Chapter 1
The miles drift by as I make my way towards the west coast. My playlist starts playing Straight Out of Line… I crank the volume.
'How the hell has it come to this?' I huff, 'everything was going so well — how could I let myself land back at square one!'
My mind flashes back to times where my trust was betrayed. Let It Out plays on the stereo, I slap the wheel in rhythm to the beats.
'AAAAAGH!,' I scream, smacking and tugging the wheel.
Rain beats down in sheets on the windscreen, greeting me as I reach the town limits. 'Almost there… just have to find the place.'
Pulling into the driveway. 'Thank god.' I get out, and get my bags from the trunk.
'Heyee!' a voice cries out from the front door, 'Lauren, you made it.' Nora darts over to greet me.
Closing the passenger door with my hip, 'barely' I quip, 'that was a long drive — I guess I kind of needed one.' Chuckling, I hug Nora.
She helps with my bags 'You hungry?'
'Just exhausted.'
'Sure,' she places a hand on my shoulder, 'let me show you to your room… get you settled in'
Stepping through the door into the entry hall, there's a small table with a vase of flowers to my left, stairs to my right. Framed photos run along the stair well. Many of them family and friends. A few of them from back in the day.
'It's the second door to the right,' she hollers behind me. The lights flicker for a moment, giving me pause.
'Old house,' she laughs, 'happens everytime it rains.'
'Spooky!' I turn, widening my eyes and raise my hands — finger wiggling, doing my best ghostly impression, 'Oooh-ooh-ooh.'
'Goofball,' she chuckles.
My room is cozy. A double bed along the back wall. A small dresser on the right, and a couple of windows looking out to the front yard in front of me.
I'm immediately drawn to an antique mirror hanging on the wall, to my left. The obsidian frame had symbols I'd never seen before. The faint rose tint of the glass, imperceptible, it felt like I was imagining it.
'Oh! I found that at a yard sale,' Nora says, placing my bag on the foot of the bed. Tracing my fingers over the symbols, I step away, hairs on my neck standing on end.
Turning, I reach for my bag — pull out pajama pants and a band-t, then turn to Nora, 'Thanks for this, I really owe you one.'
She waves a hand, 'It's nothing… after all you've been through, I'm glad I could help,' she smiles, 'just get some rest. We'll figure on how to get you back on your feet later.'
I smile and we hug, 'Got your back… always,' she says, 'goodnight — sleep well. We'll talk more in the morning.' She pat's my back, then steps out.
A tapping sound at my window wakes me. Through the sheer curtains, the shadow of a low-lying branch sways in rhythm with the tapping. Checking my phone — 3am, 'God damn it!' I grumble.
I bury my face in the pillow, and the tapping changes rhythm. I get up, pull the curtain back and the tapping stops. The tree is too far away.
A faint sound of distant music plays. 'I know this song,' I gasp. As I step closer to where the mirror is, it gets louder. The distinctive riff echoes, 'Hollow,' I murmur.
In the reflection I'm still asleep, in bed. Snapping my head around — the bed's empty! 'Whoa! What the…' I trail off.
Turning back, I see myself peer back at me. 'Jesus! I'm really losing it.'
The house is quiet. I make my way back to my room, from the bathroom. Step through the door, 'What the?!'
A figure resembling me, smirks, then without a sound, grabs me.
My eyes snap open. It's morning already. Warm sunlight shimmers through the curtains. Stepping into the hall, I see a handprint on the wall. Raising my hands, 'Blood.'
