Two Years Earlier…

        I let my hair down after the everlasting shift at Blue’s Café. I have been taking extra shifts to make the deadline for college. I need to pay for next semester and since I had already asked my mom for money for rent and for car insurance. Let’s not mention the food she bought when she found out I was living off mac n’ cheese and bread. To say that this was the least I could do was saying very little about it.

        I turned up my music and drove home singing at the top of my lungs. The drive is about a half an hour to an hour from town. It all depends who is out on the road; I have a bad habit of speeding but it’s only a slight increase in speed. Apparently, some greater power thought I should get home later rather than sooner. After the long ride home, I finally made it to my small house on the outskirts of the city. It was really simple; a one floor, white house. I heard the beeping of my answer machine when I walked in.  

        Before I heard the voice I already knew it was my mother. She hasn’t stopped calling since she found out about the missing people and the dead bodies. I usually ignore her calls and call her back later but seeing as she called fifty times and that’s just today I thought I should give her a call, but I’ll call after I make myself something eat. Serving other people their food all day tends to do that to me.

        After a sandwich and some cookies with a glass of milk of course; I called my mother. “Rose? Rose! Well, it’s about time; I have been calling all week!! If it wasn’t for Bobby and Ann I would have contacted the police by now.”  I let her ramble on for a little while; let it all out of her system. Of course, Bobby and Ann would talk to my mother; they are my neighbors well in a way. They live about a mile and a half to two miles away but they are good friends of mine. It was the only reason my mother let me move so far away from her. They have just married two years ago and are still in the sicken honeymoon phase. Just the thought sends shivers through me. “Are you even listening to me? Rose this is serious! I think it would be better if you came back here for the time being.”

        “Mom, I’m not moving back; next semester is starting in two weeks and I need to get the money saved up to pay for it. I’ll be fine; I have been so far. It’s highly unlikely anything is going to happen to me,” I answer in a rapid succession. There was no way I’m going to miss school because there is a small chance that something may happen to me.  I worked all senior year to get my mom to let me go. She didn’t like that I was leaving Tennessee. “I’m not saying move back in; I’m just saying come... visit. Just until this blows over. Until there is a little bit more of a lead on the case. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”  I let out a loud groan which did not go unnoticed by my mother. “Can you not disrespect me like that? I’m only worried about your well-being. Am I not allowed to be your mother now that you are not in the state? Rose can you please just come home; just for a little bit?” She was pleading and I can’t handle her when she starts pleading. She has been lonely since my father passed away four years ago.

        “Fine, I will come and visit you but only for the two weeks, I have left in between semesters. Can you handle that?” I asked. I heard her sigh, that’s a good sign. “It’s the best I’m going to get from you isn’t? Well, if it’s the best I’m going to get then I guess that’s what I’m going to have to take. I expect to see you tomorrow; by lunchtime. No ifs, ands, or buts; understand?” she states instead of asking. I start to protest that’s hours of driving. It was near impossible considering it was going to be a Friday and everyone will be leaving the city. I’m going to have to get up extremely early just to get out of the city. “Mom you know I can’t do that. It nearly impossible,” I exclaim. “You are right it is near impossible but that’s the funny thing it’s close to impossible but not completely. I will see you tomorrow at lunchtime. Love ya; see ya tomorrow." she said before hanging up on me.

        I stood there for a minute afterward listening to the dial tone. I can’t believe she hung up on me! I put my phone back on the charger and headed to my room to start packing for the trip. In the middle of packing my clothes in a duffel bag, I heard a noise. I gave a momentary pause before I went back to packing. It was probably just my imagination. I normally have my music on so I don’t hear fake noises.

Yet even with the music on I couldn’t shake off the stupid noise. I kept thinking about the stupid missing people that my mother had to bring that up again. I kept telling myself that it wasn’t some kidnapper coming to kidnap me. I decided to take a shower so I could relax. It’s already going for eight and I want to get to bed early to make sure that I get up early enough to avoid having any interruptions to get home.

        I turned up the volume on my radio and hopped into a steaming hot shower. After a good hour-long shower, I finally got out; avoiding looking into the full-length mirror that could show three people side by side head to toe. It has its pros and cons; after getting changed I went to the mirror to wipe off the extra smudged makeup that refuses to come off. With my nose practically pressed against the mirror I started to clean my face. That was when I realized I haven’t seen only my light blue eyes but someone’s hazel eyes. It wasn’t very clear but when I looked closer I could see an outline of a face. It was faint but it was there; I looked behind me just to make sure there wasn’t anything to create the reflection. There wasn’t anything just my green bathroom door that was closed. I looked back at my reflection and the face was still there. It was even smiling at me. It wasn’t a friendly smile. That was the last straw for me. I turned around and as quickly as I could run out of the bathroom, grabbed my keys and drove to Bobby and Ann’s.

