Evere Woods

Chapter 2: The 3 Items

The sound of gravel underneath my feet sounds nice. Dragged my feet and made my way to Fina View.

Fina view surprisingly had a few people out currently. Just one or two people camping out or stargazing. A few homeless people sleeping on the benches.

I sat down on an available bench, next to a homeless old lady, she looks fast asleep.

I took out my pencil and start tapping it on my canvase. I looked around to see anything worth drawing. I started squinting as the park had few street lamps.

Then, I heard a groan followed by a 'tsk' sound. I turned around to the old lady next to me. She glared at me then at my pencil. I forgot I was tapping it.

I gave her a few nods and a soft sorry.

I sat there just stoning, staring at the tree opposite of of me. Suddenly, I just got a shiver. You know how sometimes we get a reflexed shiver? It was like that.

I did not felt scared or cold. I have absolutely no idea why I would have that shiver.

Then, my phone rang. It scared me.

'What's up Nick? Wait never mind. Don't tell me that awful joke again.'

'Fine. Anyways, where are you? The teachers were doing spot checks on the students. I told them you were at the bathroom.'

'I snuck out'

'You've got to be kidding me. Sigh. Could you come back in half an hour tops? Rosie told the teachers you had diarrhoea. Sorry not sorry.'

'Like I care. I'll make my way back. Seeya.'

I got ready my things and stood up, ready to leave. Suddenly, the old lady next to me grabbed my wrist. Then whispered cheerfully, 'it's almost time.'

I shook her hand off and brisk away from her quickly. That was weird.

I turned around and saw her digging out something from her tote bag.

I felt kinda bad for her. She seemed like the type that had been abandoned by her family since she was sleeping in the park.

I was watching her with an empathetic as well as sorry look. I probably should not be staring.

I started making my way back to school when I heard gravel behind me.

Then, I felt a tap on my shoulder.

I turned around and saw the old lady pointing a red in coloured knife at me.

Oh my goodness. I am not ready to go out like this. Who is this lady? And why is she doing this?

She started laughing happily and gave me a sweet smile. If she was not pointing this weird looking knife at me, I would have assumed she is just a cheerful and contented old lady.

She then whispered, 'I'm not going to do anything to you if you do this simple task for me. Please, accept my gifts. This pair of earrings, this book and the knife I'm holding.'

She then took out a transparent box with a set of sliver and red earrings in a shape of a weird looking symbol and a white and blue book the size of my hand. It did not have any labels on it.

She put down her knife to allow me to look at it more closely.

The blade of the knife was red, like the colour of red gummy bears. Thank goodness it was not the colour of blood.

The rest of the knife was an ombre of orange and yellow, making the knife looked like it was made with sunset colours.

'So do you agree or not?'

'I don't really have a choice here.'

She handed me the earrings and the book.

As she passed me the knife, the pointed edge slid across the palm of my hand, creating thin and shallow cut.

'Oopsie, my bad'

I groaned in pain as I held the knife in my hand. The blood from it stained the book and the earrings.

The old lady then said, ' Please take good care of them.'

Then she ran into the darkness of the trees before I could respond.

I really do not want to keep these. What if there is a tracking device on it for her to stalk me? What if this is evidence for a crime she has done? Or, what if she is trying to frame me?

Wild thoughts and imaginations ran through my head.

I an getting rid of these things. There is no reason for me to have them any longer. That old lady will not even know if I threw them away.

I ran out if Fina Park and threw the items into the rubbish bin located at the exit.

There goes my chance of clearing my head and finding an ordinary scene at Fina for tonight.

Finally, I made it back to school.

  It was 4.45am.

  I am not sure of what to do now. Should I report this? I probably should but that old lady looked like she was just a little nuts. I do not want to put her in jail.

  Still feeling a little spooked, I went back to my seat and tried to relax myself.

  I had no intention of doing my art piece right now. I will do it tomorrow night. For now, I just need to calm myself down.

  I unzipped my bag to take out a piece gum when I saw the three items in my bag, all clean without a trace of my blood which I knew they were stained with.