[Chapter Thirteen]
(Gabriella's P.O.V.)
We all looked at each other with concerned expressions plastered to our faces.The footsteps had stopped, and the rustling in the woods had turned to silence almost as quickly as it had started.
"You heard that right?" my heart raced as I looked at my two confidant's for answers.
They both nodded, eyes not leaving the wooded area. Just as we thought someone was in the forest, a small squirrel ran into the road. We all sighed in relief as the helpless creature scurried away.
"I thought it was going to be her." Tommy sighed, running a hand through his bronzed hair.
"Me too." I agreed, searching my bag for my car keys.
We stood there awkwardly for a moment before anyone said anything.
"I should get going, I don't need a dead body to be found at my house..." I laughed, as if I was shrugging off the entire situation.
Neither Leah nor Tommy gave me any satisfaction.
"Be careful Gabs. She's mega dangerous." Leah sighed, pushing her loose curls out of her eyes.
"I'll meet you in the car, Leah." Tommy shooed, throwing her the keys. "I think you should call the police, and tell them everything." he sighed, slipping his hands into his pockets.
"I think she's more . . . diabolical then we're giving her credit for. She's always one step ahead. . . " I tugged at my sweatshirt sleeves.
The thought of Elsie always being ahead, and even the police not being able to stop her, killed me inside. I would never be safe.
Tommy seemed to notice, he gently lifted my chin, so I would look up at him. His eyes were devastatingly beautiful, the way they twinkled in the sunlight, and had a spark of mystery too.
"Then we'll just have to be two steps ahead of her-- beautiful." he grinned, pulling my chin closer to his face.
I had to stand on my tippy-toes just to reach his lips. We kissed for a moment, and I swear there were fireworks bursting. Sadly it had to end, with Leah beeping the horn at us.
"I've got curfew, you love birds." she yelled outside the window. Her aviator sunglasses hid the tension behind her voice. I think she knew it wasn't safe being in the middle of nowhere.
I felt my face reddening, and I bit my lip in embarrassment. "See you, later." I smirked, flipping a stray hair out of my eyes.
"Soon?" he asked.
"We'll see." I responded flirtatiously.
As they pulled away, I waved and beeped my horn before pulling away as well. It felt good to have other people knowing the truth.
~
After Tommy had turned off the highway to take Leah home, I suddenly felt very alone on the open roads. I kept checking my rear view mirror, to make sure there wasn't anyone following behind me.
Tommy's voice kept ringing in my head, "Then we'll just have to be two steps ahead of her, beautiful." He called me beautiful. Beautiful. I don't recall ever being called beautiful. Gorgeous, sexy, hot, pretty? Yes. But, beautiful had a different meaning. Not something to describe just my looks or my confidence, instead, me as a whole. I liked that. Those other adjectives were nice momentarily, but it wouldn't last forever. Something as simple as being called 'beautiful' seemed to make my tummy fill with butterflies. A simply lovely feeling.
Then there were his kisses. Oh his kisses. I shiver just thinking about them, how he's so gentlemen-ish about touching me. How it doesn't seem so forced, more like he's fine with taking his time, no rush. That's how relationships are supposed to be, I think. For some reason when Tom and I kissed, it was a feeling I never got with Max. It was as if I had never been truly in love with Max, maybe he was just apart of the popularity package all along. But, he was apart of my past now, and it was nice knowing someone was willing to wait for me, even better that it was Tom.
As I pulled into my driveway I hesitated. It seemed as though no one was home yet, and I wouldn't want to be caught alone with Elsie. Instead I just sat in my warm and inviting car, and waited. Pulling out my cell phone to call Taylor, and see where she was.
"Hi, you have reached Taylor Smith, not here so you know what to do..." her voice was followed by the obnoxious 'beep'.
