Chapter 6 ~ Never Trust a Stranger
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I sigh for the hundred times feeling the boredom. It was just right before lunch and the whole morning classes was the most boring lesson I been in. Two classes I share with Polly, English and Math in advance class, in other words with the seniors. Oh joy!
Write now it was History, senior’s history and they are talking about the World War II something I already studied in the boarding school my previous guardian had sent me to.
My eyes soon began to get heavier as Mrs Monroe or was her name Moore, anyway, she continues to talk about the war while I struggle to hold my eyes open. I began chanting excuses in my head why I should open my eyes but nothing seems to work as thought soon drift to nothingness and my eyes remained close that is until I heard a giggles.
The giggles were unmistakable a child giggles and I was sure it this child wasn’t far away from me as the giggles were loud. Quickly opening my eyes, I jumped from my seat as a pair of green eyes stares at me face to face startling me in the process.
“Miss Valentine, is there a problem?” Mrs Monroe or Moore look at me annoyed for disturbing her class.
I look at her before drifting my gaze to the little girl staring up at me with an innocent smile on her face before moving my gaze back to her. “I…” I trailed off as I cleared my throat. “There was a spider.” I lied.
Some of the girls near my table soon fidgets and began look around when I said the word ‘spider’. “Settle down.” Mrs Monroe or Moore said before look back at me. “Miss Valentine please takes a sit and please don’t interrupt my lesson again.” I nod my head and sat back down while she continues with her lesson.
“Sorry.” The little girl said looking guilty. I nod my head and smile a bit before looking at my textbook, pretending to listen to the lesson. “Can you play with me?”
I look back at the little girl, her curly hair was tied up apart on both side of her head as the hair falls just inches above her shoulder. Her face was shape in a heart with a straight, small nose reminding me of a button. Her bottom lips were fuller that her upper one which looks more like a line but her lips was pale pink something I always wish I had. Her skin was still flawless and pale like her silver-blonde hair.
I look back down on my book before stealing a glance at the child who looks upset. “Play with me!” She demanded angrily stomping her foot. I look back at her with blank expression, letting her know her spoiled attitude doesn’t have any effects on me.
She moved to my side, arms cross on her chest as she glares at me. At the corner of my eyes I can clearly see her floral pattern dress with a cup sleeves and the hem reach just below her knees while she wore a nude-peachy sandals. “Play. With. Me!”
The tables soon began to shake slightly startling everyone in class before they looked panic. I sigh once again before rubbing my temples in a circler motion trying to calm myself.
When I was a child I always believe that ghost can lift or move stuff like we see in horror films but five years ago, I learn that they can’t do such thing. In fact they do something more annoying. They release an energy causing things to shake like there’s an earthquake like what is happening now or they can focus on one object and that one object can cause more damage than you thought once it explode into bits.
“I play with you later.” I said in a low voice but I knew she heard me as the shaking stops making people in the room sigh in relief before they broke into chatters telling each other how they are freaked out by the ‘earthquake’.
“When?” She asks cheerfully. I look at her before looking back at the whole class. I was about to answer her but I was cut off by the sound of the bell.
Save by the bell
I smiled to myself as I gathered my stuff like everyone else. The little girl however was confuse as everyone had stood up and some had walk through her. This seems caught her attention as she look at me with wide eyes.
The poor girl doesn’t even know she’s dead.
I look at her with sympathy before getting out of the other side of my table and heading to the door. I look back one last time to see how the girl was taking it only to see nothing. I frown and walk to my locker in worries.
“What did your locker do to you?” Jackie teases before I ease my frown eyebrow.
“It refuses to open the first time.” I said happy that it was true but he didn’t know I was frowning before I even arrived to my locker. “Do you have lunch next or are you in the other lunch group?”
Jackie links his arm around mine as we walk through the parting student who look at Jackie with worried and a fake smile on there face. I look around before I look at Jackie who smiles down at me and mouthed ‘I tell you later’. I nod my head letting Jackie leads me to the cafeteria.
“Guess we both have the same lunch time then.” I muttered to myself before Jackie laugh and playfully slaps my arms but he seems to underestimate his strength as the slaps actually hurts.
