Finding a 'Ghost'

Chapter 4 - Not Over Yet

I sat alone in my room. I liked my room, it was beautiful. Elegant. A room made for someone of my wealth. The silver wallpaper was decorated with posters from my favorite bands and singers. My huge bed looked inviting with silk sheets and large black blanket which would soak me with warmth as soon as I wrapped myself in it.

A walk-in closet filled with clothes which I hardly wore. A desk was pressed against the wall across my room, littered with blunt pencils and used pens. There were textbooks on the desk, and books in which I did my work. My most prized possession rested amidst the mess on the desk.

A notebook. A notebook which contained all my inner thoughts. Thoughts which I had never voiced out loud. It showed all of the emotions which I kept shut inside, and I turned it into music. I loved music for as long as I could remember. I still remember when my mom had bought me my first guitar. I had stayed up all night trying to play. My mom soon got me a teacher, unable to handle the screeching of my guitar. After a few months, I could play guitar even in my sleep and I started making my own songs. And there was nothing like it. It was all raw emotion. 

Which was why I was strumming my guitar, wondering what it was that I was feeling. Immediately, I thought guilt. Guilt because I did nothing. I saw a man murdered right in front of my eyes and I told no one. Not a soul knew what I had witnessed.

And yet I still did nothing. I didn't want to change that. I wanted to, but something held me back, because when it had happened, I knew I couldn't have done anything to stop him from getting murdered. That was what scared me. The feeling of being helpless, and the murderer hasn't stopped.

I had ruffled through some old newspapers, and sure enough I found more about the mystery murderer. All of whom he killed were random, or at least there was no clear connection between them. They had nicknamed him 'the Ghost', because like a ghost he left no trace. It was as if he wasn't a part of the world. 

I knew I shouldn't be obsessing over it, but I couldn't help it. I had always been curious, and it was dangerous. Curiosity killed the cat after all, and 'The Ghost' was certainly tugging on my curiosity. I will try though. I will try to stay out of this. I will try to use my common sense, and yet when you are curious, small things like that simply disappear.

I needed to get out of the house. It was killing me to be locked up inside, but I was not the only who had heard of the murderer. My mom had forbidden me from going outside, taking precautions to ensure I stayed, unless I was leaving for school. She was determined to keep me from meeting the murderer. If she only knew that I had already crossed paths with them. 

I was not allowed to leave home, save for school, until Saturday morning when I told her I had to work. It took a certain amount of persuasion, but I finally manage to convince her into letting me leave. Unfortunately for me, it was only so I could go to work.

I worked at a cafe very close to school. It was a cozy-looking place and students often went there. I knew I didn't necessarily need to work; my mom could buy me anything I wanted, but I didn't want to be one of those rich spoiled brats. In fact, very few people even knew I was rich. I liked being like everyone else. 

I looked into the mirror. I was in the changing rooms, putting on my uniform. The uniform was fairly simple, but not ugly as most uniforms often were. A silk maroon shirt was tucked into my black skirt. I wore tights underneath; I liked staying covered up. I slipped on my black boots, most waitresses were required to wear high heels, but seeing as how uncomfortable I was in them, and clumsy, my boss had allowed me to wear boots instead.

My boss knocked on the door, calling for me to get out. Pushing my bag into my locker, I did. My boss, Blake Daniels, was an old man with grey hairs who was like a father to me. Like a father to me and my mom. He had been there for us when my father had died, and he had given me this job on my request.