Dark Menace

Darkness

At this very particular moment, nothing could describe the way I felt right now as I continuously kept my chocolate brown orbs on the close figure. The bold and rough tension began to grimly suffocate me in an uncomfortable way that was truly terrifying as if it only knew to grow thicker and sharper by the second.

A sudden rush of confusing thoughts ran through my mind while I sat here trying my very best to focus on the fact that I was surely losing my mind if I haven't done so already, and the great amount of courage that I wished to have right now to unlock and open this door and escape was out of the field, and more than likely across this enormous world by now.

"The fact that you remain and allow yourself to deluge in complete denial and convince yourself that you're the innocent one just only proves how guilty you really are."

I shook my head instantly while squeezing my eyes tighter than I thought I ever could, not believing my eyes or ears. This wasn't happening to me. Oh god, I must be dreaming and if I am please wake me up. The sound of my loud and pounding heart quickly took over the low and distant voice in my head that was desperately forcing me to face the current truth, and expose the trembling fear I've strongly managed to hide for so long.

"This isn't real. This isn't happening." I whispered calmly to myself, slowly opening both of my eyes to reveal my sight again. "Oh, Callie..." The deep voice spoke to me again, shortly laughing in amusement. I slowly turned my body to the familiar figure again, completely freaking out now that I knew that I was definitely not just hearing or seeing things. As much as I wanted to seriously deny and pretend that I was, I couldn't. "I'm not going away, Callie..."

"You're not real.." I whispered into the direction of the passenger seat, staring straight into the chilling dark pupils that were distinctively very much like my own in the shares of similarity, but more.....vivacious.
"I am very much real-"

"No!" I cut him off, instantly with a sudden shout.

"You're not! You aren't real!" I screamed dramatically in fear, vaguely screeching my lungs out as I struggled to fight back the remaining tears that were threatening to fall and collapse down my soaked cheeks. The harsh pounding in my heart still ached my chest so badly that it was quickly interfering with my breathing, and on top of that I was starting to feel a bit lightheaded due to my brief outburst.

"You're dead..." I finally blurted out, containing myself in more whispers, "You can't hurt me."
"Not anymore," I added, slowly shaking my head at him. He began chuckling underneath his cold breath,  slightly revealing that sickening smile that brought an uncomfortable chill down my spine every time I saw it. Just sitting here watching him slowly turn this entire nightmare into a brief comedy show boiled the vibrant blood in my body.

"Callie Valentina Grisham. Always playing the victim." He sang sarcastically with a dramatic eye roll, "You gotta start taking responsibility for your actions." He said cheerfully as if we were genuinely chatting about last Sunday's night football game.

"My actions?!" I pointed aggressively to my chest, now ignoring all present thoughts that were apparently related to me being called a maniac.
"Yeah. Your actions." He continued to smirk, air quoting on the words.

It was my turn to chuckle, except mine breathed anger and frustration. I turned my head away from him, looking in the direction of the house, and immediately forced my head back at him,
"Just face the truth, Callie. The longer you withhold from what happened, the deeper you fall into this black pit full of nothing but complete darkness.."

My head was now pointed towards the gray Buick again as I willingly desperately tried to focus on the license plate of the car, and not on the sound of his voice that keeps echoing through my brain no matter how hard I fought it away and out of my head...
"Callie, you and I both know what exactly went down that night and this path that you're choosing to go down right now is seriously heartbreaking for me and I don't—"

"Oh, this is heartbreaking for you? I am so sorry that you are going through a rough time right now." I apologized in a very boldly sarcastic manner, keeping my tone as sharp as a kitchen knife.

My sarcasm seemed to have demolished and distinguished his choice of the scenery of laughter as I quietly watched him flip expressions quicker than I could even blink. His pupils went even darker than usual, following the sudden glare in his eyes immediately gave me a wind of fear that crept its way through my body. Severely chaining around me like a vicious deadly snake that was in for a very firm grip with no intentions of letting go, "You're right. You and I do know what exactly went down the night you died." I suddenly whispered in a low tone, still focusing on the gray Buick's license plate. I'm sure by now if it were to drive off, I would certainly remember all of the letters and numbers by heart.

"Soon everyone will know what exactly happened that night." I continued to whisper with a shaky voice, finally mustering enough courage to turn and face him again with an intense glare. His eyes were already set on me, practically burning a soaring hole through my eyes as I fought to hold my ground and keep my eyes on him to prevent me from showing any kind of weakness.

He pursued to boldly stare me straight in the eyes, now remaining in silence. I swallowed hard in response, impatiently waiting for him to speak or move an inch, but all he did was sit there as if time had finally frozen into place, capturing him with it. After what seemed to feel like an eternity, he unexpectedly let out a disturbing laugh that was so unsettling, I didn't hesitate to shift uncomfortably in the driver's seat. Ruining the concise warmth under my body, I resumed my shifting until I felt the slightest okay, and wiggled my toes that were fully covered by my brown worn-out boots. Which weren't doing a very good job at keeping my feet warm from this ridiculous weather. But it's not like I was wearing socks underneath these boots to help that problem.

"By the looks of everything, you'll be writing your books in a bright orange jumpsuit very soon. No one in this town believes a word that comes out of your mouth now after what happened, and once everyone finds out what you did and the jury pleads you as guilty?"

"Your life is over." He whispered with a wide grin without breaking eye contact.

I sat up straight while clearing my throat, "The only life that's over here is yours." I glared him in the eyes, "Let's not forget the huge difference here, Mason." I sharpened my tone after hearing my voice say his name. "You're dead, I am not. You don't get to decide how my life goes, only I do. There is nothing more you can do to make my life more horrible than it already is." "Sometimes I go days and nights without sleep because I constantly have to be reminded of why my life is the way it is today and you can no longer cause me any more damage."

"If that's your way of thinking about your 'liberation' from me, you should definitely reconsider. Just like you said, I am dead. You aren't. Which makes things quite interesting, right?" He rose an eyebrow, still holding onto that malicious smile. I shut my eyes, turned my head to keep my eyes away from viewing his presence, and landed them on the house. I inhaled my breath as I watched my cousin Abe exit from the front door and head in this direction. In a swift motion, I hurriedly wiped the already dried-up tears from my face and the forming ones from my eyes. Before he approached the car, I snapped my head in the direction of the passenger seat to find it empty and no sign of him. Feeling a bit of relief, I took a couple of deep breaths.

When he finally stopped in front of the car window giving me a small wave, I rolled down the window and gave him the tiniest smile I could ever manage, "You alright out here? It's a bit too cold to hang out here in even with the heater blasting."