Foretold

#6

It was a dimly lit room. Nothing like I expected, not cheerful with lots of stashed bookshelves and flowers and white beautiful walls. The basement was in fact very old looking. There were bookshelves and unevenly kept books, old ones. Her bedroom and her basement gave the complete opposite impression. It seemed like Mikayla was always in a hurry when she left the basement.

"Did she come here often?" I asked.
"Not really. She started coming here nearly two weeks ago. Before that it was used as a storeroom. She had her computer moved down here. She never told me why." She said. I brushed my fingers on the keyboard of the computer. I looked at Hitesh and he helped me turn it on. "PASSWORD PROTECTED". It showed.

"You think you can hack it, Hitesh?" I asked.
"I can't, I guess. The software seems to be complex." He said and looked at me, then rolled his eyes towards Erica. I nodded and went to her and said, "Take me to the attic, please."
"The attic?" She said, looking nervous.
"Oh, yes. There's an attic in the house, there should be. Isn't there? How come you didn't mention one?" I asked. I'd just planned to distract her but I realized, indeed, she'd not mentioned the attic.

"Yes... There is one... But..." Erica said, "But what?" I asked, taking her out of the basement and leaving Hitesh alone.
"I've never been inside. Mikayla never allowed me in. I don't have the keys."
"Oh. That's no issue. I can pick the lock." I said.
"I don't know... I don't think you should go in there..." She said.

"Show me the way, Erica?" I said, sternly. Erica nodded and I followed her. I picked the lock and went inside. The attic was darker than the basement. But it was clean and tidy. And what's more, it had a bed. A clean one with black satin bed sheets. The attic had been formed into a bedroom. Why would Mikayla not allow Erica in? I turned to ask Erica and heard the lock click.

Oh my god. I'd been locked in. I dialed Hitesh's number at once. No signal. The signal had been cut off in the attic. I started freaking out. The room was dark enough for making my eyes strain to adjust to the light. I turned my flashlight on and had a look around. That's when I noticed Erica's picture on the bedside table. And a flower vase. And hair accessories.

This wasn't Mikayla's secret chamber. It was Erica's room. I examined the bed. It was an expensive box bed, made of mahogany. I positioned the flashlight on the table and opened her box bed. She didn't have old clothes or blankets stuffed in there.

There was a book, brown cover, good smelling. I took it out and held my flashlight to the last page.

Erica (Journal)

Mik works so hard all the time. She needs a break from all of this. I call myself her best friend, and she's done so much for me. I try cheering her up all the time. But she and her books, she is so lost in them.

I know what to do. I'll take her out tonight. We'll spend time together, I will buy her dinner. I've always loved her so much. Only if she knew. Sometimes I just want to get lost in her perfect eyes.

Loving Mik, comes with a price. I don't see her going out with guys, I don't see her get wasted, she's perfect. But I do see her alone, I see her in those sleepless nights. She won't let me hold her.

I know she'll never love me in the way I love her, I know she's straight. And she doesn't have to know that I love her. I'm happy without her, but I need her to be happy. And I'll make sure she has the best night of her life tonight.

Caroline

I know Kaitlyn was eavesdropping. And with what has been up these days, I really haven't known who to trust. Yes, she's a cop. Yes, she's always been faithful. Maybe I'd have told her on my own. But not anymore. I don't know if I hold the same trust in her after her trying to listen to what I was telling Mark.

Good thing that I noticed. I decided to wait until we were in the car on the way back home. "Hey, Carly. You alright? You didn't look so well back at the crime scene. And what did you want to talk about?"
"Mark. This is going to sound crazy. I don't know if you'll believe me." I replied. Mark looked at his rear-view mirror and looked at Jim. I saw that Jim was fast asleep.

"Alright, top secret? Jim is asleep too. You can tell me. Stays between the two of us." He smiled. I smiled a bit and said, "Fine. Listen then." I sighed and my smile disappeared on its own. Even thinking of it sent shivers down my spine. "Back at the crime scene, I felt something. Something unusual. It wasn't the reek of death or the darkness of the alley. It was a major sense of deja vu."

"What do you mean?" Mark said, looking stunned and confused.
"I've been in that dark alley before Mark. I just don't remember when. I remember seeing that green dustbin to the left of the dead body. I remember everything."
"Possible. The town isn't that big. Maybe you'd have walked by there some day. Don't worry."
"No, Mark. That's not all." I said. He looked at me.

"I don't just remember the alley. I remember her black hair. I remember her thin eyes and pink lips. I remember her lifeless body lying in a pool of blood. I've been there before, Mark. And not just the alley. I've seen Mikayla dead there before."