Lost Lies

The drive home from the hospital was silent apart from when he asked where I lived. He pulled up outside my house, and, waiting on the porch steps, sat a very agitated and worried Chris. He ran down the path and pulled me into a tight bear hug.

“Let go of me. I can’t breathe.” I choked.

“I am never letting you out my sight again, understand?” Chris whispered. The sudden shock hit him like a bullet to the head. “What the hell happened to your arm?”

He looked behind me as Alex got out of the car and approached us.

“What have you done to her?” Chris yelled.

Chris pushed me behind him and raised his fist, sending a punch Alex’s way – bang, straight into Alex’s nose. I covered up my mouth, trying to hold back a scream. Alex never staggered once.

Chris went in for another punch, but was stopped mid strike by Alex’s hand. In a matter of seconds, Alex had Chris’ arms pinned behind his back.

“I advise you to watch your step,” he growled into Chris’ ear.

“Alex, leave it! He was only trying to protect me.” I cried.

My words must have affected him, because the roaring fire in his eyes died down and began to soften as he let go of Chris, shoving him towards me.

“Well, tell your gothic mate -.”

“Boyfriend,” I corrected.

His eye brow rose in wonder; he found this situation amusing.

“Well, that was unexpected.”

“What was?” Alex pointed between us both. “Oh.”

“Winter, can I speak to you in private if that’s ok with him?” Alex cleared his throat and glanced towards Chris, who stood, waiting impatiently, behind me.

“No,” spat Chris.

“Yes.” I looked over my shoulder and gave him a warning look.

“No. I already told you: I am not letting you out of my sight. Look what happened to you tonight.”

“I’m alive, aren’t I?” I pointed out.

“Yes, but what if you were left for dead in a gutter somewhere? Remember when you-.”

“Don’t ever bring that into it! That was different compared to this.” I hissed, feeling rage burn up inside me. “Get inside; I will deal with you there!”

Chris huffed and went inside without a second glance at us.

“Sorry about that, Alex.”

“It’s ok; if it was me in his shoes, I’d do exactly the same.”

“I take it you don’t have a girlfriend?” I questioned.

“Nope,” his answer was simple, but by the sounds of it, well thought out.

“So, what did you want to talk about?”

“It’s a question really - if you’re up for it?”

I raised an eyebrow. “It depends what it is.”

“I was just wondering if you would like to go out sometime.”

“Um, sure; just let me know when.”

“Yeah, will do,” he smiled.

“Well, I must go. I have him to deal with.” I pointed towards my house.

“Same here, I have stuff to sort out. See you in classes, Winter. I enjoyed this meeting.” He grinned. His smile held a menacing touch, and ice shot down my spine. It sounded like he meant every word.

He turned and walked away.

“Wait,” I blurted, ducking in front of him and stopping him dead in his tracks. “Thank you.” I whispered so only he could hear. I bowed my head, gazing down at the floor.

Alex took my chin in his hand, lifting my face up so we had eye contact, and whispered, “For what?”

“If it wasn’t for you, I could have died or something. I’m sorry for arguing with you earlier; I didn’t mean it,” I said, trying to convey how sorry I really was.

Alex pulled me into a hug and murmured into my ear, “It is fine.”

I pushed him away lightly. “I have to go or Chris is going to make out something isn’t right.”

I turned and walked away, shutting the door between us. I headed straight up to Chris’ bedroom.

“Chris, are you in there?” I stood waiting for an answer but got nothing in reply.

I pushed his bedroom door open and found him sat on the edge of his bed, head in his hands.

“Chris, what’s wrong?”

Still, he didn’t reply.

“Please, answer me, Chris,” I begged.

I rocked back and forth on my heels, unsure of what to do. I didn’t understand why he was ignoring me like this, unless...

“God, Chris, you don’t think I’m cheating on you, do you?” When he still didn’t answer, I frowned. “I’d never cheat on you. Why won’t you talk to me?” I could feel my eyes begin to sting. Tears formed in my eyes, threatening to spill down my cheeks. “Chris, please talk to me.”

“Morte sarà Chiamata presto,” he answered.

“Excuse me?” I frowned, puzzled.

“Morte sarà Chiamata presto,” he repeated.

“Why do you keep repeating what Danny said?”

Chris was still sat facing the floor, but he released a crumpled piece of paper from his fist and threw it at me.

“What’s this?” I asked. I bent down to pick up the paper and smoothed it out.

“Read it,” he replied dryly. Jeez, what was wrong with him? My hands began to tremble as I read the paper.

Morte sarà Chiamata presto means ‘death will be known soon’. Winter, your death is coming. You can run, but they will get you. Trust no one. Winter there is more to you than what you know and others want you for it. Beware of the upcoming war, my child; until you find out who you are, you are unsafe. TRUST NO ONE.

