Eighteen

CHAPTER 18

SANTIAGO

For one I was never one to believe in superstitions but at that moment all I felt at that moment had just one word to it—Deja vú.

There was this feeling of uncertainty that I was trying to get rid of at the moment, a feeling as if something was going to happen.

I couldn't help but feel it—That dark feeling hovering over my soul —for fuck sake I already had a hectic day yet this feeling decides to creep up on me like it had been waiting for me to have a very bad day…

I furrowed my brows at the thought as I turned the steering wheel towards the left direction and just then the water that was held in the console rolled and hit the ground and fell to the floor which made me all pissed.

"Just great! " I muttered, throwing a fuse away, I raised my head and my heart immediately skipped.

I immediately turned without thinking but before I got out of the car the young girl was gone. I panicked looking around in search of her as I wanted to apologize, check if I had hit her by accident.

"Hello..." I stopped a man who was walking down the street."... Do you happen to see a girl, dressed in blue with ginger hair?" I asked with my voice shaking but he gave a strange face as he furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.

"No I haven't." I asked two more people and a shop owner but all gave the same answer.

I didn't know who she was but my restless mind couldn't help but worry endlessly for her. I took a deep breath and got back into the car, my hands trembling upon the wheels as I wanted to start the car but I couldn't bring myself to start it.

A knock on the window scared me to death and I immediately rolled down with the hope that the man before me and a little information on where the girl had but he just gave me my wallet that seemed to have fallen off my pocket without me noticing.

My eyes lingered to the sign board up ahead and it read. 'Fotal Rally, Close to Neon Forest' I had no idea what Neon Forest meant but realized the moment I recalled the name.

It sounded too familiar for me not to remember, it was the same place that some of my friends usually talk about. I usually hear stories in which many disappeared from this place but I barely knew why and when.

I reversed the car and turned the other way heading to the house, turns out I had taken the wrong route and ended up here accidentally. I drove back and followed the right path, though I felt as though something was on my trail but nothing ever came as a matter of fact I was alone on the road.

I was a bit relieved when I saw the rooftop of my house but my thoughts were clearly still occupied by the sense of someone following me and that girl I nearly hit with the car. Something about being just happy didn't feel right and I have no explanation for it.

Turning the car off, I walked towards the house and realized no one was home and to be honest I was glad that was the case here. I immediately opened and locked the door before heading upstairs towards my room.

I still felt that presence though I was in the house and I realized that it was indeed my imagination and nothing else. Pulling my clothes off, I head to the bathroom, perhaps a warm bath and a nice sleep will make me forget about everything that happened today, hopefully.

After my bath, I made my way to my bed and slowly closed my eyes with absolutely nothing on my mind which gave me nothing but peace.

******

"Hello." A faint yet soft echoed in the dark as I walked slowly trying to find my way to light which seemed so impossible.

"Is anyone there?" I couldn't help but ask as I kept moving. Fear had it's hold on my heart as I walked, though I was man and shouldn't be scared but something wasn't right.

I hit my head on what seemed to be a tree then I realized I was actually inside the woods as the moon began to glow out of nowhere.

"I'm over here." I noticed a girl standing in the far corner of the woods with ginger hair and a blue dress and the image of the girl I had almost hit earlier hit me then I realized she was the one but how could I see me here?

"I... I'm sorry about what happened earlier I didn't mean to..." She suddenly began to giggle in a weird way.

"You're sorry?!" She turned around and I noticed blood dripping from her head and all over her face, one of her eyes popped out and dirty was all over her body "... Look at what you have done to me? My parents reject me, my friends reject me because you hit me!!"

"I... I swear I didn't mean to, I promise..."

"Liar!! Now I shall exact my revenge on you!!" Within the blink of an eye she was in front of me and my eyes immediately flew open.

The increase in my heartbeat was beyond me, it felt as though my heart was going to pop out of me, it was a dream and I didn't hit her. I let out a deep breath and got down from the bed. It seemed to me that sleeping would not solve anything.

Perhaps some music and a bit of jogging will do the trick, moreover it always does an excellent job for me, why didn't I think about it before.

Without thinking twice I stood from the floor and began to find my sweatpant and shirt. I didn't feel too good but the job will solve everything after all. I took my headset and my phone with some water.

Walking out of the house I felt the fresh air and to be honest I felt so relaxed,. perhaps jogging was the better decision for me after all. Putting my headphones on I wanted to start the music but my phone was nowhere to be found and I realized I didn't pick my keys as well.

I walked back to the house and took my phone from the table along with my keys. I made sure everything was locked before I left the house and I was sure I wasn't forgetting anything this time.

Hitting the road I played some rap songs on shuffle and enjoyed them, for it makes me escape the present world and makes me feel a bit free and also reminds me of my childhood friend.

Denis was my closest friend I had when I was young and he had always loved raps as he wished to he a rapper but unfortunately he was not able to grow for he had died of aids when I was ten, he was the best thing and though I had grown but his memories still plays in my head and to be honest I wish he was still here.

I shook my head and continued down the road, people kept looking at me in a weird way which I totally understood for I barely jog at this time of the day, didn't want to go to a club and drink, I mean yes I can drink it's not like someone was stopping me, no one was but I didn't what that.

Jogging and music was literally the one thing I was thinking of and I was a bit relieved that I had stopped thinking about her a bit and out of the blue I began to feel the presence of someone else following me.

Though I wasn't alone on the road, I was certain the people on the road were not following me because they were all minding their own business to be honest. After so much deliberation on who was following me and who was not, I decided to ignore it and follow the longest part away from home for a reason moreover it wasn't the first time I was diverting away from my house hold.

As time passed by I felt exhausted and sat down on a rock that looked so comfortable and it was comfortable indeed. I gulped down the entire bottle and realized that it was already getting dark but if I was follow the usual way I would spend eternity on the round but then I remembered a part through the words I follow in the morning to the house if i was too lazy to walk follow the long route and I was lazy as hell and hungry as well.

Come to think of it, I haven't really eaten anything. Heading towards the woods I noticed the beautiful scent of rain soil which made me smile but I was already thinking of how to eat that soil, that was how hungry I really was.

I followed the path the moment I saw the stone I marked and as I walked the place became darker and darker. I turned my flashlight on and I realized I was walking in circles and I was back to the marked stone.

My heart skipped a bit and I tried to look for the second marked stone but then I heard a branch crack and a very low growl.