I heaved a sigh as I dropped another cardboard box with a heavy thud. Brushing off dust from my hands, I sighed and whirled around just in time to see a bald head emerging from the stairs. A muscled man with gnarled hands placed the boxes gingerly on the floor and nodded at me.
“That’s the last box, miss. Anything else?” he asked in a gruff voice.
“No, thank you,” I replied, suppressing a yawn.
He bade me good bye, retreated to the door and disappeared down the stairs. After he was gone, I bolted the oak door and turned back to my new home. Looking around at the cramped up apartment filled with stacked boxes, I gave out a heavy sigh again. The notion of unpacking all the boxes seemed too agonizing at the moment.
Other than the messiness of the room, this small apartment was all I could afford from those tiring night shifts. Happy with my hard work, I glanced around. The room was dingy even though it was two in the afternoon for the only window present was grimy and unclean. Threadbare curtains which used to be white hung on either side of the single window. Golden dust motes floated around in the light. The floral wallpaper was faded, slowly changing to musty, grey colour. Wherever I stepped, the floor would creak with age. I looked down dismally as sheets of dust rolled away from my feet. The light bulb flickered to life unwillingly as I tested it out.
Despite its antique feeling, it felt better than home. I didn’t need to return to that dreaded place that I used to call home. Too much bad memories. The past was the past. I had to leave it. I came here to restart everything in my life and this is the first step to doing so.
Tiredness slowly crept into my arms and legs, making them heavy and numb and soon I found myself shuffling towards the red sofa, propped against the wall.
“Just a few minutes of rest,” I muttered to myself. “That’s all I need. After that I’ll start the unpacking…”
And soon enough I fell into a deep sleep…
Creak.
“Come out. Come out wherever you are,”
Creak.
“Erin, I know you’re here. You cannot hide forever,”
Creak.
I peeped through the cracks of the wardrobe but all I could see was a silhouette of a huge man. My hand was clasped upon my mouth to repress screaming but it was shaking so terribly. My heartbeat drummed so loudly that I was surprised that he couldn’t hear it at all.
“Erin, dear, I’m not going to hurt you,” he said in an enthralling voice, trying to lure me out.
But I know better because if I go out, this might be the end of me.
Suddenly, two pairs of electric blue eyes stared back into my emerald ones. I gasped in fright and backed away on all fours. The doors yanked open with a sickening crack and there he was, towering above me. I looked up, trembling with fear. His lips contorted into a malicious smirk upon seeing my reaction.
“Found you,”
He brought his axe down and—
Thud
My eyes flicked open to the sound and I looked around, confounded by my nightmare. After hearing not a single sound, I slumped back onto the sofa, running my fingers through my messy, brunette hair.
“The nightmares are getting too frequent,” I whispered to myself. “I thought by coming here…”
I looked outside to see dazzling diamonds scattered upon the dark blue canvass of the night sky. Appalled, I jumped up from the sofa.
Have I been asleep that long?
I shuffled towards the light switch and flicked it on. It flickered weakly before flooding the room in a warm yellowish glow. I grimaced as I gave a quick glance at my watch.
11:58p.m
“Let’s get back to work, shall we?” I said to myself as I walked towards the nearest box.
Thud
My head snapped up and studied the room I was in.
Thud
I checked around for the source of the sound around every room but it wasn’t coming from inside the house.
Thud
Losing my patience, I strode towards the door, jerked it open and popped my head outside, ready to yell a few profanities at the person who was creating such a ruckus. I stopped short.
Instead of seeing some delinquent near me, all I saw was a little girl holding a red ball. Sympathy began to replace my anger as I walked over to her. She had long, dark blonde hair which cascaded down her back. Her eyes were a startling blue and her skin was chalky white in the white florescent light. Staring timidly at me, she was looked as if she was frightened of me.
“Hey,” I tried to sound as friendly as possible. “What are you doing in this time of night?”
She continued to study me with her deer like eyes but said nothing.
“I’m Erin. What’s your name?”
She hesitated a long time before answering in a small voice:
“Flora,”
“Flora? That’s a really beautiful name,” I said, trying my best to sound sweet. “Do you live here?”
She nodded nervously.
“Look it’s really late and you should be in bed by now. Which room do you live?”
Pointing at a door right above my apartment, she said:
“There,”
“Come on. Let’s get you to your parents. You can play tomorrow, okay?”
To my luck, she nodded in agreement. I took her tiny hand in mine and flinched. It was icy cold despite the warm summer night. But when I clutched it again, it seemed perfectly normal. I lead her to the door that she pointed and squinted at the number.
13
What an unlucky number to live in, I thought. Then I shook my head. I wasn’t that superstitious but why am I acting all weird? Noises boomed from behind the door and I heard something that sounded like a glass shattering. My courage wilted as I kept gazing at the door. After a few minutes passed, I knocked on the door lightly. The entire racket ceased at once and there was pin drop silence.
“Who the ‘ell is that?” asked a rough voice, rudely.
“I- I came to give back your child, F-Flora,” I replied, intimidated by the voice.
The door wrenched open, revealing a muscular man with a face so full of scars that I almost jumped out of my skin. His wild eyes narrowed into slits as he glared at me with hatred.
“What?!”
“Y-Your child, sir,” I said, politely.
He gave me a disgusted look like I was some insect and the moment he laid eyes on Flora, they widened and his palpable abhor increased. He yanked her inside as she squealed. As I was about to protest, he turned back and glowered at me.
“Never let me see the girl with you or else,” he slammed the door shut right at my face before I could complain further.
Now, I was left alone, standing stiffly in front of the door, puzzled by his alarming warning. After a few moments, I walked back towards my room, sliding my hand on the banisters. Before I went in, I risked a worried glance upstairs. I hope she doesn’t have to suffer like I had…
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Hello there! Thanks for reading the first chapter! My second novel. :D Can you tell me if I should continue? Thanks! :D
~Rukia
