Please Lock Me Up (Something Is Out There, Book 2) Read online

  Words couldn’t leave her mouth, she really thought he was dead.

  ‘He tacked me, drive way.’

  ‘Excuse me?’

  ‘He attacked me, he’s the one.’ His fingers stopped shaking. His head began trembling. ‘No!’ He screamed as the car drove past the man, afraid that the car might stop.

  She saw the candle man become a tiny yellow dot in the rear view mirror. That was when she noticed that she was back on a narrow path, heading into nowhere, trees just a clumped up shadow, the road ahead even worse than the one before: potholes deep enough for her tires to fall in. ‘How are you feeling?’

  There was no reply. She looked at him and saw why. There was something odd about the way his head sank into his shoulder blade, the way his lips pressed together like they were magnetized, and how his forehead looked relaxed – because that’s how he looked when she thought he was dead.

  ‘You gotta be kidding me.’ She said shaking her head. She had to look again to make sure. ‘Hey are you awake mister, are you–’ She had to focus on her driving, the potholes were appearing out of nowhere, she had to stretch her neck to look over the dashboard, some of them were big enough for a person to fall in. She drove past a few and felt like screaming. There was no way she could reverse all the way back to the candle man, and it was all his fault. She thought about what he said, something about the man attacking him, and came to the conclusion that she was now driving with somebody half-dead, and crazy.

  (5)

  It was exactly two in the morning, the music was off, the tires kept turning – and she needed to relieve herself. She looked for a good place to stop and knew that it didn’t make any difference. Looking outside made her think of her childhood, when her brother played silly tricks on her, where he would hide behind a bush and jump out as she walked by. That is how she felt when she looked at her surroundings; she anticipated things waiting for her behind trees and shrubbery, waiting for her to stop and get out. She mustered enough courage to stop and get it over with.

  Before climbing out she looked at him, an image of him driving away in her car came to mind, she shook it away and climbed out.

  The night air was cold, she could hear strange noises in the distance, and when she told herself that she didn’t want to know what it was – an image popped into her mind of an animal attacking a man. She walked away from the car and looked for a decent place to remove her skirt. She knew no one was looking so she just went behind the car.

  While squatting, she looked at the red ground and peered into the black distance. She wondered if the candle man was walking down this way, she felt stupid for driving away from him. The man in the car said it was an animal that attacked him, not a man.

  Her bladder released onto the floor. The thought of him climbing on the passenger seat and driving away came to mind again. She tried imagining what that would be like, stuck in the middle of nowhere, in darkness, with nothing. She stood up and waved her hip side to side. While pulling her skirt up, she thought of her boyfriend and imagined him holding the ring right now, wondering what happened to her.

  (6)

  She felt happy for some reason, maybe it’s because dawn made its first appearance. The sky didn’t look that threatening anymore, black was turning to blue, the unknown became visible and she could almost turn off the headlights.

  Her crazy companion, as she came to call him, didn’t move much during the night. After his little fiasco he went back to sleep, the kind of sleep where she didn’t know if he was dead or alive. The blue heaven awoke guilty thoughts in her, she remembers countless times during the night where she just wanted to drop the man off, leave him against a rock or tree. Maybe it was tiredness that destroyed all logical thinking. Looking at the light blue sky made her think that it was, she never did well with early mornings or late nights, her mind ceased during groggy hours.

  The car came to a halt. She grabbed her cell and climbed out. The morning air was cool, refreshing, but reminding. She told herself that being in denial wasn’t an option anymore, she had to fess up what was really going on, and being in fairy land was now starting to hurt her. A part of her acknowledged that she was right, denial wasn’t an option. But, another part did remind of the consequences of going through that door and facing reality head on. Was it really necessary to remind herself at how lost she really was? Wouldn’t that just evoke more panic?

  She was grateful that her cell had more than enough battery life, at least it wasn’t running out any time soon. She checked her text messages, thinking that she might have missed some, but she didn’t. The last one she received was from her boyfriend:

  -Ian-

  Hey baby, just to let you know I’m looking forward seeing you tonight, love xx

  Her smile faded into a frown, she felt sad. She kicked a rock and slid the cell down her pocket. It was no time to reminisce and she knew it, what she needed to do was get somewhere safe where there were others. But what baffled her the most, was how big and confusing the forest was, it was like an endless maze of tree and bush.

  Sparkling light could be seen between trees, the sun was coming up. It made the night creatures scatter in every direction; snapping branches in feeble attempt to stay quiet, making the ground shuffle with thumping feet, it could all be heard if listened carefully, even seen.

  She looked at the endless road in front and behind. At least she was away from those potholes, she remembers almost driving into one of them, what drama that would have caused. She decided to check on her passenger. She walked around the car and opened his side of the door.

  His body would have fell out if it wasn’t for the seatbelt. His head protruded from the car like he was sleeping amidst a nightmare never to be woken up from. She looked at his leg and now knew why the car smelled of flesh and blood; from the thigh down, purple skin. His black curly hair had so much soil in it, that it didn’t look black.

