An Old Friend

Chapter 1

Hayden's POV

I change into basketball shorts and a white low-cut tank top almost as soon as I get home from getting groceries. Mom left me some money to get what we need before I woke up this morning. She would pick them up on the way home, but she has to work late tonight, and the stores will all be closed. I guess that's the downside of saving lives. Anyway, I grab some chips and relax on the couch to watch TV for a while. My living room is a bit small but it's big enough for the couch and a little recliner. The rest of the house isn't too big either. It's not tiny though. There are two bedrooms and a small bathroom upstairs and downstairs there's a small kitchen and dining area next to the living room and the bigger bathroom. It's a good home. Where I grew up since I was two years old. 

I wonder when Mom gets home. She's been at the hospital a lot more lately. I guess people get hurt a lot more as school starts up again. For all I know she could be there for another week if she's needed that much.

After a few episodes of the show I started watching, I turn the TV off and replace that sound with music from my phone, playing my playlist from my pocket as I get a Coke from the fridge. Pouring the can into a glass, I bob my head to the beat of the song. Counting the money I have left in my wallet I find enough to order a pizza so that's what I do. While I wait for my pizza, I grab a can of Coke and bring it with me to the living room, so I don't have to get up again after my glass is empty. I make sure the empty can is in the bag to take back before sitting down and setting my phone on the coffee table. It's relaxing even if the music I'm listening to isn't supposed to be.

After countless songs, my phone starts ringing as I take the first sip of my second Coke. "Someone's calling!!" My ringtone screams.

"God, why did I make that my ringtone?" I groan before picking it up. It's not anyone in my contacts and I don't recognize the number.

"Are you there?" A deeper voice asks through the phone once I get it to my ear. They sound vaguely familiar, but I don't know why.

"Who is this?" I ask as I set my glass down.

"You don't remember me," not at all. "But I remember you, and all your friends."

"Okay, who the hell is this?" Well, this is a bit annoying. What's this guy talking about?

"Just a friend," I can hear the smile in the tone of the person's voice.

"Look 'friend' I don't know who you are but I advise you to go fuck yourself." With that, I hang up and put my music back on.

People are so stupid. Prank calling the night before school starts? Fucking ridiculous. I sink back into the couch with a small sigh as I start to relax again. Maybe I should call Ash. He's probably still awake anyway. Nah, he has to focus on basketball so he's probably going to start going to bed earlier now.

He's basically my only friend anymore. That's sort of by choice and force. I love him to death but he's a handful and I kind of miss my old friends. We used to hang out all the time but a few years ago we all drifted apart into our own little groups. Ash offered to hang out last year and he's been my best friend ever since.

Suddenly a knock at the door pulls me out of my reflecting thoughts. I get up, praying to whatever's out there that it's my pizza because I am starving. As I take the pizza from a boy around my age he smiles and I pay him. I think that's Morgan's friend, Josh maybe, I've seen them hanging out at school a few times with some other guy. Whatever. Stop thinking about that, it's pizza time!

Sitting back on the couch, I listen to my music as I plow through the pizza. In only minutes only two slices are left in the box so I put the leftovers in a ziplock bag and write today's date on it so I know if nobody eats it soon. Once I've finished I slide my black sneakers on and decide to take a short walk down my usual path by the woods behind my house. It's only a bit into the forest and I walk it all the time so I grab my pocket knife and the Coke I have left in my cup before heading through the back door.

Taking a drink as I walk towards the dark forest, I turn the flashlight on my phone on so I can see. Before I get four feet into the treeline I stop in my tracks. My hand loses grip on my cup as it slips onto the ground, shattering at my feet as the cool drink gets soaked into the grass.

"Oh my god," I mutter as I freeze in shock.

Not even ten feet in front of me a body hangs from a tree, cuts lacing the boy's arms as wet blood drips off his fingers. It's the kid that gave me my pizza. I just saw him. How could he be out here? Dead.

"Oh fuck, what do I do?" I know I need to call the cops but I don't want to talk to the cops. What am I thinking!? I have to call the cops! It's a dead fucking body behind my house!

I quickly get my phone open and shakily dial 9-1-1, holding the phone to my ear with a shaky hand as I turn away from the body. It's fucking real. This is not a stupid prank.

"9-1-1 what's your emergency?" The calm operator asks.

"I- I'm behind my house. I- I- s- someone is dead," I can barely speak as I stay where I am, watching my house to avoid seeing the gruesome sight.

"Okay, just explain what happened and where you are," the woman is so calm it's chilling.

"Y-yeah, I- I'm at four thirty-one Lincoln Street. I- I just went t-to take a walk," I explain what happened and answer the woman's questions as I wait for the police she sent. When she tells me to wait inside I go back in and stand next to the front door.

By the time the sirens can be heard approaching my house I open the door, hanging up with the dispatch lady. Two cars pull up to my house with lights flashing as four officers get out. Two of them come over to question me as the others go to the back of the house as I explain everything that happened after I got my pizza.

The neighbors start peeking out of their houses and coming over to the cop cars as more arrive with the yellow crime scene tape to block the area off. Once I've explained the situation multiple times and confirmed that I have no injuries to the officers, they call my mom at the hospital to get her to come home.

I sit on the step in front of my door as I wait for Mom, everyone watching the police go from the front to the back of my house as I think with my arms on my knees and my head on my arms. I can barely see long brown hair brushing over my arms as I keep my eyes on the ground through the gap between my limbs.

I'll never get that image out of my head. He looked horrible. Holy shit.