The school day ended, her footsteps were accompanied by the crunching of leaves on the sidewalk. The cold evening air of early October hit her face. She knew that in a few days from now, on the fifteenth eight years ago Alice would go missing, Elijah would follow her. And then he would brutally murder her, and then kill himself. But she knows he didn’t do it. He would never do something like that, he wasn’t the type to go so far.
Crows kawed from lamp posts.
“Shut up, stupid birds.” Alex mumbled, as she continued to walk. Her damp pocket must be almost dry by now. She would have to throw away these jeans today, if anything did happen to her, and police had to do an investigation then that way it wouldn’t lead to her, because police always come up with fucked up excuses for everything. They never do anything, never protect their citizens. Oh shit, she almost forgot she had to go to the hellhole of the police station, to talk to detective Lee. It’s fine she can go tomorrow. Alex continued to walk, piles of brown and orange leaves adorned the Browns’ house. She continued to walk, until her eyes saw a familiar sight. She swallowed.
The Cortezes’ house.
The same house Alice belonged to once. The same place where a sweet girl used to live. And now it looks lifeless. As if everyone knew that a soul that once lived there, is now gone. She shook off the weird feeling she got on her shoulders, and continued to walk, she walked more until she reached the Songs’. Mr. Song was outside raking the leaves. He looked up, and smiled brightly.
“Ah, hello sweetie. How was school?” He said, standing up straight. He was a tall man, he looked tall from a distance too.
“Hello, Mr. Song. School was OK. Is Andrew home by any chance?” She said, he needed to be home, please let him be home.
“Yes. He arrived a few minutes ago. He’s in his room, I’ll go get him.” Mr. Song said, as he left the rake by a nearby tree, and went inside. Alex stood there, she couldn’t help but stare at the Cortezes’ house, which was at least three doors down the street. That same feeling on her shoulders came back. What the hell was that feeling? She doesn’t want to know, but she needs to know. Her life is on the line. Soon, she got snapped out of her thoughts, when she felt a hand on her shoulder. It was Andrew. She turned around, and looked up at him. She smiled slightly, as he smiled back.
“My dad said you were here, and of course I couldn’t refuse to see my best friend. Anyway, what's up?” He said. He was so oblivious sometimes it was almost amusing.
“Can we go to the cemetery? I feel like it’s better to talk about it there. Yeah?” She said, hoping he would agree. Who wouldn't agree to go to the cemetery with their best friend, and a girl who was secretly turning insane? Now that’s fun.
“Uh, sure?” Andrew said, his eyes showed concern, but he agreed anyway. As they walked to the cemetery Alex still felt that weird weight on her shoulders, as if someone was following her, or someone was watching her. But this time it was even stronger than the time Max was staring at her that time in the plaza. Why did she feel like this? She didn’t know. But she did know that her pocket was still damp with someone's blood. And soon someone would have her blood, not in their pocket, but their hands, they would have her dead. Maybe she was glad she was going to die sooner or later. At least she’ll solve this before she dies.
They arrived at the cemetery with a silver sign, rusted off, and very old hanging on the brick wall, as it arched over the entrance.
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‘Westmore Cemetery est. 1967’
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“We’re here. You’ll look for Elijah’s grave, I’ll go look for Alice’s grave.” Alex said. They started to walk around the cemetery, walking quietly, and slowly. She didn’t believe in people who said that if you walk loudly you would disturb the resting souls. Then why was she walking so quietly, if she didn’t believe that. Maybe because she felt that if she was too loud, she would wake Alice, and she would die. That would be a tragic death, no one would believe her. Being killed by a ghost? Now that was stupid. But maybe; just maybe she didn’t want anything to happen to her. Oh wait, too late. Something was about to happen to her. She was going to get killed, and she didn’t care. Because she would kill someone in order to get to the truth.
“Alexandra..” Someone said, Alex turned around almost tripping over a tree branch.
“Who’s there? Andrew I swear, if you’re pulling a prank on me I’ll kill you.” No answer, just silence.
“Andrew.. Come on, Andrew. I swear I-” She got cut off, when someone grabbed her arm. She looked up, her heart almost walked out of her mouth. Alice. Alice was standing in front of her. Alice Cortez, the sixteen year old girl that died eight years ago, the same girl that was allegedly killed by her best friend. The same girl Alex barely knew was standing right in front of her.
“I… I’m dreaming, please tell me I’m dreaming, please.” She said, the desperation in her voice was audible Alice scoffed.
“Of course you think you’re dreaming. But you aren’t, I’m real. Why do you want to bring eight years ago back? Tell me, why?” Alice said, Alex shook her head, she tripped over a tree branch, nearly hitting her head on Alice’s grave stone.
“Alex! Are you OK?” A voice said, a voice she knew but a voice she couldn’t identify fully.
She blinked her eyes open, Andrew stood in front of her holding his hand out.
“Harper.. It’s just me. Calm down.” He said, grabbing her hand and pulling her off the ground. She blinked, and it was him. She cleaned off the leaves that were on the back of her jeans.
