One More Night

Chapter One.

   I woke up to a loud thud in the new house I recently settled into In Mobile, Alabama. Now I'm sure hearing Alabama and just moving in sounds like the movie Torment all over again, sadly I'm scared of almost every thing. Also me being 4'9, with long brown hair, one green eye and one blue eye, I'm not very intimidating! The scariest thing about me is my eyes, Its a twin thing but sadly my twin died in the when we were 10, she was playing near the creek and slipped she broke her neck and couldn't really move so she drowned. I snap out of my thoughts as I hear the thud again down stairs and I rush downstairs with a kitchen knife, I walked around and found nothing but my own heartbeat in my ears, I sat down on the couch and let out a big sigh. I grew up in Mobile, Alabama, I left when I was 18 with big dreams of Yale for painting. I went a few years but somehow I came back to Mobile, with hopes of opening a gallery, that went downhill too. The house I'm staying at is my great Aunt Clare's who pasted it down to me. I just moved in about a week ago I have a job at a nearby bakery, I love sweets and baking, I find it soothing. I look over at the clock on the wall and see that its 3:30 am, I get up and head back upstairs hoping to sleep for at least an hour longer.

       I woke up at 8 am and went downstairs to start a fresh pot of coffee then went take a shower always lock the door just in case someone comes in trying to kill me or rob me, told you scared of almost everything. I put my robe on and my hair in a towel then took myself back down stairs for my coffee. I always put hazelnut in , I mean its the best, and a lot of sugar! But I headed outside to the back porch that was made of wood and it's very beautiful. I sat down on my cute little porch furniture and drank my coffee in peace, Once I finished that I went to get ready. I just did mascara, cover up, and lip gloss. I put my mothers necklace on and a pair of jeans and a black shirt, I pulled my hair into a sloppy pony tail and grabbed my black and white converse. I rushed downstairs and grabbed my keys and my purse. Now I'm sure this wont shock you but I keep pepper spray in my purse, just in case! I locked by door and drove down to "Donna's Baked goods".

       I turned on the radio to fill the empty silence, I soon pull up in the driveway as I see a 5'4 skinny little thing pop out of her car, she wore boots up to her knees and shorts that sparkled pink and I could help but laugh at her black tee-shirt and heavy makeup. I shook my head and got out of my car, I headed in as my old high school best friend who is now my boss greeted me at the door with a hug "Hey Caroline, how are you sweetie?" she asked as she rubbed my back. "I'm fine Katie, and you?" I asked as I moved out of the hug. "I'm good, tired but good." I swear Katie was never not smiling, one reason we were best friends growing up. She walked me threw everything and I met everyone, I soon got started on rolling the cookie dough. At 8am sharp the doors opened along with the over doors with warm fresh doughy cookies, I took them out and set them in the cabinet as I wiped the flour off my clothes and went to the register as two other girls took the kitchen. Many people came and went but only one stood out to me, a girl with bright green eyes, she stood at maybe 5'11, she wore an army uniform and her hair was cute short and styled up, it was a deep black, her smile was one like you would see in movies, utterly perfect. I was 98% sure I looked like a goof when she smirked at me and I couldn't help but blush. Not to mention my eyes and smile that needed braces ever since the 6th grade, I wasn't someones eye candy, especially someone like her.

    I snapped out of my train of thought as Katie came up to me with my bottle of pepper spray. I turned a little red of embracement. "Caroline Shay Smith you have got to be kidding me" she said as she put one hand on her hip. I took it out of her hand and walked in the break room where my purse was located. "You never know okay?" I said shaking my head as she put her hands on both my shoulders. "I know its been hard after..." I raised my hand at her. "It has nothing to do with that so please don't bring it up" I turned and looked at her. You could see the sympathy in her eyes, which isn't what I wanted. I stormed past her and went back to my station as I shook my head and took a deep breath.

        My day ended at 3pm, I headed over to the book store to buy a new book, I loved to read. After that I went home to lock the 4 locks on my door and watch some TV before I started cooking. I sat there in cookie monster fuzzy sleep pants and a tank top, I normally don't wear pants but I was cold. I went to make me some chicken N dumpling soup, which is amazing. I sat back down and finished my episode of "Are You The One". Around 9 o'clock there was a knock on my door. I slowly looked out the window and saw no one. I grabbed my knife and opened the door slowly, now if someone where to jump out at me and try to kill me, I would die no questions asked! But the knife makes me feel like I still have a chance. As I open the door all the way there was a box, a big one too. I looked left and right outside and saw no one, no car, or person, just the street and I didn't take that long to open the door. I bent down to get the box and brought it inside, I sat it on my bed as a million things run threw my mind. What if its a dead body cut up? Or something like a human heart?! My heart stated to pound as I closed my eyes and quickly threw the lid back, as I opened my eyes all I saw was fabric, graceful silk fabric. I tilted by head in confusion, but kept in mind that body parts or death treats could still be there. I put a rubber glove on and pulled out the fabric as It went into a long dress. The dress was a bright red, had lace on the arms and it was a sweetheart v-neck. It was utterly beautiful, i wondered why someone would give me such a thing. Were they going to kill me while I was wearing it?

     I owned zero dresses, this was the first one since graduation and even then that dress wasn't mine. I looked back in the box as I found heels that were red, and a red flower to go in my hair, as I moved to flower over I noticed a card. Once again fear took over me. I took a deep breath and opened the card and it read.

      "I've been searching for you, I'll be searching not only for you stunning face tomorrow at the annual ball but I hope to see you in the dress, as a gift and a peace offering, I hope you accept my invitation and I hope to see you there." 

   I felt goosebumps and my heart flutter just a tad. I sighed to myself, "This is creepy, you know?" I say out loud to myself. I hung up the dress and put away the heels, I went and made some tea and ate a left over cookie from the bakery, I soon went to sleep, questioning if that message was sweet, or threatening. I also wondered if I should accept this invitation, or decline but I haven't gotten dolled up since the night my ex girlfriend left me, which was also the night I though she was going to purpose, you can see how that went. I chuckled to myself as I got into bed and played some music till I feel asleep.

      It started to storm as I woke up, I rolled over thinking the noises where just the thunder, but once again I heard something unusual from the door, I grabbed my gun that I've only shot a few times at a gun range when I was learning, I didn't even know the name of it. I walked down stairs quietly as I get into a squat position with my hand on the gun, I turned the safety off but was yet to cock it, to loud. I could hear my heart beat in my chest which was louder than normal, I kept asking myself in my head if this was the person who sent me that dress, I shook my head, should have known it was to good to be true. I hear something fall in the living room so I walk softly over to where the kitchen connected to the living room. I heard someone moving and breathing, I start to walk as I fall over and hit my head on my own gun. I looked up one felt liquid fall off my face and I know it isn't tears. I saw someone, they were blurry, so.. very blurry... I felt my head get light then it was black, pitch cold black.