Voices |E. Cullen|

FIVE

Out of school suspension meant that I had plenty of time to interact with the people who liked to show up and talk about how angry they were with the fact that they had died or been killed. They came up to me whether I liked it or not and I had nothing to distract me for eight or more hours during the day so the entire day was open like an office schedule. That lead me to walking alone along the main street in town in order to get away from as many people as possible.

My headphones stayed in my ears and my hands were stuffed in my jacket as the rain trickled down from the sky. Not too much to soak me but annoying enough to justify having a hood over my head. My favourite part about the night was that it was quiet, no cars or airplanes, no people yelling at each other or staring at me. It was magical when the birds would chirp. For some reason as a child I strongly believed that every animal would fall asleep as I did and wake up in the morning just the same, turns out birds do not particularly follow that same sleep schedule rule.

I had gotten used to the feeling of being followed, when ghosts were all around you at any given moment you had to push the creepiness aside. There was no point in looking over my shoulder because it would just be another woman covered in blood trying to get my attention so she could tell me that someone in town had murdered her twenty seven years ago. Big woop. I felt sorry for each person but didn't at the same time, I had nothing to do with their death and therefore had no reason to be apart of their suffering, I just happened to be able to see them is all.

They never touched me, though. So when arms went around my neck to choke me from behind, I ran through moves I had learned in a class one time. Turn your head so you can breathe; check. Pluck their arm away as many times as it takes to break the grasp, like three; check. Duck, step back, stand up, and twist their arm up so far that it breaks; check. Then add whatever moves you know in order to ensure you'll get away from your attacker; check.

I started to dial 9-1-1 as I ran away but quickly hung up the phone knowing no one would take me seriously, I had to earn the trust back after losing it due to running screaming from a cemetary at six in the morning claiming ghosts were attacking me. Someone else surprised me though. Also clad in a jacket with a hood and earbuds, Mr Popular walked in my direction not paying a lick of attention to what had been going on. I only managed to catch his eye after almost running into him.

"What are you doing out here so late?" He questioned as if he had any room to talk.

"Hi to you too. Nice night out. Wind feels great," I was snappy. "I was trying to enjoy a walk but Mr Whoever-the-hell over there wanted to come behind me and choke the shit out of me," I pointed at the dude lying on the ground behind me.

"You got away?" Edward's browline rose for a second before he shook his head, "did you call the police?"

I smirked, "You really think they're going to listen to me?"

"Okay, fair point." He shrugged, "let's get away from the man before he wakes up, though." And with that we both jogged off into the opposite direction of my attacker in hopes that we would remain safe for the rest of the night.