“Me, Polly, Rachel, Danny, Brad, Andy and Travis all have the same lunch hour.” Jackie said still smiling as we grabs a tray and walks to get in line one the student who was once lining had given way for Jackie while Jackie pulls me to the front of the line looking like a lose puppy.
“Okay, that’s weird.” Jackie chuckles at my statement before shaking his head. I look at the food in front of me scowl. There were too many foods and all seems to be so good. “Can I please have a steak with chips and mixed vegetable?”
The woman smile at me before grabbing a steak, a few chips and some mixed vegetable and put it on the plate. “Do you want any gravy?” I nod my head and she put some gravy on my steak and hand me the plate.
I kindly took it and put in my tray before look at Jackie’s order which was slightly the same with mine but he had peas and corn instead of mixed vegetable. Jackie walked first not before stopping in front of this fridge we usually see in supermarkets or the corner shops where all the bottle of drinks, yogurt and any foods that need to be put in the fridge are place. Jackie grabbed a strawberry a yogurt and a diet coke while I grabbed a flavoured water and tiramisu before we head to the cashier and paid our food.
I followed Jackie who seems to walking towards the centre of the cafeteria where Rachel and two fake blondes from this morning was sat laughing at something. I stops before looking around the room and was thankful to see Polly waving her hands in front to get my attention.
I was about to head towards them when Jackie pulled my arm and drags me to the table he was walking to. “You have to sit with me today.” He said with the look of regret and pleading.
“Why?” I ask confuse.
“I’m gonna die of boredom here.” Jackie said in a low voice. I look at him still confuse as hell. He sighs before looking at me and leans closer to whisper something. “These people are not really our friends, they just one day decide to hang with us and kick the others out of the table. However, Rachel and I are like trapped from them. if we refuse to hang out with them they’re going to bully the others like they did during sophomore years.” He pulls back and did this puppy dog eyes thing.
I rolled my eyes and mumble ‘fine’ before looking back at Polly and mouthed ‘sorry’ while she smile and nod her head clearly understanding why I’m ditching her.
“Hey Jack! Who’s your little friend?” A guy with the school jersey on said. He was leaning on his chair arms around two girls beside him who check me up and down before giggling like idiots.
“Oh, this is my friend Jill.” Jackie said clearly annoyed but this seems to unnoticed by everyone else except Rachel who look at Jackie with concern.
Jackie sat down and I soon followed wondering why he didn’t introduce everyone in the table. “Oh, I just remember. I heard you have art with Mrs Dent, so…” He trailed off as he put a slice of steak in his mouth with his veggies while I did the same still looking at him. “We’re in the same class.” He said excitedly after swallowing his food. I grin at him as he continues to talk to me and sometimes would bring Rachel in the conversation only to be pulled out by the two bimbos from this morning.
Mentally I keep rolling my eyes at them while I listen to Jackie until I choke on my veggies as a familiar girl stood in the middle of the table looking said and terrified.
“What’s going? Why everything seems to go pass through me! I’m not a ghost right? I’m solid not like on those films where they seems to be…to be…” The little girl trail off like she was looking for the right words while Jackie pats my back as I try my best to breath properly again.
“Are you alright?” Rachel asks clearly concern as Jackie. I nod my head and drank my water.
“Like in those movie where you can see pass them!” The little girl suddenly said. Tears creeping down her cheeks as she looks at me.
As I drank my water I knew how confuse she was. I was the same five years ago as I began to see them in a solid form and not what the movies always told us. They’re not see through or shimmering. They are just plain solid like they are still alive, with colours and a normal body temperature that can be easily mistaken as they are as alive as me.
I brought my drinks down and breathe deeply before looking at Jackie and Rachel smiling gratefully at them. “I’m alright.” I said with a rough voice before clearing my throat. “Excuse me. I think I need the ladies room.” I said before grabbing my tray and giving it to the lady who was collecting the trays at the exit.
“Where are you going?” The little girl voice said not far behind me. I walk to the nearest ladies room and once I was in, I look at every cubicle before turning at the little girl who’s been following me around.
“What’s your name?” asks squatting down to my knees to be in same eye level as the girl.
“Tiffany, Tiffany Clark.” She said looking at me with blank expression.
