Remember. (Sally Face)

Chapter 2. "Late Night Meeting"

P.O.V : Liliana

I had been living at the Addison Apartment complex building for over two weeks. I had rarely left the comfort of our room, only when necessary. My father had been working more than he had in over the ten years he was working for the company. Now that he was closer, they used him whenever they could.

I hadn't felt the need to go off and meet the other tenants. If they didn't want to greet me, then most likely they didn't really care about our arrival. Since the first day of us moving in I haven't been able to shake this dreary feeling that the building had over me, which made me not want to explore it.

I had been doing small conference calls with my therapist, letting her know about the new place and how I had been feeling. I left out a lot of it, like how the building made me feel and how no  matter what I did I felt extremely uncomfortable. I was over the poking and prodding everyone did with my heart. How they acted like I was glass. How they tried to give me drugs to make me feel a little happier.

Since moving here I hadn't had many nightmares. The nightmares were what held me back the most. They made me relive the moment that ripped me apart, the feeling of sheer terror and shock still lingered for hours after I awoke. But as quickly as I praised myself for getting a bit of sleep for once, the dreams came tumbling back.

I could feel it, after my eyes slipped closed and I could feel my conscience give way, the familiar hallway came into view. I frantically looked around my childhood home with panic. I could see my twelve year old self, hear the same thump I had heard all those years ago.

The brave young girl, inched slowly out of her room with her softball bat, clutched tightly to her chest. "Mom?" Her voice croaked out.

I followed her down the hallway, I knew it was no use in getting her attention, it was just a memory I was forced to watch.

My hands began to tremble as her small hand slipped around our parents door. She pushed it open and stormed inside, pointing her bat at the center of the room. I rounded the corner and tried to look anywhere else. The small girl dropped the bat in sheer shock. I quickly dropped down in front of the girl, wanting to hide her wide teary grey eyes. "Don't look" I begged.

"Mom..?" Her voice quivered. I could hear the familiar swing of the rope as it swung something heavy back and forth. I gulped and forced my trembling hands on the child. "Close your eyes!"

Her eyes moved back and forth with the object and I could see my mothers feet nearly a couple of inches off the ground from the reflection in her misty eyes. "Liliana! Stop watching!" I grabbed her night shirt tightly as tears flooded down my cheeks.

Then the dream took a turn. The little girl's eyes met mine. "Look at her" She hissed.

I shook my head frantically back and forth. "No, please.."

I could hear my mothers voice from behind me "Look at me"

My body began to turn against my will as the sound of the rope stopping held my ears , my breathing became frantic. "Stop! I don't want to see!" I begged.

My eyes first landed on the tipped over stool and then they made there way up to her pale feet. I barely could see past my tears as I begged and pleaded.

"Look at me!" My mother screamed.

As my head was about to snap up, my eyes opened and I jerked myself forward in bed. My chest rose and fell violently, gasping for any air I could get. I trembled in the dark and could feel the beads of sweat, trickle down my exposed chest. My light brunette hair stuck against my temple and freckle covered cheeks.

I felt my eyes over flowing with tears as I scrambled for my light switch. I turned the light on with trembling fingers and ran my hands through my sweaty hair.

Count down from twenty like Dr. Scor said.

I began to count from twenty and could feel my breathing begin to go back to normal.

I slipped on my long sweater over my grey tank top and slipped into a pair of sandals as I made my way into the kitchen. I started a pot of coffee and griped the edge of the kitchen counter tightly as I tried to shake the disturbing images from my mind.

Maybe all I needed was to go for a walk. Once the coffee was done brewing, I made a cup in my favorite mug and slipped out of my apartment. I shut the door quietly behind me and gripped my warm mug between my fingers.

The hallway lights were dimmed and all was quiet as I made my way to the elevator. I had heard that the fifth floor had been under construction for a while, which meant no one would be up there. When I made it to the fifth floor, debris was scattered about the hallway and each door had it's own unique damage done to the wood.

One door was ajar and a warm glow of light cascaded out of it. Someone was up here?

I cautiously pushed the door open wider and scanned the area, there wasn't much left in the room and the door to what looked like a bathroom was open wide. The light blasted out of the small room and I could hear quiet murmuring. I stepped closer "Hello?"

The mumbling sped up then everything went quiet. I walked to the doorway of the empty apartments bathroom and saw someone kneeling on the dirty bathroom floor. They were facing away from me and there two blue pony tails shined brightly beneath the blaring fluorescent light.

"Hello?" I asked more quietly. They stood up and dusted there pants off then turned to face me. A white mask was present on there face and bright blue eyes blared out from the two holes in the mask.

I clutched my coffee tighter and took a small step back. "Sorry to.. disturb you. I just heard someone talking.." I trailed off as they continued to stare at me.

Finally the person talked. "I apologize, I came up here to have a .. private talk. I didn't know anyone else came up here."

There deep voice startled me and I looked around the cramped bathroom. "Oh, I didn't see anyone else"

He stuck his hands in his pant pockets "Phone call"

His posture held caution and I got the vibe that this guy was up to no good.  I gave him a forced smile "Well sorry to interrupt, I'll just head back to bed then"

His blue eyes held me in place as he spoke "I don't believe I've seen you around here before"

I rubbed the side of my cup and averted my gaze "I moved in about two weeks ago, I'm not much of a social person.. so I don't usually leave my apartment."

Something green lit up in his pocket and he quickly glanced down at it. "Sorry, I need to get back to my..call"

I nodded quickly and gave him a curt wave before booking it out of the abandoned apartment.

As I quickly made my way back to the elevator I began to let my thoughts drift. It was two in the morning and he was on the phone, alone in a broken down apartment? Then again, anyone could almost say the same for me. But I would have never walked into that apartment if I hadn't heard voices. I sighed, maybe he was a drug dealer? That could make sense.

I nodded in affirmation, no wonder he seemed overly cautious. I definitely don't want to get involved in any of that. I sighed, just gonna stick my head in the sand and move on with my life. I finally made my way back to my room number and stuck the now empty cup in the sink. Tomorrow was the first day of school for me, for everyone else it was about close to the middle of the year. I let my nerves take over the other emotions that woke me up earlier, anything was better than that fear that I felt.