Everything You Know is a Lie [One Shot]

Author's Note:

This is based on a prompt I read one afternoon. The prompt is: 

You receive a mysterious email and the subject line reads “Everything you know is a lie.” You open the email and read further: “Act calm as to not alert anyone, but everyone around you is not who they say they are. You need to quietly get out of there and meet me at the spot where you had your first kiss. You know the place. My name is Mark.”

Anyways, enjoy reading.

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Everything You Know is A Lie

“Please, stop!” I cried. The man smiled sardonically. My heart was beating fast as he holds my arms and drags me to the corner of my room. Tears ran down my face.

He stared at me as he unbuttons his pants. He started caressing my face. My vision was blurry because of my tears. His kisses went down to my neck, then to my collarbone. I tried to push him away but he was strong.

He ripped my shirt and looked at my exposed chest. “So beautiful.” He licked his lips. He started caressing my breasts.

“P-please, stop.”

I cried, asked for help, and as ridiculous it may sound, I begged for mercy to a heartless man. But it did no good. It even turned him on.

After he was done, he went outside my room. I saw my parents lifeless by the doorway. They were dead; and I couldn’t do anything to change that. I didn’t even help my mother pack that afternoon.

After ten seconds of crying, I realized that the man was gone now. I took the chance and ran. I feel sore; but I continued running.

But then he saw me while I was attempting to go down the stairs.

He was carrying a knife, and a smirk. “Trying to get away, sweetheart?” He ran towards me. I head straight to the door. When I was about to open it, he managed to stab my back. My naked body fell to the floor slowly.

He positioned on top of me, and he licked my neck. “Delicious as ever,” he said. The knife went through my stomach when I fell. I can’t think. I can’t move. I can’t do anything…

Cold sweat went down my forehead. I can feel my heart was beating fast. I touched my stomach and thank God it was still whole. Alright, Emily, calm down. It’s just a dream. Inhale. Exhale.

I’ve been having that dream for a month now.  The same man, the same scenario, the same ending. It seems so real.

Wide awake, my adrenaline was still pumping. I decided to get an early start on the day. I slide out of bed and got up to go to the kitchen to have some breakfast.

While waiting for my coffee to brew, I opened my laptop to check if there are any unread emails. I was scrolling through the usual work related messages when I noticed an email with the subject line “Everything you know is a lie.” Out of curiosity, I opened the mail.

“Act calm as to not alert anyone, but everyone around you is not who they say they are. You need to quietly get out of there and meet me at the spot where you had your first kiss. You know the place. My name is Mark.”

Mark? I don’t even know any Mark. So how could he know where I had my first kiss? The picture of falling leaves in a park nearby entered my mind. I shared that kiss with Alex, a boy from a famous band.

This Mark guy is creeping me out. Now, relax, Emily. Count one to ten and refresh your inbox. Mark didn’t even given a time to meet. Was this guy planning on waiting around all day for me to show up? Was he watching me?

I looked outside my window and I saw nothing suspicious, except some joggers.

I was surprised when I saw mom taking her luggage out of her room. “Honey, can you help me pack later? Your father and I will go to a vacation tomorrow.”

I nodded. I tried not to look tense or whatsoever. It is just an e-mail. “Sure, mom. But let me take my morning walk first,” I said. I took my coat and went outside.

The air outside is brisk and the streets are silent and empty, the only noise is the sound of my shoes hitting the pavement. Instead of taking the usual left towards the main road, I walked straight to the intersection -- in the direction of the park.

Aside from a couple of joggers making their way along the main running path, the park looks empty. A quick run through the park just to check things out won’t hurt anything.

I was passing by the benches when I saw a man about my age. He looks familiar but I can’t figure out where I saw him. He went to me and smiled. I walked away from him but then he spoke.

“Emily! It’s good to see you come here,” he said.

I looked at him. He was still smiling, exposing his teeth. He was handsome, and those gray eyes are very addicting. “How did you know me? Who are you? Are you the one who sent me that crazy e-mail?” I asked.

His smile vanished. He walked towards me. He held my hand. “It’s time to go Emily.”

“Time to go? Where? Who are you?! You haven’t explained why you know me!”

“Emily, I’ve guided you through your lives. The accident you’ve been dreaming about really happened; and you reenact your death every night. You’re stuck in that moment where you got raped and murdered. Now we need to get going, your next life starts in twenty minutes.”