A Lost Echo

Part 2

Camilla wasn’t sure where to begin. She knew committing suicide was out of the question. She had no reason whatsoever to feel that death was her last option. Even if she did, she’d try and talk to someone about it, to get help.

The only two options remaining were that either it was an accident or someone killed her. She tried to mentally retrace her steps of the day but came up short. Pacing the length of her room, she frowned, furrowing her brows. For heaven’s sake, why couldn’t she remember?

Perhaps something horrible happened, her mind blocked it out. Camilla shook the thought away, no she didn't think that was it.

After passing the mirror for the thirteenth time she noticed the white dress again. For one, from the little she could recall from that morning, she wasn’t wearing that dress.

Somewhere she should’ve changed into it on such a rainy miserable day. Stopping her pacing, Camilla came to a conclusion. If she couldn’t retrace her steps mentally, then perhaps she could physically.

Stepping out of the empty house, Camilla noted that the sky had darkened already and birds were flying in the air, searching for their last minute resting place for the night.

Ignoring the shiver that ran down her spine, she knew it wasn’t because of the cold. She was dead. It was a creepy feeling. The kind you get from being outside at night and your instinct scream at you to get indoors before the mysterious monster in the bushes jump out and attack.

“Oh my goodness!” Camilla exclaimed, her facial expression resembling that of a person in pain,“I’m dead. I’m actually dead.” She hadn't come terms with it yet. Who would? It was all a giant nightmare and the chances of waking up was getting slimmer and slimmer by the minute.

“No time to break your head about that. The sooner you can get some sort of answers, the sooner you can get out of this mess.” Camilla slowed her step down when she approached the school.

Staring up at the building, she felt intimidated. She couldn’t exactly explain why. Yet, standing here right now, made her feel like this was her first day at a new school.

Of course, the school was closed. Whatever clues she wanted to find in the building itself would have to wait until the next day. She could continue outside for now.

Her legs started moving again, her feet leading her to the familiar path of the cliff. She smiled despite her circumstances, the cliff was her escape.

Some had their books, some drugs, racing, girls. Whatever it may be, Camilla had her cliff. She would sit there for hours, the bluest skies reflecting on the open ocean spreading as far as the eye could see. She’d take her binoculars with her and if she was lucky, she could even spot whales.

By now, daylight was fading fast. Camilla blinked, trying to make out her surroundings. She could see a clearing ahead, the silhouettes of trees lessening, telling her she was close —if not on— the cliff’s clearing.

Turning her back on what she assumed to be the ocean, she looked back to see the forest. She smiled at her victory but cursed herself for her stupidity to come at night. Even as a ghost, she unfortunately didn’t have night vision. She couldn’t see, but it didn’t quite matter anymore.

Letting out a screech, Camilla’s eyes widened, her foot tripped over a loose rock on the cliff floor. Her arms flapped by her side in an attempt to regain her balance.

It was too late, she realised it before she felt it. She fell backwards, her arms feeling nothing but air. When she felt her feet leave the rocky floor, she closed her eyes.

The wind whistled, blowing swiftly past her ears as she fell. She felt her hair flap around her. Flashbacks played before her eyes as a sense of deja vu washed over her like a wave.