        I ran up their porch steps and started pounding on the door. A minute later Bobby was standing in front of me. I rushed inside and ran into Ann; I may have mumbled an apology but I’m not sure. All I could see was the face staring at me and all I could hear was the pounding of my heart. I subconsciously wiped my hands on my pajamas pants; I didn’t realize I broke out into a cold sweat.  I don’t remember putting on the pants but I’m glad now that I had at some point.

I’m sure they are trying to talk to me but I couldn’t get myself to respond. The face was just staring, that sinister smile was burned in my mind. I was afraid to blink and afraid to speak. What if it all was really in my head and I’m just going to make myself sound crazy. I took a deep breath trying to convince myself I was just horribly overreacting. That was when I finally heard them calling my name. I was sat on the couch and clutching a pillow to my chest. Once I realize I was doing it I immediately released the pillow and took another deep breath before I finally started to talk.

“I-I-I saw a-a f-face in the m-mirror. It w-was-wasn’t mine” I exclaimed in a higher octave than I normally talk in. Bobby and Ann exchange a look before Ann speaks up. “What are you talking about?” I took another deep breath, trying to settle my breathing and bring my voice to the normal octave before responding. “I had just gotten out of the shower and gotten dressed when I went to the mirror to wipe my make-up. That was when I noticed a man staring at me. I looked around to make sure it wasn’t a reflection of something else. It wasn’t! There was a man in my mirror watching me. Now that I’m thinking about it, it has to be my imagination, right” My voice started to rise as the fear started to settle in again.

Ann brought me into a hug before she turned to Bobby. “Bobby, can you just go check Rose’s house just to make sure it’s safe?”  I tried to protest and state that it was probably nothing but without another word, Bobby turned and left. Ann turned to me and tried to calm me down. I had realized that I had started to breathe heavily again and had tears running down my face. I quickly wiped away the tears and started to try to explain that I was really alright. Inside I was still seriously freaked out and it showed by the way Ann was acting. “Ann, I know I sound crazy and I probably am. Mom has been harassing me about the murders and missing people. I guess it got to me more than I thought. I really did believe I saw someone in the mirror. I know that it’s impossible so it has to be my imagination right” I asked.

“I don’t know if it was your imagination or not. No one knows anything about how this is happening, just that something is happening. I don’t think you’re crazy though, maybe a little paranoid thanks to your mother but not crazy. Maybe you should stay here for the night. You are in no shape to be alone” Ann replied. I shook my head before answering; “I am going home tomorrow to visit Ma. I think I can handle one night by myself. It was just my imagination anyway. There’s no logical way a man can be in my mirror. Ma’s crazy paranoia must be getting to me; I will be fine” I don’t know who I’m trying to convince more, me or her. Either way, before she could object, Bobby came back.

        “No one is in your house. I checked the whole place. I think it was just your imagination” Bobby’s booming voice caused Ann and me to jump. “Darn it, Bobby! You scared us! You have to announce yourself before being so loud” Ann scolded Bobby, which he returned with a wide Chester cat grin. I laughed which caused them to laugh. Once we all calmed down I got up and headed for the door. “I’m sorry for the trouble I caused. Mom’s ramblings got my imagination running crazy. I’m gonna go home and get some sleep. Mom wants me home early tomorrow” I said. “Are you sure you don’t want to stay the night? It’s no trouble” Ann tried again. I shook my head, forced a smile and opened the door. “If you need anything or get scared just call or just come over. It’s always better to be safe than sorry” Bobby said. I nodded and gave them a hug then headed back into the night.

        I quickly got home and checked everywhere. Not that I don’t trust Bobby but it gives me a false sense of security. After triple checking everything was locked up tight, I headed to bed. It was only about nine thirty but I fell asleep quickly.

I startled awake from a nightmare already forgotten. I tried to go back to sleep but I couldn’t shake the lingering fear the nightmare left. It felt like I was still in the nightmare and I suddenly felt uneasy. I tried to look through the mass of darkness but saw nothing. I tried to take a few deep breaths to calm my racing heart. I mentally chanted It was just a nightmare. I felt myself calming down a little. I tried to get back in that comfortable position I was in before I woke up. I couldn’t find it so I got frustrated and just rolled over.

That was when I realized that something was very wrong. My bed is a queen and My small stature of five four and hundred and twenty pounds doesn’t take up that much room and make that big of a dip. I still can’t see a thing and I start to panic. This is the person that has been kidnapping and killing people! I completely froze and couldn’t even think straight. I started thinking of all the horrible things that would happen to me when they take me. I took a shallow breathe to not alert them I was awake. Then a thought hit me. It was the mirror thing all over again. My imagination running crazy again. I chuckled to myself and tried to go to sleep.

I woke up after what felt like two seconds. Frustrated I was awake again, I turned on the light. I flew myself around to prove to myself that there really isn’t someone in my bed. I know once I prove it to myself that no one was in my bed, I can finally get some sleep. As I turned over to look at the other side of my bed my mouth flung open to scream. The scream was never heard. Something was shoved over my mouth and I started to struggle as hard as I could. I fought the darkness that was quickly invading my vision. I felt my strength weaken and then everything just went black.

Next Chapter: James