Different | ✔️

|| Epilogue ||

Two years had gone by and time couldn't still heal my aching heart. I grieved every day for the loss of my mother. Sometimes memories sneaked out of my eyes and rolled down my cheeks. I realised how Scarlett must have felt that pushed her into what she became, but that doesn't justify her actions.

The court verdict was death by hanging, which will be tomorrow. I placed the groceries I bought from the convenience store down the street and made a cheddar jalapeño chicken burger with guacamole. I took a bite out of it and was immediately transported to heaven.

Yummy! I should open my restaurant. Just kidding, I bought this from the new diner across from the convenience store.

I rented an apartment far away from my old residence. Staying in that house would only bring unpleasant memories. I sold it a year ago to a beautiful couple in their late 70s.

I gasped.

How could I forget?

"I didn't get tequila!" It became a habit I picked up over the years—drowning myself in alcoholic beverages to get by each day. Living was becoming unbearable. A shade of grey peeked from the root of my hair, followed by the excruciating pain that starts past two midnight till dawn. I couldn't visit any hospital cause I knew I would be turned into a human guinea pig if they figured out what substance was injected into my bloodstream. I lived with the pain for years, but gradually I'm getting used to it, plus the liquor calms me down a bit.

Living alone wasn't the best option, but I couldn't afford to bother Amira and her father. It would only hurt me further knowing that I didn't get to meet my father. So I declined her offer and moved into a place she'd never find. I picked up my coat from the black leather chair and draped it on my shoulder as I went out the door.

Tequila, here I come!

It was almost dusk when I reached the porch of my house. The attractive cashier was a bit of a flirt, and love was the last thing I needed in my life at the moment.

"Huh? I thought I locked the door." For some odd reason, my door was slightly ajar. A certain uneasiness washed over me, I thought about calling the cops but dismissed the idea and concluded I must not have locked the door. My mind went back to Scarlett, I brushed it off, but for precaution's sake, I dialled the cop's number. It rang three times but there was no response. My pulse quickened.

"Chill. She must be busy." I said to myself.

I dialled the number again, and she picked on the fourth ring. The deafening sound of the alarm across the phone pierced through my ear as I drew the phone back.

Click.

The sound came from upstairs—my room.

"I sincerely apologise for the trouble, but she somehow overpowered the cops that were leading her to her cell and found a route out. Two guards dead, three were severely injured and one missing. We've sent backup over to your place. Stay safe." She said and ended the call.

The hair on my skin rose as my gaze skimmed through my apartment in search of any object that could serve as a weapon. I placed one leg over the stairs. It creaked under my foot. Eek! That was loud.

Click. Click.

The sound continued, followed by strange noises coming from my bedroom.

Chants?

Before I could make out what I heard, I felt a light tap on my shoulder. My whole being went paralysed with fear.

How did I not notice someone was behind me?

"W-what do you want?!" My legs wobbled, I couldn't believe what was standing in front of me. A girl. Scarlett? No. It was covered in blood, with a crevice on its face, glistening dark eyes with torn white gown drenched with blood... just like that doll.

A strange laughter came from behind it. The light flickered and instantly went off. Silence engulfed the living room. "L-leave me alone. Please!" I slumped to the ground and covered my ears. The silence was deafening, slowly eating out of me.

"Why should I? You're last on my list. Your time is up." The still yet sinister voice said, which I knew had to be Scarlett's.

Pain. Intense pain shot up my head, I collapsed to the pastel-tiled floor, which was stained by my blood which trickled down my face onto the floor. A silhouette figure crouched in front of me, laughing, before my eyelids fell shut.

The sound of wild wind pounded through my ear, jerking me awake as the cool breeze snapped me to what was happening. My pupils dilated in horror. I caught sight of the figure standing at the edge of a cliff—Scarlett, waving at me.

I was falling.

Images. Odd images of different girls dying inside water kept on popping up. Different girls with the same unique features as me. Red eyes, red hair. One died inside her bathtub, someone shoved her face in until she was lifeless. The second died in a beach pool; was pushed in by someone, and also didn't know how to swim like me. The third met her demise in an underground water reservoir tank; someone led her there and locked her in. Fourth-me, about to be drowned in an ocean, pushed in by her.

A switch was flicked on in my head. What if the person responsible for their deaths is-

Before I could make sense of the vivid images that sprang up in my head, my body submerged into the ocean. Current pushed me deeper as a surge of water plunged through my nostrils, into my lungs. 

It was too late. I couldn't save myself. I never learnt how to swim. If anything, I'm glad my miserable life was finally going to end.

Help. Somebody. Anybody... I don't want to die...

Still, a glint of hope lingered somewhere within. The longing to survive... to live.

The current pushed me in deeper, the light got dimmer and dimmer. I gulped in lots of water and knew it was finally over. This was where my story ended.

Then I saw a face. A girl's face, yelling out my name.

Aurora!

"Aurora Reichmann!!" An ear-splitting voice echoed into my ear, jolting me from my slumber. My eyes darted around my surroundings. Noise and clatter pierced through my ear as I witnessed students chattering and laughing. The morning sun beamed through the windows, bouncing off the whiteboard into my eyes.

"I-I'm alive?" I stared at the reddish-blonde girl beside me, noticing my appearance in her amber eyes.

Since when was I silver-haired with ice-blue eyes? Wasn't I drowning in an ocean?

"Yeah, we all survived Mrs Bates's history class. Also, you got detention for sleeping all through her period. She tapped you, but you won't budge, so she told me to pass on the information." She giggled, placing her arm on the desk.

"Weird, I think I just had the strangest dream ever."

Or was it?

There came a familiar voice.

~~~

Hurray!!! We have finally reached the end of this journey, but fear not, we shall embark on another journey soon or maybe not too soon.

There will be a sequel to this book, which I plan to complete offline before uploading it, so bear with me if it takes a while.

Please share your thoughts on this chapter. Loved it? Let me know in the comment section.