Echoes of Silence

Chapter Two

Some cold feeling went over my body and I open my eyes. It was like someone touched my body with two cold fingers. This wasn't the first time I felt something like this, almost every night at the same time. First I thought I've a serious mental problem or something but my mind changed. It's 3.30am and I'm awake, again. I set myself up and look out of the window right in front of me. I can see the moon and the branches dancing in the wind. The rain stopped. The light of the moon makes my room a little brighter and I can see the shadows of some things in my room but it also feels like someone else is here. I'm not afraid anymore. The first times I woke in the middle of the night I was a little afraid and I remember how I put my blanket over my head because I thought something watches me. But now I'm sitting on my bed and I wait for something to happen. People would call me insane for believing there is something supernatural in my room, but here in Salem it might be possible since people have been talking about magical things through the years. I'm convinced that something is watching me every night and wakes me up exactly at 3.30. And even though my opinion on this quite complicated because I don't believe actually in magic, legends or other mystical stuff, this feels real. I don't know what this is and my curiosity grows every night. This feeling is always the same but it's like a personality which changes moods every night. Sometimes I can feel anger, love or even happiness. It seems so weird but at the same time it is so beautiful. It's like I'm getting addicted to those emotions, I really want to feel more of them. Every time I feel this cold feeling over my body it's like a firework of feelings. I'm really not sure what this is but whatever this is, it is telling me something and I'm ready to listen or rather to feel it.

I turn the beside lamp next to my bed on and my gaze glides across the room, no strange things or changes. But the atmosphere is still the same. I don't feel anything on my skin right now but I feel a familiar atmosphere. Soft and warm, like a hug. My lips form a smile and I put the blanket on my shoulders. I love the thought of having a hug by someone who really cares. I wish this would be real and not just a feeling.

Spring break is over and I hate the first day at school after a break. Everyone seems to make a big deal out of it but for me it is just a normal day. Converse shoes, a pair of jeans and a quite boring sweatshirt will form my outfit today. I don't care about look actually. Carrie is waiting outside for me, I see her through the window and I'm looking forward to talk to her again. She is basically the only real friend I have. I trust her. Carrie is a true beauty, she has a latin look but not a usual one. Her soft caramel-colored skin looks so pretty in the sun and I literally can see her grey eyes shining. I take my bag and leave the house.

"Hey Ada. Oh my goodness, i just noticed how much I actually missed you." she hugs me.

"I missed you, too." I say and hug her back.

"So, how have you been? We haven't talked for a while. My dad wanted me to spent the time with and not with my phone. I'm sorry." she explains and smiles but she's ashamed, I can see it in her eyes.

"It's totally fine." I tell her.

We arrive school and I already want to go home. It's not like I am a bad student, my grades are actually excellent and the teachers like me. But I hate the student over here. They're all so fake and I do not like their attitudes. I communicate with a lot of people here but I don't call them my friends because I'd never trust any of them and our interests are so different. A girl named Gina, who is apparently the most popular girl at my school, laughed at me because she saw going to the library. I don't care about her opinion to be honest but the worst part was that a lot of people who don't even share her opinion laughed as well. And this is what I hate the most. People can't stand up for their own opinion and all they do is following someone who seems popular. She feels like a leader, but she's not. It's my last year at the this school and in a few months I will graduate and have a prom. I won't see anyone of them anymore. At least, I hope I won't. So I will just keep calm and concentrate on my things no matter what they say. I really need to fix my emotions.

Liam is coming over to us and hugs Carrie. They like each other but they still won't admit it. I love seeing them together and I hope they're going to be confident enough to tell each other what they really feel. Even though this would mean that my only friend won't have time for me anymore. But if she's happy, I am.

"Hi Ada. How are you?" Liam asks and smiles. He is a good guy, I guess.

"I'm fine, thanks. What about you?" I ask back.

"I'm good, too." he is talking but his eyes are on Carrie. He likes her a lot. It's obvious.

"I'll leave you both alone. See you later." I say and smile a bit.

The school bell rings and I leave school. I won't wait for Carrie because I know she'll meet Liam and they'll grab a coffee at Starbucks or something. I walk through the streets and my mind is like a blank space right now. There is so much to think about but nothing that crosses my mind. I'm confused by myself. I keep walking and I end up being at the river. I sit down under a tree and look at the calm water. The soft wind tickles my skin and stokes my hair out of my skin. I love this peaceful place and the sounds of the world. I close my eyes.

"Hello." I head a deep and raspy voice. I open my eyes and see a young man. He is probably 22l. His hair is dark blond, his eyes are light blue and his cloths are completely black. I say nothing.

"Can I join you?" he ask. I nod but I'm actually doing nothing. This is feels weird but I won't say anything.

"So.." he takes a deep breath, "I am Ben." I look at him.

"I am Ada." I say. "Nice to meet you."

"I don't want sound like a creep but I've seen a few times here and in the town as well." he says.

"Well, I've never seen you before Ben." I say and he nods. He doesn't say a word. We keep watching the water for a moment and I get up. "I've to go." I say. I want to go home even though I wanted to stay here to watch the beautiful nature. I don't know what to think about this guy. He didn't really do anything but this was so weird. Who does even talk to unfamiliar people like that?

My mother told me to go to the basement and grab a jar of marmalade she made last year. I turn the light on and go downstairs to take a jar. A loud slam resounds behind me after I took the jar of marmalade. The door is closed and I can't open it. I cry out for my mother but she can't hear me. I am not scared but a cold shiver runs down my back. The light starts to flick and my breath is getting heavy. I don't feel well right not, it's getting cold and my hands start shaking a bit. I knock loudly against the door but my mum doesn't react at all. Why doesn't hear me? The door to the basement is right next to the kitchen. I sit down on the step at the door and grab my head. A box stars moving on the shelf and it hits the floor. This getting scary slowly. A lot of pictures of my family are speared over the floor. I walk over to collect them and put them into the box. I put them all into the box again and I place the box in the shelf. Somehow it's getting colder and colder. I want to walk back to the door but I can't move. My whole body is paralyzed and numb. Fears cross my body and my heart beats faster. The only things I can move are my eyeballs. Nervously, I look around and I see a picture. Even though the light is still flicking I can that it's black and white. Suddenly, my body able to move again. I walk towards the little picture on the floor and I pick it up. It's old. Someone wrote 1923 on the back side of the picture. I try to recognize the group of people on the picture. A woman is holding a baby and I think it's my grandfather's brother. He was born in this year. I look at the other faces and I don't know anyone of them. But wait. One face looks familiar. He looks exactly like the young man I met at the river. 

This person on the picture looks like Ben.