Her Extraterrestrial

3.

"I've seen the world, done it all
Had my cake now
Diamonds, brilliant and Bel Air now
Hot summer nights, mid July
When you and I were forever wild
The crazy days, city lights
The way you'd play with me like a child."

- Young and Beautiful, Lana Del Ray

*

I raced home in a flash, terrified that with each steps I took, the Red Shadow grew closer behind.

Nothing made sense. I saw the Red Shadow totally demolish that man. It found me and....said my name.

How did it know my name? Was I just imagining things? No, I know what I heard. That monster knows me and it spared my life for a reason.

For what reason, though? Was it toying with me? Was I just playing into it's evil game?

Once I arrived at my door I rushed inside. I leaned against the door, panting heavily and my legs shaking erratically.

After finally realizing that I had just encountered the Red Shadow and lived, I began to break down crying.

I cried out of both happiness and terror.

I cheated death. I could live another day! I can see Thomas and my family again.

But now that the Red Shadow had spared me, I'm afraid he'll make me wish I was dead. I'm terrified that the Red Shadow has something else planned for me.

But why? Why me?

"Cora?" Grandmama stood at the top of the flight of stairs. She only had on her robe and her hair sprawled out here and there. Her doe eyes were swollen. She must've been crying herself.

"Mama..." I choke out between sobs.

"Cora!" Immediately, she ran down to my side, cradling me and caressing my back. "Oh, my baby, my baby! You need to stop scaring me like this."

"Mama, I saw him," I'm not sure if I'm speaking coherently anymore, "I saw the Red Shadow."

She hushes me and leads me upstairs, "Let's go to bed, darling. Let's go."

*

It's been a week since my encounter with the Red Shadow. I've been careful with my timing which is what I should've been doing in the first place.

If I would've just been responsible none of this would've happened.

I flip through the pages of Mr. Browe's journal. Page seven.

9/12/32

Annabell isn't doing so well. She's caught the sickness and no doctor is willing to help her. They called her a lost cause and said that it would be best to let nature take it's course. I can't tell you how much of a slap in the face that was. How dare they call my daughter "a lost cause"? I promised her as a father that I would always protect her. With the times that we're in, avoiding to break any kind of promise seems almost inevitable.

I shut the book. I remember Annabell Browe. She died before I met her and now I know how. Mr. Browe always talked about his daughter. That girl was his pride and joy.

I can't even imagine the pain he felt when the doctors said she was hopeless. That was probably the day his world stopped turning.

"Hey, Cory."