"I think someone broke into my cottage last night" I told Mal, looking at the trees a little distance away from the library. I was on my lunch break and we were sitting at a nearby table in the open, made specifically for eating outside.
"You should really put some makeup on that" she laughed but it wasn't a happy one, it was somewhat forced. She signaled to the swelling on my cheek. She'd slap me the moment I stepped outside this morning, I would have thought she slept on my steps if she wasn't wearing fresh clothes.
I scoffed "I'm serious Mal, I didn't even sleep" I stressed pointing to the bags under my eyes.
She shook her head "You probably just left the door open like always"
"I'm certain I closed it"
"Are you?" she made an effort to look deep into my eyes "Are you really?"
I searched my mind and sighed, shoving a piece of chicken into my mouth "I don't know" I replied finally "I hate you"
"So…" she sprung a foot over the bench so she was facing me completely. "What's happening between you and Ray?"
I choked "What? What do you mean?" I asked as soon as I'd recover, she searched my face and I looked away before sighing "You saw, didn't you?"
She nodded.
"Nothing's going on" I replied honestly
"What do you mean? I saw you kiss him" She snapped snatching the bag of freshly fried chicken from me. Her mood had changed so quickly it was surprising. It was as if she couldn't hold unto some suppressed anger.
"Mal? Are you okay?" I asked with concern "Did I do something?" I prompted, realizing that they may have had something going on, that I didn't know about. 'O no, what the hell did I do?' What if that's why he avoided me or told me we wouldn't happen? What if that was the reason why Mal kept trying to make sure he actually asked me to kiss him?
My eyes widened in shock. "Are you two..?" I used my hands to sign the word together and she relaxed a bit, returning my bag of chicken, her mood shifting so rapidly again it was startling.
"We were" she began calmly "Actually we are, we will be again" She looked at me, her voice soft but her face emitting death.
My heart became still and I stopped breathing "I'm so" I stuttered but couldn't quite finish, I felt like the world beneath me was crumbling and I couldn't do anything about it "I had no idea…"
She began to laugh "Chill Mia, I was just messing with you"
"What?" I blinked twice, not quite recovering.
"You should have seen your face" she smiled turning around so she was facing the trees once more, but there was something in her eyes, something that screamed pain and distaste.
I got up, something about all this felt too real.
"What?"
"I've got to get back to work" I forced a smile, waving a swift goodbye before heading to the library, even so, I could feel her eyes burning through me and something told me, it would never be the same between us again. Call it paranoia but I call it a girl's intuition. Something was different.
****
"Pack up for me will you" Mrs. Hoe appeared in front of my desk. "I'm going out with a nice piece of man meat tonight" She wiggled her shoulders playfully. I nodded, returning my focus to my imagination.
She snapped her fingers to gain my attention "You're not still hung up over that piece of paper are you?"
I opened my lips to say something but remembered it would defeat the purpose of the silent treatment.
"It's been three weeks now sweetness, you have to let it go"
I looked up at her, she had her hands in a praying position under her chin and she made a funny-looking face, I smiled but tried to cover it up immediately.
"Does that smile mean you'll talk to me again?" she asked hopefully and I shook my head no.
"Fine, no pudding for you tomorrow then" she laughed turning to walk away and I forced my mouth shut as it had involuntarily opened itself to betray me.
"W-what was that?" she sprung around to face me and I leaned back into my seat and raised my chin at her. I was not going to let a really tasty, scrumptious, once-in-a-lifetime pudding get the best of me. Looking a bit disappointed, she walked away and returned a few moments later with the keys and goodbyes.
When the last person had left the library, I flipped the sign to closed and started packing away the books. After I was finished, I made my way to the desk to collect the keys. I picked them up and noticed an envelope underneath. I curled my eyes in confusion, I was sure it wasn't there before. I took up the envelope and studied it, it was small and brown, it wasn't heavy and my name was written on the lid. Someone must have dropped it off while I was restacking the books, I summed up eventually.
I scanned my environment, I was the only one here. I looked at the time on the wall above my desk, it was 7:04 pm. The mail guy wouldn't have come so late, which meant it had to be from someone on the island.
I sighed. These were all harmless people, which meant that this was a harmless envelope. I ripped it open and was slapped in the face by an awful stench, it circled the air around me. I pinched my nose closed, this had 'stupid prank' written all over it.
I took a peek into the envelope, there was a card. I emptied it onto the desk, it was soaked in what I prayed was red paint, not blood. I reached for a nearby pen, flipping the card open. There were a few sentences but I couldn't quite see the words from the distance I was standing. I scolded myself to man up and began making small steps towards the paper.
"I am watching you" I stopped, repeating the words to myself. I took a sharp breath, remembering the figure I saw in the shadows last night. I shook the thought from my head, stilling my shaking arms. 'No, this was only a prank. Don't start getting stupid ideas.'
"Only a prank" I reassured myself, releasing my pinched nose and stepping as close to the card as I could. I read the words in a whisper.
"I am watching you, and you can't run or hide. I know the truth about your mom and I know the truth about you. I will destroy you. Much like you've destroyed my life" it was signed 'Worst Nightmare'. I gasped, feeling a sudden rush of cold air hitting me from behind, I turned around. The door was opened. I was certain it had been closed. I began to panic. Was I going insane? What truth? What truth was everyone talking about? What did I do? What was I missing?
I saw something move outside through the glass door. Someone was standing in the shadow of the building, looking straight at me. I struggled to keep my breathing even, glancing at the cracked door. I made a run for it, pulling it shut before the demon could launch himself in.
He was dressed in all black and he wore a handmade black robber's mask. Terror gripped my throat making it almost impossible for me to scream as he knocked on the door in defeat. His dark green eyes twinkled in the small LCD door light above his head as he glared into my eyes. After a moment he stepped back into the dark and I felt a small shred of relief. He was gone.
Almost immediately a piece of soaked cloth covered my mouth and nostrils. I tried resisting but the strong hand draped itself around me and kept me still until all the fight was instantly drained. My body became numb and everything became nothing.