𝔹𝕖𝕥𝕨𝕖𝕖𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕍𝔼𝕀𝕃 𝔹𝕠𝕠𝕜 𝟙

I stood in the middle of the room the smell of my mother’s perfume filling the air as if she was standing and watching over me at this very moment.

I couldn’t help at the moment I started to cry, falling to the floor and sobbing into my hands to afraid to move because I knew that if I did the smell could disappear or that I would have to move quickly to get away from the potential threat.

It took several deep breaths trying to gather myself before I quickly moved to the side of the bed flipping the lamp on and ducking under the bed looking for the small box that shoved as deep to prevent temptation. Ropes that connected the box together and pulled dragging it from under the bed bringing any small dust bunnies with it.

I opened the box to see everything was still left where it was, the piles of money mom left behind for me in a savings account that I withdrew once I was old enough to go to the bank. I was right to withdraw the money to since there were reports that somebody was withdrawing the money claiming to be me or my mother.

That it was Lexi but I never bothered to press charges on her since grandfather was being so kind to give me a place to live and when Lexi moved in so that I could live in mom’s house while Lexi took my old room...

Lucky for me the bank took pity on me and returned all the money that Lexi took. But since then I haven’t returned any of it I just store it in the box in mom’s room until now.

One more time before getting up bringing the box with me but not before stopping to stare at mom’s room one more time, the curtains swaying gently as if she was saying goodbye to me all over again.

“Regardless of what I’m doing I pray that they at least bearing the house they can hunt me down all they want but I just hope they leave the house alone and if I’m lucky I can go back to the house and it not be burnt down.

I grabbed my keys and gripped my suitcase thinking if I had forgotten anything before opening the door.

“Oh wait!”

I stepped aside and entered the house again going towards the box that the necklace and ring was found in originally, I didn’t even bother to go through what was in the box I just grabbed a nearby plastic bag and dumped all the contents into the bag.

Then I went into the fridge grabbing anything I could find and shoving some of it into the bag then into my suitcase sticking any food step were not required being in a fridge and stuck it in the suitcase.

“I just realized I went grocery shopping today; I’m starting to really hope they don’t burn the house down.”

Once I was I close my suitcase again then exited the house locking up behind me as I left. I looked at the house one more time turning my camera on to take a photo of the host by itself, then turned on my heel and left.

“I know this is a long shot and I doubt she’s gonna want to talk to me but I need somewhere to stay at least for now until I can go back to my house,” I said to myself as I glanced at the time.

I made the long walk to Elizia’s house, my fingers feeling numb as I had to blow on them to keep them warm.

“I’m starting to wish I bought those gloves I saw the other day, I told myself all well you don’t live that far from the grocery store you’ll be fine… Blah blah blah granted I didn’t see myself leaving the house possibly to return to a burn down but I really should have buttoned them.

I got close to Elizia’s house her bedroom light on, the neon fluorescent light shining in the window.

I took a deep breath before walking up to the front door and knocking.

“Zaphira!” Elizia’s mom said she answered the door a kind smile on her face as she greeted me. “What are you doing here so late?”

“I’m here to talk to Elizia is she home?” I asked ignoring the fact that I saw her light on from outside.

“Yes, she is she is upstairs,” Elizia’s mom said as she gestured for me to enter the house. “Elizia! Zaphira is here.”

Elizia said nothing as expected her mother shrugged as she gestured to go upstairs I smiled and thanked her before heading up the stairs silently. My mind reeling at all the possibilities that Elizia would do once she saw me.

“Elizia I’m coming in,” I said before opening the door.

“What the hell are you doing here Zaphira?” Elizia snapped as she looked up from her desk and angry expression on her face. “Didn’t I tell you never to come here again? What do you like not listen or something?” Elizia said as she swung her chair around.

I said nothing as I stood in her room absorbing everything that she had to say but also keeping track of the time in my head from time I left and the time it took to get to her house.

If they sense me and had gone to my house they should be there by now but the question is how long will they wait there before resorting to burning the house down or will they just burn it the second they see.

“Let me make this very clear for you Zaphira since you clearly don’t seem to get the memo I don’t like you I don’t want to be friends with your lying ass it means don’t show up at my house at night uninvited.” Elizia roared knocking me out of my thoughts.

“Elizia please just listen to me I do not have any interest in Blaine I don’t care if you date him you miss understood our conversation,” I said as I waited for her to say something or say that she didn’t care.

Elizia took a deep breath before sighing then flicked her hair.

“Fine then explain yourself, if I think you’re telling the truth then I will believe you and I’ll forgive you but if your lying…”

“I’m not lying I swear it,” I said confirming it. I took a deep breath before continuing. “Blaine and I were having a discussion on whether or not he liked you when I found out that he didn’t like you that way I was shocked and I genuinely felt bad for you, but when he told me he liked some girl and didn’t tell me I felt upset because he did not see me that he could tell things to that’s why I was upset. Didn’t see me as a romantic partner but because he didn’t see me as anything other than some annoying sister or whatever.”

Elizia said nothing she just stared at me looking thoughtful her eyes piercing at me to find out if I was lying or not.

