The Color of Roses

Chapter 1

-Alyssa's POV-

Bagpipes, the only thing that was heard as her family watched Khloe's body get lowered. It was a rainy day for the funeral, but it was the first day that all of her family had been in. I had distanced myself from them, not wanting to get in the way of their grieving. As well as I'm not sure I could even hold myself together watching her body be lowered.

In the long run, I don't suppose it would have mattered however, her mother was there already sobbing. I was the only nonfamily that had stayed this long. But I was regretting it, I decided I needed to leave, and went to say my condolences to the family, I hugged her mother tight, the woman who practically raised me. I then got into my car and began driving

As I made my way back into the city, I realized how peaceful it was, "Odd" I muttered to myself, the city was never empty at this hour, even with it raining. I parked my car outside of the apartment complex and made my way to my apartment. I still haven't gotten use to living alone, I doubt I ever will. As I unlocked the door, I saw a silhouette out of the corner of my eye and began to panic, "Is someone there?" I said my voice wavering, "Miss Sizemore?" I said the name of my neighbor hoping it was her; she was an older lady who acted like somewhat of a grandmother to me and Khloe. However, there was no response. I rushed inside of my apartment and locked my door. Were my eyes deceiving me? No, they couldn't be. But if they weren't who was that? Not just anyone has been allowed in the apartment building since the murder. And after a while, you get use to who is and isn't on the floor.

I laid down on the couch, "I'm going crazy, what should I even do?" I sighed and turned on the TV flipping through the channels trying to find anything interesting. "Oh shit, that project. I forgot all about it" work had been rough, and I had to have a new newspaper article in by tomorrow. I flipped the channel to the news and hoped there would be something I could write about. "Live from the scenes, a body found right outside Maplewood Apartments" the reporter blurted. That was my building, I raced to my window to see if I could see anything, and sure enough, blaring lights could be seen, "Why here? Why not anywhere else?" I muttered to myself "Police have identified the victim as Elaine Sizemore, age 73" the reporter said from the TV.

"Why here? Why people I know? Was it the silhouette I saw in the hall- no, it couldn't have been, why wouldn't they have killed me if that was the case, unless they wanted me to see them- did they?" I said frantically, I sat back down on the couch trying to make sense of everything. "I'm a witness; does this mean I should go speak to the police about what I saw?" No, the thought was stupid, if anything they would think I was the one who killed her. It was unwise to bring up the fact that I had anything to do with it.

I began focusing on the TV once more, "The police have found a rose under her jacket with a note attached to it, the note says" the reporter paused to read the note "Are you enjoying this Aly? I'm doing this all for you. One by one, until it's only me and you left, are you having fun yet? I know I am" the reporter covered the microphone and said something to one of the crewman which I couldn't distinguish. "Aly? Was it aimed towards me? What could this person want with me? I haven't done anything noteworthy, does this mean I'm next-?" thoughts spiraled around my head of what that note meant, what was going to happen? Who was next-?