DEATH JUNCTION

11

The silence in the hallway was deafening.

We had just ended our last evening class for the day. Most of the lights in the hallway were off, only a few lights flickered, intermittently breaking the dark spell that threatened to spill over the corridor. The stale smell of rainwater ricocheted through the air. I could make out the fall of raindrops from the skies from closed glass doors that were afar off. The rhythmic tap tap with the distant rumble followed every muted step I took.

How wonderful, of all the days this could happen. And you don't have an umbrella.

You could walk in the rain.

The thought formed a miniscule image in my mind, unfurling its edges before swamping me within it.

Mummy and I rushed forward, the pelting rain seeping through our clothes as we neared the house. My vision was muddied by blue streaks that turned my surroundings to a blurry mess. Each break of lightning with the distant hum of thunder seemed to send another 100 drops down my wet neck and through my already soaked green cotton shirt. I held onto my mummy's hand and we both staggered, laughing to ourselves amidst the bedraggled state we were in.

"This must not happen again." She said as we finally latched onto the gate.

"Never again." I seconded before we both chuckled.

I forced myself down from the memory. The longing burst in my chest, inflaming the desire of her presence in my life. Days had twisted to weeks and then months and life had lost all color, all that was left being the monotone mural of my life that desperately clung to the little light that was supposed to be at the end of the tunnel.

Now, it seemed that the light was a mere joke, nothing more than a fool's hope I continued to hold onto. The songs of her death tried to stir images in my mind. I did not to allow myself to give into it, prying myself from its spiny grasp. I refocused on my environment, giving my mind a break.

Shadows formed along my periphery, chills pricked at my arms. Suddenly, I felt like someone was watching me. I turned and I saw nothing, only the distant outlines of shiny lockers.

My heart thudded.

Breathe.

Then distant images began to flood my mind as though trying to warn me of the various possibilities. My eyes continued to skitter to corners, my walk through the hallway now seeming longer. The rumbling of thunder prowled through the atmosphere.

The feeling intensified, stirring fear and unease within me.

There's nothing here, alright? You're just tired and overreacting.

I stilled my breathing, willing the tension to flee my body though it only clogged my system more. A low murmur rose up, ruffling through my ears before it breezed past. I bunched my hands into fists as I looked about, my mouth dry.

From the corner of my eye, something moved. My eyes slunk to the right, only for me to see the outline of the locker staring at me. Shadows creeped along the edges, carrying the movement of darkness that grew and washed away at intervals.The eerie silence that beheld me as I stared at the locker forced me to look away.

I backed away, repeating to myself that I was just overthinking though the tingles continued to slide down my spine.

I emerged from the building. The sky was dark, grey overrunning what was once a sunny afternoon. The patting of my footsteps against concrete faintly smudged my ears before being overshadowed by the pitter patter of drops and the silent echoes of the wind.

My mind raced with images, the chill still strapped tightly to my spine as though trying to tattoo itself into it. I shuddered as I slowed my pace. The aroma of flowers around me congested my nostrils.

Calm down, it may not have being anything serious.

Sure, sure, that's what they always say.

The probing thought of something or someone lingering in the hallway continued to remain persistent.

You're just tired.

I nodded, trying to swallow down the feeling as I allowed the sentence to sink in.

Seconds rolled into minutes as I dragged myself through the drudgery of returning home. The smell of damp soil and the recurring crash of thunder followed with very step I took. The palm trees that stood by either side of the shortcut I was taking poked down, showing long leaves that fluttered with the breeze. My lone footsteps was the only thing that ruffled the-

"I think we have to stop."

I stopped, startled by the sudden intrusion to my quiet atmosphere. My fists tightened. My eyes flitted around my surroundings quickly, searching around for any intruding figure.

"Stop what?" Another voice spoke, this one though was more familiar. My eyes snapped towards the gap in front of me, between two palm trees that usually led out to a dirty path followed by a patch of uncompleted buildings marred by brambles of vines and bushes that layered the pale sand. Now though there was an old jeep sprawled by the very gap, the librarian and the another man hunched over an open boot. My eyes travelled down to what actually lay in a boot

Bile burnt my throat.

A grown man, almost completely wrapped in linen save for his face was laid there. Though, it was the white of his eyes that deterred me the most, contrasting greatly with his bushy black beards and eyebrows.

I hid behind the tree when the other man's gaze strayed towards where I had been formerly peeking. Blisters formed down my body.

Did they kill that man?

Everything within me flared with alarm, shouting that I should run but the tension that clogged my system kept me frozen in place. My breathing hitched and I clamped a hand over my mouth to keep them from hearing me.

"If you're talking about it. Don't worry, everything will still work out just as planned, we won't get caught." The librarian's mixed accent broke through the silence that had once enveloped me.

Get caught?

My blood roared so loudly that I could barely hear my breathing over it. Dizziness settled in, followed by a splitting headache. I rested against the large palm tree behind me to support myself.

"Let's get him to Alex, he'd definitely want to see the body."

"Yeah." Then a silence descended over them before I heard the other man speak again.

"What about the kid though?"

"You mean, Zara?" I heard the librarian ask.

My blood ran cold at the mention of my name. The fear that had being residing dormant now finally awoke from its slumber, taking flight. Another round of silence followed after, one that was threaded with my ever spiralling thoughts.

"I won't let her get away from me."

He can't be talking about you, it must be someone else.

What would he want with you?

Heat seared my skin as I struggled to keep my breathing in check. My stomach knotted with my nerves, making me clench my fists that kept on shaking to no end. My throat constricted. The revving of the engine soon began after which the snap of doors followed. I poked my head out and watched them both drive away in the jeep, the smoke rising towards the sky and the roll of its wheels above lumps of pale sand. Though my eyes remained attached to the boot, where someone that had once been alive lay.

The car soon disappeared along the winding path. The unnerving silence spread like a blanket over my shaking and blister covered body.

I won't let her get away from me.

This can't be real.

CHAPTER WORD COUNT: 1295
WORD COUNT: 17733
I want to thank God for giving me the Grace to write this. So, how was it?