I'll start this story off with a casual reminder that I was only fourteen at the time. was young, I was dumb and naive. Which is why this autumn day went into the direction it did.
It was a perfect day, or so the weatherman called it. He was blabbering on about the cold front that was finally making a difference to the scorching weather. My father was picking at his burnt toasted bagel and my mom was trying to shovel the last lump of oatmeal into my little sister's mouth.
And that's how most mornings went about. I myself was already done with my breakfast and was waiting for my best friend to pick me up. She was two years older but only one grade ahead. She drove is to school and back. This morning she arrived late like always.
I waved goodbye to my parents and got into the passenger seat of Molly's old—almost broken down Toyota SUV. With a twist o her wrist the engine of the beast roared to life. As we drove down the quiet empty streets of Albany Grove a silhouette of a boy caused the SUV to halt. The boy's features finally became visible. He was shockingly defined. His cheeks were reflecting the yellow morning light of the sun.
I know you're probably thinking something along the lines of; "Wow! You see a hot boy while driving and suddenly stopped your vehicle. Why?" Well you see, I might have forgotten to mention that this boy was sitting down in the middle of the road only meters away from the hood of Molly's car. Makes more sense now right?
So now here we were. Two young teenage girls in an old SUV, parked in the middle of the street, not to run over a good looking boy. He stood up slowly showing off his height. Molly whispers, "What the heck..." as if the boy can hear. When he's up on his feet he stares right at me and gives me a smile. Then he walks up to the drivers' window. Molly doesn't crack the window down. If I was in Molly's position I might've and I wouldn't have ended up telling you this story today.
Instead, Molly started to slowly drive forward. We made it to the stop sign at the end of the street before the SUV's engine coughed and sounded like it and died. I was looking out the back window worried about the boy. Was he hurt? Why was he in the middle of the street? He was smirking when we had driven away. Now that facial expression was wider. He slowly made his way to Molly's car again.
If Molly was panicking she didn't show it. She pulled her phone out from her backpack and handed it to me. "Call my mom." She told me, to which I nodded. Milly's mom was a police officer. Molly fiddled with the gas pedal. As I punched in Molly's mom's phone number her previously charged phone died. I quickly take my phone and the same thing happened. "Molly!" I gasp. The boy was now at the window on my side.
The thing I did next is something I will forever regret. I lowered my window. The boy speaks first. "Sorry to bother," His voice was low. Molly didn't say a word. He continues, "Are you two in a rush?" We weren't school started in an hour. Usually, Molly and I would do homework in the library before school started. We didn't have any that day.
"Yes." I squeak trying to hide the grimace of the lie that slips past my lips. "School?" He asks me. I nod. "Do you two go to Albany High School?" I nod again. He cracks a smile, "Perfect. I'm headed that way too. Mind giving me a ride?"
I stay silent wishing I could sink into the seat. Molly finally speaks. "My car's broken down, so I'm sorry we can't."
He cocks his head to the side. "No, it isn't."
"What do you me-"
The engine came back to life shocking Molly and me.
. . .
The boy looked older than the two of us, so it shocked me when, from the back seat of Molly's car, he said he was in the same grade as Molly. His name was Harmm two 'm's'. He had moved here from Iowa. Molly refused to talk to the boy so it was up to me to make small talk. "If you don't mind me asking, why were you in the middle of the street?"
His laugh makes me shiver. I look at him through the rearview mirror. He brushes a hand through his hair. Harmm doesn't respond. So I stop talking and look at my phone which is still dead. That's when I hear him laugh again, then again. Molly and I crack a glance to the back.
In the place he sat was a rusty metal knife.
When I look down at my phone my battery is charged again. But that's not what shocks me the most. The picture of my dead body on my lock screen wallpaper does.
I scream.