  ‘Hey…’ She said, touching his shoulder. She shook it. ‘Are you still alive?’ She stepped back thinking how absurd it was that she was asking someone if he was alive in her car. She was supposed to be in a warm bed somewhere, lying next to a man that she loved dearly, a man that she was going to say yes to.

  Branches snapped in the distance. A breeze made its way through the landscape. Something approached through the forest. It didn’t walk fast or slow, just fast enough to make its footstep sound like falling leaves. Its eyes saw a human standing next to a car, holding hand to face, peering into open door. It was trying to analyze if the human was scared, what sort of energy it gave off. It stepped a little closer.

  Melissa looked at the body in her car. She stood staring for at least three minutes, trying to think what to do. Her old thoughts demanded attention, she was back to square one: does she take the man she didn’t know, that was making her car stink of flesh, that she didn’t know if was alive or dead – with her. Or. She looked around at a tree. Does she unbuckle him, drag him out of the car, and put him somewhere.

  She closed her eyes and asked God for a sign, anything to help her decide. She stood still, more aware of her surroundings, the sound, the feel, even the taste in her mouth. She waited for any thoughts to come into her mind, a message from the universe. But nothing came. Not even a thought. She opened her eyes and looked at the body, it was time to make up her own mind.

  ‘Ok, I’m so sorry.’ She said. She looked at her hands shaking. ‘I don’t have a choice…I don’t even know–’ her thoughts told her that this was as bad as killing a person in cold blood, letting them rot against the side of the road. What would the church think of her? What would her mother say? But this was different, and she knew it.

  She didn’t care anymore, she ignored the smell and pushed him forward so that he sat upright. She climbed over careful not to touch any blood, and unbuckled his seat belt. The belt whipped back and made her stumble out. She touched her breast and chuckled, surprised that she didn’t scream.

  Now it was time for the hard job, she visualized
in her mind what she needed to do: wrap something over her hands preferably cloth, climb over him and reach for his hand on the other side, pull it out, drag him out the car, drag him towards the tree. She nodded, it couldn’t be that hard.

  He fell out like a potato from a bag, his head thumped the floor first, his body followed, slithering over the metal step with ease. She let go of his hand and stared at what she had done. She blocked any thoughts from infiltrating her mind and kept iterating: Everything is fine. You are fine. This is fine. She looked at the shirt she wrapped her hand with, and saw it already stained with brown something. She took a deep breath, and continued.

  It wasn’t that hard, she thought, looking at the body slumped against the tree like a man happy to be on holiday. She walked away thinking that she did the right thing, justifying her own actions by telling herself that the man was dead.

  Before driving away, she saw a fox staring at her.

  (7)

  The smell was still there, but at least she could look to her side without having to worry about eyes staring back. While the road ahead was long and tedious, she found her hand levitating towards the radio, but decided to keep it off. She needed a clear mind, no distractions. Her goal was to get out of the forest by late noon, she felt confident in doing so as well. There was no way she was going to spend another night driving on ill-lighted road, watching her headlight shine on gravel that she was starting to hate and wondering what her loved ones were doing, including her boyfriend – that was probably worried sick by now.

  For the seventh time in thirty minutes, she picked up her cell and pressed the home button. The screen flashed on, showing battery life, the time, the date, her shit network, but not a single message or phone call. She went in the menu settings and looked for the brightness slider, figuring that if she lowered it it would save battery life. She looked up as the car swerved, and adjusted. She looked back down and looked for the brightness setting. When she couldn’t find it, she turned her cell off, figuring that it was a pretty good way at saving energy as well.

  After what felt like a lifetime of straight road, she finally saw something in the distance, a sign post. She accelerated the car to reach it faster, anticipating it saying – Forest Fucking Exit – but felt her heart sink when she saw what it said.

  The skew post and tattered lettering made her stomach clench – hands sweaty. It brought the weirdest feeling of déjà vu, because she swore it was what she rode past last night. She frowned and rubbed her chin. ‘Welcome to…Ail Town.’ She said. ‘Didn’t I go past it?’ She looked in the rear view mirror and didn’t know why. Maybe it was just another sign post she thought. Surely she wasn’t riding in circles. She laughed at the thought, but it quickly subsided into a nervous squeal. She felt like getting out the car and checking the post herself, maybe it was some kind of joke.

  The car door closed. She looked around and could hear insects scurry all over the place. It was also when she noticed how uncomfortable the temperature was outside, a hot humid air that made the sweat stick to clothes. She could already feel a bead of sweat run down her forehead. She wiped it and walked over to the signpost.

  The more she analyzed it the more her head ached. It was so the same, that she almost contemplated turning around and heading the opposite way. But she knew that was absurd, going back, heading the opposite way when she could be near the exit. And what was Ail Town she thought, she didn’t see any fucking town. No roofs. No houses. No shops. Nothing but a crooked board pointing–

  As if on cue the signpost fell.

  ‘Figures.’ She said. She walked back to the car and leaned against it. All of this was starting to feel like a nightmare she couldn’t wake up from: getting lost, picking up a half-dead man, seeing things that didn’t make sense, worrying about her loved ones, dropping off a body, and feeling an emotion build inside her that she didn’t like and didn’t want to admit to – that there was always the possibility of dying.

