Over My Dead Body

II. A memory to remember

Some people would want to erase a memory of their dead boyfriend, but I wanted to keep it. I wanted it to be locked inside my memory, so I could look back at it and remember what someone did to him. I wanted to remember it because it granted me the willpower I needed to go through with the search to find his killer. It made me want to punish whoever did this, it made me strong and merciless, just like I wanted to be. This killer changed me and I wanted to make sure that he would regret his decision the second I was done with him.

It was a tough task to fulfill, but I knew what I was getting myself into. I jumped into this with my eyes wide open, ready to face whatever the future was holding for me.

Why I didn't just go to the police? Because they just considered this as another murder they had to solve. But it was something personal to me, so my perseverance was so much better than theirs. I had motivation to find this killer. They just felt like they were just doing their job. I was driven to find something someone had stolen from me. My chance at a happy ending.

It wasn't easy, that's for sure. The only lead I got was a box. But to my utter disappointment, the box was empty.

My thoughts switched back to old times, when I still had him. When I still had Connor.

"I'll never get tired of this, Alessia," Connor said as he cast me a smile, his feet tangling in the air.

"Me neither." I placed my head on his shoulder and relaxed instantly.

We were at our usual hang-out spot. An abandoned amusement park just outside the town's border. This place used to be filled with laughter and joy, but the remains of the park transmitted a spooky vibe. This was probably the reason why no one bothered to come here anymore. The rusty attractions, overgrowth of plants and the wind causing noises sometimes kept the people away, but Connor and I loved it here. This was the perfect place to clear your mind. We both needed this, to be free from everything else for just a little while. We often came here and installed ourselves in the Ferris Wheel. Fog lingered around us and sometimes the Ferris Wheel would creak because of the wind.

"Do you ever regret not going to college?" Connor suddenly asked.

I thought about this for a while before answering. I did get a high school degree, but I decided to not go to collage, because I simply got tired of learning stuff that didn't really matter. Experiences mattered, adventures mattered. Math and science didn't. After my graduation, I packed my bags and left. I left my parents and left my home town, Brooklyn. I'd saved quite some cash and took the plane to San Diego. That's where I met Connor. He offered me a place to stay in exchange for helping his with his job, dealing drugs. Although it wasn't the safest job, it payed very well and I liked the adrenaline it provided every time we were chased by the police. We never got caught, Connor was too damn good at his job to get caught. It wasn't the easiest decision, but I've never regretted it one bit.

"No, otherwise I wouldn't have met you," I answered truthfully. "You?"

"No, I'd rather spend my life with you than with my nose in my books."

We stayed silent after that, just enjoying each other's company. I had closed my eyes when I suddenly heard a noise. I lifted my head and looked at Connor.

"Did you hear that too?" I asked.

"Hear what?" He frowned and looked around cautiously.

The noise became louder and louder and I suddenly realized what it was. Footsteps. We weren't alone.

"Someone's coming," I said while grabbing Connor's hand. I dragged him with me as I sprinted away from the Ferris Wheel. The footsteps behind us also fastened their pace. I cursed as I urged Connor to run faster.

"We're being followed. Shit," Connor cursed. He'd nearly finished his sentence when a arrow whizzed past his head.

"Shit, these guys are serious. We need to get out of here. Follow me," Connor said and dragged me into an abandoned alley. I pressed my body against the wall as I heard the footsteps running past the alley. I released the breath I hadn't realized I had been holding.

This person chasing us had been the first sign something was wrong, but we had just ignored it. It was a stupid thing to do. We shouldn't have been that reckless. It was a mistake to underestimate the danger that followed. It was a mistake that costed Connor's life. I wouldn't make the same mistake twice.

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Allesia's background revealed... Good girl gone bad? Or bad girl finally found her roots?

Leave your thoughts in the comments.

Lots of Love,
Take-It-Or-Leave-It.