phones in them. I help her with a box, she has been pulling forcefully. "Calm down, you'll fall." I say, as my worried tone escapes me. She opens the box and squeals in delight. "Yes!" She hugs me so tight. "Thank you, Scarlett! I'll help you with the books." Michelle urges and I shake my head. "It's fine." Pause. "I'll manage."
Because, you can't exactly find things that don't exist.
"I'm going for a shower." I say, as I get up to leave her to her world. The cool water splashing my hair, make my thoughts go wild. Another incident? Another day? Another day dream?
Could this be? Am I going crazy?
Why do I only see this? First, a weird uncle with secret confessions. Second, a dead girl standing alive in my mirror. Third, the sinking feeling that never leaves me and now this. A library that doesn't exist? My thumbs circle my temples, as I try my best to ease the building fear and stress. I thought, a bath would have helped. But this. It's not. I can't stop thinking about what's happening.
Why did I come here?
I skim through the books in my backpack, finding the one I'm looking for.
Haunted tales for bonfire nights.
Don't ask me, whose idea it was. Bree has a very astounding taste. Deciding to let my hair get air dried, I exit my room. Calling Michelle, Michelle along the stairs. When I get down and get silence as a reply. I walk around the house searching for her.
"Michelle?" No reply. "Michelle!"
She's not here. Did she leave for the bonfire before me? But, wasn't she aware that I'm horrible with directions? She can't do that to me. After all, she promised that we'll get back together. I walk through the kitchen and see the back door widely ajar. Wow. No promises, then. I give out a frustrated sigh. Staring at the back door with so much compulsion, as if it would bring her back. I start to walk back to lounge.
"OW!" I hiss, as my left foot is pricked and I bend down to see the pointed source that came in contact. The keys.
I pick them up and realize that, it's the same pair Michelle had. I frown thinking, why she would leave them so carelessly on the kitchen floor. Unless, she dropped them involuntarily. Did someone force her to leave? My subconscious questions. No, I'm overthinking again. She must have dropped them and forgot to pick them up. She might have been busy. But, with what? I ask myself again. With who? My subconscious mocks again. There's no one here.
Fear taking its toll. I nervously bite my lower lip, looking back at the back door. Did someone she wasn't expecting come in here? Through that door? I gulp. I walk to the exit and shout, "Michelle!" My voice makes its way back. I tense. Something's wrong.
I run back upstairs, just in case she's in any of the rooms. I check all of them and I don't find her. My throat's going sore and my heart is filling with dread. What if she's -? "No!" I cut the bad thoughts before they have a chance to complete themselves. "Michelle is alright. She must have left for the bonfire." I say, convincing myself. "I'll just go back and she will be there. Then, we'll all laugh at my stupid assumptions." I talk to myself, as I enforce extra pressure on "will". The truth is, I know something's not right. With her. With this house. With this freaking forest. But, I don't want to accept it. I'm such an over thinker, I curse mentally. I walk back down and grab my jacket. I don't know, what use was the shower? Because, I'm sweating again. But, this time with fear.
I grab my jacket from the couch. As I walk back to the still open back door. The keys are in my back pocket, just in case I need them. I won't. I scold myself.
When the cool air of the night hits me, I know that taking my jacket was the best decision, I've made. I slung it on. Though I still feel cold. It's strange, how terror affects your body. No matter what's the source of warmth. You still shiver.
There I glare at the trees. Working up courage.
I know, I'm pathetic with directions. But, so what? It was a straight way. How hard can it be? When I start walking, I feel a presence. The darkness engulfs my body. But, the fear traps my heart.
Looking around, there's one thing I grow sure of. The path should be the least of my concerns. Because, now there are other things to worry about.
More specifically,
My life.