I waited in anticipation for her to say something my heart pounding frantically in my chest as they waited for her response. It was like waiting for the results of who the winner would be in one of those dating games of dating shows where you wait for a long time to find out which girl one the guy or which guy one the girl and I was starting to feel like one of those contestants.

“Fine I believe you.” Elizia said after what felt like forever.

I sighed as I fell to the floor relieved that she believed me. I was worried that she would hate me forever.

I just knew that Elizia really liked me as a friend and not some person she could use to get to Blaine. I smiled to myself for being so dumb.

“So are you going to explain why you’re here with the suitcase? Because friends are not you showing up here at night with the suitcase is just weird.” Elizia said as she plopped down on her bed curiously.

People that are after me Too nervous to say anything to her. What if she didn’t believe me or what if she got scared and kicked me out thinking that they would come to her house to hunt her down.

I waited a moment before contemplating whether or not to tell Elizia what I was feeling so scared and anyone willing to listen to me would’ve been even if it was a pile of ducks.

I took a deep breath and told Elizia everything that been acting weird, well everything except for the weird version of Blaine. She nodded in understanding as I explained to her about the strange people that were after me and that I was afraid that they burnt the school down because that’s where they thought I was last and the same with the grocery store.

“Wait and you came to my house, should I be expecting them to show up and murder my whole family? Why did you come here if you are being chased down by lunatics?”

“I don’t think they’re going to be coming here there’s no way they should, if anything they’re probably heading to my house because that’s probably the last place they’re going to sense me what.” I said trying to reassure her that she would be fine.

Elizia looked at me hesitantly, I knew that she not sure how to respond or whether or not she wanted to believe me.

“Trust me come with me if I’m correct they should have left my house ready but I’m sure they’re not going to find me so you should be fine going back home.” I reassured her.

Elizia looked at me hesitantly but then nodded getting to her feet and grabbing her jacket. I waited for her to get ready then we leave both left the house heading towards mine.

“Where are you going to go if your house is destroyed? I mean are you going to go live with a relative or something?”

“Probably not since…, I don’t really have many relatives and the only one I have they don’t have room for me which is why I was living at my mother’s house by myself.” I said as we walked down the dark and silent Street.

A strange uncomfortable feeling as we walked silently down to my house. The fearful thought that we weren’t alone.

I looked up to see many of the lamps outside not working making the road seem more dark and ominous than before.

“So you’re planning to live on the streets then? Why don’t you go talk to Blaine I’m sure he would understand. Plus I’m pretty sure he’d be worried sick if he knew anything happened to you.” Elizia said trying to reassure me up.

“With so that he could? If I go to him and tell him any of this which he may not believe everything he would think would be correct and I’d be back to being that that he can’t trust.” I said.

“Annoying sibling or not your life is practically in danger Miss Independent you don’t have any other relatives that you can turn to and from what it seems it doesn’t matter if you went to them or not, there still going to hunt you down but you can find a way to survive against them with someone else it doesn’t make you any less strong it doesn’t make you weak it just means that you need help and you really need all the help you can get.”

I sighed feeling bad that I spent the entire time ignoring Blaine and being petty. I contemplated grabbing my phone and sending a text message to him when I could see light coming from the direction of my house and I could feel my heart drop.

We got to my house house was in flames, tears welled up in my eyes as I saw wood from the house collapsed into each other as the fire burned through the roof and sides. Elizia stood jaw dropped as she looked at my burning house, my eyes tearing as I watched the only thing left burned down to the ground.

“Zap—” Elizia began her eyes widening as she glanced slightly to my left fear radiating her face as she stared off into something shaking her hand fearfully.

I turned my attention to where she was looking several cloaked men emerged from the darkness enveloping the space the only sound was of the burning house that I once lived in.

These must be them those things that… What am I going to do? I glanced at Elizia who went pale as she stood staring at them horror resonating on her face.

They came closer reaching their bony hands out towards me as they tried to grab hold of me.

My heart dropped as I looked at them frozen in fear as day reach out more hoping to grasp onto my arm, I wanted to scream but nothing came out, when I felt arms on me I turned my head to see Elizia gripping my arm as if to pull me from the danger.

“Elizia! Relieved and glad that she was here. Elizia grinned with a smile before that smile faded into it devilish grin and she shoved me knocking me to the ground in the direction of the shadowed men.

“Elizia! Why” I called.

“Did you really think I was going to forgive you just like that I thought, haven’t you noticed I don’t care I never did get this through your thick skull you never were my friend you never will be my friend. I was only your friend because of Blaine, I knew there was no way to get Blaine to acknowledge me unless he befriended the you.

You promised me that you did not like but you lied? Your house is burnt down and these creepy things want you it will be a lot easier to get Blaine to notice me when he’s not busy having template babysitter with you.

Don’t worry I’ll tell Blaine that you died a horrible accident, your house burned down while you are trying to cook dinner you fell asleep and left the stove on.” Elizia said before turning on her heel and leaving.

As the bony hands of the creatures wrapped their cold grimy hands on me the feeling of absolute betrayal and loss as I stared at the burning house the small shadow that was left of Elizia