Beacon Paradox

CHAPTER 1-Friendship Paradox(part 2)

While Ivory was planning to give Sara a raise or maybe some type of bonus while the later was just happy that she was not sacked for her stupidity. On the other side of the country, later that evening, Lauren who was busy painting her latest masterpiece, got stopped mid stroke. Not a thing Lauren liked or was happy about. But the reason she paused was that her music suddenly got cut off, she groaned and went back to her Vinyl recorder to play again. She knew the tip had moved. Yes, Lauren has one of those antic Vinyl recorders and she buys Vinyl for them particularly. This was a taste she acquired quite recently after her last sell. She does abstract paintings, but she never says her name. She uses a pen name, because according to her it gives her the anonymity to roam around and watch places. As who knows when inspiration strikes. But if she is surrounded by guards or paparazzi, she will not be able to enjoy say a simple relaxing stroll in the early evening, where she greets passersby. But right now, her mood has changed from being relaxed, at peace, calm a thing she was trying to portray in her painting to irritated and even frustrated. As she will have to discard this one and start new again. Last two times she discarded it because it did not give her the satisfaction she wanted. But this time it is solely her record player's fault.

As Lauren discarded that and put on a fresh board and everything. She starts yet again trying to remain calm and capture the essence of pure serenity. This time though the lights of her room flickered and then they went out. Lauren groaned yet again and went to the other room to check what happened. Turns out her power went out. But as she peaked out her window, she saw its only for her apartment. That's unfortunate. Lauren then proceeded to call the guy who fixes stuff for her. But as she was about to dial, she saw movement in her kitchen. While Lauren stays alone, and she is not afraid usually. This sudden appearance of a shadow did frighten her a little, as did the sudden appearance of the cold front. But then she laughed as she realized this is like the horror movies she loves to watch. Even though she laughed she still tiptoed to the kitchen to check. There is no harm in checking.

The sight though scared Lauren. There was a man sitting in her kitchen. Well, not siting more like standing. No not standing. Floating. That realization hit Lauren stark in her chest which started beating furiously as soon as she thought of it. Because who could be floating? With a human like appearance? No this cannot be a ghost, as Lauren knows ghosts don't exist, she firmly believes in that. But right now, her belief system is staggering a bit. She breathes in and takes a tentative step towards the man or apparition who have settled in her apartment. With a sliver of light from a nearby apartment or something she saw the face of this thing. And he looked just like a guy she used to know who she for a fact knows has been dead for a while.

"No. No. No." Lauren began chanting yet she cannot look away from Hunter's apparition who is staring at her too.

"You are not real. You are dead. I know. I have been to your wake." Lauren all but shouts. But the apparition almost smiles at her outburst. Then lifts himself up more, while he floated nearer to Lauren. This time she did scream before finding whatever her hand can and flung it to this apparition. Now Lauren knows you cannot hit a ghost with something let alone a paint brush, but Lauren is desperate.

A furious knocking on Lauren's door broke her trance from the hovering figure above her and she looked at her main door. Even though she was glad for this intermission between the show or her real life whatever it is, but she is also a little afraid as who could this be. As she opened her door without even thinking of checking to her surprise it was Mrs. Dubois, her neighbor. The elderly woman apparently heard her screaming and wanted to check if she was okay. Lauren felt so happy hearing her neighbor's concern. Because this interaction was heartfelt for her, and she just felt so much loved and cared for right now. So much so that she forgot about the apparition that was swirling above her and smiling at her. Yeah, not at all creepy.

After she closed her door, Lauren put one hand over her heart and felt her emotions swirling within her. It's been a long time since she has visited her family and felt this love. So just this small action made her feel overwhelmed with emotions. It also made her aware that she has not talked to her parents for almost years now, as it seems to her. As when Lauren is in a zone, she does not entertain distraction and talking to her parents will be one. Also, talking to her parents generally takes a toll on her and that is why she avoids it as much as she can. But right now, she cannot think why she felt like that in the first place. She almost forgot about her uninvited house guest as well. And another thing too which now that her eyes pause on the walls of her living room, she sees that her lights are on. So, then what the hell happened? What? Did she imagine this? She was busy trying to paint a peaceful, serene thing not a confused, frustrated or angry thing. Then how did this happen? How did she imagine a ghost in her kitchen and that too of Hunter, of all people? And her lights, surely Lauren did not imagine them going off on their own.

Lauren sighed before taking a beer from her fridge and gulping the whole thing in one go. She threw it in her trash and took out another. This surely needs to be talked about. But does she want to ask her friends? Does she want to seem crazy in front of them? No way. So, Lauren, then took out the four more beer cans and started drinking them. Tonight, will be a long night. Also, when did it become night? Wasn't it still barely afternoon when she started painting? If it is night now that means she has not eaten anything since...last night's dinner. Yeah, hunger can make you imagine things. Lauren told herself that as she started calling for a takeout. Yeah, she is already feeling the effects of beer so there was no way she can cook.