I hung up without hesitation. She never listened to her messages anyways. Taylor's mantra was; if it was important, you would keep calling. Smart, but stupid at the same time. So I waited, looking at the flowers that escalated up the porch, they were Taylor's prized possessions. When I asked her why they were so important she'd give a simple answer, 'because they are innocent'. If there's one person on this planet who will give you a round-a-bout answer, its Taylor. She will keep you guessing, and surprise you multiple times.
Instead of thinking of other things, I continued to stare at my sister's 'innocent flowers'. I guess she's right in a way, they never hurt anyone. Their beauty is there just to be admired, nothing hanious about it. If only the rest of the world was like that, pure and innocent.
My thoughts were jostled by a tap on my window. I instantly screamed, not realizing who it was. Only to be Kat. She looked horrible, her hazel eyes had bags beneath them, and she was breaking out all over her 'T-Zone'. I quickly unlocked the door, and let her in.
She had a bandage on her arm, and a bloody lip. "What the hell happened to you?!" I asked, grabbing her injured arm.
"Its not safe here, Gabby." she responded monotone, as I searched the glove box for a miniature first aid kit, my dad had required I have.
"I figured that much." I giggled, gesturing to my locked vehicle. There was no sign of my first aid kit, so I grabbed tissues.
I dabbed at the side of her mouth. There was blood still spilling out of a small hole. It seemed like she had been attacked with a needle or pencil of some sort."What happened to you, Kat?"
She glanced out the window then back at me, "People are going to die, do you hear me?" Her voice seemed shrewed, and cold. Whatever had happened, gnawed at her bubbly persona for sure.
"What happened to you?" I demanded, examining her bandaged wrist.
"Listen to me, Gabby--" she yelped in pain, as I unwrapped the poorly wound bandage. "Elsie is going to come for you. I saw her planner. KG-Day was written next Monday. . . " she whimpered.
"KG?" my voice was hoarse from screaming at her entry.
"Kill-Gabriella-Day."
My heart stopped. This wasn't a game anymore, this bitch wanted me dead. She had to kill whoever got in her way, and she would stop at nothing to gain what she wanted. Something tells me that the 'Winston sisters' murder was not her mother's doing.
"Oh." was all I could manage, as I put my hand to my head.
"She's not playing around--" she let out a shriek of pain, there was a piece of glass protruding from a wound hidden in her leg.
"Oh god Kat. We need to take you to the hospital." I brought my hand to my mouth. I was getting that feeling, the kind you get right before you're going to vomit.
Kat's words came out in spurts, between tears, "No. Then, she'll kill me." She had tears falling down her cheeks, and her perfected make-up was smeared all over her face and shirt sleeves.
"Then you need to come inside, we have to bandage everything properly." I said, unlocking my door.
I checked in all directions before getting out of my compact. I didn't know what Elsie was capable of anymore, so I wasn't willing to risk anything at the moment. If Kat wasn't in such bad shape, I probably would have just stayed in the car, but given the circumstances...
I unlocked the door, and wrapped an arm around Kat's waist, yes this would have been awkward if not in this situation. But hey, you gotta do, what you gotta do. We stumbled trying to get our balance a couple times before successfully getting into my kitchen.
"Hello?" I yelled, making sure no one was home.
Silence.
"I don't think we should be here alone." she whispered, hoisting herself into a chair.
"I don't know where anyone is, Kat."
The house was dark, too dark. The moon was hidden behind some clouds, and I felt an eerie presence. There wasn't even a night light that Kylie requested out. Everything was completely silent, and dark.
Ignoring my thoughts, I unwrapped Kat's disgusting bandage. Her wound was deep, enough for stitches even, there was lots of blood. The pre-vomit feeling was coming back, I always had been a queasy one. As I was just about to get the first aid kit from the bathroom, the front door swung open.
I quickly reached for a kitchen knife, when the person didn't move. "Don't come any closer." I yelled.
The person emerged, ignoring my pleading remarks. It wasn't Elsie at all, it was Taylor.
"I'm not Freddie Kruger, so calm down. Can't a girl smoke a cig?"
