INTRUDER

NOW

Daniel was waiting for me in class when I get home today. We talked about how our days have been since Daniel has not been in school for the past 3 days. I've missed him since there hasn't been anyone to talk to. I am still scared to talk to him in fear of giving him too much information. I am still on the lookout to see if I can find this man that killed my parents.

Daniel told me he was in Colorado visiting his grandparents and he was caught up in all that snow. He had just got home last night from a long week over there. Ohio has had the same snow like Colorado according to Daniel. He told me that his grandparents were doing well.

I smiled at him even though I was trying really hard not to talk.

"Um, excuse me one sec, I need to use the restroom."

I walk towards the restroom where I was falsely attacked and I hid myself in a stall. I was waiting for an idea to pop into my head on how to talk to Daniel without giving him so much information that could get him killed. I then think of just telling him lies. Small lies like fake stories. I think that's a good idea.

I walk out of the bathroom and spot Daniel still in the same spot I left him in. He is smiling at me and frozen. It's like as if he were frozen in time and space. I race over to him and start to talk about how my weekend was so fantastic and how I loved going to school and blah blah blah. I never once told him about Wanda or anything like that. I was really sure not to tell him about the man, I didn't.

The rest of the day I had to sit with Daniel because Ben wasn't here today. Daniel was pretty nice to talk to except that I was really scared and anxious that I would give something away. I was becoming so frantic that sometimes he asked me if I was okay or if I needed some water. I told him that I was going to take a test tomorrow and I was just really nervous. It was no big deal, I told him.

I hated lying to him but I had to in order to keep him alive. In order for me to be friends with someone, I had to lie to people. I hated that, I hated lying to people.

Daniel gave me a cup with cold water at lunch when he asked me if I was okay, it was cold. How does everyone know that I like cold drinks?

The principal walks past me without saying a word. He looks down at the floor and I can tell he is thinking about yesterday when I had that outburst. I didn't mean to make him upset but I wasn't going to risk his life for just one simple answer. The man was watching and calculating my eery next move, so I can't be predictable. Answering his question would've been very predictable and it could've gotten him killed.

After school, as I am walking towards Johnny's car, I spot a woman getting into her car. Exactly like my mother said she looked like. Tall, brown hair with curls, wore high heels, and had a tattoo of a snake on her arm. Lynn, the woman my dad cheated my mother on.

"Lynn?" I call her once I am walking towards her.

"Who are you?" She whips around fast when she hears her name.

"My name is Claire, I was Garred's daughter."

"Oh. Well, nice to meet you. Can I help you?" She asks.

"No, I just wanted to talk." I said.

"Sure," she said, then she guided me inside her car.

Once we were inside the car, I asked her how her life has been and everything. She said that it was fine and that she was very sorry for my loss.

"How do you know my name?" She asked after a while of talking.
"My dad told me you were a very kind woman that worked at his work," I can't believe she bought that lie.

"Oh, he was such a kind man. I... I am so sad of his passing.." She trailed off into another dimension.

"Lynn, did he ever get into any kinds of fights at work?" I asked her to make her snap back to reality.

"No, at least not that I know of."

"Lynn, why do people think I killed them?"

"Because you did."

I freeze at those words and I feel like cold water just splashed on me. Except in reality it did.

"Wake up!" I hear Lynn's voice yell. I open my eyes and I notice that Lynn had a bucket of cold water in her hand.

I stand back up and ask her what had just happened.

"We were talking about how your father was such a great man and then you fell... I think you fainted."

"What? So you never accused me of murdering my parents?"

"NO! Why would I say that! I can't imagine the grief you're going through and I would never accuse you of something like that!"

"Someone did."

"Well, that was probably a rude and ignorant person. They have no right to accuse you of something you did not do! Or did you?"

"No, I love my family too much to do that! I would never! I miss them so much! I miss my mom.." I start to cry and Lynn comes over to me and pats me on the back.

She helps me get into my car and I say thanks for being able to talk with her. She says anytime and gives me her phone number.

I try to replay the whole conversation with Lynn.... How did I just faint? Did someone drug me? I notice there is a lump in my pocket and I slowly take it out. It's a napkin and there is something in it. I unfold it and there are 2 pills in there. I had saved three from when I threw them all out, but I don't remember when I took the last one.

Then it hits me. When Daniel wasn't looking, I drank the water with the pill. I drank it so I could go home. The affect didn't happen until a few minutes ago when I fainted. My memory has gone crazy and I am so tired. I drift to sleep in Johnny's car.