P. H. A. S. E

Phase 11: at the lake

Over the week, Drake and I became close. He was always available and free to talk to. We talked in school and on the phone when he wasn't working.

He was like my personal therapist. Lmao.

I thought and felt like I was getting much better until Friday night.

I might have read too much of my mum's diary or too much haunted house series. Or maybe it was because I paused the drugs for two-three days.

I had a nightmare. I was watching a younger version of my mum perform in the opera. I admired how she danced as an apprentice until she got stabbed in the back from my imagination of her best friend "Mark"

She collapsed as she struggled to get the knife out. Once it was out, she continued dancing not regarding the blood dripping down to the stage. And no one else seemed to be bothered. When she paused, she turned to me and made me dance with her. Her eyes and nose started to bleed too but the audience cared more about dancing than her life. I became furious and paused the show but instead she was dragged away from the opera to a church house and caged in I was locked in there with her watching her bleed to death.

I jerked out of my bed with sweat trickling down my cheeks and goosebumps All over me. And there she sat in the black swan dress by bed telling me everything was over until a bus from nowhere rammed us.

I finally screamed and woke up to reality. But I couldn't shake off this thought and hallucinations of her being everywhere.

I could not hold back my screams. My house felt haunted like someone... Something evil was lurking behind those walls. When I switched on the bed lamp I saw a picture of my mum in that same outfit performing for the opera as a teenager. I was in her room, her pictures were everywhere.

A line I read from her book screamed in my ears. "I didn't really have the best life. It was the worse I wanted no one to know or care about. When the rape story leaked last week, I felt naked and sore. Now I have a baby in me. This just ruins everything I kept my head up for... And it's going to kill me like I killed mum."

I switched on the bed lamp and reached for my phone. Mr Johnson had to go home yesterday for his grandchild's naming ceremony. There was this trending party hosted by Rhyme's elder brother. I decided not to attend because I wasn't sure if I wanted to be caught frozen on camera. I also didn't want to bother anyone when I did.

The only person I could call was Drake Murphy. He was the only one I didn't mind bothering.

He picked the phone on its first ring. "Hey .. good... morning I guess." His voice was husky and croaky.

"Help me please. I just had a nightmare and I think my mum's haunting me. Our house is haunted."

I couldn't believe myself. Like I muttered those words with so much fear and terror

"Calm down... I should be there in seven minutes." He assured me.

"Please don't drop the call. I don't want to feel alone." I was in tears. I felt terrified and vulnerable.

"Okay! I will be biking so I don't think I will be saying much."

"Hum just, I don't know..." I buried myself underneath the duvet.

I heard his voice hum a song by Alan walker. It was the first time I had heard him sing. He kept humming the chorus as I heard him set his bike. His baritone was drowned by the engine of the bike but I heard how much he tried to make it louder until I heard the Bell ding.

"I'm at your door." He dinged again. "What's the house password?"

"12132457"

After 60 seconds I heard mum's door open. "Erika!" He called worriedly as he switched on the lights.