Short story

Silent Footsteps - Part 2

Continued from last week

"Someone, Simone! Calm down! I'm Michelle. Gosh, stop screaming. It's okay, I'm Michelle, there's nothing to worry about."

I felt blood rushing to my face. Relief and anger filled my mind. I was relieved to know that it was just Michelle but I was just Michelle would have stopped but no she just had to follow me.

"You are crazy! Why didn't you just call out to me? You know name and your've got mouth so all you had to do was call out my name and I would have at least turned around. But then there is no use in turning around. I turned around so many times to see who it was but you just couldn't make an appearance. You just had to hide, didn't you? I have to be grateful to you for making to you for making me so horrified. You shouldn't have followed me as if you were in dead pursuit. You think it will keep me calm? And how can I be even calmer when you kept hiding as I turned around? You answer me!"

"Whoa, I think"

"And then you come and ask me to be calm! You are so out of your mind! You might have enjoyed seeing me run like wild fire but then everything has to have a limit, don't you think? You think I had fun running for my life? I thought it was some maniac running behind me. But I am mistaken, it is Michelle. Of course, who else could it be?" I screamed out in a rush. Even though I still felt angry, I stopped.

Michelle looked confused, shocked and very cautiously said, "I think you're mistaken, it is Michelle. Of course, who else could it be?" I screamed out in a rush, Even though I still felt angry, I stopped.

Michelle looked confused, shocked and very cautiously said, "I think you're mistaken." At this I got so angry that I almost started screaming again. "What do you" But this time she cut in. "Simone," she said, "I thought you would like a ride home. You seemed as if you were in a great hurry. You ran extremely fast so I thought you would like to have ride. I didn't mean to scare you whatsoever. I definitely didn't want to give you a shock, i just wanted to give you a ride. You know I come to school by car, right? If you still want to run, no problem. Didn't mean to bother you. I' awfully sorry".

She looked at me so uncomfortably like as if she didn't know what to expect next. Since I didn't tell anything, she said pausing uneasily, "Now-um-I'm going," pointing out her car she continued, "-away-um-to my home. Excuse me and-um-I'm really sorry. But, believe me, I didn't follow you. What was all that about?"

She looked curious, I was shocked, I felt a tinge of electricity pass through my body. I looked at the distance. If she had not followed me, who did? I felt all my fear come back to me.

"Nothing! Michelle I apologize for my reaction. I didn't mean to explode like that. I'm honestly sorry. Plus I know it is right to ask you this, but I was wondering whether that ride was still available." I let out a rather nervous giggle, I didn't feel like going home alone. Not when someone was attracted to my scent.

"Sure! I'm glad you are alright again - are you ? No offence, but you very shaky. Is there something wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong actually. It's just that I've been having a bad day. Can we go now?" She nodded. As she started the engine I said, "Thanks. I'm just glad that someone came by." And I wondered what would have happened if someone didn't happen to pass by . I shuddered at the thought.

I looked behind me. The street, the tress and the houses looked so gloomy, A shadow had cast over the whole neighbourhood. Everything seemed unwelcoming. it seemed like I was an intruder. And as i watched my vicinity, between the trees, I saw someone, I couldn't see clearly, but she was a brunette.

Back at home, I didn't feel like eating. My parents had gone out. My cousin sister, who had come for a visit, had gone out for a function or something. I was all alone at home in the afternoon. Outside I could hear thunder rumbling. I fastened the locks of the front and back doors. I didn't want any uninvited strangers to break to break I while my parents were out.

Hot water bath

I went to have hot water bath. I was enjoying the warmth of the water. Suddenly, I heard voices coming from somewhere in the house. I grabbed my bath robe and wore it as fast as I could. I reached for my father's razors. I couldn't think of anything else for my safety. I unlocked the latch and on tip-toe I slowly went towards the sounds of the voices. As I reached the door of the living room. I heard the voices more clearly.