  (8)

  It was noon. The nail biting kind.

  Her bum felt sweaty on the seat. Her muscles ached. Like a computer board, it was starting to fail. Every passing hour a muscle turned off, a few hours ago it was her legs that felt stiff, and then her arms, and now it was her shoulders. The only way she could fix this was by stretching while she drove. There was a reason for her body switching off, and she knew why. She was tired.

  Her mind taunted her with images of the man she left behind, him getting up from the tree and stumbling across the road, not understanding where he was, and then remembering who left him there. The bitch with the blond hair. The bitch he was going to go and kill. She shook her head and didn’t think it was very funny, she had more pressing matters to deal with right now than envisage some crazy dead guy seeking revenge. The only thing killing her any time soon was a dry throat and a forest that didn’t have any end.

  Her eyes closed – and she didn’t even know it. The car swerved and drove on the side of the road where rocks were sharp enough to puncture tire. When the car hopped up and down like some wild roller coaster – her eyes opened. She screamed and for a moment thought she was going to crash against a massive bolder that was staring her right in the eye. Her quick reflexes was enough to get the car back on road. She came to a halt, and took a deep breath. She tilted the rear view mirror and saw someone tired staring back at her. Her skin looked terrible, it was as if someone took black makeup and went to town with her face. When she saw all the red veins in her eyes she knew what she needed to do.

  Get some rest. A quick nap.

  (9)

  She didn’t know if she was dreaming, or awake. The light around her was not as she remembered, there were hints of daylight but not much. What there was a lot of, was darkness. The kind that paved way for the moon and made room for creatures with special eyes. It was these eyes, the nocturnal kind, that made it possible to hunt things that wanted to run away. And there was nothing more satisfying than seeing something run with limited eye sight.

  Her eyes tried adjusting to the new light around her, but it was her brain that needed the most comforting. Before her body could adjust – she jumped up from her chair. She looked at her wrist as if she had a watch and then at the rear view mirror. She saw her face and night behind it. Her mouth opened but words didn’t leave, she had to think for a few seconds. And then she spoke.

  ‘You’ve got to be kidding.’ An eerie tension rose in the car, her skin froze. She couldn’t believe that she overslept, she even set an alarm on her–

  ‘My phone.’ Her hand felt under her, behind her, and then all over the dashboard. The phone disappeared. Amidst her panicking she felt an icy breeze tickle her arm. At first she thought she left the air conditioning on, but knew that was not possible because the car was off. To double check she raised her hand in front of the panel – nothing but dry air. She felt it again, a cool air that brushed against her skin.

  ‘What the–’ her nails dug into her palm hard enough for blood to trickle.

  The door on the passenger side was half open.

  Thoughts: Did I leave the door open when I went to sleep? What time did I go for a nap? Why is my cell phone gone? Which side of the car did I climb in? What is that staring at me across the road?

  Two little eyes that glowed yellow stared at the car. She felt her body unable to move not even a finger. She knew she had to move – the door needed closing. She managed to twitch a finger and could feel how sweaty it was.

  The eyes disappeared; it gave her a shot of fear that made her lunge for the door handle – but the door swung away from her. She screamed. And realized it was her that pushed the door away. She jumped on the passenger seat and leaned outside – felt night air – and closed the door. When the doors were locked she scanned all around her, looking for anything that glowed yellow.

  It was only when she was so focused that her brain unlocked something else for her to think about. ‘No…please no.’ She said. Her eyes looked for the car keys. Her left hand rummaged
the side box while her right hand checked the ignition. It didn’t take her long to see her key glint on the seat next to her. In that moment she forgot all about yellow eyes and the fact that she overslept, the key is all that mattered. She sighed with relief, and picked it up. With cold metal in hands, she put it in and turned.

  The car didn’t start. It didn’t even squeak. Just a on and off cluck that sounded like dry sticks snapping. She tried again, and again, and again.

  She felt something watch her and she was right. Across the dashboard, yellow eyes were staring. It came closer.

  She burst out laughing when she saw what it was – the fox from earlier. Her laughter went quiet. Depression settled.

  She turned the key. Again, again, and again. She forced herself from turning the key and started crying; big salty drops gushing. Her head fell on the steering wheel. She could feel her tears wet the leather fabric, her head smearing. She sobbed deep and heavy – tears in mouth – the taste of salt. She didn’t understand why this was happening to her, she didn’t do anything wrong, she was a normal sane woman from a small quiet town that always helped others. Her head bopped up and down battering the wheel.

  She calmed down…and closed eyes.

  She didn’t know how much time passed but it felt long. Her tears were dry and her stomach hungry. She gazed up like a machine. Even tried for the ignition, but stopped herself from turning it when she anticipated more stress. She started convincing herself that she was going to die in the woods, could already see the newspaper headlines: WOMAN FOUND DEAD IN CAR. Or. FOX CHEWS WOMAN TO DEATH.

  She turned the ignition despite her mind telling her not to. Her mind laughed at her. She ripped the key out and threw it somewhere she knew she was going to regret later.