Wren's P.O.V
I haven't seen Jack in a week now. This also means six days until I graduate and go live with him. But then what? I can never go back into this town with the name Wren Anderson. I'm supposed to go missing.
And what'll I do once I move in? Moving in with with someone is a huge step. Are we gonna get married someday? Have children? What kind of world would our hypothetical children grow up in? I think about these questions so hard my brain starts to literally sting.
In the middle of my thoughts, I hear a tap on the widow. I open the window and feel the Saturday night air on my face. I look down just a tad; it's Jack. "What are you doin' here?" I ask.
"I was wondering if you wanted to come over. I'd like you to meet the other Creepypastas," he says.
"Yeah sure. But it's nine o'clock... what am I gonna tell my parents?"
"The hell if I know,"
"Alright," I say, "I'll just lock my door. I normally do that when I'm asleep anyways, so that should be what my parents assume,"
"Okay, cool," he says as he drops down to the ground.
I run over to my door and lock it. I climb through my opened window and scale the crisscrossed wood down the side of my house. It's a lot harder to do now that it's summer; in the fall there's completely no vines growing on it. But now the vines are in full flourish. "Jack?" I ask.
"Yeah," he whispers back.
"If I drop down, Can you catch me?"
"Of course. C'mon I got you,"
I look down and see him with his arms out right under me. "Alright. 3... 2... 1..!" I push off the wall and free fall for a few seconds before I land right in Jack's arms. He buckles a little bit at the impact. "You okay?" I ask.
"Never better," he smiles.
Jack places me on my feet and we hop the fence. I hold Jack's hand and we walk silently towards the woods. Those lovely woods I wish to someday call my home.
***
When we reached the cabin the lights are already on and I see people inside. Jack opens the door and all of the people turn and look at us. Jeff is here with his ever so permanent smile, a husky with a devilish smile, a lovely-looking woman with a clock for an eye (it even has the proper time!) and stitched up cheeks, and a seriously tall faceless guy in a suit. I hesitate at the door. "It's alright, Wren," Jack says soothingly.
He gestures to them all in turn. "This is Clockwork," he says pointing to the clock-eyed woman. "Slenderman," he's the tall guy with no face. "And this little 'bundle-o-joy is Smile Dog," he taps the head of the grinning husky. It gives a smile affectionate growl.
"Guys, this is Wren,"
"Hi," I say.
Everyone greets me kindly. And I smile a little. "Where's Scarlett?" Jack asks.
"Oh, the love of my life is using your bathroom. Said she suddenly didn't feel too good. I asked if she wanted to go home, but she didn't want to seem rude," Jeff answers.
"Do you know what's wrong with her?" I ask.
"Oh yeah! I forgot to mention: we just found out she's pregnant. Thanks for reminding me to tell everyone, Wren!" Jeff says.
"How far along?" asks Slenderman.
"About three weeks,"
Scarlett walks out of the bathroom. I've never met her before but I'm still happy for them. She has dirty-blonde hair and brown eyes. "I can hear you all talking about me in there," she laughs. Jeff puts an arm around her shoulders and kisses her cheek.
"Well, congratulations!" I say.
"Thank you!" Scarlett smiles.
Jack goes to sit in his chair and I go and sit beside him on the ground. I lean my head against the arm to the chair. "So," Slenderman starts. "How old are you, Wren?"
"I'm eighteen," I answer.
An awkward silence settles over the room. Clockwork just stares around with her one piercing green eye while the clock one makes its tiny ticking noises. I stupidly try to break it. "Uuuummm... I'm wondering, does everybody in here kill other people?"
"Everyone but Scarlett," Clockwork answers. I've never heard her speak and now I have, I see she has some sort of accent. Not sure what kind though.
I nod. "I just want to graduate and be out here. You all seem a bit more interesting than all of the people I know,"
"When do you graduate?" Clockwork asks.
"Friday. Then it's all done and I can leave my completely normal life behind me," I answer.
Normal is stupid. I think to myself.
***
Three days later...
School is getting too easy in the last days of it. The teachers are slacking off as much as us these days. Three more of them until I no longer have to get up in the mornings to get to my classes, no more jocks, no more popularity, no more homework, and no more attention from boys especially.
Prom tonight. Not looking forward to it too much but I only do get one prom and grad, so I may as well go. I just don't want to look stupid.
I zip up my blood coloured dress and look at it in the bathroom mirror. I smile; not too bad I don't think. I put some pale red lip stain on my lips and do my regular eyeliner job, always on my eyelids and underneath the corner lid farthest from my nose. I use mascara and a bit of blush on my cheeks.
There's this damn eyebrow hair that just won't stay down today. Normally my eyebrows look perfectly thin and in order, but no it has to be one of those days. So I decide to just pluck it out.
I put my hair into some lose curls and leave my side bangs to be curled but cover one eye. I run back to my room and put on my skull necklace and black high heels. Good, not too girly; I just kind of look like the death queen who wears black and blood red.
I walk down the stairs and mom and dad are waiting for me. Mom has a camera and dad I think is just there to see me before tomorrow morning. But they're both smiling so I know they're happy. "Oh," mom says. "I didn't even know you still had that 'best friends' necklace!"
