KATIE

Chapter 2

As we leave the school she turns and says "I'm sorry I'm not really in the talkative mood I'll see you later Richie, we both return home I lay on my bed reading waiting for nighttime, thinking of how my father Charles wasn't always such an asshole and when mom was alive, he tried and put forth effort. But I fear now my father sees nothing, but misery and depression followed by a massive drinking problem. Quietly I get up and slowly move across the rigid wood floors trying to not make the floorboards creek. I open my door slowly and as quietly as I can, moving down a few stairs to see if my father is asleep. Charles lays with the TV on and the static from the tv and snoring is all that fills the house with noise, A hat covers my father's face keeping the light of the tv from waking him. I sneak back upstairs into my room and silently close the door and start to get dressed putting on a long sleeve gray shirt and a red puffer jacket, and some blue jeans. Then My socks and sneakers as I tie them up, I hear something hit my window. I warily move to the window and peak out to see Katie standing in the freezing cold. Giving out a heavy sigh of relief that it is her I open it and sneak out of my window crawling down where the roses are and meet Katie outside. "Sorry it took so long it took forever for dad to fall asleep" I said "It's alright I've nothing better to do anyways but wait" she replied.

Embraced by the chilly night air, Katie and I ventured into the quiet streets guided by the faint glow of streetlights casting long shadows on the pavement. The silence of the town was interrupted only by the distant hooting of an owl and the occasional rustle of leaves in the wind.

Katie, with her hair barely visible under the dim moonlight, led the way with a confident stride. We navigated the familiar pathways, our footsteps muffled by the stillness of the night. The scent of damp earth and fallen leaves filled the air as we made our way towards an undisclosed destination.

As we approached the outskirts of town, the landscape transformed. The narrow sidewalks gave way to overgrown paths, and the distant sounds of the night creatures grew more pronounced. The moonlight filtered through the branches, creating a dappled pattern on the ground.

With a mischievous glint in her eyes, Katie guided us toward an old, abandoned building that loomed in the shadows. Its windows were shattered, and graffiti adorned its weathered walls. The air around the structure seemed to carry whispers of forgotten tales.

"So, Richie, ever been inside the old warehouse?" Katie asked, a playful grin playing on her lips.

I hesitated for a moment, the eerie aura of the abandoned building giving me pause. Nevertheless, curiosity overcame caution, and I shook my head in response.

Katie, ever fearless, produced a rusty key from her pocket and unlocked the creaking door. The hinges groaned in protest as the door swung open, revealing a dark expanse within. As we stepped inside, the air felt heavy with the weight of forgotten memories.

The interior was a labyrinth of forgotten relics, covered in a thin layer of dust and echoes of the past. The distant glow of the moon seeped through broken windows, casting beams of light that danced upon the dusty floor. It was as if time had stood still within those walls.

After what felt like an eternity, we decided to retrace our steps and return to the world beyond the warehouse's walls. The moon, having journeyed across the night sky, cast long shadows that seemed to bid us farewell.

Exiting the building, the crisp night air greeted us, a stark contrast to the confined stillness of the abandoned space. The door groaned shut behind us, sealing the secrets within once more.

I get the feeling that someone is watching me, it's as if every muscle in my body just froze. "Hey, Richie, you really shouldn't tense like that it looks like it hurts when you do that is everything alright?"