I let my back hit the counter, and just stood there dumb-founded. "I--I-- I thought you were, Elsie." I cringed.
"Elsie?" she asked, quizzically, she pulled off her black raincoat, and sat on the sofa.
"That's what I said."
My sisters ensemble seemed different. Her frizzy hair was straightened, her dark make up gone-- now replaced with bright red lipstick, and a light grey v-neck. She made her way to the kitchen, and her face quickly changed from confused to pure horror.
"What.The.Hell. Happened to you?" she gasped, lightly touching Kat's wrist.
"Elsie." I answered for her, I had gathered that much.
"You're kidding right?" but she wasn't laughing, she almost seemed like she could believe it.
"No." Kat gulped, looking at our Ficus that was standing on our kitchen table.
The room got quiet again. Kat continued to stare at the little tree, while my sister and I exchanged horrified expressions. "I think we should call the cops." Taylor's voice interrupted the silence.
"No." Kat said point blank, once again monotone.
"Why not?" I asked, walking towards her, and sitting down next to her.
"You're Ficus needs water."
"Forget the damn plant, Kat. Why the hell shouldn't we call the cops?"
"Because, she will kill me."
Taylor came and sat across from us. She looked concerned, "I get it, Kat. Look, I had a hunch something was up with her. No one goes around trying to be exactly like someone, especially like you." she pointed at me.
"How'd you know?" Kat wondered, suddenly coming out of her trance like state.
My sister played with her hair, until it was tied back into a loose braid.
"Simple. When someone watches everything someone else does, so intensy, you figure it out. Doesn't take an Einstein."
Again the silence returned, I suddenly wondered why I hadn't told Taylor sooner. "We should fix you up." I said, pointing to Kat's wounds.
"Yeah. And then we'll talk to mom and dad, later." she sighed, grabbing an apple from the counter.
After we had finally finished fixing Kat up, my sister took a deep breath, and looked out the window. I could tell something was seriously bothering her. Taylor never keeps her thoughts inside, if she has something to say, she says it.
"Speak."
"When I asked mom what Elsie looked like prior to her arrival--" she paused, "Never mind, this is probably all just a prank."
I crossed my arms and walked over to her, "This isn't just a prank, and you know it."
With that, the door opened and to all of our dismay's, it was my impostor.
"Oh Kat! You look horrible, poor thing, should probably put some ice on that." she blew a kiss at her.
We all just glared at her, as she walked up the staircase, disappearing into her room. She knew we knew, she had to, right?
"We'll talk to mom and dad later." my sister said, walking out of the kitchen.
I turned my attention to my best friend. She had returned to her trance, she seemed frantic to get out of my house. So I did what I thought was best, left with her.
When I finally pulled up to her house that was ten minutes away from mine, I put the car in park, and we sat silent. I had a flash of memories, as I stared out at her front yard. I could remember the smell of the lilac bush next to her bedroom window, after it would rain. How we would dress her dog Malluck up every Halloween, and tie him up to the Maple tree, when we went trick or treating. I would have never imagined that one day, we'd be sitting here waiting for our murders to occur.
"Maybe you shouldn't talk to me anymore, Kat." I said quietly, breaking the silence.
She shot be a glance, and a whip lash of fear came over her, "I'm not going to coward away from you because of her. That's not what best friends do."
More silence filled the car, when she without warning, opened the door and got out. "Be safe, kay Gabs? I'll see you tomorrow." with that, she waved and headed into her lit up house.
I had never in my life, ever been afraid of the dark. But now at seventeen years old, I've never been more scared of anything. You never know what's lurking, whose watching, or whose planning you're death.
*A/N: Whadya' think? There will probably be a lot more chapters, until we find out if Elsie kills Gabriella or not. Lots of questions will be answered, many more surprises will arise. So what do you predict? Will Elsie kill Gabby? Did Elsie kill the Winston sisters? And what about that mysterious voice that Elsie always has, what's up with that? Hmmm... tell me what you all think!* Stay beautiful!