The Dead Of Night

I'm Engaged

I woke up the next morning with a jump. It had been a uneasy, restless sleep. I looked around and saw that I was alone in my room. Great. Janson's taken off again.

Despite my spiteful thoughts I was glad he wasn't there as I went about my usual morning routine. I went and grabbed some clothes for the day and headed to the shower. I was happy Janson wasn't there talking to me as I showered. I didn't know what I would say to him, after our little argument last night I hadn't said a word to him. I'd dropped the news paper article on the desk - hoping he would see it so he'd know that I knew what exactly what he was hiding from me.

As I scrubbed myself clean I shuddered thinking that I was not the first person Janson had loved. I wondered if the fact he loved me had anything to do with why I could see him. I quickly discarded that idea though, it wasn't as if I'd born him any children or anything.

Annoyed at my own bitterness I got out of the shower and returned to my room. Zack was there now and I waved half heartedly with an attempt at a smile.

"What's wrong?" Clearly my attempt was pathetic.

"Nothing. Just upset with Janson still."

"Do you wanna talk about it?" He asked, with concern. I was about to comment on the femininity of his behaviour when I noticed the way the sun shone through him. The golden light illuminated the room with strong golden rays. Panicked I glanced at the clock.

"Oh my god." I cried, breaking into rush mode. I grabbed my school bag as I yell, "School started two hours ago. I'm so screwed."

Zack handed me the notes from my table, including the newspaper. "Have you read that?" I asked him.

"No," Zack said slowly. "Was I supposed to?"

I give a fake laugh. "Of course not. Just wondering." I shove the article back into my back pack, breaking eye contact with him.

"Mallorie, I think we need to talk. You're acting really strange."

"Yeah, I can't right now. Late for school." I glanced in the mirror to make sure I was presentable as I continued, "Scratch that. I'm super-duper-going-to-be-skinned-alive late for school." I grabbed up my winter stuff, wondering if I'd even need it today. "You know, Zack, I'm really busy today. And I don't want to bore you studying and stuff." I zipped up my jacket and pulled my hair out from the confines of the jacket. "Could you, I don't know, haunt someone else for a while?"

I didn't stop to acknowledge the stricken expression on his face as I hurried into the hall, madly trying to finger comb my hair. I raced down the stairs, my hurried feet causing each step to echo loudly through out the house.

I knew dad was gone before I woke up, and got home late every night so he couldn't have waken me up but what about my mom? She was a journalist, she didn't have to work in the office every day, and even when she did she usually went around lunch time.

I was jogging towards the hallway when my mother called from the couch, "You don't need to hurry." I shrieked in surprise, not having seen her, and flattened myself against the wall. She chuckled at my reaction. "What's wrong? You look like you've just seen a ghost."

"Haha." I said without humor. If only she knew... I thought. "Why didn't you wake me up this morning?"

"Oh, I decided you didn't need to go to school today. I have something I need to talk to you about." She said, and got up off the couch to meet me. I noticed immediately that she was wearing the same clothes she had been yesterday.

"I've actually been missing a lot of school this week, I think I should attend some classes." I said carefully, unsure if I wanted to know what she intended to talk about.