If Roosters Crowed Every Time Someone Died

It's Like a Burglary in Your House I

The twilight sun leaked through the window, lighting the bedroom with orange sunlight. In front of the mirror were Moka and Samuel, getting themselves dolled up to go out for dinner and later to a nightclub. The makeup spread over the vanity table: brushes, shadow palettes, and lipsticks. There were also beauty blenders. Instead of pink, they were of a skinish colour, soaked in base.

"Is it too much if I put on some highlighter?"

"Girl, you are wearing a fur coat. I doubt anything will be too much compared to that."

Moka was wearing a fur coat, modest for fur but pretentious for a coat. I found it funny that the movement of the fringes of the coat matched the movement of her black bangs every time she moved her head. And Samuel, well, he was dressed like a boy. A smooth outfit with encrypted details: cuffed jeans, a pearl necklace, you already know where I'm going with this one.

And I? Well, nothing. I was there just waiting for them to leave so I could spend the night at Moka's house. At first, I was going to go out with them, but I had plans with my boyfriend, so I cancelled on them just for Matt to cancel on me later that afternoon. They invited me over anyway, and I would watch over Moka's house. They would soon be back before the dawn.

"Go, leave before it gets too late. I will organize everything." I hurried them.

"Are you sure you don't want to come?"

"I am. Besides, it's not like I have bought an entrance ticket for the club."

Both Samuel and Moka applied perfume to complete their looks. With the fur coat, the golden accessories and the high platform shoes that added more centimeters to her 1,70m frame, Moka looked like a modern-day Cleopatra. And Samuel looked like Samuel. Some jeans and a white T-shirt. How simple men's lives are.

After two hours in front of the mirror, Samuel grabbed Moka's purse, and I walked them to the main door. I opened it to see them out.

As I saw them walk towards their car, I looked at the red sky. The birds weren't singing, the wind wasn't blowing, and no vehicles were passing. Everything was in silence, and nothing moved even an inch. I took a deep breath. Dead silences never brought good omens, as if nature knew something was bound to happen, the calm before the storm.

My ears crinkled, and a chill ran through my whole body. It felt as if my spider sense —anxiety— was trying to tell me something.

An old silver car that drove too slowly interrupted my train of thought. It was passing by very slowly and very close to the sidewalk, and it seemed as if it was looking for an address on the block.

My friends left. I got inside and closed the door with all the locks I could turn to feel safer. But, as soon as I turned back to the bedroom, I wished I hadn't locked even one of them.

"Lana! Lana, open the door, please!" I heard Moka desperately shouting while she pulled the doorknob and banged on the door. "Lana!"

It took me around two seconds to grab the keys and start reopening the three locks that I had closed, one by one.

Both of them rushed back in at the speed of light.

"Lock it again! The door!" Samuel slammed the door closed and held it with the weight of his body.

"What happened? Are you okay?" I stopped on my feet, confused and preoccupied.

"Lock the damn door first!"

I couldn't get why he was leaning against the door until the doorknob moved. Someone was trying to open it from the other side. Something snapped inside my head, and I locked the door once again. I didn't know who was on the other side, but I was sure enough that they were up to no good.