“What the hell? Where did you find this?”

I couldn’t believe what I’d just read. What did ‘death will be known soon’ mean? Why did Danny say this to me; who sent this to me? I felt dizzy with thoughts and questions. What was going on?

“I found it on my pillow. Winter, I don’t want you to die.” Chris’ tone was edged with emotion. His face was still turned towards the floor, his body trembling with fear.

“We need to phone the police about this. Chris, we need to know what’s going on before it’s too late.” I felt the tears slide down my cheeks. I let out a silent plea and fell to my knees sobbing, the letter floating down beside me.

I heard Chris dial numbers on his phone. My life was in jeopardy, which means the people I love will be in danger too.

“I-I’m going to have words with Danny. This has something to do with him; he was the one he said Th-that line to me.” I whispered.

-:- -:- -:-

“So, we meet again, Winter,” greeted Detective Hull.

Detective Hull was the officer who charged me of second degree murder three years ago; the goddamn murder I never committed. Because of that jerk, I lost everything. Detective Hull was thirty one years old and was tall, lean and lanky. He had chocolate brown eyes and slicked back blonde hair.

“It’s not great to see you, Detective Hull, and don’t think it ever will be. Welcome to the home of a murderer and her friends.” I snapped sarcastically.

“You haven’t changed a bit, have you?” he asked flatly, ignoring my tone.

“Oh, no, not me; no, I haven’t changed a bit since I was put in a mental home for no reason.” I spat.

“Please, be quite and tell me what the problem is.” He sighed, walking round my house looking at photos of me, my friends, and the only pictures I have of my mum, dad and sister. He picked up individual items, inspected them and put them down again.

“Please, sit down; I don’t want you touching my things.”

I took the box which held my parents’ ashes and their wedding rings out of his hands and placed them back on the fire place with my sister’s ashes and her favourite angel necklace.

“No, thanks,” he replied shortly.

I kicked the sofa out of frustration when his back was turned away from me and put two fingers up, and then quickly back down when he glanced back at me.

“Chris found this on his pillow; it’s a letter to me, telling me ‘death will be known soon’. According to the letter, there’s more to me than I know.” I informed him, handing over the letter.

“When did you find this?” He asked as he scrutinized the letter.

“Half an hour ago,” I answered.

“Ok, now show me where you found it.”

“This way,” I said dryly, gesturing for him to follow me upstairs.

Chris was still sat on the bed - head in his hands - exactly as I’d left him to answer the door. He was explaining to the officers how he’d found the letter.

“Chris found it on his pillow.” I pointed to the bed.

Detective Hull went over to the bed, checking under the sheets and around the bed to see if there were any more pieces of paper or evidence.

“Well, there seems to be nothing here, not even a break in. We will have to put a twenty four hour watch on the house and you in case this isn’t a hoax.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa! I am not getting followed about twenty four seven by a cop.” I winced at the thought of staring eyes as I walked around university with an officer hot on my heels every second of the day.

“It’s going to have to be done. If you’re getting death threats you’re -.”

“It wasn’t a death threat though. It was just a warning.” I interrupted.

“Yes, but you’re still in danger of being murdered. If that’s a warning letter, it means there’s someone out to get you.”

“It’s probably the person who murdered my family and left me for dead coming back to finish the job.” I muttered, beginning to get frustrated.

“Winter, I understand you’re ticked off at me for putting you in a mental home, but all evidence pointed to you – and you said you did bring out a knife.”

“Yes, I did, but I told you that was it. I wouldn’t kill my own family and then stab myself. The knife was a scare, not to use; I told you that I remember nothing but the knife clattering on the floor and the screams.” I felt tears sting my eyes, threating to spill, but I was strong and I kept my cool.

“I am sorry, but -.”

“I don’t want to hear it.” I cut him off. “Have you finished? I would like to get some sleep. I have a seminar in the morning.”

“You go to university?”

“Yes. Have you got a problem with me trying to live a normal life?”

“No,” he defended quickly. “I just didn’t expect it.”

“Well, yes, I go university. Now, please leave.” I pointed to the door.

“Good bye Winter. Detective Hapsburg here will be your guard.”

I rolled my eyes. “Great.”

Detective Hapsburg was the same height as Detective Hull, a much better build, with leafy green eyes. He looked to be about thirty six and had brown hair spotted with grey, combed back like Detective Hull. I wondered idly if it was a police fashion trend.

Oh, these were going to be the greatest days of my life, stuck with him following me around.

“What happened to your arm?” Detective Hull asked before I shut the door.

“I fell on it funny.”

Both detectives looked at each other and then back at me.

“Well, I will be out front if you need me,” Detective Hapsburg reassured, closing the door for me.

Oh, this was going to be wonderful. I stormed off to bed.