Never looked back

Short story ( One shot )

I was visiting my old best friend Ashlee's grave, when suddenly the memories of how she died, or rather how they all died came back and that I was left all alone. Reminiscing about an old traumatic experience sent goosebumps all over my body.

It all started in November. I was about to go to school when I saw a group of police officers going in and out of my neighbor's house. Ms. Anne, an old lady who has quite an attitude for some reason. I was told that she was an old-maiden who had a bitter yet kind heart. Curious and worried, I closed and locked the door of my house and walked to her home to see what's happening.

As soon as I went in front of her house, I saw yellow tape wrapped around her home and suddenly, an obese police officer stopped me. "Where do you think you're going, child?" He asked, holding my arm. "I'm not a child!" I roared, removing his grip. "Looking at your appearance, child, you do look like it" He snorted, emphasizing the word "child". I rolled my eyes at him, losing my thin patience. 

"What happened to Ms. Anne?" I finally asked, looking around the house. "She was found dead this morning, that's what happened." He informed me. My mouth went slightly open, shocked at what this police officer just said. "You're kidding" I shook my head, not believing his statement. It's impossible! I just talked to Ms. Ann last night about her garden supplies." We will not be here if she's not, child" The old hag said, sarcastically. Hell, this police officer is pissing me off, I said in my mind.

"I said, I'm not a child! I'm sixteen!" I yelled, already pissed. "How did she die? I just talked to her last night about her garden supplies" I said curiously, not believing that she died. What would you feel if someone close to you just died? Seriously, It's heartbreaking. "Can't tell you" He started to walk away. Really?!

"Hey, old hag!" I yelled, running towards the house. "What happened to her?!" I asked again, now worried. Ms. Anne may have an attitude, but she's kind. She always talks to me, which I find nice. The police officer didn't answer and ignored me. Luckily, I saw my friend, Grey, who had been wandering around the house too. His father and I were also friends. They have been working together at the station for years. My father is a detective, while his father is a police officer.

"Grey!" I called, rushing towards him, he turned around to see who called him. "Lilianna!" He called back, waving his hand. "What happened to Ms. Anne?" I asked him, worried. "She had a cardiac arrest last night." He announced. "What? What do you mean, cardiac arrest? That's impossible! She looked healthy, and I haven't seen her go to the doctor" I said.

Grey looked away, and said, "I know, but the police saw her laying down the stairs, eyes open and no signs of life." He stopped for a second. "But strange is, they didn't find any meds for her heart, and also when the police arrived earlier, her kitchen was a mess. It's like someone came in before the incident happened" He explained.

I looked at him, as he was thinking deeply. Well, that's suspicious. If someone was inside of Ms. Anne's home before she died, why wouldn't they help her? Or just called someone for help? "What did the police say?" I asked him. "So far, there were no statements. They believe that it was all just a cardiac arrest, nothing more" He scoffs in disbelief. "I don't think the police won't investigate more, they won't waste their time on someone who is irrelevant and old" He shook his head. "Hey! Ms. Anne just died, don't insult her." I exclaimed, looking offended. "Sorry, I'm just stating a fact" He said while scratching his head.

After a while, we saw the medic coming out from the house while holding Ms. Anne's corpse. "Let's go, Lilianna," Grey called, pulling me. "Where are we going?" I asked. "To your father, he's inside" He answered, holding my hand. "Okay"

While walking I got a glimpse of Ms. Anne's dead body was covered in white cloth, but her head was in sight. Looking at her facial expression sent me goosebumps. I saw her eyes were open and looking straight at me, as if she was scared. I just shoved that thought. As we went to my father, he called me. "Lilianna, dear, what are you doing here?" Dad smiled. "Nothing, just looking around. Poor Ms. Anne" I said, looking down. "I know, dear but there's nothing we could do, death is always unexpected" Dad said. I know, death is inevitable. I sighed. Grey stepped forward and said, "Isn't suspicious?"

"What do you mean, kid?" Dad questioned. "Ms. Anne had no records of medication for heart disease, and her kitchen was a mess, as if someone was her before her death." Grey repeated what he said earlier. "And this isn't the first time that this kind of death happened in our neighbourhood, last week someone also died because he committed suicide but had the same flaw" I looked at grey, I'm at his back. Grey is really smart, huh? I smirked. "Oh kid. You know the word coincidence, right? Don't think too much. Things happened for a reason." That's true, everything happens for a reason. Dad patted his back, and that made Grey frown. "I'm telling you something isn't right, someone was murdering them on purpose"

Days have passed and I tried to help Grey to investigate and find some evidence about our neighbour's death but there's none. "It was like a perfect murder!" He exclaimed, frustrated. I know "Maybe dad was right? What if there's no real culprit. What if we're really just wasting our time?" I sighed, getting frustrated too. "No, there must be something. Look at every flaw" He said, turning his back to me. "Let's just stop for now, and take a rest" I said, he nodded.

Weeks have passed and the terrifying death rate in our neighbourhood rose, every week someone always dies. That's why dad advised me to be cautious, he said that maybe this isn't really a coincidence. That's the reason I am now with my best friend, Ashlee. Ashlee has been my best friend since grade school. We are here at Manhoove lake. We planned to take a swim and relax. "Don't you think it's odd?" She said, getting ready to swim. I looked at her, and asked."What do you mean?"

"The multiple deaths happening here in our town, look, last week. Remember, Mr. Adam, the fat police officer at the station? He was founded dead at his home, electrocuted, with wires wrapped around his neck, but when the police arrived there were no evidence of someone came in, it was almost a perfect murder." She said as she started to swim while I was at her back, looking at her. "Maybe, he was really just dumb and wrapped his head to the wires, I don't know. He deserves to die anyway, he's a pervert." I said, still looking at her, not ready to swim yet. "What do you mean?" She asked. "Nothing, everything happens for a reason" I smiled.

"Speaking, you met him before he died, right?" She looked at me. "What do you mean?" I stuttered. "Hmp, isn't it weird that you met everyone before they died?" She laughed. "You're like the death reaper" She continued, still laughing. I glared at her, "What?" She asked. "So are you saying that it's my fault that they died?" I said, getting irritated by her words. "No, stop being serious, Lilianna. I'm just kidding. Maybe, It's really just a coincidence. You cannot avoid death anyways." She said, turning her back at me. "No, there is no coincidence, everything happens for a reason" I said and smiled.

"But you're right, death is inevitable, so am I." I continued, and joined her down.

I suddenly came back to my senses when someone patted my back, I turned around to see my smiling husband, Grey. I smiled, "Love" I greeted. "You miss her do you? He asked. "Yes, love, so much" I wiped my tears away. "If it weren't for that tragedy, she would be here with me. It's my fault, I couldn't save her" I looked down. "Hush, love. It's not your fault, you were terrified that day too." He said, and I nodded, calming myself down. "Let's go? We will be in traffic if we don't get going" he leaned and kissed my forehead. "Oh yes, I'm ready to go. I'm just gonna say my goodbye to her. Go wait for me in the car, love." I said, pushing him away. He chuckled, and nodded. "Okay, love"

I turned around to the grave and my smile disappeared. I leaned down to whisper "I would be so glad if you're here, too bad I don't like noisy people like you. If you just shut your mouth, I wouldn't have to do that to you and you wouldn't have the same faith as them." I smiled, Remembering, how I drowned her to death.

"Good bye, Ashlee" I said and walked away. 

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Never look back, my love.