The Deceased

Prologue: Dying

"See you next week," I shout to Deborah, my boss.

She looks up in time to catch me tapping my watch, signaling to her that it's 8:30pm; closing time.

Deb doesnt look happy. She always loves to make me stay and work overtime, but it's grandmas birthday tonight, and as much as i'd like to miss out on some old folks playing twister, working isn't how i want to miss it. I'd rather see my friend, Marsha.

"I want you here early next week," ,my boss groans. "New Artwork has arrived, and it all needs to be stacked in the back with the rest of them."

"Can't Travis do that?" I ask innocently, planting that sad look on my face that always works with mum when i need new makeup. "He's into that packing stuff."

"I will not talk about it," waving a hand, dismissing the fact, "you start 5:30. Sharp."

5:30? my jaw drops, but theres absolutely no way Deborah will reason with me. I really should have bothered to get my license. Mum will not be happy waking up even earlier than that to drop me off. She barely wakes up on time to drop me to school.

I frown at Deborah all the way to her empty desk, where i grab my small handbag. "Whatever," I murmur.

She must have heard it, because before the door shuts behind me, i see her plaster a pleased grin on her old, wrinkly face, and reply in a singsong voice, "See you then, Sara."

Whatever.

The door closes and the warm smell of Camomile tea is replaced by cool night air kissing my cheeks, my heels aching in my wedges before i even take a step.

My heels breathe in relief as soon as i unclip my shoes and shove them hard in my handbag to make them fit, getting out my buscard. I check the time, 8:33. The bus will arrive in fifteen minutes. With about a twenty minute walk until the main road, i need to hurry if i'm going to make it.

Somethings holding me in place, and a familiar smell of rot fills the air. My bones rattle in fear. Not again. I close my eyes. Please not again.

When i open them i'm back in the dark, only i'm not alone . For the third time this week, my eyes rest on that thing.

Breathing heavily, close to resembling the sound of wheezing, the figure stands infront of me. I scan weakly over the flesh peeling and falling on the carpark by itself, as if by some terrible disease. The thing is draped in black, but the scary thing ive recently come to notice is, while it looks like it's wearing a cloak, i've gotten close enough before to see that it is not wearing anything.

It's as if the whole thing is made by bone, and i could figure that out just by seeing how skinny it is. Instead of fitting tightly, like human skin is supposed to, the flesh easily hangs over it's body, so loosely that the only thing under it would have to be bone. No muscle.

For the life of me i cant understand why this thing keeps following me. This week, i've been stalked at school, in the cafe, and even in my own home. The thing appears in public like it has every right to be there, like it's human. But what i've also noticed, is im the only one who freezes on the spot. I'm the only one that can see it. What kind of human can do that?

It had only hung around for a minute or two. Usually when i look around for someone else to see it and glance back, its disappeared. This time though, i blink, turn my head, glance away in hope it will leave me alone again, but it's still there when i look back. Thats when the adrenaline slowly begins to pump around me, as soon as i understand that it's not only here to scare the shit out of me this time- to observe me. This time it wants something more.

Overcoming my shock slowly, i take a step back, watching it stay still, looking at me, still. I take another step back, before i take off in a run. Theres nothing to be heard behind me, but theres no way i'm looking back, and im not stopping to take any chances. If this thing can disappear on the spot, who knows what else it can do.

All i need is to reach the busstop, it should be there in just under ten minutes. If my timing is right then i should be able to get there right on time.

Jumping over the curb, i find myself running through thick bush, weaving in and out of trees, and almost stopping to avoid a light pole as i emerge onto a main empty road. Oh why didn't i just go back inside my work? Im sure the thing wouldn't have done anything with Deb there.

Behind me, im convinced the thing is gone, or it's hiding, but still i keep at a slow pace towards the bus stop.

Then i begin to smile and run faster, waving my hand at a man who stands with his daughter at the bus stop, waiting patiently. All i need is to get there, surely they can help me.

A few hundred metres away, a bump in the road causes me to falter. Luckily, i keep my footing, but that distraction costs me the time i could have spend getting to that bus stop.

A small but forceful nudge knocks me forward onto the road, my palms grazing on the tiny rocks, blood flowing down my wrist. They shake as i work to push myself back on my feet, but something is keeping me down.

Rolling onto my back, i find myself staring into lifeless jade green eyes. A jolt of electricity shoots through me, and while i watch it's touch quickly shrivels up my skin, my head tilts ever so slightly to see the bus parked only a few hundred metres from where i lay dying, the man and his child climbing aboard, and all i can do is watch as the bus turns away and my last breath leaves me.

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Song I have chosen to ironically match this chapter- Time Of Dying, by Three Days Grace

A/N- So this is the rewrite of my first unfinished novel The Deceased, i hope you like it, i find it much better because i have so much planned for this book. Lets see if i can get up to 200 views for this Prologue. Comment, vote, let me know what you thought about this new start. I hope you like it!

Also, don't forget about my other book, Dream Journal

http://www.wattpad.com/node_story/27023805-dream-journal

^ Above is the link, but its easy to just go to mah profile and click on it. I put it there for all you lazy dudes like me that need some motivation. Vote, comment, inbox, view. Ciao xx