"Hello, who is this?" Evelyn's voice asked through the phone.
"Don't hang up please" I begged, my fingers clinging to the device.
"Penny? What's the matter?" she asked nervously.
"Something.. Uh, I don't know. Evelyn.. There is or was someone in my house" I stammered, my frightful eyes scanning every inch of my room.
"Oh my god. You have to call the police!" she stated, anxiety adding to her already shaking voice.
"I can't" I mumbled, tugging the duvet closer to my face, folding it around myself.
"What do you mean you can't?!" she sounded strained.
"I don't know". What kept me from taking her orders is inexplicable. Somehow I just felt like I couldn't.
"If you're not calling them, I will" she ascertained.
"No!" my voice wailed. "Don't. Please don't" I whispered.
"Are you sure you're okay?".
"Don't worry about it. Just don't leave me, just stay on the line for a little longer. My mum will be home soon.." I said in a hushed tone.
"Penny.. It's 8 PM, you're mum wont be home for another two hours, even I know that..?" she spoke in confusion.
"Oh you're right.. Just don't leave me yet, please?" I implored, lying down on the pillow.
"Okay that's it, I'm coming over!" she estimated and hung up, leaving me unable to stop her before it was too late.
"Evelyn" I moaned. "I told you not to come!".
"Well I'm here, there's nothing you can do to stop me" she said squeezing past me, into our hallway. "So where's the intruder, let me take care of him.. Or her, whatever" she grinned jokingly.
"You shouldn't have" I murmured, cuddling her into a hug. "I don't know what to believe" my smile faded, as I gave her a serious look.
"So, let's sit down shall we? And then you'll explain to me what happened" she tugged me into the living room and signaled for me to sit down.
"You don't wanna know" I muttered, biting my lip at the sight of the letter, which was peacefully resting on the table.
"Penny, we both know that I do" she ascertained.
"Okay, it all starts with that I can't tell you, or you will think I'm crazy, and I'll be put in a madhouse. I don't know about you, but I want to try and avoid that" I joked, attempting to remove her attention from the incident.
"I wont" she struggled not to laugh at my inside joke, causing me to sigh at her stubbornness. My fingers reached for the piece of paper and brought it to my lap.
"This" I started. "This is.." I didn't know how to explain. I didn't even know what 'this' was..
"Well, I was sitting here minding my own business, when all of a sudden, the window opened by itself". Evelyn opened her mouth to say something, but I stopped her.
"Let me finish! And when I went to close it, I heard a noise upstairs. I decided to investigate it. Turns out, someone must have been sneaking in one of my drawers, as all my stuff was laid on the floor. And then a freaking crow tried to break into my window. And I'm telling you, I almost let it in. Against my own will, I almost opened the darn window without even blinking. And when I came back downstairs this terrifying, confusing, odd letter found itself on my fucking couch! And it's all just a little too much for me!" I listed rapidly, stumbling through my words.
Evelyn just sat there speechless. I had used all of my breath on explaining so as did I. "And then there's all this thick fog outside, it's freaking me out!" I said, trying to wake her from her trance. "And you don't believe me. You must think I'm crazy. You know what? Maybe I am.." I was interrupted.
"Stop" she voiced, a serious look still gracing her futures. "I believe you Penny. I do believe you".
"You do?" I asked, surprised.
"Why would you lie to me about something like that? Of course I believe you" she still looked startled.
"Maybe I'm just going nuts" I suggested, briefly stroking the black letters.
"No you're not" she assured, carefully tugging the paper out of my grasp. "Someone left this? You're sure it wasn't there when you got here?" she inquired, studying the strange item.
"I'm sure" I said with a nod.
"You know.. There was no fog at my place. And as far as I know, there's nothing outside now" she said, glancing over to the window.
"You don't have to believe me you know?" I sighed.
"Maybe it was Luke" she suddenly suggested. "Do you know his handwriting?" she continued.
"I highly doubt it was him. He isn't the kind who apologizes" I muttered.
"Isn't he?" she asked, trying to convince me.
"Anyhow, how would he get in?". She just shrugged and put the letter back in it's place.
"Stay safe" I said as I waved Evelyn goodbye. She climbed up on her moped and soon, she was out of sight. I decided to go to bed early, even though I was too tired to fall asleep. Yes, too tired to fall asleep. And I had so much to think about. If Luke wasn't at school the next day, I would simply have to force myself to talk to Drake. If someone knew where he was, it would be him.
I had an obnoxious pit in my stomach as I waited for the doors to dreamscape to let me in.
