ZEPOTHA: DO YOU REMEMBER ME?

"Don't You Call Me"

It was the morning of the next day and the chilly breeze pushed the dead leaves off the road. The darkness retreats. For now.

Down the street of Elmwood Avenue and far into the woods lay the Stewart Family residence. A quaint cabin nestled between the trees. Jade jumps into the living room Cherrybomb by The Runaways playing in her head. She jumped onto the couch turning the TV. She jammed to the song in her mind until Alaine took the remote from the couch and turned the TV off.

"Hey! What are you doing?!" Jade yelled to her older sister. "It's Friday. Come get some breakfast."

The two of them sat down at the dining room table, Alaine toasted some waffles and cooked some bacon. She put the breakfast on two plates for her and Jade. Alaine held a cold stare to Jade, which didn't get unnoticed by the younger Stewart. "Um, what's up?" Jade said, chewing on the waffles. "I was just thinking about the beer situation last night." Jade almost sat out her orange juice. "Oh-That..I was just messing with Nate." She explained.

"You don't mess around with beer." Alaine said sternly. "Ugh-You sound like Mom. Look, it's nothing." Jade rebutted. "Nothing? You were trying to get drunk." Alaine pointed out. "Oh, so Danny and you didn't get blackout drunk in your Junior year?" Jade asked her sister who completely deflected the question. "I just don't want you doing anything you'd regret." "Like you're any better Ms. Goody Two-Shoes." Alaine scoffed at the remark and after finishing her breakfast got up and grabbed her car keys. "Time to go. Go get dressed and meet me in the car." Alaine said, walking to the door. "Nah." That word made Alaine turn. "Nah? Nah what?"

"I think I'll catch the bus with Rita today." Jade said, putting her foot up in defiance. "But...Whatever. Just don't forget to close the lights when you leave." Alaine said, opening the door. "Okay, Ms. Hypocrite." Alaine rolled her eye's to those words and closed the door behind her.

After finishing her meal Jade went to her room and grabbed her Walkman and a cassette. She popped it into the cassette player and listened to the song. "...Remember me." She silently sung the song as she finished changing into her T-Shirt. As Jade sat down on the couch waiting for the minutes to pass by, the phone on her wall began to rung.

"You've gotta be fucking kidding me." She laboriously made her way to the phone and answered. "Hey I think you got the wrong number. Please don't call here again-" She was cut off by the low voice on the other end. "Jasmine." They said sending shivers down Jade's spine.

"Very funny, screw off." She said into the phone before she could put it back into the landline the speaker called out. "Wait, have you seen any scary movies?" They asked. "No, you got your fucking answers stop fucking around." "So what were you doing renting out Friday the 13th, Part Six?" That made Jade stop in her tracks. "Shouldn't you be at school now? Don't keep Alaine waiting." The call stopped and Jade was left there to think about what just happened.

It was just some asshole playing some dumbass prank. Yeah, someone just got their home phone and called them. That was she thought to keep herself from worrying.

When the clock reached eight she'd put on her coat and walk out to the bus stop to catch the bus with Rita. Once reaching the bus stop Rita looked worried.

"Hey. Rita you alright?" Jade asked the girl. "Oh-uh. Yeah just thinking about some stuff." She said quickly, turning to Jade. "Oh, I see." Rita took a look at Jade to see the clearly rushed outfit she'd put on. "What about you? I mean you did come here later than usual." Jade thought about that call. "I was just thinking about some shit too." Rita didn't want to push the subject. "Oh....I see." She simply said.

After a while the bus would come to the stop and they'd get on. In the News Room of Zepotha High, Aliane was tending to photographs in the dimly lit room. She'd dampen the photo in water when a thud came from the desk on the other side of the room. She would turn to it with her attention centered on the desk. She'd slowly step her way there grabbing a broom for protection. She held out the broom and poked the desk.