Possessed

Chapter 19: The Disposal

On my way, I made sure to wipe off the blood with the handkerchief and throw the knife, along with the body, into a canal under the Mains Bridge Lane. Yes, washing off the evidence was important, I told myself.

By the time I got home, it was late. Really late, like nearing midnight. I was supposed to be home by ten. Despite the lateness of the hour, I knew my parents were awake. It was the weekend. They always liked to stay up and watch old movies together. I didn’t want my parents to see me the way I was, so I climbed in through my window that I’d fortunately left open before leaving that night. It wasn’t that far up but it was tough, and I tore my dress trying to get hold of the branches from the tree adjacent to my window.

I snuck in to my bedroom and turned on the lights, relieved to see that none of my parents had been in my room recently. I could just say I’d come in around nine but they probably hadn’t heard me. Everything was just where I left it. The many dresses I had had to choose from for my date tonight were strewn across the bed. My mom would have definitely tidied it up if she had been here.

I changed into my pajamas and washed the handkerchief clean. The blood was difficult to get out and wouldn’t come off until I had persistently scrubbed it numerous times. Exhausted after the night’s events, I climbed into bed and drifted off slowly, promising myself I would call Odette first thing in the morning.

****

“I don’t know what happened to me, I’m telling you,” I twirled my wild hair around my fingers.

“What really happened?” Odette deadpanned.

“Umm….nothing?” Even to me, my words sounded dubious and Odette saw right through me.

“Look Aries, if you don’t tell me, I can’t help you.”

I paused to let her words sink in before blurting out last night’s events.

“What?!” Odette let out a high-pitched shriek that very blatantly revealed her disbelieve.

“Y…Y..Yes, it’s true. I didn’t even know what I was doing!” I wept.

She was quiet. “Hello?” I called, frantic that she’d hung up on me. Then I heard her soft sobs in the background and shut up.

“I know it’s my fault,” I started, still tearing up. Thank god my mom wasn’t around, or else I would be in for some serious explanation, “but I didn’t know!”

“What did you do with the body?” she asked me.

For a split second, a possibility flashed through my mind. A possibility that Odette might rat me out to the local police. Surely Aaron’s parents would be searching for him? No, I decided, I couldn’t let that happen. If Odette did do it (it was a probability I didn’t want to consider), I would have to stop it. My life would be ruined if I was found out to be a ‘murderer’.

I snapped out of it when I realized Odette was calling my name into the receiver phone repetitively.

“I…..I dumped it in the canal under the bridge,” I told her, deciding I would just have to risk it.

“I can’t come over now, I’m babysitting Kylie. Hold it together for me, okay? I’ll be over as soon as I can.”

I nodded, despite knowing she couldn’t see me. The doorbell rang and the noise echoed throughout our house.

“Can you get the door Aries?!” my mom yelled from the kitchen.

“Okay!” I yelled back and told Odette to wait on the phone while I opened the door.

I turned the doorknob of the front door, ready to greet our guest.

All the color drained from my face as I saw who was standing on the porch. It was none other than the local sheriff. He was a tall, burly man in his thirties and had sharp grey eyes that seemed to scan my soul. Behind him stood two other men, looking bored.