I froze looking at her, my heart began frantically beating against its cage of ribs. I gulped every time our eyes met. I felt panicked and at the same time confused, she was standing in front of me but she didn’t look as terrifying as she always did.
"Excuse me." She tapped the counter
I winced at her voice, it sounded calm and different, nothing like before. How is that possible, how is she acting normal right now, is she even here or not, am I hallucinating again or not? My mind instantaneously asked several questions, I felt like I was going crazy.
"She’s not real! She’s not real! She’s not real!" I whispered to myself as I closed my eyes and opened them just to confirm if she truly standing there. She furrowed her eyebrows looking at me.
"She’s in my head, she’s not real, she’s not real," I whispered again.
"Excuse me!" She said again
Still standing in the same position, I closed my eyes. My heart couldn’t stop ranging against my heart rib cage, the last time it beat this fast was back in junior school, those horrible nights and days I had. "Go away! Go away! You’re not real, go away!" I muttered
Those words were given to me by aunt Jenny, she always tells me that whenever I’m frightened, just two words and everything will be over.
"Carolina!" I heard Brian’s voice walking in our direction. I peeked through my eyelid and saw him hugging her. How does he see her?
"I didn’t know you were back," He said to her
What is happening right here? Am I going crazy? Why is Brian so happy to see her?
Brian turned around and looked at me
"I think your phone is ringing, you can go check it while I attend to the customer." He said
Still standing in the same position, I continued staring at her, she was nothing like the way she was before.
"How is Brian comfortable talking with her?" This thought hooped in my head.
"Racheal." He snapped a finger at me "Go, I will attend to her."
I instantly nodded as I quickly walked toward the staff doorway. Once I opened the door, it slammed closed. I walked toward the lockers, and I was abruptly encircled by screams and outcry.
I began hyperventilating, as I turned back and tried to open the door. When the cries got louder and louder. I pressed my hand against my ear.
"Stop! Stop! Stop!" I whimpered
I fell to the ground as I whined "Stop! Stop! Please stop."
"You are a part of us." A demonic voice echoed in my ear.
"No! No! Please stop." I whined
The outcries and screams become louder, it felt like it would blast my ear off its socket. "It’s almost time." I heard a demonic voice say.
"No! No! No!" I screamed
Once a clock chime clinked, everything stopped, there were no screams nor outcries. I gently stood up as the door pushed open, Brian walked into the room "Hey, what’s wrong?" He asked
"Nothing is wrong, I’m fine." I gulped
"Okay, I just wanted to tell you that I’m sorry."
"Sorry?" I questioned
"Yeah, you were weirdly looking at my cousin and I know she hates it when people stare at her so I decided to lie, I just didn’t want her to be uncomfortable." He clarified
"She’s your cousin?" I asked
"Yeah, she’s a distant cousin. Do you wanna meet her?"
I instantly shook my head "No!"
"Come on, she doesn’t bite, just come meet her" He grabbed me as he walked out of the room with me
"Brian, stop, stop, stop!" I yelled
I didn’t realize I yelled at him, everyone was looking in our direction. My heart was raging, I wasn’t thinking straight.
"If you didn’t want to be her, you could have just said it, there isn’t a reason to yell." He raked a hand through his hair
"I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to yell. I just…Uhm...I don’t know. I’m sorry."
I turned around, closed my eyes, and let out a deep breath. I have to face my fear, she’s the only one standing between me and my answers. I have to do this.
My heart raced faster as I took a step forward. I felt like I was leading towards my grave but I have to do this.
As I stood in front of her, I gulped, closing my eyes and opening them again
"Who are you?"
"I’m sorry, I don’t understand?"
My breath was coming shorter as a voice rapidly echoed in my ear. "Stay away from her." The voice echoed
My heart felt like it was going to tear apart, I was extremely scared, it felt like I was confronting my nightmare.
"Who are you? What do you want with me?" I stammered
"What!" She scoffed
I can’t take this anymore, I have faced a lot already but I’m not gonna face it any longer.
"You know what I’m talking about, who are you!" I whined
She looked confused at first before she furrowed her eyebrows, widened her eyes, and stood up "I know what you are talking about. It got you, didn’t it?"
"Huh!" I sighed
"I know what you are talking about, its him, his back." She said in a profound tone
"Back? Who?"
"HIM" She inferred
"Him? I don’t understand?"
"I can explain everything, come with me and I will help you."
Help me? She wants to help me, she has been lamenting my life since the day I arrived at this school.
I shook my head "No! I can’t."
"Trust me." She tried to clutch my hand but I instantly move away.
"You have been lamenting my life for days, and you expect me to trust you."
"You have no choice if you want to live." She said as she took a step forward and clutched my hand
"When darkness causes you to mope, remind yourself that there is always hope. I am your hope. Come with me and I will explain everything to you."
As I nodded, we walked out of the cafeteria. Those lines of hers were something Grandma once told me.