Something about her blank look gives me a strange warning feeling like my instinct was telling me to run away but ignoring the feeling I look at Tiffany and smiled. “Is there something you forgot to bring with you?” The girl tilt her head on the side confuse written on her face. “You know you’re…” I trailed off not sure if the girl would handle it alright. “You’re dead, you know that right?” The girl sadly looks at the floor and nods her head. “Then what’s preventing you to cross to…” I thought for a better word to explain it to her. “What’s holding you back to go to heaven?” I said smiling at her.
“I’m going to heaven?” The little girl asks with a smile on her face making me chuckles at her cute face before nodding my head. “Yay!” She said throw her hands in the air and dance around before suddenly stopping and looking at me with sad eyes. “Mommy’s locket.” I tilt my head on one side and look at her in confusion. “I forgot mommy’s locket. She gives it to me for my eight birthdays.”
I smile at her and ask her address which she happily gives it to me before she disappeared. I walk out of the ladies room only to see it was empty and felt chills run down my spine.
“Don’t go.” A voice whispered making me look around like a crazy person. “Don’t believe at what she said.” Ignoring the voice I made my way back to the cafeteria. “She’s lying.” The voice continues. The sight of the cafeteria and the sound of chatters and laughter made me sigh in relief. “I’m warning you, don’t go or you’ll regret it.”
I stop just a few metres away from the entrance and thought of the voice. I was sure that the voice was male as it was low and masculine but there was something about his voice that continue to nag in head like I heard the voice before.
“Jill?” I look up to see a worried looking Polly. “Are you alright?”
I smile at her reassuring before nodding my head. “Yea, I was just thinking if what I forgot. You know how it feels when you keep thinking you forgot something important but you can’t remember it what ever you do to try remember.”
“Oh, I know exactly what you mean.” Polly said clearly understanding and I felt guilty for slightly lying to her. “Anyway, Jackie said he’ll wait for you at your locker.”
“Thanks and I’m sorry about earlier.”
“Don’t worry about that.” Polly chuckles before shaking her head. “Trust me I been there and I understand what you been through.” She looks down at her wrist watch before looking at me apologetic. “I love to have to chat more with you but if I don’t hurry I’ll be late for gym and Miss Burton would kill me.”
I smile at her and gave her a hug. “See you in chemistry then.” I said before we pulled apart and we walk towards our destination which pretty much opposite from each other.
“There you are! I have been waiting here for ages.” Jackie playfully pushes me while I stuck my tongue at him and smile.
Art and chemistry was a fun class being with Polly and Jackie in the same two lessons. On the way home, Jason picked up Rachel along with Travis, Andy and Brad while Polly rode with Jackie and Danny on the way home and Grandma Mo picked me up as she promise.
I told her everything that happen leaving out the part about Tiffany. After dinner, everyone went to do their thing. “I’m going to buy something in the art shop.” I said to Grandpa Pete who pats my head and told me to be careful.
I left the house and made my way to the address Tiffany gave me this afternoon. I followed the direction on the printed route on my hand and soon found myself standing in front of an old burned house.
I look around the neighbourhood where most of them got their blinds close or in doing their own thing. I made a beeline towards the house ignoring the entire obstacle on the ground.
When I reach the house, there was literally nothing left of it, just burned woods and objects that was hard to identify what it was before it got burned. Using my foot to clear some ashes on the floor, I look flash the light around the floor, looking for a locket that I had no clue what it actually looks like.
Dear lord, this place stink!
“Get out!” The same male voice shouts in panic before a burned piece of wood in the corner shattered in pieces. Thankfully for my fast reflex I dock and covered my head with my hands.
I look up and around what was left of the house looking for a sign of another exploding stuff. The light from my flashlight dance around the four corners of the house but there was no sign of any movement or noise until a giggling voice penetrate the once silent air.
“You know when I was still alive, mommy and daddy always told me not to talk to strangers even if they are the same age as me or younger.” I look to my right and there stood Tiffany with an innocent smile on her face but her eyes held something else.
I cuss under my breath, feeling stupid at the same time
I should have trusted my gut!
“I told you she’s lying.” The same male voice mockingly said with a tint of amusement.
“Oh shut up you stupid voice.” I grunt and glare at Tiffany who got a maniac look in her eyes. “Crazy bitch.” I said to myself but not low enough as the woods around me began to shake and when I look at Tiffany she was now glaring at me.
Oh shit! This time her looks could kill, literally!