TARGET FOR DEMISE

4

Chapter 4

The loud thundering sound of the rain outside tore through my dreams bringing back the dread of that fateful day. The day that glued and stuck to haunt my nights since. I could never remember what they looked like before the incident. I couldn't remember their voices. Instead I heard screams, terror and pain all morphed into one and then silence. Heart stopping silence. The menacing quiet of death. They were gone and to this day...I wondered why I wasn't gone too.

"Crystal!!" I heard mum cry from the door way. Her silhouette appeared on the wall I was facing. The broader one of dad soon followed behind her gasping at what they saw.

I buried myself deeper into the blankets scooting further into the wall. I didn't want to get them hurt. Not like what happened before.

"Calm down, Crystal," mum tried to sooth me.

The loud roar of the thunder made my heart skip another beat as I whimpered the image of the hairy yellow eyed murderer glued in my sight I felt like he was here. That he came for me. To tear me to pieces, to destroy me too.

I barely noticed dad taking out a medical syringe till darkness loomed around me and everything just disappeared.

I woke up a mess. My eyes were heavy and I felt groggy. With no appetite I hummed a greeting to mum and dad as I walked down the stairs to the kitchen. They stood by the rails holding each other wearing worried expressions on their faces. I barely acknowledged them as I grabbed an apple from the fridge and walked to school.

The wind blew past me so cold and freezing I held back a sneezing. I zipped up the grey woollen sweater I had on and walked past the school bus deciding to take a walk instead.

I plugged in the earphones into my phone and strolled down the side walk. The sun had barely come out so the streets were still empty. I drowned in the music in the ears walking to the beat of three empty words by Shawn Mendes and other tunes that popped up.

I hated making them worry. I hated that they had a burden like to carry. I hated seeing their eyes have that scared expression on their faces. They were my new family. I hated having nightmares of the demise of my old one.

I walked through the school doors just as the warning bell rang. Rise up by Andra day rang through my ears as I reached my locker.

It has been over a week since I talked to Felix, Blake and Jordan. They didn't call so I guess our work is finished. I had sent my copy the night after our meeting. Blake said it looked good and Jordan would finish up everything. I guess I am off the hook.

Grabbing my maths text book I walked to Maths class. The teacher huffed when she saw me at the door and waved me in continuing with her explanation. I barely heard as she left us an assignment to do on the topic. The bell rung yet again signalling the end of class. After everyone cleared out I stood up to leave when a hand on my shoulder turned me around. I was taken aback by familiar blue orbs. He was in my maths class too how did I not notice?

"Are you okay?" he asked me looking at me with an unexpected worry etched on his face. Okay...

"Yah..." I said quietly nodding almost to myself, "I am alright just not in the mood that's all." I said quickly and turned to leave.

"I tried calling you last night but you didn't pick up. It was about the essay." I heard him say behind me.

"We need your seal of approval." he stated with a playful tone in his tone. I sighed and brushed off the heavy grief in my heart that was weighing me down.

"Can I join you over lunch and we go over it?" I said a bit lazily. I was just not into it.

"It's fine by me." he said. I continued to walk forward to the exit when he made an offer that stopped my tracks.

"Can I walk you to your next class?"

I nodded reluctantly and we walked silently in the hallway to my locker. I dropped my maths books and grabbed Biology and we walked on. Occasionally when crazy hot headed jocks pushed through us Felix's hand brushed past mine sending tingles travelling up my arm. I chose to ignore it as the lab as the glass door of the lab came into view.

"Thanks see you at lunch." I told him.

And that is how the rest of my day went. Dull and quiet. I barely said anything at lunch and Blake noticed but said nothing. Jordan flirted but soon gave up when he noticed I was everywhere but here and they finished the essay without much of my help. The yellow eyes buzzed through my mind like an annoying alarm and I could not stop it. Why them? Why wasn't I with them? I can't I remember what they looked like or sounded like. Why is it that the only memory I have of them was that dreadful moment.

"Hey honey how was school?" dad asked as I walked through the kitchen door. He never usually came home early I just shrugged and jogged upstairs to my room. I heard him sigh as I closed the door.