living with the dead

Its just a story, and two girls living in it. this is how it starts.

"Zoey, i just found the weirdest thing at my front door. I don't want to open it up at my house with my brother being there. He's so nosey ugh. But meet me at our spot! ill be on the hay stacks, hurry!"

I stuffed the odd package into my drawstring bag, and rushed out the front door before anyone could tell me that i couldn't do otherwise. I made my way down the road until i found the opening of the trail that Zoey and i made when we were little and pushed on towards the old barn that she and I have unofficially claimed. 

When i got there she was already on her hay block upstairs by what was once a barn window, but is not just a large gap covered in cob web, and old wood. She looked at me so curiously as i made my way up the ladder up to my spot next to her away from the window. I personally don't do the whole spider thing so well, so she sits there and i look out for anything crawling on her. Just to be safe. 

When i finally made my way to her, she jumped up and hugged me, then tugged on my book bag as a signal to pull out the package. I slid out the old brown paper bag to find a small journal looking book inside of it. There was no name or title. Just pictures, and no words. 

She signaled me to come sit next to her on the pile of hay, since the window was the only real source of light besides the small cracks in the old wood walls.  I gave out a sigh and from her lips she teased "Its only an eight legged critter Andrea, i won't let it hurt you just come here you wimp!" Zoey was right. I am a wimp but i couldn't let her have the satisfaction of having a wigged out friend from a spider. I put the Book in my lap after i sat down next to her and Zoey tugged it towards her. I open it and on the first page is a picture of a girl with her hair covering most of her face, and her hand in front of her mouth. The image is in black and white. 

Zoey giggled a little bit then went shhh. we were chosen. "Your a tard Zoey" I kept on flipping through the pages after examining each picture. On each page it was a different girl. A different face, Different marks on their wrist, but the same pose as if telling us to keep this a secrete. That or they're signaling one. But one what? What would the secrete be?

I handed the Book to Zoey and stood up searching myself for spiders, or webs. Either would drive me nuts, but there was only dirt on me from the old hay. 

I looked back to her, but she was staring at one picture not moving. Her face looked emotionless and then from her blank face the words "i think i know her" came out. She didn't look at me, but my eyes stayed fixed on her. "What do you mean you think you know her Zo, theres no way.. These are just some odd pictures. Maybe this is some sort of prank, someone trying to scare me? This is nonsen-" Zoey cut me off and with a stern voice "Andrea. Im being serious.. This girl, she.. she looks like you!" An odd laugh escaped my lips, made from fear and confusion. "no she dosen't" but when she turned around the book to show me the image, i felt my heart drop. That was me.. In my bed.. Asleep? 

I tried to speak but no words were coming out of my mouth, then tears began to fall with my frustration. Zoey still hadn't looked at me. How could someone have taken this.. someone was in my house? Thoughts filled my head but none of them made any sense. Who would have gotten in. Why am i in this book with all of these girls who wouldn't show their face.. 

I ripped the book from Zoey's hands and slid the photograph from its sheath in the book. There was no writing on the back, but the more I looked at the picture of me laying in my bed asleep the more empty i began to feel. I looked at Zoey for some sort of comfort but she was gone. 

"Zoey??!?" I looked around and i saw nothing, nobody. The sun went down without me noticing and here i am in this empty barn by myself with a book of girls, and one of them is me..

I pulled out my phone and i saw a text from Zoey from hours ago saying "sorry I'm not gonna be able to come. Tell me what you find!" What does she mean.. she was just here wasn't she. She's messing with me. Maybe she put this together, and is trying to get back at me for pranking her at her birthday party last year.. This is a pretty dark prank though. Even for Zoey, the girl who dresses in all black, and loves watching murder documentaries. 

I heard drops of rain begin to trickle on the old barns roof, and made my way down the ladder and through the dark woods back to my house. As i walked into my house everyone continued what they were doing, mom doing the dishes, and my little brother Cody playing his xbox yelling at someone who is probably just as bad as he is. 

In my room, I undressed and put on some sweatpants, a black tank top and threw my hair up into a bun. I slid the book into my drawer next to my bed, then went to the bathroom. As i was washing my face i heard clicks. The sound was like the shudder sound of a camera. I wiped my eyes with the rag, and looked around. There was nothing there, and the only sound was the running faucet. i looked back down to the sink, and turned off the flowing water, and looked at myself in the mirror.  As i took off my rings, i noticed a symbol on my finger.. Like the ones in the pictures of all of the other girls. a black butterfly with a torn wing. When i looked back down the marking disappeared. I shook my head at myself. My imagination was running wild. Im not crazy lol. I laid in bed watching tv until everything went dark and i was asleep.