"Who are you? What have I done to you to batter me like this? Stop! Please don't hurt me. I'll do anything you want me to do." I heard one shaken, feminine voice say. Behind the door, I was terrified, What is she talking about? What are they doing in my house? And what is going to happen?

Then another voice spoke, but I could not make out the words she spoke. It was somewhat muffled. Then I heard the feminine voice again. "I have not hurt you. Please don't hurt me. I barely know you," The odour of a burning cigarette reached my nostrils.

She kept continuing. "What do you want from me? If it's money I can give you plenty. Let me go and I'll bring you the money. I won't betray you. Please, I beg you, don't hurt me. Please." Some more muffled words and then a blood-piercing scream. I pushed open the door and ran inside. I had nothing with the except for a simple razor. I was ready to face anything.

"Huh?" I said in a small voice. I had been ready for anything but there was nothing before my eyes. I blinked my eyes again but I could only see mist swirling around the room. I pinched myself and I felt it. It wasn't dream. Then where were they? Where? They couldn't just vanish into thin air. I felt myself shuddering. The voices had been so real!

The telephone in the room rang. Something inside me told me not to answer but I did. Someone whom I didn't recognise spoke in a raspy voice, "Simone. How is life? You don't know me but consider me a friend. Don't ask me who I am, I won't tell you. I just want you to know that what you heard in the living room was not hallucination. It was meant for you to hear. You have to know". There was a brief pause. I was stunned. Who was this I didn't know. "You might not believe me, yet I can't help it. As a friend I'm telling you to enjoy the time you have now. Soon you will run out of time. People are following you". There was a menacing laugh. "Be careful!" The line went dead.

I had been holding my breath for so long. Finally Linhaled in more air. The voice had been so unfriendly yet had asked me to consider the person a friend! I was more petrified. The voice had said that I had no hallucination in the living room. I was supposed to listen to the whole dialogue. What was I supposed to know? I felt dizzy. I shivered. I looked behind me. I looked around the whole room. As I looked down, my eyes locked on to something. A cigarette butt. I knew that no one in my family smoked. Was it from this that I got the odour when I was standing near the living room? A cigarette butt.

Without warning, I heard the front door being opened. I grabbled the lamp next to my hand. If I had to smash his head, I had no doubt in doing it. I heard clicking of high heels on the floor. OK, so maybe it was a lady.

Click, Click, Click and Click.

Unexpectedly, she came in to the living room. I was ready with lamp. She peered in. I almost would've smashed her head if I didn't realise she was my cousin, Lisa. I let out a sigh of relief and a cry of joy. I felt much safer all of a sudden. Then I went straight to my room and locked the door and the windows. I rested on my bed. I was really hallucinating. I was scared stiff to look anywhere, so I just kept gazing at the ceiling. My eyelids gradually closed. I dozed off.

Open the door

I dragged myself to the door of the room. I was trapped. I beat rapidly on the door. It didn't budge. I was out of oxygen and I needed oxygen - fast! "Please open the door, please', I thought to myself. I didn't know where I was but I knew I had to get out soon. I dragged my self to a corner. My eyes met a flash of light. Where was the light coming from? Was it a window? I stood up feebly. I dragged my feet towards the light. I realized it was a mirror. Where did the light come from, for the mirror to reflect? My ears felt heavy. I was too scared to close my eyes, what if I closed them forever. I turned around to find where the light came from. I hoped it was a way out, I wanted to live, I was too young to die! I didn't know why they were doing this to me.

I couldn't come across a way out. My entire body ached, My hand was still burning, so painful. Why did they have to hurt me? I didn't do anything to them. I turned around and gazed into the mirror. My long blond hair looked so messy. I wanted to cry. I couldn't

I kept starring into the mirror. I waited and waited. Then I lifted my hand. Then I screamed.

Sriyani Maduka Jayasinghe, Year 13, Lyceum International School