Journal 1: The Beginning

Nairobi

Someone died the night I was walking home from Avery's. The fact that I pretty much saw and heard something that night and didn't check. My stomach sank when Avery texted me what happened. I wonder if my mom knows? She knew I was at Avery's, would she say something to me about it? Is the killer going to come after me next? I didn't really see anything though. I've been cooped up in my room for 4 days, it's been the only thing that's been on my mind. Just like Avery said her mother canceled training, I don't know for how long. My mom had been working really late lately, is it because of the murder?

I laid down in my bed to rest my legs from pacing in my room. I got a weird feeling, like someone was watching me. It was past 11 pm, it was a dark night out. I got up to peek out my window, everything in me is telling me not to do it. I go against my intuition and open my curtain only a tiny bit, just in case someone is outside they wouldn't notice me. Although it was dark out I can still see the shape of a dark shadowy figure.

'Aw shit! The killer followed me home!'

I was still peeking through the curtain, not moving a muscle and it felt like he, whoever it was, was staring directly at me.

'How can he even see me? And it's dark.'

With a blink of an eye he was gone, like he vanished into thin air. My heart might as well been sitting on the window sill because it was beating outside of my chest right now. I still haven't moved from the position I was in, I was still in shock. It was like this shadow was a part of the darkness, if that made sense. Maybe I'm just seeing things because of what happened the other night. Maybe my mind was playing tricks on me, but I just can't help but feel like someone or something was actually there. I finally moved and went to lay down. I tossed and turned for a bit before I finally went to sleep. I had a weird dream that night.

I didn't know where I was, it was dark but I could still see due to the moon light coming through a hole in the wall. It looked somewhat like a cave. I can hear the water echoes of water dripping, bat squeaking even though I was dreaming I could visualize everything. I could feel someone's presence enter the space I was in, watching me, studying me. I tried to squint my eyes to see if I could see anyone, but couldn't. The hairs on the back of my neck began to stand and it felt like they were right behind me but when I turned to check nobody was there.

My alarm was ringing, but it felt like it was far away, it was bringing me back from my dream state. I started to wake up, and see a similar shadow in the back by, what looks like an altar. I woke up, drenched in sweat, that dream felt all too real.

It was a Thursday morning, it was a gloomy day. It was raining and I didn't have anything to do. With everything on my mind, I wanted to lay in bed. Although I could go to the library to do some research since online wasn't much of a success.

That's what I decided to do. I got up and got prepared to go to the library, which only took me 40 minutes. I went downstairs and saw that my mom is already gone, so is my dad. Janora is probably at daycare.

The library is inside of St. Clare. When I arrived at St. Clare, it was fairly busy with guards everywhere. The library is usually open to the public, so I don't think I would have a problem going inside.

"Sorry miss, but we can't let anyone in today." Said one of the guards.

Shit!

"I'm here to see my mom. She needed my help with some work today." I said as I came up with an excuse.

"I'm sorry but I can't let you in." He said again.

"My mother is Emory Burton…" he looked like he still didn't want to let me in, but he gave in. He went to go talk to another guard, the one he was talking to nodded his head. The one who was talking to me came back to me.
"Okay you need to go straight to your mother's office once we let you in." He said.

"Okay, I will."

I make my way in pretending to head the way of my mother's office. Once I got far enough to see he wasn't paying attention, I headed in the direction of the library, which was the opposite direction. I had to sneak past the security. I made it to the side of the library and was met with a short hallway leading to other parts of the castle.

The library was my favorite place here. The floor to ceiling bookshelves, the circular stairway to the upper level where you could reach the upper shelves. The big open window looking out into the courtyard, with seating on the inside of the window. It was a reader's dream. I went to the history section and got to work.