One : Ben

"What's wrong?" Kelly, my best friend asked and I gave her a confused look.

"You have been brooding all day" she said, worried laced with her voice.

"Its nothing, I just" I hesitated "I had a nightmare last night, a very scary one"

"Nightmare?" She laughed "is that what's eating you up?  She asked. I looked at her not knowing what to say.

"Come on, cheer up. You are 18, don't be scared of nightmares now" she teased "its just a dream" Lily also said that but why didn't it feel so.

I have had tons of dreams before but this one just seemed too off, too scary, too real. I am really over thinking this, maybe I should just stop worrying so much. Its just a dream.

"Where did you get that" she yelled out of nowhere making me flinch a little.

"Get what?" I asked

"That" she pointed to my wrist where my silver bracelet sat.

"Oh, it was a birthday gift"

"Its beautiful" she held my arm, staring awestruck at the thing.

I wasn't surprised, the bracelet was one of a kind. It became my favourite thing since my birthday. I really didnt recall who gave it to me but I didn't care either, it was a birthday present.

We both left school and went straight home, our houses were just three buildings apart. So we always went home together. We had been friends since junior school, she was pretty, smart, funny, caring, and so on.  I was really lucky to have her, she was like my sister, we were that close.

I got home and greeted my mom who was preparing dinner in the kitchen, while my 7 year old sister, Lily, sat on the kitchen counter watching my mom.

Our house was just a bungalow, not that pretty but atleast it had the necessary things we needed to be comfortable in a home.

"welcome home Martha" Lily jumped on me happily.

"How is my angel doing?" I pinched her cheeks and she blushed red. Lily was my favourite sister, well, only sister but I loved her so much. Plus she was so cute with her blonde hair that I tied into two pony tails.

"Did you come with your brother?" I rolled my eyes at my moms question.

"Do we ever come together"

My brother, Liam, well he was just, Liam. There was nothing much to say about him aside from the fact that he's a stubborn kid. We fight alot but still we settle. What can I say, he's my brother after all.

"Go shower and come down for dinner" she told

"No mom, I have a dinner date with Ben" I said while walking to my room. Today was our 2 year anniversary and Ben had definitely planned something special for us. I wasn't missing out on it for the life of me.

"Oh is that so" her voice held so much curiousity but I wasn't ready to feed her on any detail yet.

"Yes" I simply replied and entered my room. I took a quick shower, dress in my simple black knee length pencil gown that hugged my body perfectly. I brushed my blonde hair perfectly, did a little make up and wore my favourite bracelet.

*black huh?  Pretty though*

I spun around upon the sound of the  weird voice to look at my door but no one was there. I continued with my dressing, wearing my silver sandals that matched the bracelet.

*looking for me*

I spun around again. No one was there. Fear crept up my neck and I grabbed my hand bag and sprint out of my room. My mom was still cooking and Lily was still in the same spot.

"Is Liam back?" I asked

"No" my mom answered not looking back at me.

"Um...where you in my room just now" I asked unsure of the answer I would get.

"No" she turned around, "is anything the matter?" As I was about to speak, Lily burst out laughing. We both stared at her bewildered. Was she the one in my room?

"You said, is anything the matter" she said and continued laughing. I pursed my lips when I realised what she found funny in the statement.

Matter. Martha.

Lily was such a silly child, but it made me love her more. As now, it made the fear I was feeling fade away.

"Alright, see you mom" I kiss her and Lily's cheek

"Ten o'clock" she reminded me about my curfew.

"Sure mom"

***

Ben pulled out a chair for me at the dinning table.  Food arranged ordely on the table. Well food he probably ordered because he cannot cook, not in this lifetime.

"My parents are away, so we have the house to ourselves" he smirked. I didnt know if that statement was suggestive or it was just a plain statement.

Unlike mine, his house was quite big, well furnished and beautifully decorated. They even had a pool at the back, which I always imagined us swimming together but I knew it wasn't happening soon because I didn't know a thing about swimming.

"First of all.. " he took two glass, pouring wine into it, while I stared shamelessly at him. His black hair was done push back in a very sexy way, his brown eyes sparkled as he fixed them on me. He gave me one glass "let's toast" I smiled amused

"To what" I bit down on my lip awaiting the very sweet thing he would say.

"To love, to us" a warm feeling settled in my chest as a wide smile took over my face.

"To love, to us" I repeated, pushing my glass towards his but they met with a loud crash as I jumped at the sudden darkness that came upon us.

I heard Ben curse before the brightness from his phone calmed my racing heart. I hated the dark so much. Just as my eyes scanned him, I notice the red spot on his white shirt.

"Oh my gosh, am sorry" I cupped my mouth as I watched him stand to his feet.

"Hey, its okay its not your fault. Are you hurt?" I shake my head, noticing the broken glass on the table.

"The power went out, I'll go check it" he gave me his touch and left me alone on the table. I didn't dare to move an inch from there. My eyes did a three-sixty-degress turn so many times to check for unwanted shadows.

I sighed loudly when the light suddenly came up. I turned off his touch and relaxed my nerves, waiting for Ben. My eyes dropped to my bracelet and I noticed it was sparkling.

I stared awestruck at it, admiring  every inch. And then it stopped.

Minutes passed and Ben hadn't still returned. Out of worry and curiosity, I stood up and followed the direction he went. When I get to the back, I saw the large pool that sat beautifully on the ground. I admired it for a while before my eyes caught something on the other far end of the pool.

Is that a body?

Ben!

"Ben" I called out rushing towards him. no response.

When I got to him, he was lying face first on the ground. My heart went to my throat instantly, fear taking over my whole body.  I knelt by his side and shook his body.

"Ben" still no response. I pulled him towards me till he layed on his back.

I screamed at the sight I saw. Immediately I turned him, his head fell backwards almost leaving his neck, all his organs pooping out, blooding gushing out like a broken pipe.

I screamed, jerking backwards and crawling away from him. Tears start streaming down my face. How did this happen. I kept screaming because at that point, I didn't know what to do, I hoped someone would hear me and come to my rescue. Ben's rescue.

Still shaking and crying, I crawl towards him and saw a knife, with blood over it, the sharp edge facing up. As I reached out to take the knife, I heard the weird voice again.

*if I were you, I won't touch that*

I spun around so quickly but I was met with nothing, no one, just the empty backyard, with my scream echoing..