“Ow.. Where did she go?” She asked, Andrew looked at her blankly.
“Who’s she?” He asked, Alex rolled her eyes.
“Alice. She was just here. Where’d she go?” Alex said, raising her voice.
“Alice? What the- She wasn’t here, she never was. Are you OK? Calm down.” He said, concerned and confused. He stepped closer, he looked into her eyes. Alex looked back up at him.
“I’m not- You don’t understand- I-” She cut off, there was a noise behind them. Was it Alice? Was it something else? Was it the ghosts of the dead souls arising from their final resting places?
“Who’s there?” Andrew said, stepping in front of Alex defensively. Alex’s heart thumped in her ears, too loud that it felt like her ears were going to bleed. Her chest felt too tight, her mind was swirling around her.
“Andrew, can we go?” She said, Andrew shook his head.
“I found something, you need to see it.” He said, and started walking in the direction of Elijah’s grave. She looked around, still terrified of what might be lurking in the shadows. She was hyperaware, she would be from now on. They came to a stop, Andrew pointed at something on the ground. A bullet with a note, blood staining the dry grass around it. Alex crouched down and observed the sight.
“A fifth one? Wait no..” She grabbed the note in her hands, part of the blood tagged along as it rested on her finger tips.
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‘I will get you Alexandra Thomas. Just you wait.’
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Alex’s heart nearly fell out of her throat once again. This was all the confirmation she needed, now she really knew someone was out to get her. To kill her, all because she wanted. No. She needed to prove Elijah innocent.
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Save him. Save herself. And save Westmore.
Save him. Save herself.
Save him. Save herself.
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That’s all she would think now. If she saved Elijah, she would save herself. And maybe, just maybe she would live. And if she didn't, who cares. No one cares anyway. No one ever will. Someone in Westmore wants her, and they will have her. They will have her killed, they will have her blood on their hands, and on notes for anyone else who crosses their path. From now on she’s just a soul about to die. All for Elijah. She will solve this, get a good grade, and die. But maybe she herself won’t die. Maybe her old self will die. Along with everything else.
The noise was too loud, the outside world was too loud. Her ears couldn’t bear it. Every small noise, every big noise mixed together. Creating a void of noise, a void in her ears that would haunt her. It’s like a bomb crashing onto the Earth.
“Alex… You should go home. It’s just five minutes from here, you’ll be fine. Please.” He extended his hand to her shoulder, but she slapped his hand away.
“I can’t, I can’t go home just yet. No, something’s off. We need to keep searching.” She said firmly. Standing up straight, tears swelling up in her eyes. She couldn’t cry, but she needed to cry. But her body wouldn’t let herself too. There’s no time to show weakness, that would be wasting time, and energy. A stray tear ran down her cheek. No, not right now.
“Alex, it isn’t good for your mental health. You’re crushing it, you’re gonna turn insane, and obsessed.” Andrew said, in a voice that you would use to talk to a lost child.
“Fuck my mental health.” She yelled, her voice echoing through the cemetery. “I don’t care. Maybe I’ll become obsessed with this stupid case. And if I do, then what? And if I die, then what? I don’t care. I need to solve this no matter what.” She said, turning on her heels, and walking the other way. She continued to walk through the cemetery. Searching for something that would point to the note, something that would make her feel safer, if that was even possible. She didn’t feel safe, so there wasn’t anything that would make her feel safe. None of this was good. She was in a cemetery, with her best friend. And a possible killer at hand. If she died right here right now then so be it, let her die right there in that cemetery where all the dead souls live. Or she could stay away from that harsh thinking, and stay positive. But was it worth being positive right now? No it wasn’t, positivity was the least of her worries right now. Alex didn’t even know if positivity was part of her anymore, maybe being positive died minutes ago.
From now on she would hide behind a facade of fake happiness and faking she’s OK. When she’s not, her mental health is dead. Her mind is also dead. The cold air hit her once again, her heart kept cracking; it would continue to crack until the last peace of it fell. She felt how her mind was a mess, one without life. How her soul was nowhere to be found. No one will ever fix this, no one will ever fix her.
Save him. Save herself. Is all she needed right now. To save Elijah, to save herself, from further ruin, from falling down further. It felt like she was falling down the rabbits’ hole, following a white rabbit to a land of surreal things. Like a queen would cut her head, and hang it on the wall. Or walking into the woods, and being chased down by a wolf. Someone was chasing her, and it wasn’t Andrew behind her. She was aware he was behind her, but that wasn’t the person following her. It was like a game of tag. She would find clues, tag them. But they were a step ahead, and would tag her back.
She nearly tripped over a branch again. It was too dark, and too loud with silence. The silence kept roaring in her ears. None of this was safe, but who cares. Her hands were wet with sweat, her face crying with sweat as well. But she only felt the cold air. Cold just like her heart, cold just like this case.This case, a case left cold, dry, untouched for nearly eight years.. But still engraved in her mind, in her heart, in her blood. A night where good, and bad happened. A night where lies took place, and where the truth sleeps in its own grave.
