The Nightstalkers

Chapter 7

     "The rumor goes back about 13 years ago, there was this girl who lived happily with her mother and father"

     "Hold on, isn't this a bit cliche to be a rumor. You know, She lived happily with her mother and father and something happened and she snapped or the secret was she was crazy all along", Clair rudely interrupted. 

     "W-well yeah...I mean theres no other way to explain it other than that cliched way...", I reply at a loss for words. 

     Clair sighed, "Fine just go ahead and tell your story about Nadia..." 

     "Thank you...Ahem...Anyway, she lived happily with her mother and father, she woke up, went to school, came home, and just lived out that daily routine. Until one day, she was walking back home and witnessed a murder. To this day it was unclear about whether or not it was a NightStalker, but that man got away while the girl witnessed the whole thing. She went home, silent with fear about the whole thing. However, when she got home, Her mother and father were fighting. Beer bottles scattered among the floor, obvious he had been drinking. He walked out the house and he never came back. With her sadness and despair, the mother went on and took her sorrows out on the girl. This went on for 5 days, until the one day even the girl snapped. While her mother was sleeping, she took a hammer and nails and pierced her head with them." 

      Clair was holding the blanket quivering and I couldn't help but giggle a bit. "But, That's the end of that story...the girl was never found out and it just appeared to be another scary story that you tell at campfires. In this city though, it could be possible." 

     "How old is Nadia then?", Clair asked. If I'm assuming correctly Nadia is a Senior at the high school. Judging by their age groups that would make her at least 18. That means she killed her mother when she was 5. My eyes widened in fear at this realization and I looked to Clair, but I kept silent and held my breath and I forced a smile. "Let's not worry about it", I smiled at Clair, "We'll deal with it when I get to school- or we'll just deal with it tomorrow". I remembered that the class I burst into yesterday was murdered. It would be a while before school opens back up again so I wont have anything to do tomorrow. Clair nodded. I get up from my bed and I set up a blanket on the floor. 

     "Oh, is that where you're sleeping?", Clair asked me. That let me know real quick that she was "that" type of person, so I just nodded. "I'll see you tomorrow Clair, goodnight", I turn off the light and I close my eyes. I couldn't sleep. I couldn't stop thinking about the story of the girl who murdered her mother. She witnessed a murder, maybe that's where she got the idea of murder. The way Nadia set up her mother in the living room. That would make some of the murders about those nailed to the walls be from... 

     I burst awake as my puzzle piece thoughts all come together. I sit up from the floor and I look around, trying to catch my breath. I feel something beside me and I look to see Clair laying down still fast asleep. She must've been so scared she needed someone to keep her company. I look out the window to see the sun barely coming up. I turn to the TV and turn it on. The new reports the school incident and a wave of guilt hits me all over again. That's when Clair woke up and rubbed her eyes. I pet her head and I greeted her to the new day. 

     "It's the first time in a while since I've slept under a roof", Clair said smiling at me. It was depressing, it reminded me that she used to be a wandering ghost not too long ago. Wait a second...

     "Hey Clair?", I say softly and she looks up to me, "How long has it been since you've died?". Horrible question to ask and I know that but I needed to know this in order to find out her death information. She shrugged and closed her eyes to go back to sleep. I smiled...in hidden frustration. I yell out, "You don't know!?".

     I'm pacing back and forth in my room and I hold my head to make my thoughts flip over the table knocking off all the puzzle pieces. "I mean, what did you expect? I only told you how I died and that I wanted to be...avenged...? I guess? But I don't know how long ago it was?", Clair's talking only made it worse. I stop and I sit on the floor in front of her and look to her as calmly as I possibly could, "Do you remember the year...?". She nodded slowly. "Don't look hesitant, yes or no?"

     "Yyyyyeeeeeeeeeeessssssssss.....???", She said trying to look away. My frustration might've turned into anger, "Yes or no!?". She quietly said yes and I sighed a breath of relief. I stand up and begin pacing again. My thoughts gather, "Whats the last thing you remember before death?". 

     "I was walking- no I was...I was...Yeah I was walking home...", She seemed to have a hard time remembering. I remember she said something about not being able to remember. I stop her after she said home and I rub the back of my head. "Tell you what Clair, how about we take a walk around the city and we'll see if a memory sparks around something you find familiar", I smiled slightly and she smiled back and nodded. 

     We walked on and on. We searched as for as we could. We found nothing. This would be very much easier if I had a car, but I don't have the money for it. We spent all day walking around the city, no sign of anything Clair found familiar, and luckily we didn't run into any murder cases. We stopped at a park and I sat on the swings and Clair sat beside me on the swing next to me. The sky gave off its purple glow to announce night was only a few minutes away. I take a look at her and i notice she's tearing up. I go over and hug her and she smiles a bit. I smiled too knowing I cheered her up. It was time to go home. 

     On the walk home, the night sky glowed with stars. On the ground, the streetlights and building lights illuminated the area. It gave me a sense of protection. I look up from the sidewalks floor and I see my apartment building up ahead. I look at Clair and she's balancing herself on the edge of the sidewalk. "Clair, I promise I'll find something that you know...I mean I already promised to find who killed you so I know I can do this, as long as you're with me Clair", I smile at her and she smiles back. I look across the street and I see Nadia's house. I haven't seen her all day. slight worry comes over me and i stop and turn to her house. Maybe she killed that woman, maybe it was her mother, and maybe she really is a NightStalker...But maybe I can change her...She just seems so...Innocent.  

     "I'm going a change her...", I said out loud with my hands in my pockets, Clair stops and looks at me confused, "If Nadia, is a NightStalker...then maybe I can-". A sudden rush of pain enters my shoulder. Confused, I look at it slowly. What I saw next made my eyes widen in horror. A blade, as if it came from a knife, had gone through my shoulder, its tip dripping blood. I step back a bit and I scream in pain, I rip my hands out from my pockets and I try to get the knife out of my shoulder. That's when another rush of pain enters the arm thats trying to get the knife out. Again, another knife has gone through my arm. I scream out again. I look to Clair who's crying and covering her mouth afraid. I look around and I turn behind me to the dark alleyway and all of a sudden a Knife comes flying at me. I dodge it just in time but it cuts my cheek. I fall to the floor and the knife in my shoulder digs deeper and I start crying out more as blood gushes out from the wounds. 

     Clair runs to my side, "I'm going to try and get the knives out-". She was cut off by the presence of Nadia who's covered in blood. I couldn't tell if it was her own or someone else's but most likely another persons'. I look at her with tears in my eyes and she drags me into the alleyway and I scream and I try pulling and clawing at the ground for something to latch onto and I scream for help, but it's hopeless as I'm dragged into the darkness. Nadia stands me up and hammers a nail to my hand and it even pierces into the wall of the alley and I scream louder and Clair runs over crying and she stands in front of me with her arms wide, "STOP IT, STOP IT RIGHT-". A loud echo of a slap could be heard. Clair's eyes widen as she realizes it was her that was slapped, and she falls to the floor. NADIA SLAPPED CLAIR. My screams of pain and of help get silenced by this action and Nadia grins widely and holds a nail to my throat with her hammer ready to hit and I stare straight at her frozen in fear. 

                                                                 Is this how I die...?