Chapter 13
The day I found out that my boyfriend for three years was cheating on me, I felt utterly helpless. His action made me hate him to bits and hate myself for touching that stone in the first place. At that moment, wished I could do something. Say something to him, maybe demand an explanation for screwing another woman, barely weeks after my fake death.
I felt a bit relieved that day when Evelyn Thompson stood up for me. It felt like a girl power moment when she hit Derek across the face, even though he deserved more than a slap, I was still grateful to her.
I didn’t want to think about Derek. It was somewhat nice to be rid of him. At least I could set my sights on another man.
Like the hot guy next door.
Evelyn Thompson sure had a lot of luck shining on her.
Back to my present. I had something bothering me.
It kept on seeing these visions.
It was a vision of a tattooed man stabbing another man.
I had been seeing it for a while now and I didn’t know why or what it had to do with me?
The vision I saw was like a short movie. It was that of a man who looked in his thirties, wearing a black shirt and a bold tattoo on his neck. He addressed a group of other men who stood, lined up in front of him.
The tattooed man asked “Any news on my stone?”
Then the men who stood in front of him, chorused “No, boss”
“You haven’t found my stone?” The man asked again. His eyebrows creased and his face formed into a deep frown, according to what I saw.
“You haven’t?” He asked again then grabbed a dagger and stabbed one of the men who stood with him.
That was all I saw.
I couldn’t make a meaning out of the vision. They were just like flashes in front of me. What did I have to do with such a violent scenario? Why did I see such?
And the man in my vision, talked about finding a stone. Did it have to do with the stone I and Evelyn possessed?
“What’s with this weird silence? That’s so unlike you” Evelyn asked, breaking through my thoughts. She was making preparations to bake some bread. I watched how her hands kneaded through the dough. She was quite skilled.
“Unlike me?” I asked “you mean I talk too much?”
“You don’t need anyone to tell you that, Elizabeth. You’re a blabbermouth”
I ignored her. She was obviously trying to pick a fight with meContentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!
“Umm ” I began. “There’s something bothering me. I’ve been seeing things ”
“Seeing things like what?”
“It’s a vision of a tattooed man, asking people for a stone. He hurt someone too”
To my utmost surprise, she laughed.
“That’s a bizzare thing to see, for sure ” she said
“You don’t believe me?”
“Who would? I have no idea what you’re up to, Elizabeth”
I definitely did see that vision. But how would I convince Evelyn that I did? While I thought to myself, I saw something else…
Someone came into Evelyn’s house… who was that? The flashes I saw became less vague. It was the guy next door who came in and Evelyn totally freaked out when she saw him.
That was all I saw
What’s with these weird visions?
******************
Evelyn
I decided to pass the time by baking pastries today because it was a Saturday. I wanted to take my mind off work and Mrs Tobias’s betrayal.
I would have quit that job and threw the damn promotion in her face.
But I couldn’t.
As daring as I felt I was, I couldn’t quit. I was so close to getting promoted. I couldn’t throw everything away now just because I sensed injustice at work.
So all I could do was while away my time as I sought to bake something edible. I had just gotten off the phone with my mom. She still complained about my dad. Being the good daughter I was, I listened to her whole complaint and replied with a few ‘oh no’s and really’s’ until she finished talking.
What a hell of a day I was having.
“I just saw something else” I heard Elizabeth’s voice again
I really didn’t understand her today. Was she trying to brighten up the dreary and quiet house or was she just fooling around?
“What now?”
“The guy next door walked in here and you freaked out –”
“Pfftt! What are you saying Elizabeth. I really can’t keep up with you now. What are you planning eh? What’s going on in–”
I suddenly paused when I heard footsteps. It sounded so close, It felt like someone was behind me. The hair at the back of my neck stood in alert. I couldn’t —
“Hello” I heard someone say.
I let out a frightened yelp as I turned, backing the counter. Who was that and who dared come into my house like—
It was the hot guy who lived next door!
“Um… sorry for startling you. I just wanted…”
I was beyond mortified. What if he heard me talking out loud to myself. Surely, he heard me!
Luckily, I was with my phone. I quickly slammed it on my ear and said. “um– I’ll call you later. I have to hang up now”
Then I awkwardly fiddled with the phone and dropped it on the counter.
At least he’d think I was on the phone with someone, not talking to myself, since he’d heard me talking already.
Having Elizabeth’s soul in my body and listening to her voice all day long was becoming more difficult to handle than I thought. Very soon, they would all think I had gone crazy because I kept answering her.
“What –what do you want?” I asked him, still calming my startled heart.
“How did you get into my house?” I threw at him again
“Uh–you left the gate and the door open?” He replied
Shoot! I’d totally forgotten to shut the door after I came in. Well, you wouldn’t blame me, I overestimated the security in this neighborhood.
“What the hell is happening here?” I heard Elizabeth ask but I didn’t answer. She’d done enough for today.
“How could you barge into my house like that?” I fired.
I couldn’t get distracted by the handsome face that stared back at me. A handsome face couldn’t keep me from getting pissed whenever I wanted.
“I’m sorry. I just wanted to invite you to my–”
“And you couldn’t knock on my ajar door before coming in?” I attacked him.
“I just said I’m sorry ” I could detect impatience in his voice.
“You know what, just leave ” I said. “now is not a good time ”
“You shouldn’t get all worked up over a small issue ” he said. “I’m your neighbor”
“He’s right, Evelyn” Elizabeth said
I ignored her and faced this guy.
“And I barely know you. You could be a serial killer or a porn star…”
“Porn star?” Both he and Elizabeth chorused
“Yes. I have a weird phobia for porn stars” I mumbled, embarrassed. Why was I even saying this? Stupid, stupid me!
“Why?” Elizabeth asked
“They’re too… immoral” I answered her. I was doing that again. I was answering her. This guy was going to think I was crazy since I literally just talked to myself.
“I’m not a porn star, Eve. Or a serial murderer”
He remembered my name? I didn’t even remember his? I didn’t know how to take this.
And somehow, the way he said my name made me feel…. good.
“You need to leave now!” I blurted out. My mind was totally warped. I needed to recollect my thoughts and his presence wasn’t helping me do that.
“Fine” he said. “I’ll just drop this here” he said and dropped the tray of fruits he brought, on the table.
I let out a deep sigh after he left.
What the hell had just happened?
“I told you! I told you that the hot guy from next door would come here and you would freak out…”
She was right. She told me beforehand. But how did she know? How did she see that?