Hey, I know it's been a while, and it while probably be a while longer before I get anything else up. I just wanted to share this with you. It's an extra credit short story I did for English in honor of Halloween spooks. Nothing in the story is at all Halloween related, but the scary (okay, not really) theme is.
I really like the way I wrote this. The balance of flashbacks and Eve's reflections is really good, I think. What's kind of cool is that this is one of those things that you just start writing, and by the second sentence, you don't have conscious control over what you're writing. Let me know what you think.
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I had always been so proud of myself. In all my seventeen years, no matter how clumsy I was, I had never had to go to the hospital, except to visit relatives. Now, I was in ICU. There was a burning pain all over my body, alternating with the euphoric numbness. The few who were allowed to visit blurred together, each visitor a patch of color in the sterile whiteness of the hospital room, softer around the edges, like a faded photograph. I never remembered much, just the blurs. The quick look of revulsion on the faces of those who tried to stifle them stayed in my mind, regardless, scarring me as much as the burns and cuts would.
In my brief conscious moments, I couldn't help detesting my oblivious self. Everything had been right in front of me, staring me in the face, and I still didn't believe it. The presence I had always felt watching me, the sudden rekindling of my fear of darkness, all of it. He had been there the entire time, and he had brought this on me. No, I had brought this upon myself. A stupid, oblivious girl, that's all I was. He had merely proved it. He even haunted my dreams, stalking me in the darkness as he had in the light.
"Hey, Karina!" I shouted, waving frantically.
"Hey, sunshine!" she responded. "What's up?" She casually leaned against the school doorway, her typically charismatic self, oozing charm. It was Friday, and school had just gotten out. The entire day, I had felt watched, stalked.
"Have you seen anyone, I don't know, following me?" Karina had gone hunting with her dad since she was fifteen, and she had learned to train her eyes for the slightest disturbance, or anomaly. After her dad died, she had used the skill to keep tabs on her friends. Karina reminded me a lot of the animals she used to hunt; highly protective of those she had placed in her protection, and willing to defend those she cared for in an instance. If anyone could tell me about this strange, threatening presence, it would be her.
"Yeah, actually. Casually turn as if your going to walk toward the courtyard, and look to your left near the large oak. I'll follow."
I followed her directions, and sure enough by the tree was a boy about our age staring at me. He was tall, probably five foot ten, well muscled. He had longer hair, dark brown in color, and nicely tanned skin any girl would admire, with eyes that were deep brown. All in all, he was hot.
"Not bad, doll," Karina said. "Way to score."
"Yes, he's wonderful. He's tall, dark, and handsome. And I know nothing about him. For all we know, he could be a stalker."
I struggled awake, wanting so badly to scream, but I couldn't because of the burns that covered my face. Another thing he was responsible for. I would never be able to joke again... Oh, the innocent jokes, the horrid foretelling. I bitterly thought that all of those 'I'm magical' claims had been proved true. The problem was that I only saw part of the future.
My heart thudded in my chest as he approached. Mr. Tall Dark and Handsome was heading my way.
"Hey there," he said, flashing a charming smile. My heart did flips and migrated to my throat.