𝙈𝙄𝘿𝙉𝙄𝙂𝙃𝙏 𝘽𝙇𝙐𝙀𝙎

00.

PROLOGUE:
JUNE OF '79

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The night air was cool and the Bayou's waters were still. It was nothing like peace and quiet, listening to the owls and crickets that resided near and the trees and the ground.

"Jay? Are you sure we should even be out here." A 6'2 man stopped in his tracks and rolled his eyes. "Why are you so scared." He turned around and looked at young woman behind him. "A lot of people have died out here Jay. I think we should go home." Jay moved close to the woman and grabbed her hand, kissing it. "Well if I die, I'll die knowing I was in love with you." The man leaned down and kissed the woman. She smiled in between the kiss and playfully hit his shoulder. "Look here sir, I am not getting frisky near this swamp water." Jay laughed. "Same ole Ruben, as usual." Jay grabbed Ruben's hand as they continued to walk through the Bayou. "Are we getting close to your surprise?" Jay nodded. "Don't worry, I've got everything under control." Ruben looked up at Jay, admiring his facial features. Suddenly, a certain sound caught the ears of Ruben. It sounded like someone was talking. She stopped in her tracks and looked back.

"Did you hear that?" Jay stopped and looked at Ruben. "Our footsteps?" Ruben turned around and rolled her eyes. "No silly. It was more than just footsteps." Ruben turned around again and tried to see if she could spot where the sound came from. "Baby, it's nothing. Now come on, you'll miss your surprise." Ruben grabbed Jay's hand again and they continued to walk. "Okay, wait right here. I'll come back and get you, I promise." Ruben smiled and stood in the same spot as Jay disappeared into the night. Ruben looked up at the moon to keep her mind at ease, until she heard the same noise from earlier.

"Who's there?" There was no reply. Ruben knew she wasn't going crazy, so what was making that noise? "Haha, very funny. My siblings have come to ruin my date. You guys can come out now." Ruben crossed her arms and waited for her brother and sisters to appear from the darkness but they didn't. Instead there was still no response, which scared Ruben. "Okay this isn't funny. Whoever you are, this counts as harassment and stalking." She then heard a giggle in the distance. "Oh so this is funny to you?" Ruben started moving closer to the noise.

"You probably some fast tail ass little boy.." As Ruben got closer and closer, she stopped in front of deck. The deck led to the water that reeked. Ruben covered her nose and turned back around. "God, I forgot how that smells." As she walked away, she heard the noise again. "Okay, that's it! This shit ain't funny! You're being fucking- AHH!" Ruben could feel her heart leap out of her chest from the image she was looking at. A woman who looked exactly like her stood from a chair on the deck, covered in blood. Ruben ran so fast that she didn't even care where she was going, she just hoped it was away from the woman she had just saw. "Jay! Jay we have to go!"

There was no sign of Jay anywhere. Ruben stopped her running to give herself some time to breathe. When she looked up, she saw a basket full of fruits and cheese sitting on a blanket, and while noticing Jay's shoes. "Oh thank God. I'm sorry that I didn't stay in the same spot I–"

"Run." Ruben stopped talking and her eyes trailed up to her boyfriend. Fear struck into Ruben's eyes, watching the love of her life bleed out from a long knife being stabbed through his stomach and chest. Blood ran from his mouth to knees. Flies swarmed him and his legs trembled. "Jay..Jay!"

Jay's eyes rolled back and fell out of his sockets as his body went limp. Blood splattered all over Ruben. She couldn't move, she couldn't talk. She looked down at the man who she once loved and adored. His body had so many holes in it and his insides had been gutted and cut. Jay could feel tears fall down her face until Jay's hand grabbed her ankle and Jay looked up at her. "Save... me..." Ruben snatched her ankle and ran until she couldn't see Jay anymore. Ruben continued to run until she made it to the police station.