Enigmatic Photographs (Deleting Soon!)

1: Like a Ghost

This story: "Enigmatic Photographs" and its content is copyright of Simone Rose - © 2012. All rights reserved. Any No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior written permission of Simone Rose (PocketNerd15).

Dedicated to MissyMoo1173 for the beautifully created cover in the Multimedia section, and Quiet Riot Designs (mollybritton & IHeartOliSkyesFerSur)  for the cover I'm using now(: 

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 1: Like a Ghost

People always say bad things happen to good people. How the criminals get off for 'Mental Instability' and the innocent guy ends up in jail with sixty-five years to life. Yes, sadly, many people experience things they don't deserve. But no, I'm not saying that anyone deserves to be murdered; if you think about it, would you rather kill a murderer or a school teacher? 

Or both?

Maybe neither?

How about a student? 

These are the thoughts that went through Riley Jordan's mind as she walked in the dark parking lot after photography club. In all honesty, Riley wasn't a photography type of girl in any way, shape, or form. Athletic, academic, and adorable, yes. She had creativity, but not the kind required of her...not that it mattered anyway. 

She wanted to be a forensic scientist, the C.S.I. kind that went to the crime scene and took the evidence-holding pictures - hence the photography class. Her counselor had so helpfully suggested it, saying it would 'give her a steady hand' and some other crap that she'd so resentfully doubted as she nearly jogged to her ridiculously small car. 

She wasn't too upset about having to take photography class because her teacher, Mr. Fries - who was always teased about his last name, but jokingly accepted it - was one of her favorites. He was young, and handsome - which didn't really matter to Riley, she wasn't into the student-teacher relationship thing. She sat in the driver's seat, thankful to be in her safe, warm car. She'd thought back to the lesson Fries had taught only a few minutes ago.

He was pacing the room, energetically talking about depth of field. "It's all about positioning guys! If you get in the right place, at the right time, you get perfect depth of field, creating an illusion better than any in my opinion." Riley was confused, so being the nerd that she considered herself to be, rose her hand in the air tentatively. 

"Fries, I don't understand the concept of depth of field completely, could you...elaborate please?" The zany eleventh grade teacher smiled largely and clapped his hands together. 

"I knew you were confused, I could tell by your face. I could tell by all of your faces actually. You guys look like lost ducks. Kinda like those girls on Facebook!" He made a duck-face, imitating the popular pose that most girls indeed did for their Facebook profile pictures. The class erupted into laughter. "Well, depth of field is the distance between the nearest and farthest images in a picture. It can make the main object in a picture look like they're the main focus, because they are." It began to make sense to Riley, but she still doubted her understanding. 

"Riley, come up here. Sit on the floor, in front of the whiteboard." She did as she was told. "Now if I take Riley's picture, and put it on this backdrop, the background looks blurred, and Riley looks in focus, correct?" Everyone murmured yes's. "That's depth of field!"

Riley looked out her windshield, the October rain on the glass, and the far out tree shadow displaying a perfect picture of depth of field. She took out her camera, not thinking twice about it, and snapped the shot.

Instantly, she loved it. Just as quickly, she realized that the shadow was not that of a tree, but a human. And it wasn't even a shadow, it was real. She dropped her camera on the seat and started her car quickly, fumbling with the keys. It was only six in the evening, photography club robbing her of three precious hours after school. Grays Harbor in Elma - part of good ol' rainy Washington - was known to get dark quickly, especially in the later and earlier months of the year. 

She called her best friend, Trey.

"What's up fat face?" Trey was a jovial, sarcastic, annoying, and utterly loving best friend. That's what Riley thought ever since they'd met in the fifth grade.  Riley let a little laugh slip at his greeting.

"Nothing much." Riley's voice was clipped, and she knew that Trey would hear it. By the time they'd reached sixth grade, everyone thought they would get together, becoming the schools hottest couple, but they never did and neither of them planned to. In fact, Riley already had her eyes set on a certain football player...

"What's wrong Riles? You sound scared scared as heck." 

"Well I was just learning about depth of field and when I got to my car I saw a perfect opprotunity to take a picture that fit the description. I took it - it turned out amazing by the way - and I kept looking at the shadow, but it wasn't a shadow! It was a person standing there, watching me!" Trey, who'd always thought Riley was a drama queen rolled his eyes silently. "Stop rolling yout eyes Trey! This is serious!"

"Well do you wanna come over while you wait for your parents to get home?" He sounded somewhat amused, and Riley knew there was a smirk on his face.   

"Yeah. Get some pizza, and if you don't stop laughing at me, I'm going to eat it all!" Trey - who was very serious about his food - stopped laughing at once. "That's right, you'd better shut your face." iley hung up the phone, feeling lighter, happier, and most importantly - safer. 

If only that feeling would last. 

**

The man walked into the recesses of the trees behind East Grays High. He felt a nice feeling resonate throughout his body when he thought of Riley. Although she'd seen him standing there, he was sure she couldn't see his face...or his clothes. He was nearly invisible. Like a ghost. 

Luckily, he'd put on his black overcoat. He smiled, rainwater dripping from his soaked hair. 

"Oh Riley. When I finally get you, it's going to be a great time for both of us...not just me." He didn't come in a car, so he walked between the trees, to his small shack of a home in the woods. The creatures and dangers lurking behind the sheet of tall trees didn't scare him one bit. He was young,  he was courageous, he was fearless.

And he was going to have Riley Jordan all to herself, whether she liked it or not. 

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Ahh ! Book 3 guys. I'm really excited for this one, and I hope you guys are too! :D 

Um, if you're here, I hope you read Me Myself and Them. It's a short story! You'll finish quick, I promise! ;) 

Comment, Vote, Fan? Whatevs(: 

<3 Simone