What Comes Around Goes Around

Ten years before

It was a bright day, the sun dappling the ground with shadows cast from the trees that lined the neighborhood streets. Walking down the sidewalk behind said trees were two teens, theirs hands stuffed in their jeans, jackets open to the chilly air. One of the two teens was a short girl with long honey gold blond hair and dark gray eyes that gave away what she felt. She has a smattering of freckles and a button nose, her mouth a cupid’s bow that always seemed to smile. The second was a boy who stood a foot taller than the girl. He had curly hair that seemed to flop everywhere as he walked, framing his impish true-blue eyes. His nose was broad and crooked, as if it was broken a few times. His mouth was wide on his face, and always smiling; but he wasn’t smiling now. Neither of them was smiling. There was a melancholy feel between them, like the world was going to end for them soon.

The news came as a shock to Dennis, his family was moving away the day after thanksgiving. ‘That’s next week.’ Dennis thought glumly. He sighed and glanced at his friend, noting how she may look impassive, but her eyes were swimming with tears she wouldn’t let fall. He glanced up at the sky and cleared his throat. “So um, we’ll still keep in touch, right?” he asked, his voice deep and grave sounding.

Amanda sighed softly and nodded. “Yeah, we’ll keep in touch. You can call me on Saturdays. And write me when you get settled in. It’s not the end of the world…I guess.” She muttered the last part under her breath; kicking a can into the street as a silver car slowly drove by.

“That’s the fourth time that car passed us. Have you noticed that Amanda?” Dennis said, watching the silver Ford turn the corner slowly.

“Not really. It’s not that odd is it? Maybe the drivers lost or something Dennis, stop freaking out, you wimp.” Amanda said, smirking slightly. She knew that would get under his skin, and she was right. She watched him puff up like a puffer fish. She couldn’t help but laugh and shove him. “I’m joking, jeeze.”

He grinned lopsidedly and made an exaggerated keening sound as he stumbled sideways onto his lawn and slammed into his tree. ”Ouch you killed me. I’m dead. Good bye cruel cruel world!”

“If your dead why are you still talking, you dork.”

“It’s my dieing breath. Gosh get a since of drama will you?” he asked, lifting his head off the ground where he had fallen, his arms and legs splayed animatedly.

She smirked and poked his side with her toe. He twitched. “Twicher!!!!” she shouted suddenly flopping on top of him.

“Oof! Dude your one heavy chick! OW!” he shouted when she smacked him.

“I am not heavy!” she shouted, hitting him again to make sure he remembered that fact.

“Ok ok ok you’re not heavy! Get off!”

“Make me!”

He smirked up at her and grabbed her waist. “Fine I will!” he said, lifting her up and toppling her to the side in the dry grass.

Amanda shrieked and rolled over, getting ready to tackle him. She was too late though; he was already up, laughing as he raced for his front door. She growled and hopped up. ”You’re dead meat Hopman!”

“Only if you catch me Gaits!”

“HA HA you’re parents aren’t here to save you!”

“Yeah? So what! I’m a big boy I can take care of myself!” he shouted, running into his dark house.

“You know you can’t hide Dennis! I’ll find you!” she shouted, running in after him.

When she got inside she looked around, grinning. The room was quiet, the air still. Dark forbidding shapes pressed against walls, more looming around the room as she walked slowly inside. A feeling of unwelcome and danger assaulted her where welcome and safety used to be. The danger wasn’t there that morning when she had come by to pick Dennis up for school. Like always the lump was sleeping in and she had to wait in the half packed living room for his mom to go wake him up.

But now, as she walked farther into the house, she had this feeling that something was off. The hair at the back of her neck rose and she got the feeling that someone was watching her. ”Not funny Dennis!” she shouted, bumping into the coffee table.

There wasn’t an answer, just the click and wheeze of the air conditioner kicking in. She felt a breeze on her cheek and jumped slightly, turning around. “OK I give up! Come out now!!” She could feel her heart pick up speed, thudding loudly in her ears and making her chest ache. Even with the rush in her ears she still heard the shuffling behind her. Fear squeezed her lungs like a vice, making it hard to breath. The color washed from her face as her heart started skipping beats. It’s strange how fear can ground someone like a deer stuck in a pair of headlights. Fear is such a common feeling, and it acts in different ways in different people. For Amanda, it caused her to freeze up.

There was a creak in the floorboards behind her. Gasping softly for breath, the time seemed to slow down as she slowly turned around. A scream bubbled out of her throat and rushed past her lips in a bone chilling shriek before everything grew quiet, a soft gurgling and a thump as Amanda crumbled to the ground, choking and trying to hold close the gash in her throat as blood oozed over her fingers, a warm and sticky substance that freely carried her life away with it. Hands slick with blood she weakly dug her nails into the floor and tried dragging her body away. It seemed to grow heavy and the world, sharp and clear, started to tilt and spin hectically.

A boot pressed itself onto her back, stopping any progress. “Don’t move.” A soft, cold voice said from above her. The voice echoed in her ears and she vainly tried to beg for help, but the words just bubbled forth on a tide of blood that leaked out of the side of her mouth. She was rolled over onto her back and she saw the shape of a man a million miles above her. Whoever it was had a black cloak on, its hood covering his face. He looked like the god of death, come to take her from this world, and at that moment, the pain was so intense, she wanted him to.

Its true, what they say about your life flashing by as you die. Amanda felt images flooding her mind of days spent doing nothing with her friends. Fights she was in because of something someone had done. Regrets flooded next. She regretted never telling Dennis how she really felt about him. She regretted not telling her mother and father she loved them this morning before she left the house. She regretted telling her uncle she hated him because of some stupid reason she couldn’t remember. She remembered past birthdays she had. The most recent was a month ago. Dennis had taken her to the schools hunted house and laughed when she refused to go near the clowns that were in one of the rooms. Dennis.. He flashed into her mind and suddenly she was afraid of what had happened to him.

She forced herself to drag in a breath before coughing it out, blood flying out. How was she even alive still? The same question must have gone through the man’s mind because he stooped over her, his fetid breath rolling over her ash colored face. “Don’t even think about it.” Everything blurred and a buzzing filled her mind. A buzz like the static from a TV set when it loses the picture. A searing agony blazed in her stomach suddenly, a white hot pain that made her see a bright white light then faded into blackness. Her breathing slowed, her chest stilling from its frantic heaving. Everything went cold and quiet. Amanda’s eyes glazed over and she went still, the life she so desperately clung to fleeing from her still body.