Apartment 109 (unfinished)

Chapter 2: The Storm

After a few minutes I opened my eyes. Noticing that everyone just seemed to go back to what they were doing. My father was carrying the frame to my bed into my room.

My brother followed behind with a box that had my name on it. My mother was busy putting away the dishes from the box that rested on the countertop that had kitchen written on it.

As she turned away from the cabinet where she was placing a couple more glasses she glanced at me for a moment before looking down and digging into the box once more.

"Are you feeling alright Ashlynn? Maybe once your bed is together you should lay down. Your not acting like yourself."

I sighed softly and looked out the window. Basically ignoring my mothers plea.

Cody returned from my room and walked towards the front door.

"Come on Ash, lets go and get your box spring and mattress from the truck. Dad is putting together your bed now."

I stood up and nodded though I dreaded going back into the hallway. I followed my brother out the door, and remained close to his side. He noticed me staring at the door to apartment 109 .

"You really don't believe that story Mrs. Anderson was talking about do you Ash? Mom told me all about it because she didn't want me to go in there and cause trouble." He rolled his eyes. "I laughed when she told it to me. There is no way it can be true. I think that Mrs. Anderson was just trying to scare us."

After not answering him and still staring at the door I only reacted when he grabbed my shoulder. I jumped and looked at him.

"Didn't you hear a word I said?" he asked.

I shrugged my shoulders, and then shook my head in reply.

He grabbed my hand and tugged me along down the hall. Seeming bothered that I was not listening to him.

"Come on, dad wants to get us all moved in today, not next week." I was tugged along but still I couldn't help but stare back at the door leading into that apartment. We ended up outside rather quickly. But cody seemed annoyed and refused to talk to me. I stepped down the steps and glanced up at the looming dark clouds overhead. While he took off ahead of me,  I could hear him yelling to me. I glanced back towards the truck and hurried to help him.

We carried the box springs and the mattress together back into the apartment building and had no choice but to take the stairs. After what seemed like a ton of flights we made it to our floor. After struggling to get the mattresses through the doorway we finally made it into the living room. I dropped them immediatly causing my brother to curse under his breath as he was left with all the weight on his end. I ignored him once more and walked to the window.

Leaning against the window frame I stared out at the sky that was threatening to let loose of rain. I stared down at the street and watched as the leaves and scattered pieces of trash danced down the street. I was glad that my mattresses were the last things that were on the truck. Now we just needed to unpack.

I turned to help my brother bring the matresses to my room, but he was no longer there and neither were the matresses. I scowled and lowered my gaze walking to my room. Dad had the frame together and cody threw the box springs down onto the frame and then the mattresses ontop.

"There you go princess." He said sarcastically as he gave me an angry stare and pushed me aside to step into the hallway and walked towards the kitchen.

I glanced up to see my father staring at me. I sighed and rolled my eyes as I crossed my arms over my chest and leaned against the door frame. My father just shook his head.

"I've got to much to do right now. We will talk about this later Ashlynn. " he walked past me as well leaving me in my room alone.

I stepped inside and looked to the door, closing it tightly. I turned to stare at the contents of my room. My bed, my nightstand, my dresser and many boxes and totes.

I could hear my parents as they stood in the kitchen and seemed to be arguing as I listened more closely I found that in fact they were, and it was about me. I bit my lip and reached into my pocket, pulling out my ipod. I shuffled through the songs and then placed the ear buds into my ears. Finally I was able to block out everything else and fade into the world of music.

I started unpacking my things. Organizing my pictures onto the wall. Folding and placing my clothes into the drawers of my dresser and hanging some other things in my closet. I made my bed and placed all my stuff onto the shelves that  were hung above it. After hanging my curtains I was finally satisfied.

Seeing that it was getting dark outside I walked to the window and glanced down into the street. Seeing the street lamps lit below I watched the pouring rain. I had turned on the lamp beside my bed. Letting the music continue to flow into my ears I mouthed the words to the song as I watched a woman walk down the street with an umbrella clutched tightly in her hand. As I turned to walk over to the bed a loud rumble of thunder errupted and soon after came a flash of lightening that plunged the room into darkness.

Feeling my breath catch in my throat I reached up and pulled the ear buds from my ears. My other senses were on high alert since I couldn't see anything, other than the reflection of shadows that were thrown about the room from the street lamps. I walked over to my bed and sat down.

I could hear commotion outside my door as my parents seemed to be rummaging through things in order to find the flashlight and candles.

I felt my heart race as my thoughts immediatly went to apartment 109. I clenched my hands together and placed them on my lap silently praying that the lights would come back on quickly.

Another rumble of thunder came louder this time since I didn't have the music blasting in my ears. I jumped as it seemed to feel like the whole apartment building shook. A flash of lightening followed casting the room into light and within the few moments that it did I felt as if I wanted to scream.

The flash was merely a second but I could see clear as day that there stood a girl in my room. She had short locks of black hair that hung down to her shoulders. She wore a long dress and dangling from her hand was a doll which she had gripped by the wrist. She pointed to me before the room was plunged into darkness once more.

I swallowed hard as I felt a scream worked its way into my mouth. I stared at the spot were I saw her as I choked back the scream, my eyes were wide with fear.

With another rumble of thunder the lightening followed closely. She still stood in the same spot. she motined with her fingers quickly. One, two. Holding up one finger and then two. She then said it softly. Her voice seemed to echo from all around me.

"He will come for you." her voice was in a sing song sort of way.

The room was in darkness once more. I urged myself to move. More lightening. She placed her fingers up once more. Three, Four.

"Lock your doors." she sang.

When the darkness came this time I closed my eyes tightly, wanting to cry out for my parents, for Cody, for anyone to help me.

As I slowly opened my eyes the lights came back on. Taking a minute for my eyes to adjust I just sat there blinking, and trying to get my heart to stop racing in my chest.