Love Bites (on hold)

Town Curfew ?

Chapter One

I was crouched in a tiny, compact place. It was cold and I was wet. I was small too. Like a child. I had my tiny hands into my mouth biting them, to hold in my tiny screams. I knew if I made one noise- they would hear. The bad people. I didn't want them to find me. I needed to be quiet. Mommy told me to. Tears ran down my small face. I was trembling as I moved my legs closer up against my body. Curling into a ball. They were out there- closer than they were before. The once whispering voices, were now like a stereo on blast to my ears. As my heartbeat picked up even more. They were going to find me- They were. No. No I was hidden well- they couldn't find me. No. Then I saw the light it wasn't bright at first. It just skimmed the top of my orange hair. But then it got closer- too close in fact. It happened all of a sudden. I was pulled from my hiding place. Into the arms of the monster that would plague my dreams for the rest of my life.

I woke up screaming, my body moving on its own accord. I hit something and my screams grew louder.

“ Hey, hey. It's only me,” My foster mom said

The light came on in my room. It was still dark outside. My foster dad stood by the door with a bat in his hand. “ What's going on?” He asked with sleep clouding his voice.

I ran my hand though my hair as I tried to calm my body “ Sorry, just another bad dream...”

“ It's okay sweetie, we understand. Maybe we can get you another appointment with doctor Frank before we leave tomorrow, would you like that?” she asked in a caring tone.

I shook my head. I apparentlyaccording to 'doctor' frank had 'Issues' connected to my past that was manifesting itself into nightmares. I had to waist 9 hours a week in a stuffy room for a man that apparently has a 'degree' in therapeutic help to tell me what I already know. It was a waist of time and money. The man honestly needed counselling himself.

“ No, I'm fine. I have to pack anyways...” I mumbled as I got out of bed. My alarm clock showed it was 5.30 am. The same time I awoke every morning- without taking my pills. “ I just need to get more of those sleeping pills, they seemed to be working.”

Kimberly and Allen nodded. They were good parents- of course. They cared for me and gave me what I needed. They showed me love and understanding. It was just. I never felt connected to them. Ever. I love them sure. But when it comes down to it- They weren’t my parents. My blood.

“ Okay I'll call in to the pharmacy when it opens, I'm going to go back to bed for a few hours, are you sure you're okay now?” she asked with a yawn. I nodded- As her and Allen made their way out of my room. “ Oh by the way Happy birthday, sweetheart.” She said as she walked though the open door.

I let out a sigh. Happy birthday indeed.

~

The place was small, with only one all-grade school, a few convenient stores and no night life what so ever. The place seemed dull already and I was only here for- taking a look at my watch – Five minutes. Five minutes in Deep Crest falls and already I was missing Starbucks. Sad isn't it? Usually people would say friends. And okay- I miss them too. But hell, I can call them. It's not like I can sip delicious coffee though a phone.

“ Jessie, You're drooling.” Allen interrupted my thoughts with laugh, “ Like it already?”

I rolled my eyes with a smile as I wiped my mouth, “ No, just thinking about Starbucks. How am I going to survive here?” I said as I looked out the window of our new house.

“ You'll be fine, I'm sure” Kimberly said as she put down another box to unpack.

“ yeah, yeah.” I waved my hand around, “ I'm going for a walk.”

“ Jessie, It's 10 o'clock. Maybe you can wait till tomorrow so we can all go, this is a new town. You could get lost.” I just took my cell phone out of my pocket and waved it around.

“ It's fully charged, If i run into any trouble, I'll call. Guys seriously It's a dead-end town-” Allen cut her off with the 'look' you know the one parents give you when you say something you shouldn't, yes that one. “ Okay maybe not dead-end. But it's still pretty small. You gave me more freedom in New York for god sakes,” I said with a laugh.

Kimberly rolled her eyes playfully, “ Okay, but I'm calling every half hour until you come home.” she said seriously.

I nodded as I grabbed my iPod off the lockers, and shoved on my joggers walking out of the house and into the town.

Where is everybody? The question pounded in my brain in time with my footsteps as I turned towards the school and broke into a jog. A mist now hung in the air, tiny drops of rain was dancing on her face. The houses were all dark, the buildings were dark, damn the streetlights weren’t even on. The whole town was dark. And no one – absolutely no one- was around.

The sound of buzzing, almost made me loose my footing as my cell phone buzzed in my pocket. “ Hello?” I said as I tried to get my breathing back to normal.

“ Honey are you alright? We can come get you?” Allen's voice flowed though the phone.

“ No I'm fine, it was just really quiet and the phone rang, gave me quite the scare.” I laughed as I continued down the street.

“ Oh sorry about that,” he laughed

“ Yeah it's fine, I'm going to head home soon though. No need to call anymore okay?” I said as I turned my iPod back on.

“ Kim, would have my head if I didn't call. Sorry sweetie but I'll be calling in a half, love you,” he said with a laugh.

“ You too, “ I said as I clicked the phone off and shoved in pack into my pocket.

Picking up the speed I continued my jog down the street listening to sweet sound of my favourite band paramore though my headphones.

As I ran, the lights in the houses began to slowly, one by one, blink and flicker back to life. I noticed the silhouettes in the doorways, behind curtains. Hell- I seen one stare at me from behind his car- like I was a mass murderer or something.

A violent shiver ran up my spine as I passed a slightly older house, the windows had been smashed and the curtains- tore- were beings carried by the wind. The shutters were falling off and even the bridge looked raggedy. And I knew, unless I wanted to face something- something bad- this was the last place I should be. I didn't know exactly why, but the feeling in my chest was tight enough to make me turn around and start to jog home.

Faintly in the distance I could the sound of a wailing siren. Funny- This place seems dead, who would the cops be after at a time like this? My question was answered as the cop slowly pulled up to me.

“ Young lady what on earth are you doing out this late at night?” The over-weight cop shrieked, making me desperately want to cover my ears.

“ Walking?” I said as a question.

“ Walking?” He repeated as if he couldn't understand the concept of what I said- and by the look of him it might have been exactly that.

“Yes?” I replied

“ I'm going to have to take you down the station.” He said and he got out of his car, “ you spooked a lot of people tonight, almost had the phones blowing off of the roof.”

“ Why?” I asked, “are people really that paranoid around here?”

He tapped his face like he just won the lotto with that shit-eat known it all grin on his face. “ You're new, I suppose. The ones that moved in waterlily road?” He asked

“ Yeah we just got here today... whats the problem here officer?” I asked.

“ You see here, we have a town curfew. By 9 o’clock everybody under the age of eighteen is permitted to be in their house or risk getting arrested for not following town law.” He stated. I was dumbstruck. A town curfew? What the hell!

“ Why?” I asked simply.

He chuckled, “ Strange things happen in this town. Wouldn't want anyone to go missing now would we?” I shivered.

“ Yeah... wouldn't want that.” I mumbled.