Demented Fantasies to Reality

Chapter 5 : expect the unexpected

 Deep in thought Rebecca almost tripped over a seat that was strategically placed by the shoe rack she was looking at. She caught herself before she did and continued to strut towards the dressing room. Now in front of the door of the first stall she didn’t bother to knock but she opened the door and went in. A sudden wave of exhaustion flooded through her and she found it quite compulsory to have a seat. After finally regulating her breathing she got up. As she looked in the mirror she wasn’t too ecstatic about what was looking back at her. Her face was drawn and she looked quite disheveled.” I look like a hot mess” she thought to herself.

  Why was she so uptight so never usually felt sorry for Jade? Letting her shoulders slump back she took a long look in the full length mirror that stood before her in the dressing room. She would never dare to admit this out loud but she was unsure of herself sometimes. Literally shaking away that thought she then began to focus her attention on the other problem at hand. This thought seemed have been eating away at her mind and slowly but surely driving her insane. ‘Why am I having second thoughts about torturing Jade, Why am I suddenly so stressed, Why haven’t I forgotten this already”. So many thoughts about her latest victim rushed through her mind and she desperately tried to grab hold of at least one them.

   A massive headache was starting to take shape as the thoughts consumed her. It got worse by the second and the radiated through her brain and pounded in synch with her heartbeat. Abruptly she was freed from the ample thoughts consuming her.  One thought seemed to have erased every last ounce of regret and or remorse that she was filled with only moments ago. It was ‘She deserved it “. Rebecca never remembered what had made her hate Jade. All she knew was that she had done something to make her hate her and she was going to pay for it. She picked on other losers at school but she reserved her ugliest ridicule and hardest punches for Jade.

   Rebecca was then suddenly pulled from her thoughts by a light knock on the door and a high pitched voice. “Rebecca are you okay? You’re usually out here in 5 seconds strutting around like a model. What gives?’ Jody asked with a tone that was sprinkled lightly with concern. ‘I’m fine” Rebecca answered monotonously, being quite upset that she had derailed her train of thought. ‘I’ll be out in a minute don’t get your panties in a bunch’.

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    Damp thick foliage brushed against Jade’s body as she trekked through the lush forest.  The forest floor was damp due to the heavy onslaught of precipitation and it was becoming slippery. After mentally noting the first landmark on the map Jade tucked it away neatly in her jacket to shield it from further wetting. She was looking for a large boulder next to a large vine covered tree. This was going to be difficult because all the trees were quite large and covered with vines.  She was alone and her clothes were soaked all the way through. Although she hadn’t stopped yet she began to think that walking through the forest alone with no clue how to find way back wasn’t the best idea.

   Just as she was about to lose hope, she spotted a large boulder about two feet away from where she was standing.  Although the heavy raindrops were blurring her vision she was almost sure that she saw it. Walking towards it she touched it to make sure it was real and that she wasn’t hallucinating. She confirmed that it was real so she took out the map to see where her next stop was.  Instead of an image written was “30 steps east”. Tucking the map away again she followed the instructions and headed east mentally counting her steps. After taking about 20 steps she realized the night was falling quickly and it was already overcast so it was becoming quite impossible to see.

     She knew that walking further would bring on unforeseen dangers so she decided to turn around until morning. Finding it quite tiresome to maneouvre her way around the damp slippery forest floor she decided to stop. She leaned on a nearby tree, it was wet but she didn’t care. A sudden roll of thunder added to her rapidly darkening mood, and she knew all too well that her ever changing mood was her kryptonite. The realization of the ugly truth hit her as she leaned against the tree, tired, wet, broken and discouraged.  It was pitch black dark with a thunder storm approaching and she had no clue how to get out this forest.

    Wanting to protect the map more than herself she then put in the one article of clothing that was not soaked through, her bra. She lost every ounce of zeal that weld up in her after finding the map. It had disappeared as if it hadn’t even been there in the first place. She slid down the tree and sat on the damp forest floor and closed her eyes in defeat. Needless to say that she was completely ignorant of the fact that her house was only 10 steps away from the very spot she was in.  Leaning her head back on the tree trunk she quickly fell asleep. Ironically this was the fastest she had fallen asleep in years.

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 The door was unlocked but her mother just figured Jade forgot to lock it. ‘Jade honey I’m home” Jade’s mom said in a chirpy voice as she entered the house. Receiving no immediate response she tried again. ‘Jade” she called again still receiving no response. Getting really worried as she approached the staircase she called again before ascending them. ‘She is probably just sleeping’ she thought trying to comfort herself. Anxiety weld up in her after each step she took towards Jade’s closed bedroom door.  Grasping the doorknob she turned it slowly afraid of what she might see.

  She slightly opened it and peered inside. She stepped inside and looked around for any sign of Jade. Upon realizing she wasn’t in there her heart sank. Before jumping to conclusions she decided to look around the entire house. Her efforts turned out to be futile because Jade nowhere to be found. “Where could she be”, she thought with abrupt desperation. Jade didn’t realize it but her mother loved with every last bit of her being. For this reason a pain attack was creeping up on her mother rapidly. If she didn’t calm down she would pass out. She was failing at trying to simultaneously trying to regulate both her breathing and her heart rate.

   Breathing deeply in and out was her only hope. After about a minute of repetitively breathing all rationality was restored. Taking advantage of her calm moment she decided to call the police. Her fingers tapped away and the numeric keypad at lightning speed. ‘Hello” she said with great urgency.” “Hello 911 what’s your emergency” the voice on the other line answered calm collected.”

‘Uhm, hello, yes my daughter is missing”.

“How long has she been missing”

“Well maybe about 2 hours”

“Well Ma’am you can’t report a child missing until 24 hours have passed”

“I’ll send the police over in the morning to assist you; right now I suggest you get some sleep”

“Uhm , okkaayy I will and thank you for your help”

  Resting the phone on the counter with a shaky hand her mother went to go sit on the couch. After the near pain attack and a full day at work her mother was exhausted. In addition to that she was beside herself in concern. Slowly laying back in the couch seemed to slowly soothe her aching joints and calm her altogether. “Jade doesn’t have any friends that I know of where could she be”. That one thought heaved another ounce of worry onto her already burdened shoulders. No longer able to sit in one position she got up and paced back and forth on the living room floor.

  Tiring herself even more than she already was she decided to take a seat again. This time she could help but drift off into a deep slumber.