Midnight Murder

Last glimpse of Ava

                                   Introduction
    It was a cold winter..
    Ava was a beautiful young lady, but beneath that was a small shy and insecure girl. Her last boyfriend had cheated on her with a girl he just met. Crazy how fast feelings can change. Ava was ready for college, an escape from her hometown and childhood. She had recently become more active, working out and going on walks. Then one day she just disappeared. After searching and checking the neighbors yards, Ava was found face down in their pool. Blood soaking the clear surface and the slice down her back a sting to the eyes. The ice was broken around her as if she was thrown in. But who would do that?

                                    Skylar
     Its been two days since Ava was found in the ice waters of the neighbors pool. Mom left that night, told my Dad and I that we where too much. She still hasn't came back, the cold reality that Ava was actually gone. Dad cried and kept to himself, only coming out to eat and go to work. They left me with the thought of my sister's murderer still sneaking around.
      I crack open my window and glance down at my neighbors yard. The pool had already froze over again but the edge was stained red.. I frown and turn around rubbing my arms. "Skylar.." I whip around, my hair stinging my face, "Who's there?" I call towards the window. My curtains blow out towards me like hands, the wind carrying them closer. Silence. Thats all there is, harsh and eerie silence.
     I back towards my doorway, slowly, the floor creaking slightly beneath me. Umph- I tremble against the door frame, then turn as fast as I can, bolting from my room. I get to the staircase and glance behind me. After making sure there's nothing following me I walk down the steps.
    The floor whines with every step and my heart beats faster. "Skylar?" I scream and turn towards the kitchen, my dad is making toast, his expression filled with concern. "Whats happening sweetheart?" He watches me and I shake my head, "Nothing dad I'm sorry." I take a deep breath and walk into the kitchen to make some breakfast. "I miss Ava and mom.." Dad sighs and turns towards me. "I do too Sky." 
     I smile sadly at him and pick up my toast. "Thanks dad." I walk away grabbing my backpack from the counter and heading towards the door.
     Pausing with my hand on the doorknob I think to myself, why haven't I done anything?
     I open the door and walk out then get in my car. Im not going to school. I thrown my bag in the backseat and slam the door. I know my dad leaves for work soon, he'll turn right down our street so i need to park on the left. I start my car and drive down the left turn on our street and park my car a street away from our house. I grab my hoodie from the passenger seat and slip it on.
     I get out of my car and start walking back towards my neighbors house. Im going to find answers. I walk slowly giving my dad time to leave before I walk into the neighbors yard. There's has to be something left behind, the cops here aren't that professional. They closed her case as a homicide and never even looked into it. The low rumble of my dads truck fades away as I turn the street corner, so dash towards my neighbors fence. I touch the rough wood and jiggle the latch. Locked. I look around and notice part of the fence post is angled enough for me to grab it. I prop my sneaker against the fence and lunge myself upwards grabbing the post. I keep pulling myself and finally use my other foot to kick up and over the fence.
      My head rings slightly as I hit the ground face first. Damnit, I rub my head slightly. I brush the dirt and snow from my face then get up looking around. The first thing I see is the dark crimson red on the edge of the pool. My stomach turns sour as I glance around looking for anything other then her blood.
      Theres a small reflection that beams at me from the rocks around the back pool. I slowly make my way towards the edge of the pool and shuffle slowly around it. The ice mockingly growing up the side of the pool. I glare and kick a chunk off out of anger. I glance up and reach out to one of the big rocks and use it to climb to the next one. The small crack shined up at me and I paused. I reached in my pockets and came up empty. I must've left them at home. I rip a small strip of sleeve from my hoodie and nod to myself.
       I slowly pick up the shiny object with my cloth and place it on top of the rock next to me. Its plastic, like material from a mask. I frown down at the broke chunk and notice something odd. It looks as though something had smashed the mask on purpose. Its a dull black with specs of white on one side of it. I curl it up into the cloth and put it in my pocket.
      I make my way slowly back to the front of the pool and glance up at my house. My curtains flow into my room with my window open. I forgot to shut it. I sigh and look down at the ground for anything else. In my peripheral I notice something strange. A black mass is now in my Window. I don't want to look, I really don't. The mass slowly turns as though its confused. It knows I should be able to see it. I bind down and notice something else. A hole in our fence. I don't know how i never noticed it. Its the perfect size for Ava to fit through. A small pink cloth is stuck in the splintered wood. But the person is still there.
       My stomach burns with anxiety as I turn slowly. The person is dressed completely in black. There was white splattered from the hip of their waist to the top of their mask.
       The mask had X's for eyes and a wide white smile. With one particular feature. A chunk of the right cheek was missing. It looked exactly like the piece hidden in my pocket. "Who are you! How are you in my room!" I yell up at them. Their head tilts back in a silent laugh. They lift their gloved hand and point out the window. I follow it and look down at my own chest. "Me..?" I look up and the dark red of blood coats my window. It drips from the bottom and scrapes down the side. The person is gone.
       My body jolts alive and I run to the fence. I tug on the pink cloth, not minding to cover my fingers, and rip it free. I shove it into my pocket and get back up. I run towards the other side of the yard where I jumped the fence. I leap up and push against the fence with my feet trying to get over.
       My hoodie snags against the top of the fence. "No!" I yell trying to loosen the hoodie. Theres a small tug on my foot. What the hell is that? Before i could turn my leg is yanked on forcefully and I cry out. The fence digs into my stomach as something starts to burn across the back of my leg. I buck roughly and grunt when I'm suddenly falling into the snow on the other side. I grab my stomach and limp down the street not looking back.
       The burning in my leg is killing me as I reach my car and get in locking the doors. Theres blood on the door and my hands. I put my car into drive and take off heading towards my dads work.

                                             Ava
       I frown in the mirror at my frizzed hair. I stayed up last night thinking about Lance. He had cheated on me with some random girl he had met. I broke up with him and tried to cover it up with my friends and makeup. Not even shopping had helped me like it usually does.
       I slide on my pink Blouse and ripped jeans, finishing it off with high heels and light makeup. Mom was making breakfast when I went downstairs. Sky and Dad where chatting about her job while they sipped on their coffee's.
        I thank mom for cooking and pick up my backpack from the counter. "Im going to get a ride from Stacey today. Love you guys." I smiled and walked out the door.

                                         Skylar
        My lungs and body burn from running. I drive with one hand, the other clutching my side. My head starts to get dizzy as I pull into my dads parking lot. My hoodie is torn to shreds on the front side and my pants are ripped along the back like I was slashed. I wobble out my door and limp towards the building doors. I know I look crazy but I need help. I push through the rotating doors and stumble into the lobby.