Nightshift

Chapter 0

PROLOGUE

He'd SAID this was urgent. Hence, the only reason why I'm walking around at 1 a.m on a night like this.

The weather doesn't seem to be working in my favor today; the cold breeze seemingly seeps through my skin and chills me to the bone. I can't make out what temperature it is, but I've felt enough to know it's way too cold to be out right now; I guess love saps you of all things logical, because Miky and I have been making a lot of stupid choices lately.

A frosty breeze zooms by, and instinctively, my hands claw into both pockets of my double breasted coat. It felt good not having to spend a single penny on it; the perks of my Mom's new promotion, so thank you Ralph Lauren. I can benefit from her golden credit card, my new shiny toy. Mom would totally freak if she knew. Not the part where I steal her card, or shuffle through a massive wardrobe worth of priceless jewelry, but because she's paranoid about the little box she's been hiding in there for as long as I can remember.

What does she insist on hiding in there anyway?

But of course, a secret 's a secret. Taboo subjects are taboo for a reason. A reason that I won't let just slip until I uncover, because I hate secrets.

I've ended up right towards the ends of the woods, and I can tell the end of the footpath is close. It shouldn't take me too long to get there. This place doesn't even spark the slightest doubt as to how eerily creepy it looks on a cold winter's night. Bare branched trees enclose around the footpath I trail on. So far I haven't seen anyone else around, a lack of life reinforcing itself as an eerie silence, with nothing but the sound of wind forcefully gushing through my eardrums. I'm on my own. And right now, I'm beginning to question why I agreed to be here in the first place.

But I'm here for him.

A park on my right hand side comes into view as the footpath comes to an end, and the wood behind me disappears as I walk away. That's when the wind erupts into a forceful whail of some form, sending me towards the park's pavement, nearly slamming me onto the 'DANGER, KEEP OUT' post.

A post?Why not simply a sign like the ones that are put up to say 'Caution, slippery floor.'?; something of a less permanent nature. My naïve inquisitive mouth should have known better than to ask such questions. That's the way it should've been, that would have saved us all. Was there any way I could suppress the knowledge that I now wish I didn't know? No, because none of what happened was my choice.

The clouds overhead begin churning, working in preparation for the expectant storm. The gloom isn't as bad as the week before, it's actually decently bright, to the point where I need to squint to keep my eyes open. I pause for a moment, and panick as I realize what's missing. No, please. This can't be happening. Not right now. Until this point, I had felt protected.

How could you be so stupid Anabelle? A voice inside me demands. You'll get us both killed.

" Does that mean I'll be free of you?" I reply out loud, coldly, then sigh. "It was an emergency and I had to rush." At the thought that the item I had been looking for may not be in my purse, I panick even more and rummage through its contents frantically. Frustration gets the best of me, and I just find myself errupting an exasperated cry.

Relax. She says to me, and laughs hysterically as she continues. It's right here. A cold chill invokes my left arm as it involuntarily raises overhead. In it is the authentic vintage black diamond, with its recently attached chain as part of my pledge to wear it at all times. Relief surges through me, followed by a flash of fury; only Lilith would undermine the seriousness of this situation.

"Lilith this isn't a joke."

Well aware, but I'm stuck here. We don't just share a body, we also share misery. She answers with a casual, unaffected tone.