Time is Running Out

Chapter 5

Kara woke up slowly, finally feeling like she slept some. The events from the previous day still weighed heavy on her mind. She rolled over and felt something cold against her neck. Her hand flew to her collarbone and felt a necklace and she sighed with relief. She forgot to take her necklace off the night before. She staggered out of bed and stumbled halfway to the bathroom before remembering one important thing. She didn't bring any necklaces with her. She bolted to the mirror and saw the dog tags hung around her neck. Kara screamed as she fumbled to get the tags off her body and she flung them onto the bedroom floor.

"This isn't funny!" She shouted at the air. "You hear me?" She ran out to the kitchen and grabbed a knife. She didn't know who or what she was trying to defend herself from, but it was better than nothing. She grabbed her laptop and sat facing the rest of the room, and wrote everything down. Right as she was about to close it, something hit her head. The dog tags laid on the floor next to her. She looked up at the direction it came from, and saw the figure again. She grabbed the knife and leapt to her feet.

"Who are you? What do you want? Why me?" Questions came flying out of her mouth while the figure slowly stepped closer.

"I want you to finish the story." A familiar voice challenged her, and she froze. She knew that voice, but she couldn't place it.

"Who the hell are you?"l

"I just want the story," the figure stepped even closer, now only about 10 feet away. "I've been waiting, Kara."

"Yes and terrorizing me is really going to help speed things up!"

"Seemed like you needed some motivation." The figure was 5 feet away now, and Kara held up the knife threateningly with a shaking hand.

"Back up! Don't make me hurt you!"

"Oh honey," the figure said directly in front of her. "This isn't about hurting me."

"I'll do it!" Kara was violently shaking at the point, and the thought of even trying to use the knife was terrifying her in the worst ways. They stepped closer again, and Kara closed her eyes and threw the knife in front of her. She heard it clatter to the floor and opened her eyes to find she was nowhere near hitting her target. The figure glanced over at the knife before looking back at Kara while pulling out a revolver.

Kara's breath caught as she choked out, "What do you want?"

"Finish. The. Story." The figure pointed the gun to the counter in front of her computer. Kara shakingly held up her hands and began to type on the keyboard.

The figure is real. They're really real. They are standing in front of me with a gun aimed at my head. And they want me to write. I don't know how they expect me to write while staring down the barrel of a gun. I glance up at them. I only stopped writing for a brief second.

"I said write!" They yell at me, and I turn back again. I still can't pick out the voice. I know it from somewhere, but my brain won't function enough for me to remember where.

"I don't know what else you want me to write!" I yell back. "I don't even know who you are!" The figure begins to laugh.

"Didn't your dad tell you Kara? I thought he was warning you."

"My dad is dead, you lunatic! He has been for years!"

"Don't you believe in ghosts, Ms. Rosewood?" The figure pulls the trigger and I shut my eyes and scream, but nothing happens. I open them slowly and look at the gun, still aimed at my head.