His words came out of nowhere, but they were heavy,
Sudden but wrapped around me like chains and stopping me in my tracks and launched out like a missile with a purpose to hold me.
I turned looked at him, with a feeling mix, of confusion, surprise and suspicion.
"I need answers too and I know you do" He continued but I kept my gaze.
Moving closer, he said to me; "Nathan was never on drugs. When the doctor said he was high and that was why he committed suicide, I knew he it was a set up. Please, I need your help. "
"and I was actually on my way to see you….."
"I don't care about what is going on in this school" I said without thinking it through. "People die everyday, it is so unfortunate that it is happening a lot in our school."
People knowing that I cared was one thing I tried to avoid as much as possible especially with the fact that Nathan is related to the owners of the school.
"That's true, but Jane, something's not right about this school and I know you feel it too," Andrew said, his voice unsteady. "Nathan didn't take his own life. He was murdered. I may not have all the evidence yet, but deep down... I know it's true." His eyes shimmered, on the verge of tears enough to break through my stony rigid heart.
"And why should I trust you? Also, haven't you heard that one thing that you cannot trust is your emotion" I snapped, shattering the last glass of hope he had left. I turned and walked away, leaving his silence behind me. The look on his face cried for help and I am so sure it would hunt me for days.
As I walked away, didn't look back but I could feel his eyes on me heavy and hurt but I couldn't afford to care or look back. I can barely trust those who I know less alone those that I don't know.
On my way back, I couldn't help but wonder "why me? How did he know I was interested in this case? Has he been monitoring me? "
I got to my dorm, slammed the door behind me and tossed my bag onto the bed. Emma, Miss MHS herself was already inside, humming to some annoying pop song as she undressed like no one else existed. Typical.
I sat on my bed, trying not to look, but my mind betrayed me. I could not help but think, "What if Andrew has been watching us? What if he's the stalker? The killer? What if he's been standing out there every evening, eyes locked on our window. Does he see us dress? or what if this is like those Mafia novel, so Andrew and I end up getting married though he caused this all. "
I caught myself staring. watching Emma change like some creep?
Emma turned with one brow raised. "Are you good?" she asked, halfway into her oversized hoodie.
"Yeah… just tired."
She shrugged, tossed her bra across her bed, and sank into her sheets like royalty returning to her throne and then said; "And also, I saw you talking to my boyfriend, don't let it repeat itself"
Wow, the list of my problem, one day dating Andrew as I hope.
"I know he is hot and brilliant because tell me why I will be with him if not because of that." She continued. "I know so well that...…" I had to stop listening for the sake of my mental health.
I can't say I remembered what happened after that but, I saw darkness, everywhere was dark and I was at the back of the school but it wasn't the same. It was a burial ground, and there were vultures there, they weren't feeding, probably because they looked filled and satisfied. I was so scared, my heart race like it hits a marathon and was about to jump out.
I ran into the school building from the burial site through the back door panting. Andrew, holding a sickle like the Grim Reaper himself appeared behind me, with his eyes, once soft and warm, now glowed with something cold, unreadable. His hands were stained, scarlet.....like blood. And in one of them, he held Nathan's school ID… cracked, blood-specked, I tried to scream, but no sound left my lips, just a wide opened mouth.
He stepped toward me each footfall echoing like a gunshot but for some reason each step was closer than it ought to.
I turned to run but
….my legs wouldn't move....paralysis. I started to panic…..my breaths were extremely short and weak…
After what felt like a brutal wrestle for my life, I shot upright in bed, gasping for breath, drenched in sweat. My heart pounded like a warning bell. I didn't even remember falling asleep. Was that a warning… or just panic catching up with me?
I sat still for a moment, clutching my neck as if to confirm I was still alive. My chest rose and fell rapidly as I struggled to steady my breathing. The room was dark, silent, i would say too silent. And yet, everything inside me was screaming....the weather was cold but inside me was burning as if I was being boiled.
All my roommates were already asleep. I tried to calm myself down by breathing slowly. I lay on my bed with my sides, continued the slow breathing skills. I raised my leg in such an uncomfortable manner so as to prevent falling asleep.
The dream, was it a message, a warning or just fear being in its best move.
For how long did I sleep? Because I would say I was pretty sure I did not fall asleep that early but for some weird reason I cant just remember what happened.
I tried to remember, it felt like it was taken out of my memory. By the way, there was a good whole 10 hours before light out in the hostels.
These thoughts kept running through my mind.
I am not sure I wanted to fall asleep again at this point.