Singer's City (Original text)

The Message

I reread the message several times, first with panic and fear, slowly changing to immense fury. Then, my emotions just turned off. This was it. I was finished being the prey. Two could play this game. I searched through my makeup box until I found my war paint. Clutching it in my hand, i made my way to the bathroom. Carefully, I drew on my face. I don't know how long I worked. When I was finished, I stood back and examined my work.

Three stripes over one eye. A stripe running from the corner of my mouth to my cheek bones, crossed in several places representing stitches. Smirking, I reached into my pocket and took out my contact box. I replaced the clear contacts I had on with the ones in the box: one demonic red with no pupil, the other completely black. I had gotten them for Halloween one year, and I kept them in my pocket if there was need for intimidation. I slung my hair to the side and used hair chalk and hair spray to give me a black stripe of hair.

Now all that was left was to sneak out without being noticed. The children would be scared, and the adults would ask questions. So, I decided to climb out of the bathroom window, which was on the third floor by the way. I stood on the sink, then tilted my body to the side to reach, then hoisted myself up. I crouched on the windowsill, then started climbing down, grabbing onto the deep ruts in the walls, ignoring the scraping and bleeding of my hands.

Finally reaching the bottom, I walked to the place that I had been directed to and leaned against a tree and waited, watching my digital watch tick away the seconds. Just as the set time was ticking closer, I saw a figure come closer. I continues to lean against the tree with my arms crossed, trying to look bored and unafraid.

"You came," the figure noted as they came closer. It was someone wearing a too-large hoodie which his their face and obscured their body shape.

"'Come to the far end of the park and wait for a shadowy person who is to come at exactly 6:00 pm on 9/8. If you don't come, someone kill be hurt.' How could I resist?" Adrenaline was making me cocky and fearless. I could sense the person's discomfort by how little like myself I looked and acted, which was fine by me. I was changing the situation. I was being the ruthless, cool, sociopathic persona, and I didn't know how to feel about how easily I fit into it. I was trying to ignore how easily I could break too.

"The Jesus requested your presence. You will come with me."

"Why didn't Jimmy come himself?" I sniffed.

"Shut up come." They grabbed me roughly by the shoulder and started dragging me. I smacked their hand away.

"I can walk myself, thank you very much."

We walked for what seemed like hours, but couldn't have been more than several minutes.

"We're here." I followed the figure into the old barn they had brought me to. It had peeling paint and stood in a clearing in the forest behind the park. The sun was setting, and I fiddles with my shirt under the cover of shadow.

The inside had been adapted to be a house. Everything was covered in dust and cobwebs. I waved in front of my face to clear the thick air enough to breathe as we climbed the creaking stairs. We walked down the hall, then turned suddenly to enter a room. I blinked at the light of the dozens of candles that occupied the room. In the center, there was a small table, with two chairs facing each other. In the further one sat none other than Jimmy. He jestured for me to sit in the other one. I obeyed, faking confidence with my body language and blank face. The other person left.
Jimmy sat back with his arms crossed and looked me over. We sat in silence

"Rather romantic, candles and all," I laughed dryly, breaking the silence. He scowled.

"What have you done to yourself?" He snapped. I sat back with a sarcastic smile. Oh, I was mad.

"You should be asking yourself that."

Jimmy stared at me, a crazy look hidden deep in his eyes. His eyeliner made him look tired but fierce at the same time. "I didn't want to do this. But I can't have you going to the police or pulling some other shit."

"I know who did it, Jimmy. I'm not gonna report them to the police."

"But you don't know, though. You see, thats the thing, you think you know, but it wasn't them." He got up as he said this and started pacing around the table.

"It wasn't Jane and Micheala. Oh really?" I retorted, my breath almost hitching as I finally said the name of the people who orphaned me out loud. He froze, then turned to me. He narrowed his eyes.

"How did you know?"

"Who else was as jealous as them of our relationship?"

He started breathing harder and paced around the room faster. I watched him.

Suddenly, he stopped and put his hands on my hands on my shoulders. He looked me in the eyes, seeming very nervous. He was trembling slightly, his eyes flickering from one of my eyes to the other. He took a shaky breath.

"Do you wanna try going out again?"

AN: Yes i know this update came a lot quicker than the last one. Party because i wanna make it up to you guys, partly cause I'm really excited about this, patrly cause I have nothing better to do durring this spring break. Enjoy, my lovlies.