The Real Me

Chapter three: The darkness among us

Audrey's POV.

I must've dosed off on the floor as the clock on my bed side table now read 9:15pm.

Holy crap my back hurts. I thought, as I stretched. The bones cracking in place.

I get up and slowly open the door to the hallway. I looked down the hall to make sure that no one was up, considering all the lights were off.

I silently closed the door behind me and tiptoed to the bathroom, passing by mom and dad's bedroom. I peered through the small opening to their room, both were sound asleep.

They must have a reason for their silly rules. I said under my breath. I stare at my sleeping parents once again.

I'm not sure if they're really just that overprotective or if there's something greater than that. Come to think of it, they've only really just been this intense when I turned sixteen two years ago. I feel like their protectiveness gets worse and worse as the days gets closer to the moment I turn eighteen this year. I shrugged off the thought and gently closed their door shut.

Once I reached the bathroom, I took off my clothes, made sure that both the door and window were locked. Mom taught me to lock them at all times whenever I go in, I guess for privacy measures? Nothing out of the ordinary really.

Before going in the shower I stare at myself through the mirror, noticing a big bluish purple bruise forming on my right side.

I gently poke at the bruise, wondering how I got it. Probably from sleeping on the floor. I don't know why but I easily bruise for whatever reason. Mom even took me to the doctors to get it checked. They said there was nothing wrong with me that they could see. Apparently I was as healthy as anyone could ever be.

Jumping into shower, I started to wash my hair with my favourite strawberry scented shampoo. Okay, I'm sure I'm not the only one that stays under the shower even after I'm done, just to think about life and make scenarios up in my head... Does anyone else do that? No? Just me? Okay...

I leaned against the wet tiled wall. Eyes closed, I tilted my head up to face the hot steaming jets of the shower. The image of the man on the street from earlier came across my mind. Just standing there, unmoving. What was he doing there? Did he want something? And more importantly, who was he?

I felt a shiver go down my spine, suddenly feeling cold even under the hot water.

I turned the shower off and reached for my white fluffy towel. I go in front of the wide mirror and stare at myself again. There staring back at me was a girl with long wavy dark brown hair sticking to her pale face. Big hazel doe-like eyes, that was once so bright and now just dull and boring. I was never really a stunner, I didn't have the nicest curves, the nicest smile or anything like all the other girls in my school, I wasn't pretty. But I was me.

A dark shadow suddenly flew by behind me through the mirror.

Another cold chill ran down my spine. The cold wind from the open window suddenly caught my attention.

Okay...I swear, I locked that shut before going in the shower. I thought.

Wrapping the towel around my body tightly, I slowly go near the window and cautiously peer out. The dark clouds of rain were gone now,replaced with the pure darkness of the night with the moonlight proudly shining across the sky. Twinkling stars dusting the night sky. And the streets, dead and empty.

As my eyes began to wander around, a dark shadow loomed over me. I turned my head to see no one in the bathroom with me. I turned my attention back at the streets. My eyes widening at the sight.