1000 Lifetimes

Story Time

The bell that signals the beginning of first period had just rung. She was late, but she didn't care. She was content reading her book in the back of the school. It was a blind spot from the camera's view. The only way someone would know she's there would be if security went there, which they rarely do. The school was build at the top of a hill, it was one of the oldest buildings in the town before it was torn down and rebuilt. Below the hill was a forest. It was a nice view. One she could see from the comfort of where she escaped to during school. After schoo she'd take walks into the the forest. Her father had stopped drinking, and thus, so did the beatings. But still, there'd be days when Amara would want to get away from it all, and stroll into the woods. Usually at night; it felt more calm. She was still dealing with depression. The memories of her father wouldn't go away soon, maybe ever. And she was still having trouble making friends. There was one girl she got along well enough with. She had taken up the empty seat that was next to her in first period. They talked whenever Amara was in class, which for the moment, was a bit of rare thing. Even so, depression and anxiety don't disappear over night, and sometimes she'd walk into the woods at night, and sincerely hope she got lost. She never took the same path when she walked, and sometimes lost herself in the woods, but she always found her way back home. A good thing, as when she thought about it she had no money, and no where to go, but still would sometimes prefer to just start over again in another town.

Amara didn't go to any of her classes today. No, she was too caught up reading some new books she found on the table in her room a few weeks ago. They all seemed old and she guessed her dad must have gotten them for her. Maybe as an apology for the way he used to be. It didn't matter to her, she was just happy to have something to read. It had been ages since she last got lost in a book, and she seemed to get lost in every single one she read. She heard the final bell which signaled the end of seventh period, and walked to her bus parked in front of the school. She was first one on and the bus driver smiled to her. She smiled back and sat down on the seat behind the driver's. The bus ride felt like am eternity. She was too excited to sit and read her book again. "Maybe I'll walk into the Forest and read there." Amara thought to herself.

When she finally got home her dad was still at work, and so she went up to her room to read. When she got upstairs she sat her bag down next to her table and and got out her book. She turned around to sit at her table which was in the corner of her room, when she noticed her window was open. She knew she closed it, and this was the fourth time in two weeks this had happened. She wondered if her dad had been opening her window, and so after the last time it happened, she placed a camera I'm the corner of her room. She grabbed the camera from where it was hidden and plugged it into her computer. She had turned it on before she left for school and recorded herself opening, and then closing the window. Locking it twice to make sure it was locked, and left the room for school. A routine that she had been doing for three days now. It was time she had answers.

She sped the video up three times, and waited to see if anything moved. A few minutes passed, which was a few hours into the video, and she noticed an ever so small change in the video. She had her finger over the space bar and nearly slammed it from how quickly and hard she pressed it. Her heart was racing. The window had been unlocked. Whoever was opening the window, came from outside her house. And there was no way to unlock the window from the outside. She swallowed the saliva that had been building up in her mouth, and took on deep breath. She pressed play, and began watching again. She sae the window open, and a an step through. He was dressed in all black, and had a hood on so the camera didn't catch his face. He was holding something. A misshapen block from what it looked like. He looked around the room for a few seconds, and began walking towards the table. Amara had her books organized neatly on the table, and beside them, the man placed more. Amara could see clearly now that it was books he was holding. He placed down five books on her table and Amara immediately pressed puase. Her heart began racing again, and she slowly turned round to look at her table... And there they were. The five books that she hadn't seen before, placed by a man she didn't recognize. She felt chills go up and down her back, as she turned back around to finish the video. She pressed play and watched intently. The man had just placed the books, but had quickly jerked his head to the left. He had heard something. Throughout the video, he had his back to the camera, so Amara couldn't see his face, but when he turned his head, his face was only visible for a split second, and Amara didn't get a good look. The man hurried back to the window and exited just as the door swung open. Her dad stepped in. Looking confused, looking for something. He must has heard the mans footsteps, and came to see what was going on. Not seeing anything, he left and closed the door behind him.

Amara sat there, unable to move. She had leaned back in her chair and so was more comfortable, but still, what the hell had just happened. When she finally was able to move she she got up and grabbed the books and started inspecting them. She flipped through the first few pages of every book, and the last few. Not spoiling the ending of course in case she ever read them. In the back cover of each book however, was a letter. A, M, I, L, and A. Amila. "Whats Amila?" She said out loud. She set the books down and looked back to her computer. She rewinded the video to the spot where she could get a glimpse of the mans face. It took her several tries to puase it at the right moment, but when she did, chills surrounded her body, for she couldn't see his face. Only his eyes. And they were glowing...