Till Death Do You Part

Chapter One ~ Scream

Chapter One ~ Scream

* 7 Months Ago *

I hate work.

My favorite part is leaving.

Like every evening, I tossed my work uniform into my locker and called out to the others that I was leaving. Like always, they called back good night and began to loudly whisper. They think I can't hear them, but I can. Every single word comes in loud and clear.

Sighing, I exited the supermarket and was engulfed by sweet, spring air. The evening air sent tingles through me, waking me up. There's something about evening air that just relaxes me. Some nights I just walk through the park and breathe, not caring about the time or homework. I live in the moment.

Tonight, however, I'm supposed to help mom with laundry and picking out an outfit for her job interview tomorrow. The temptation to walk slowly to savor the cool breeze is strong, but mom is more important.

Pulling out my phone, I saw that the time was 6:54pm. Six minutes is more than enough time for me to get home. I only live, like, five blocks away.

Just as I crossed the street and passed the corner pub, I heard something, someone, scream. Stopping, I stood in place and looked around.

"What the-" Suddenly, I heard something fall in the alleyway behind the pub. It's probably a stray cat digging through scraps. My conscience said different.

Should I look? … Wouldn't kill me to take a peek.

Wrong choice.

Twenty feet or so down the alley, a tall, dark-haired man pushed a blonde woman against the brick wall of the pub. Mascara smeared from her eyes and over her cheeks as she gasped in fright, looking up at the darkening sky. I cringed in fear and screamed when the guy pulled out a weird, curved knife-thing and stabbed her. She let out a weak cry as he dug the knife into her and quickly out. He backed away and watched her fall to the floor.

The guy looked down at her with an expressionless look on his face. His hair blocked his eyes from my view. Before I could run away unnoticed he looked towards me.

I'd never seen him before.

He had piercing blue eyes that seemed to see right through me. From where I stood I could make out the bags under his eyes, his pale lips in a thin line and straight, sharp nose. His skin looked grey, like storm cloud grey.

I took off running, down the block and around the corner. I stopped to catch my breathe. I can't just run away from what just happened. I can't just leave her there to die.

Mustering up my courage (the little I have), I ran back to the alley and rushed to the woman's side. Her attacker was nowhere in sight. The desperate look on her pale face made me aware that she was definitely not all right. That's when I saw something freaky weird.

There was no gash in her torso. There wasn't blood anywhere.

But he stabbed her?! I swear he stabbed her with that knife-thing. He cut right into her.

Immediately taking out my phone, I dialed 911 and screamed for the operator to get me a paramedic. Course, they questioned me and asked what was wrong. Morons, wasting time asking stupid questions when they should be saving lives! I hung up as soon as I gave the operator the address of the pub and touched her cheek.

Cold as ice.

I pulled my hand away.

What could that mean? Is she unconscious? Dead? Oh, please don't be dead.

I picked her up and carried her down the alley, asking her if she could hear me, if she was awake. Her green eyes were wide open, but hadn't blinked for a long time. The ambulance sped down the street and reached us not even two minutes after my call. As soon as the paramedics got out of the car and saw me holding her, they rushed over and gently carried her to the back of the ambulance. They tried several times to revive her. Nothing worked.

She's dead... Just like that.

"What happened to her?" A female paramedic asked as she looked over the woman's corpse.

"I don't know," I gulped, the long face of the blonde woman's attacker popped into my mind. "All I know is that she screamed for help and I heard her."

"Was she attacked?" A male paramedic asked. Without hesitating, I nodded and thought about the knife, the grey man and his blue eyes.

"Yes, she was attacked." She wasn't attacked, I wanted to say, she was murdered. But I didn't... I should have.

"Did you see what her attacker looked like?" He asked as he covered the woman with a thin, white cotton blanket.

"Yeah." I said. I stopped myself from saying anything more. Sad, frustrated, worried, and very anxious, I waited for the police to arrive to tell them what had happened. I didn't mention the stabbing part because there was no gash on her body.

He stabbed her, though. I saw him stab her with my own two eyes.

After asking me a bunch of questions about what had happened the police escorted me home. Mom was shocked to see me with cops. They explained what happened to her while I just stood there waiting patiently. My mom was really quiet and spared me a glance every now and then. Then they left and it was only mom and I.

Kissing me on the forehead, she hugged me and asked if I was okay. Feeling reality hit me, I shook my head and ran upstairs to my room. This is too much for me. All in one night I saw a woman get murdered, stabbed but not (?), interrogated by police and scarred for life.

Just to be safe, I locked myself in my room. After I shut the blinds and changed into my pajamas, I heard the front door lock. From below my room, I could hear my mother begin to weep. Her cries were soft yet full of pain. The crying continued for about an hour. I never shed a tear.

Then everything was silent.

Why tonight?

Why did he kill her?

Why was she killed?

I was finally able to fall asleep around midnight. My mind slipped into a state of blankness, emptiness.

Am I next?

~*~*~*~*~*

So, the mystery character's problems start here. Quite sudden, too. I'll be posting the next part soon. Stay tuned!

Dani/Wowwy10