Westmore was turning into a hellhole. A place that barely felt the same. A place where the souls of two dead teenagers lurk, leaving sympathy, and hate. But one thing is clear. No one really is ever safe here, not her at least. Maybe whoever was after knew how to lie. They knew how to lie perfectly, a perfect lie, followed by more perfect lies. Perfect lies hiding among her, hiding in the shadows. Hiding for almost eight years. She walked further into the cemetery. Walking past grave stones, dead people who were once loved, once taken care of. Psychopaths lived among them. She knew it. Killers lived among them. She knew it. Maybe even obsessed teens like her. Psychopaths were everywhere, always crazy. Maybe there was one after her. Killers were always there, there was one after her. And she knew it. She knew someone else did it, but she can’t prove it.
“Alex.” Said a voice. The silence was so loud, she really couldn’t hear it. She hadn’t heard anyone in so long, only her thoughts in a span of about forty minutes. Only her voice, inside her head. A haunting voice. The voice of an insane teenager, obsessed with a case. A case she got herself into. A case where good and bad don’t exist. A case where there is a gray spot. A gap she will never find, until she finds something in this shitty cemetery. She turned around.
“What do you want?” Alex said; she knew she talked. But the voice didn’t sound like her, in her ears at least. It sounded like the voice of a killer that had been hiding for almost eight years. A killer that was after her. A killer that has hidden two deaths. A killer that will live inside her heart for the remainder of this case.
“We should go home. It’s late, please.” Andrew said. His eyes were tired, his voice was tired. He was tired. But she wasn’t. She wasn’t tired, maybe of living, yes. But not from searching. Soon they stumbled across a tank of some sort. She looked at it, her eyes tracing the rusted silver metal. She stepped forward, that hope coming back to her. She placed her hand over, the cold hitting her fingertips. But for her it felt like fire, and it felt nice. A chain. She tried that pin hack. Fuck it didn’t work, she kicked it. Nope, she almost broke her foot. A paper… A missing poster of almost eight years ago, Alice Cortez stared at her from the picture on the poster. She needed this, she ripped it off. Took it in her hands, she smiled, or maybe grinned. She turned around, almost pushing Andrew down, and walked her way through the cemetery to the exit.
“Alex what are you-” But she cut him off.
“Going home, like you said. See you tomorrow.” She walked out, finally seeing the light for almost an hour after being in the dark, among dead souls, among a killer. She walked home, it felt as if the world had their eyes on her. But they didn’t, she just felt watched. Blood in her heart, eyes on her. She might as well be a dead teenager walking the streets of her fucked up town. And you will never know what kind of person is next to you. You can’t trust anyone. Alex continued to walk, until she reached her home. One she hasn’t seen in hours. She entered quietly, and locked the door to keep anyone out. She went up the stairs, skipping the fifth step, and into her room, to her desk, and she awoke her laptop, and closed her window. So she could hide away from prying eyes. If she ends up getting killed, then let this be the last thing she does.
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10/10/10
10:34 PM
Project Entry #6
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I’m in trouble, and I know it. Someone is after me, and I know it. I’m going to die soon. But I won’t die until I prove Elijah innocent, the moment I prove him innocent is the moment I can finally die. I found a note in the cemetery, and a missing poster of Alice. I took a picture of it, which is nicer than I expected. I’ll upload the picture now.
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For some reason the paper was black, which is weird. The lighting was bad too so sorry for that. This is something no one would ever want to see posted around your town, especially of a sixteen year old. I’m going insane, and I’m becoming obsessed with this case.
But I’m so close to getting to the truth. So close to knowing what truly happened on that 15th of October 2002. I need to sleep too, so good night. If I die you know from what.
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Alex closed her laptop lid. And got up to go to her bed. She made sure her window curtains were fully closed. That her door was fully closed. She sighed, and got into her cold comforter. She shifted so she was now looking at the wall right next to her. It was safer than looking to her right, to her room. She felt someone looking at her. She knew it was just her making things up. But it felt real. She’s scared, scared of what might happen. But brave enough to keep doing this, to keep losing herself. To save Elijah,and herself. To prove to Westmore they’re wrong. She blinked a few times, trying to go to sleep, she yawned, that was a good sign. She was about to go to sleep finally, she had a headache.. Too much, she sat up and opened the drawer of her night stand. She looked through it, until she came in contact with a plastic bag. Perfect, the tylenols were still there. She took one, and swallowed it along with water. Maybe she could sleep now, knowing that a round white pill was going to help her. A pill supposedly recommended by doctors.
“Just go to sleep Alexandra you need it.” She mumbled to herself, she buried herself under her cover. Her eyes slowly closed, she wasn’t at peace knowing a liar was after her. But she felt safe under her cover, she drifted off to sleep, October fifthteenth was around the corner. The memorial was too. She had to speak in front of a town, a town that still thinks he’s guilty, a town where there’s a bunch of people, someone might as well be crazy and- No Alex stop. Go to sleep. She reminded herself, and she finally went to sleep.
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