"Yeah," I smile, "I still love it,"
I hear the girls honking the car horn from outside, I'd better go. "Wait!" mom stops me. "We need to take your picture!"
I laugh and stand by the door smiling. Mom holds the camera up to her eyes and snaps a few photos. The stupid camera flash makes me blink afterwards. My parents hug me and I head out the door.
We reached the school pretty fast, (we may or may not have gone a 'tiny bit' over the speed limit). By the time we get to the gym prom's been going on for about twenty minutes. We give our tickets to a teacher at the door and walk in.
Craig walks up to me. "Hey!" he greets me.
"Hey," I say.
"Okay, I'm not sure if this is true but people are already going around saying Harley's spiked the punchbowl. So if you want to stay safe and not get drunk, I'd not drink the punch just in case," he says.
"I'll make a note of that," I laugh.
I go and sit at a table as the first slow dance song comes on. The dress poofs up as I sit. All the girls are dancing with their boyfriends while I'm left alone, god I wish Jack was here. I always dreamt that we'd be here together, as friends back then; but still together. I watch all of the girls dance as Craig strolls up to me. "Do you wanna dance?" he asks, holding out his hand.
I take it. "Sure,"
I like it that we're still friends, even after what he tried to do to me. But as I said before: he was drunk, not much anyone can do about that. Not to mention it's in the past now. I find it weird, I'm not usually the forgiving type.
We dance close together, I look up at him and he looks down at me from his tallness. "I like your dress," he admits.
"Thanks," I say. "It was the only thing I had that wasn't too girly, but still a dress,"
We both laugh. Soon the song ends. We give a friendly hug and I head to the punchbowl.
I really want to just see if it was spiked. I take a tiny amount into a plastic cup. I smell it, it does smell a bit like alcohol. And yes I do know that it is illegal for people my age to drink it. That doesn't stop anyone though.
I take a sip, yup it's spiked. I gag, it's fucking gross! Probably mixed with whiskey. But I hate to waste so I finish it cringing. Bea walks up to me, "how's that tastin'?" she asks.
"It's spiked. I think it's whiskey," I answer. I cough.
"Damn, that's some strong stuff!" she exclaims after taking a sip from her own cup.
"I know!" I say. "I don't think I'm gonna drink anymore!"
***
Prom ended quickly. It may have been a few hours, but it felt like a few minutes. The girls dropped me off when I decided not to go to the after party. I still have school for two more days.
I quietly walk upstairs around 11:30pm. I wash my face and get into my pyjamas. I climb into my bed and close my eyes before falling into a deep sleep.
***
Grad day! School went quickly today, but now I have to go back just to receive a piece of paper. I put on a nicer shirt and jeans.
Mom and dad drive me to the school afterwards. I get out of the car with a smile on my face as I step into the sun.
My parents go and sit in the guest area and I go sit with the other graduates. The ceremony starts like it always has apparently, the principal walks up to the outdoor stage and everyone applauds. He soon starts calling up people and cracking jokes here and there, everybody laughs.
When he finally calls up my name I'm so tired of hearing names. I never knew there were so many people with A last names before mine. I walk up wearing my graduate hat and robe. I'm pretty sure my parents decided to buy it instead of rent it. Another thing to remind them of me when I'm gone.
I take my diploma from Mr. Thomas. Everyone claps but something catches my eye in the alley behind a building right across from the school yard. The Creepypastas, they're all standing there clapping, hooting and hollering. I smile and go politely sit back down in my seat.
Now I just have to wait to get home and leave for my new life.
When I get to my room I shut and lock the door. I throw off my grad clothes and get into a black tank top and ripped jeans. I put on my skull necklace and look at the clock: 5:45. Dammit, I said I'd be at Jack's for 6:15!
I leave my phone in the back of my closet. I pull out the duffel bag and throw everything into a backpack. It's easier to carry this way.
I pull out a pen and piece of paper onto my desk. I'm going to make it look to my parents like I was beaten and kidnapped. I hurriedly write a note to them.
Mom and dad~
You need to know that I am safe. There's NO need to worry about me. I just have to leave and can't come back, I'm sorry. I can't tell you where I'm going or what's going to happen to me because I don't know yet, but I'll be okay. I always have been, right? Just know that I'll always love you for everything you've ever done for me: created me, raised me, fed me, clothed me, put a roof over my head... you name it!
I don't have long to write this, I NEED to get going. But who knows, maybe I'll just be living a completely different life just not here? Remember: I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU TWO!
Love~ Your, Wren. :3 <3
To put a finishing touch onto my 'kidnapping', I cry a few falsely made tears onto the page. But it needs something else... I know! I run over to the backpack and pull out the scalpel.
I take the deadly-sharp knife and hold it to my palm. And before I can think twice, I slice my hand open. Pretty deep too. I hold my bloody clenched fist over the paper and my blood drips onto it. I smudge some drops a little bit.
I smudge some of my blood onto other things in my room. I then run over to the bathroom and grab some gauze bandages. I go back to my room and smudge some blood onto the inner doorknob. I wrap up my hand and place a few things randomly around the room to make it look like a struggle.
I put on a hoodie, sling the backpack over my shoulder, tie up my black combat boot and head out the window leaving it open. I drop to the ground. And now I head out for my new life.