THE INNOCENT WILL RISE

This Nightmare Has Just Begun

WILLIAM'S POV

..Everybody's fucked up in the head somehow. I know it. People say I'm completely insane. But I say everybody's got problems, right? It's just that some people are better at hiding their problems than others. Yet, it's just as if we're all sinking in the same giant imaginary boat. Now, from what I've learned in life... You can't really trust anyone. All the good people will die off.. For example, my best friend Charlie. He committed suicide a few years ago. He was the nicest person this town had. He was always willing to help people in need. He treated everyone as if they were best friends. Even if he had just met them. We both worked at a little restaurant cleaning the floors. Wasn't so bad until he died.. But I bet he's happier where he is now. I never knew why he killed himself though....

When he died, he left his little girl behind. I thought I'd take care of her so she lived with me.. Poor thing. She was only a baby when her father died and her mom left them to get married with another guy with loads of money. I heard they had a divorce last week... Her daughter is now probably five years old. Last time I saw her she had short, brown hair and green eyes. She was a nice girl but didn't really get along with the other kids at her school. She doesn't live with me anymore. But wherever she is, I hope she's happy....

Living alone can be frustrating..
Sometimes I hear noises from the hall. But I know it's nothing. Sometimes I even hallucinate. Most of the time, I can see cats walking around and birds flying though I don't own any animals.

IT'S 12:00 AM

I'm just staring at the clock on my wall. I feel like I'm waiting for something, but what is it? Maybe turning on the TV will "cure" my boredness. Then I remember some papers a friend gave me. She said I'd be good at voice acting. I'm not really sure about that but I've always loved to read. And Charlie loved to write and create.. As I'm reading the lines out loud to myself I realize this story is different from what I expected.. It's about two siblings. A boy and a girl whose mother got lost in the woods. As the story advances, the kids are more apart from each other than they would want. I'm reading as the young boy. His lines are serious and have more meaning than the girl's lines..

So I keep reading...

"H-Hello? Uh..-"

"Hi"

I heard someone talk back at me. I stop moving and look with wide eyes the hallway before me. What's going on?

I hear the voice of a young girl.
"Hi, sir.. Are you trapped here, too? I could try to help you."

I feel shock and my heart is running quickly. Who is this little girl standing at the end of the hall? What does she want?

"Who are you? Why are you here!!?" I calmly whisper to her.

"Did you die here too, sir?"

"I-I'm not dead.." I say shaking.

"Oh."

I've never believed in ghosts. But this seems too real! What will she do to me? But then again, she's just a little child. Right? She can't hurt me, right?

Then she says. "Do you know who I am, sir? I know who YOU are Mr. William Lee...Do you remember me at all?"

How does she know my name?
I don't know her.. Unless, she was at that burger place where I used to work.. No. That's not it. How? How does she know me? Why am I standing here talking to a dead little girl at the other end of my hall?! Nothing is making sense. It's quiet now.

Then my phone rings. Should I answer the phone? No one usually calls me on my house phone.. And who could be calling at one in the morning?

Strange. The phone keeps ringing. It must be urgent... I go to answer the phone and as soon as I pick it up I hear the voice of some dude saying:

"Hello? Are you there? I know it must be pretty late now. But, I need to tell you something. Remember that fast food restaurant you used to work at? Well, at the other end of the street there's this new place and they're hiring people. I thought maybe you'd want the job...... Uh..You studied for photography, right? Well in this place.. You take pictures of people and. Uh I think that's it. Would you like to go check it out tomorrow? I could take you.

I left a paper in your door. Just fill it out. It's nothing difficult. You just gotta fill in some information about yourself and describe what you look like..
You go ahead and do that. I'll leave you to get some sleep or whatever you got to do. Alright? I'll talk to you tomorrow."

He hangs up.

What the hell was that all about? I've got other problems to deal with. Talking about that.. Where's that little girl?? She's not there anymore! Is she gone? Did she move?! What should I do? Oh no....

Maybe I should fill this paper to get my mind off that kid. Okay. "Describe myself?".... Well, I'm tall and skinny. I have dark brown, long hair that I'd usually just wear in a small ponytail.. What else should I write? I have blue eyes.... Oh no. I think I heard something in the kitchen. No. It can't be.

It's late. I need to get some sleep. Maybe that's it.

"You did this to us..." She whispered silently on my ear.

"No. Who's 'us'?! Is there more of you here? Stay away!" I say.

"Something bad's gonna happen to you, sir." She said.

"Leave me alone!"

"I wish I could. But bad people must pay the price.. I'm sorry but justice will be served" she said this staring at me with big eyes. But what did I do? I've never done anything bad...

"You're confusing me with someone else! I don't even know who you are!" I shout.

"You don't remember me? Maybe if I tell you my name.. You'll know." She answered.

"My name is Emily.. But you called me Emmy, remember?"

That's right. I remember now. That little girl Emmy. She was seven years old. I think....

"Emmy?" I repeat

"Yes. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be here. Those other kids and I wouldn't be dead."

...but what did I do? What is she talking about? What the hell?!

This can't be real. It just can't!

"What are you gonna do to me!?" I say to the little girl.

"Oh. I won't hurt you. I'll make sure that YOU hurt yourself." She said very calmly..