Next Door

Twenty-Six

"What's wrong with me!?" I yell softly cupping my head so frustrated with my current predicament. If only I had listened to Dean and hadn't climbed up that latter!

I lean my weight up against the couch and I guess it's too much weight because the couch starts to slide which causes me to lose my already horrible balance and fall to the floor.

I'm sloppily on all fours and a smell hits me. A strong one.

It smells like bleach.

I raise my hands to smell them and they smell like straight bleach. I finally gain an unblurred vision and look down where my hands were just a few seconds ago. The beige rug is slightly discolored. It looks like a dark muddy brown compared to the other lighter parts.

Curious I push the couch back some more and I can see it's a huge stain and the bleach smell hits me harder.

With the help of the moonlight I look at the corner of the couch and at the very bottom I see a deep dark blood red... a splotchy red. A red that has strokes in it as if to try and erase it.

I stare at it for I don't know how long my body completely frozen in space and I start to shake. Immediately it feels as if I have wet cold mud on my skin and I stand up quickly pushing the thought out of my head.

I shakily push the couch back to its rightful place and make my way to the kitchen.

Walk-running I look through almost five cabinets before I'm able to locate the cups. I grab one and turn on the faucet filling the cup up with water, not caring if its tap, and gulp down the entire cup in record time.

My mind still buzzing, I'm completely still thinking about the red on the couch and bleach smell emanating from it, I try to think about other things finding myself looking around the kitchen and the front foyer.

'Maybe I need to just go back to sleep' I think, my heart still pounding in my chest.

I put the glass cup down and walk slowly out of the kitchen. Making my way back to the hallway I hear a knock at the door. This stops me in my tracks and makes the hairs on my neck stand up.

I stand completely still so I don't make any noise at all. I can practically hear my heartbeat and I stand still for what feels like 10 minutes.

I get the courage to start back walking when I hear a soft unfamiliar sound come from the front door. It sounds as if something slid across the floor.

Curiosity eating me up, I look behind me and I see a white piece of paper on the floor about a foot away from the entrance.

I make my way slowly to the front door and crouch down to pick up the white piece of paper .

It was what looked like basic printer paper folded in half.

I open up the paper and my heart stops completely and I feel the need to scream, but I cover my mouth quickly.

On the white piece of paper written in black marker almost angrily were the words.

"I know you killed my Abuela, and I know that missing girl next door has something to do with you two sick fuckers!!!"

My mouth runs dry, and I stand still. After minutes of standing in disbelief I gain the courage to walk to the door. Slowly unlocking it my heart pounding, I inch it open. The cool summer air creeps into the foyer and the night is silent, except for the sound of what sounds like someone running away. The sound gets softer and softer. I stand in the doorway completely stuck, full of fear, uncertainty, and confusion.

Out of nowhere the light to the foyer turns on.

I turn around fast and bump into a chest. Before I can register what's going on the front door slams shut behind me and is locked quickly after .

I look up and see Dean, his hair looks disheveled and his eyes look wild.

I quickly crumble the paper in my hands and stuff it into my back pocket, wanting to keep the message to myself.

I look back up at Dean and swallow , fear growing exponentially in my chest. My throat feels like it's closing.

"I just needed some—" I start to say when I feel a hand strike my face,  slapping me, causing my head to spin facing the wall.

I grab my left cheek, it burning, and I shakily look up at Dean his eyes cold and filled with pure anger.

I'm too stunned. I can't even make a sound.

I then feel his hand grab the back of my neck, and he starts forcibly leading me down the hallway I found myself in earlier.

I walk-run to keep up with his pace tripping over my feet. I claw at Dean's hands but his grip on the back of my neck doesn't waver.

"Please stop!!I'm sorry!!" I scream to Dean but he doesn't even pay me attention driven by his anger.

"Mark! Mark! Please help me!!" I scream at the top of my lungs.

Dean just laughs as we pass Mark's room. I steal a quick glance to my right not seeing him in there.

Hot tears start to stream down my face as we make it to my door at the end of the hallway. My room light is already on, and I finally see Mark. In my room.

I look at Mark as Dean pushes me into the room causing me to stumble and trip, falling onto the floor . I look back at Dean in the doorway and his fists are clinching and unclinching.

"You'll learn to be obedient and not leave !!" Dean screams so loudly it shakes me to my core.

Tears stream down my face and my vision becomes blurry.

I scramble over to Mark and I feel his hands on my shoulders helping me up.

I fall into his arms shaking.

"Dean you're scaring the girl" he says in an oddly  calm way, causing me to look up at him, I see him still staring towards the door where Dean is.

I feel his big hand rubbing the sore part of my face where Dean slapped me. The warmth from his hands start to make me feel safer and more comfortable.

Too afraid to even turn around and face Dean. I close my eyes burying my face in Mark's chest.

"I'll take care of her disobedience" I hear Mark say.

All the comfort leaves my body.

I feel Mark take my hair twirling it in his fist, and grab it tightly.

My blood runs cold as he pulls my head back with my hair.

I'm forced to look up at him.

"So tell me babygirl, what do you remember?" Mark says looking into my eyes with a cold calculating look I've never seen him show before.

Hey guys hope you enjoyed this chapter, probably the longest one I've written for this book. Thank you for being patient with me!

Who are y'all more scared of and why?? 🤔🤔🤔