Disembodied Voices

4:11pm Thursday

Three knocks come pounding through the thin walls, rattling my unstable bed frame. I walk suspiciously to the front door and peer through the small cracks in the door to see who is here.

"I know you never get visitors, child. No need to look at me like I am an alien though, Jesus" the woman at the door tells me.

" M-kay then" I reply

"Now I never introduced myself, did I?" She asks as she steps into the house. "I am Evelyn".

Evelyn is a beautiful woman with darker skin than me. She has a small darker spot under her eye, which wrinkles up when she smiles. Her eyes twinkle an emerald green colour which softens her face to suit her personality. Evelyn and Rosa look almost the same age, height and figure, the only thing different about the two women is their skin colour and eyes.

"Beth..." I outstretch my hand and she pulls me in for a desperate hug, like we are been old friends that have been separated for a while.

Evelyn gives me a warm, crooked smile, "I know exactly who you are"

"Umm, Rosa isn't ho-"

"And that's why I came" Evelyn interrupts.

"Why did you come, exactly?"

"I need to give you a few things. But, let's chat for a little while first"

"Okay, do you want some tea?" I ask her as I gesture my shaky hands towards the stove.

She nods her head in reply, just like Rosa does. Rosa. Rosa should be home soon.

"Does Aunty Rosa know you are here today? She did sorta tell you not to return..."

"Oh, yes, I know. That's why I was waiting for her to leave"

"She will be back here soon, you know that right?" I raise an eyebrow at her.

"I'm not stupid. Sorry, how about we skip tea. I do need to give you some things"

I look down at her small satchel bag as she lowers her hand to grab out the items. Evelyn pulls out a small leather pouch, just as big as her hand and uncoils the string that is holding the item from falling out.

A gun?!

A sick feeling rises through my oesophagus and turns my stomach into a target for a raging war.

"Can I ask, why the hell are you giving me a gun?!" I scream in terror.

"Calm down, please, Bethany. You will know when you have to use it"

"Okay" I choke out as a few tears gather in the corner of my eyes.

She pulls out a Bible and a necklace with a wooden cross hanging off of it. I like the necklace, but I think it's not meant to be a piece I wear around to my leisure. She wraps the necklace around my hand and closes my finger over it and places the fragile Bible on the bench to her right.

"The necklace was my own, take care of it"

"I promise I will"

"Strange things are happening to you for a reason, Beth. Things out there need you, to actually care and they need love"

"What?"

I hear Rosa's car pull up in the drive and beep twice to indicate to me that I need to help.

"Go quick, now!" I yell at Evelyn.

"Do not, I mean, do not tell Rosa about what you have, what we talked about and don't tell her I was here. I beg of you"

"I won't Evelyn I swear"

I look at the door and back around to expect Evelyn to be sneaking out the window, but she has completely disappeared.