The Awakening of Eve Rose // ONC 2024

Chapter Two

I groaned, each erratic pulse from my thundering heart sent a jolt of pain through my aching head. My vision returned as the whiteness faded. Cold, hard concrete pressed against my back. I was lying on the sidewalk, the crosswalk projected its rhythmic "Walk. Walk. Walk." The man was gone, but the feel of his hands gripping my arms remained. I pushed myself up as a young security guard ran up to me.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"Umm, yeah, I think so," I answered, my voice shaky. My legs felt like jelly as I tried to get my balance.

"What happened?" he inquired.

"I don't know. I think someone tased me."

He looked puzzled. "That would have been a hell of a taser."

"What do you mean?"

"I saw a flash from the ER doors. No taser could have done that." His dark eyes scanned the sidewalk.

"Oh," I replied.

"You should come back in and get checked out," he offered.

"No, I'm alright. I was on my way home." The last thing I wanted was to walk back through that parking lot.

"Are you sure? You should fill out an incident report," he reasoned.

For a moment, I wanted to tell him about the man that grabbed me, but the words stopped in my throat. The only description I had was his voice and the memory of his hands on my arms. Plus, how would I detail what happened? Zapped with an unknown object? No, I was better off not saying anything.

"I'm sure. I'm ok and I was already off the clock," I countered.

"I really think you should fill one out," he insisted.

"No, I wasn't even on hospital property," I assured. I assumed his only concern was a liability happening on his watch.

He confirmed my suspicion. "Alright then. If you change your mind, my name is Zach. Just let the dispatcher in the guard box know." He turned and left; his job done.

The stop light had turned green. I checked the road but there was no traffic, and the last thing I was afraid of right now was a jaywalking charge. I confirmed that the road was clear and jogged across the road.

The sense of peace I had in the darkness was gone, and every dark spot or shadow felt wrong. I hurried to my small apartment building, stopping at the door to put my code in. Fear flooded my veins. My fingers fumbled at the keys. My eyes fixated on the little box as an icy spot prickled along my back. Someone was there.

Come on Eve, hurry!

The keypad light flashed green as I hit the last button, and the latch popped open with a snap. I rushed in and slammed the door closed. I still didn't feel safe. I rushed up the stairs to my second-floor apartment door and busted into the dark living room. I fastened the door with the deadbolt and chain lock.

But even the familiarity of home wasn't enough. I could still feel eyes on me, and my arms still tingled where the man had grabbed me. I flipped on the overhead light and let out a yelp as a face stared back at me in the window.

It was a moment before I recognized my reflection. My almond-shaped pale grayish green eyes were wide, and frightened, on my round face. The little color my skin had, had drained away, leaving my skin a ghastly shade. The icy feeling that had taken residence on my back began working its way to my chest. The lingering presence unnerved me and I rushed to the window and jerked the curtain closed.

Still, the icy presence lingered. I set to work through the apartment, drawing the curtains closed and turning every light on. Soon, the apartment was brighter than the midday sun. Lamps and ceiling lights chased away the shadows.

I stood in the middle of my kitchen, letting the light chase away the shadows. Finally, my muscles slowly uncoiled, and the safety of my home became a shield of comfort against the fear. Even then, sleeping in my bedroom was out of the question. I wanted to have a direct line of sight on the front door. Another not-normal thing, my parents would always call me on. Most kids would run to their parents for shelter when I wanted to see its face as it came for me.

Gathering my pillows and blankets, I plopped onto my forest brown couch. I wrapped myself in a cocoon of blankets and turned on the TV. I scrolled through the streaming apps mindlessly before settling on the Twilight Saga. My guilty pleasure. The icy spot melted slowly away, beaten back by the lights and the safety of my blankets.

Today had been a shitshow from start to finish. My parents voices played through my mind, reminding me that at twenty-seven, I was too old for stupid teen vampire movies. I shook my head and hit play. Right now, I need something that makes me happy, not normal.

My body relaxed as the familiar movie played. Everything was ok. I'm safe and happy; nothing could get me here. I repeated the mantra as I watched. My breathing slowed to a calm, peaceful pace. My eyelids, heavy with sleep, drifted shut, and I gave in to the welcoming darkness.

A loud thud jerked me from my dreamless slumber. My heart rate spiked as I laid there tangled in the safety of my blanket, listening for danger. Lights still blasted across the apartment, and I blinked against their onslaught. My eyes fixated on the door, waiting. A loud tapping shook the window above the couch forcing a scream from my lips. I rolled off the couch, unraveling myself unceremoniously onto the floor.

The rapping sounded again, as I forced myself up shaking free from the last hold of the blanket. Cream fabric flew across the living room, as I kicked the comforter away. The emerald green curtains fluttered as the window shook under the force of the knocking. Morning light filter through tiny openings in the waving material, hitting my arm. The icy sensation sparked to life and prickled across my skin. Someone was looking at me.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

The relentless tapping grew louder until I thought the glass might shatter.

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

Frozen with fear, I stared at the closed emerald green curtains above my couch. My mind raced with possibilities and options. I had nowhere to go. Nowhere was safe. I couldn't run, outside wasn't safe. I had maybe one or two people I could call.

But would they get here in time? Was I willing to put them in danger? How long would it take for someone to know I was gone?

Tap. Tap. Tap.

No, I had no choice but to face what this was, alone. I reached toward the curtains to pull them back.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

I jumped at the sound, jerking my hand away. My freshly gained resolve disappearing.

Get it together, Eve!

I grabbed the closest weapon-like object I could reach—a large candlestick.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

I took a steading breath before reaching back out and throwing the curtains open. Candlestick at the ready if I had to swing.

A black raven greeted me. His attack on my window stopped, as his dark beady eyes met mine with curiosity. His slick black wings flapped effortlessly to keep him upright.

Hysterical laughter bubbled up as my fear evaporated. The raven tilted his black head at the sound. Even the bird thought I was crazy. A new wave of body shaking laughs racked me as I realized how ridiculous I was being.

"Hi, little guy. You scared the life out of me," I said to the blackbird.

"Hello, again, little witch," the husky voice whispered in my head.

A scream escaped as I stumbled away from the window.

The raven dissolved into a cloud of black oily smoke, swirling with an unnatural movement as it seeped through the windowpane. Rippling black tentacles stretched into my apartment, pooling in the air before me. Caught in the web of its hypnotic movement, rooted and unable to move. The swirling mass began to pulse and fade, leaving a frail black-haired man standing in its wake.