Purple Eyes

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

The days rolled by slowly as I avoided Luke, secretly stared at Kyle, and especially avoided eye contact with Ms. Olivine and the two other people on the list who I learned were students at Maplebranch.

It was Friday. Possibly the best or worst day of my life- Or so I thought. It was the day to meet Kyle and also the day the list was due.

I avoided Luke all through the day so far, and I was enjoying it.

After classes ended, I decided to find out where the monument was. I started by asking Mary.

"What's a monument?" She asked when I asked her the question. I could tell she not only knew what a monument was, but where it was as well.

"You know what I'm talking about," I snapped. 'Where is it?"

"Why should I tell you? Are you off on a date with Kyle?" She rebounded. Again, she knew exactly what I was thinking.

"Maybe I am." I told her, "So where is it?"

"Well, I'll tell you, but no big ideas." She grumbled and wrote something down on her notebook.

It read 'behind the pond to the right of the shed.'

I knew where the pond was. Mary had shown me on my first day. I could easily find my way to the monument.

"Thanks," I whispered and snuck out into the evening outdoors.

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By the lake, I couldn't find the shed. It was already getting dark. I silently cursed myself for finding out where the monument was too late. I stumbled through the woods, without thinking of how to find my way back.

By the time it was dark, I was lost, scared, and annoyed.

"Hello?" I shouted, "Is anybody there?"

"I am." A voice whispered in my ear. Surprised I turned around to find not Kyle, but Luke. His dark eyes glimmered in the moonlight, though not happily.

"You didn't finish the list." He said darkly.

"I-I... I don't think I can." I peeped.

"I guess I did give it to you a little early this time..." He contemplated, "But no excuses. I gave you a lifetime to finish one skimpy list, and you never could."

"What?" I asked. What was he rambling about?

"I have known about your ability for decades." He admitted. "I was in your kindergarten class, remember? And your 5th grade class... and we had Middle school together?"

"What?" I snapped, what the hell was he saying? I knew no Luke before this creeper. "No!"

"Of course you don't. I erased your mind." He replied coldly. "I have asked you two questions and said two sentences to you in my entire life. Only two that I meant with all my heart. Over and over again- Only two." He pushed me against a tree. "To finish this list and..."

"-And what did you do? You just said, 'no.' That was all it took to break me down." He shouted. "I was weak. I just let it slip away. But now I know you are too special. I need you."

I had so many questions in my head but the first one I could think of was, "What was the second sentence and question?"

He suddenly calmed down and looked me in the eyes. They were cold and hard, but I could see pain inside of them.

"The second sentence and question was..." He started, and then looked away. " I love you. Do you love me too?"

Then he vanished, leaving me paralyzed against a tree, my breath shaking and my body quaking.

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I heard footsteps through the woods. A twig snapped here, leaves rustled there, I hoped it wasn't Luke.

Why would it be? I thought. He already ran away.

A figure stepped out of the shadows to find me slumped against the tree. It was Kyle.

"Are you ok?" He ran to kneel down beside me. "I was worried whan you didn't show up." He admitted.

"Yeah- I'm fine." I said, though I was still shocked.

"What happened?" He asked, holding out his hand to help me stand.

"N-Nothing..." I responded shakilly, standing to my feet.

"Well, I wanted to talk to you." He said softly. "I feel like I've seen you- known you before." He led me through the woods, back to the lake.

His confession schocked me. Luke said he had known me too. He said he had made me forget. Did he maybe make Kyle forget me? And I forgot Kyle?

"I have something to say too." I blurted, "Luke was just here. You know him right?"

His eyes widened, "That hag! That son of a-"

"Well, he said- believe it or not, that he erased my memory. He said he was in kindergarten with me- and 5th grade." I rambled.

Kyle stopped me, "I know. I was there too."

"What?" I asked, astonished.

"He tried to erase my memory too." He continued, "He's the devil, you know."

"I know." I whispered. "But why? Why would he do that?"

Kyle stared me hard in the eyes. "What did he tell you when he stalked you in the woods just before?"

"Uh..." I hesitated.

"You can tell me." He took my hand in his. His was warm and soft while mine was cold and dry.

"He- he told me to finish a..." I hesitated again and Kyle gestured for me to contunue. "A list." I continued, "Then he told me... he loved me..." I winced at the thought.

Kyle's face tightened. I could see anger in his eyes. He turned away and cursed Luke.

He turned back to me, breathed deeply, then confessed, "I know why Luke removed your memory and tried to remove mine. And you do too."

I stared at him and he continued, "We would fight over you. I don't think you remember."

"Wha-"

"It wasn't just verbal. It was physical. And in the end... You would always choose..." He looked at me and smiled. "That's when he would erase your memory. Not just of my, but him too. He couldn't face the pain."

Suddenly, he looked at his watch and said, "I really got to go. I have physics now. Meet me here tomorrow?"

"Of course." I smiled at him, reluctant to see him leave.

He smiled at me once more and ran off back to Maplebranch.