The Dead Crime (Draft)

Chapter#2

Camille was standing in the middle of a vast field of daisies spreading far off on all sides with nothing else in view. She turned around confused at first but then started walking through the field, stretching her hand as the flowers brushed across her palm softly, making her smile. At a distance, she saw a blond haired figure standing, her back to her. Camille recognised her by her sweet caramel smell, and a broad smile appeared on her lips as she lunged forward, hugging her “Mom!!” she cried joyously.
The figure turned around, a smile over her face as she started fading. Camille stepped back, calling her again, but the figure remained quiet, smiling as she faded.
“Camille” she heard her mother’s voice from behind and turned around. Her mother was standing there too, but this figure was clearer and brighter. Camille lunged forward to hug her, but as she did it’s body burst like a balloon splashing red liquid over Camille and the daisies surrounding her. The daisies suddenly disappeared, and she was standing in her backyard where a man–his face covered with a black cloud disguising his features–was digging a grave and throwing her mother’s body inside
She opened her eyes all of a sudden with a shuddering gasp. Her heart was hammering against her chest, and she was breathless. It was dark all around her. She stayed quiet and still in bed for a while, trying to normalise her breathing, looking for a tiny ray of light to comfort her. But when there was nothing, she slowly rolled to the edge of the bed and carefully lowered her legs, one after the other, down to the floor. She was too scared to speak yet. She began swinging her hands around, looking for a door knob to help her escape from the darkness she was trapped in. She walked a few steps forward and banged into a wall. She followed the wall until there was a door. She felt the door knob with her hand as relief rushed through her, forming tears in her eyes. She hurriedly turned the knob to get out, but nothing happened. She turned it again, then again with her both hands applying force but the door didn’t open. It was locked. Camille groaned while trying again, but it didn’t work. Tears spilt down her cheeks, and she sniffed, rubbing her sleeve across her face. She stopped moving the knob as she felt a delusional figure standing behind her. She became paralyzed with fear, her hands still on the knob squeezing it. Wind blew towards the blocked window, making a loud clattering sound with sudden noises of crows flapping their wings and cawing as they flew away from the nearby tree. Camille screamed, pushing herself into the door and wanting it to break down so she could run. The noises stopped, and Camille slid to the floor leaning against the door. She was staring into the darkness at the place where the window–she supposed–was.
“Mom?” she cried, her voice trembling, “Dad?” she called them, but there was silence. The silence caused her adrenaline to rise, and she started banging the door, screaming for help.  After an hour of continuous banging, when her hand started hurting and her throat went hoarse from shouting, she curled in front of the door, hugging herself with her arms around her shoulders. Tired and frightened, her eyes became feverish, and she fainted into deep sleep.
Downstairs, the house was empty until Camille’s dad walked in with a beautiful young lady who laughed, putting her hand over her mouth at something funny he had just said. She had green eyes sparkling like ocean waves and short brown hair that reached her shoulders. They walked into the living room, their arms linked together,
“That’s a nice house you got there, Kevin.” She commented, looking around the living room and the kitchen in front. Kevin smiled, unlinking his arms,
“Sit down, I’ll bring tea.” He said, pointing towards the couch placed at a side, “or would you like coffee?”
“Tea sounds good.” She spoke, sitting on the couch with her leg, one over another. While Kevin was in the kitchen preparing tea, she took out a pocket mirror and a cherry lip gloss smoothly, applying it across her lips.  She pressed her lips together, smiling in the mirror proud of her beauty. Just then, Kevin came with a tray carrying a kettle and two cups along with a plate of biscuits.
He placed it on the table and sat on the couch next to her. She closed the pocket mirror and shoved it back in her purse, glancing at Kevin,
“How do I look?” She inquired
“You are gorgeous as always, Diana.” He complimented patting her hair. They looked at each other with their eyes filled with love–or at least Diana’s were overflowing with affection while Kevin seemed to have an ulterior motive hidden behind bringing Diana to the house. Kevin moved to the tray and poured her a cup of tea. She took the cup, sipping it slowly, and took a biscuit from the plate to eat with.
While they were drinking tea and chatting about different stuff, Diana suddenly heard a strange weeping sound. She paused to hear if it was really some sound or if it was just a hallucination. It was low but steady, making it hard for her not to notice it. She put her cup on the tray gently without making any noise,
“Did you hear that?” She spoke almost whispering while trying to focus on the sound.
“Hear what?”
“The crying sound...we don’t have any kids in the neighbours, right? You said so yourself.”  Before she could panic, Kevin cupped his hands around her cheeks and smiled warmly,
“There’s nothing dear, your ears are ringing.”
“Right...but why does it feel like-”
“You want to see the terrace?” He interrupted, trying to distract her. The strange crying sounds also disappeared, just then diverting her attention towards Kevin.
“Sure” she nodded.
They both got up, and Diana grabbed the tray before Kevin,
“I’ll leave them in the kitchen” she said, leaving him alone in the living room. Kevin moved his head towards the ceiling where the attic was above. He stared at it gloomily for a second, his lips suddenly turning into an evil smile. He switched his glance towards Diana when she came back, the same smile refreshing into an affectionate one. She smiled back, drying her hands over her jeans.
“Thought I should wash them too, was I too late?”
“Not at all, dear.”

                                                                                      ***
The night was cold. They both slept under the warm covers cuddling each other. Diana dug her face into Kevin’s chest, pulling him closer towards her,
“So are we a married couple now?” She asked
“Yea” Kevin responded, moving his fingers through her hair at a slow, relaxing pace.
“Without having a proper wedding?” she complained, getting away from him to look at his face. She wrinkled her nose, making a pitiful face.
“Do we need a priest’s words to claim we’re married. Don’t you love me enough?”
“That’s not all a wedding is about.” She got up leaning to the back of the bed staring at Kevin. He remained silent, staring back at her when Diana got tired of waiting for him to respond and lay on the bed far from him. Kevin knew at once that she was upset. He scooted near hugging her from the back.
“Do you want to choose the location? But anywhere other than the church.” Kevin suggested.
“Is there any wedding that doesn’t take place in the church?” Diana turned her head, suppressing her excitement.
“Of course there is. Our marriage.”
Diana’s face broke into a blooming smile, and she dug her face back in Kevin’s chest.
When she fell in deep sleep He removed her hands that were wrapped around his waist and quietly left the room. The clock was ticking on the wall, producing a ding sound at every O’clock. Four dings passed, and Diana woke up finding the side of the bed empty. She looked at the clock, it was 3:15am.
“Where did he go to at this time?” she wondered, refusing to get out of the covers to search for him. She rested her head on the pillow as she drowned back into sleep.