The Endarkening of Maia Minha

Void

"I think I was mugged last night."

Nyssa's eyes went so wide they looked as if they would pop out of their sockets.

"YOU WHAT?" She scream-whispered as she leaned in closer to further minimize the distance that separated the two.

"I said I think I was mugged, but I'm not sure."

Nyssa stood up so fast she almost knocked over the chair she sat on. "NOT SURE? HOW THE HELL CAN SOMEONE NOT BE SURE THEY WERE MUGGED!"

The librarian reared her head around the corner to see who was making all the noise, and that was all Maia needed to yank her friend back down by the arm, back in a sitting position.

"God, Nyssa. I said I think! The only thing that was missing was my necklace. By the end of the night, I had everything on me expect for it. It doesn't make any sense why somebody would try to mug me for just a necklace. It couldn't be more than $15. The hands don't even spin. Except for its sentimental value, it's not worth anything to anyone. . . Maybe it fell off?"

"Then how exactly does that make you think you were mugged?" Nyssa gestured wildly at the space between the two, referring to the night before and Maia's lack of the gold clock pendant she had received from Nyssa for her seventeenth birthday all those months ago. "And as for that necklace, I loved that thing. I can't believe you lost it."

"I don't know! I was something-ed okay! And dude, it's not like I could help it at the moment. I don't even remember dropping it." A melancholy look crossed Maia's face just picturing her beloved necklace on the ground somewhere far, far away. Nyssa looked dissapointed, but she didn't push the topic further. "Geez. Look, if you wanna know what happened you can't keep making a scene."

An indignant scoff sounded. "Well that's what you get for choosing the freaking library as a meeting place." Maia narrowed her eyes but pushed on.

"I don't exactly know what happened. I. . . Can't remember, not all of it. There's some parts that i know for sure, some that I just don't." Nyssa, however, didn't look too worried. She gave an encouraging nod as she settled back into her chair. "Well then, start from the beginning."

"Okay. The girl who usually closes up the bookstore-"

"Kacie." Nyssa interjected.

"Right. Kacie. Well she bailed early, so it was my job to get everything in order before closing. I stayed way later than I should have. . . . I lost track of time."

"Reading, I presume."

Maia looked sheepish, but suddenly felt the need to defend her literary choices. "Anyway, I lost track of time and before I knew it, it was like 11:00. My parents were at a late movie screening, so I thought I saved myself a stern talking to for coming home so late and forgetting to tell them what I was doing. I still needed to haul ass in order to get home before they did. I closed up and I started walking to my car-"

"Let me guess- you parked in the way back?"

"I'm a new driver! Parking is hard. I could hit something!"

A smile spread across Nyssa's face, part teasing, part understanding. Maia shook her head in absolute frustration. "I hate you." Nyssa only smiled wider. "You love me." Try as hard as she might, Maia knew Nyssa's smile was contagious. There was no escaping it, so she gave in. ""Yes. I do. But that is so beside the point. I walked-" Nyssa made a face. "Okay lightly jogged." Nyssa made a face. "Okay! Fine. I ran. Like hell. Across the lot and got in my car. As soon as I got in. . . something seemed. . . off. It felt like I was being watched or something."

A shiver ran up her back remembering what it was like to be in that exact situation the night before. "I looked around, but there was nobody there. Everything seemed fine at first glance, but then I noticed my rear view mirror. It wasn't where it was supposed to be. I thought I must have moved it by accident or something. I . . ." Maia's heart was failing just thinking about all that came next. Keep breathing, she reminded herself. "As soon as I fixed it, I saw it- her. Waiting for me in the backseat."