When Night Falls

Scallop Pond - X-Ray Dog
It would be good if you would listen to this while reading this chapter. (: Thanks

-Christine's POV-

I walked into the empty house blearily. Mum was out on one of her long business trips again. I was beat after a long day at the CD shop. It had been a long day because unusually, there were many customers today, even though it was a weekday. Glancing at the clock, I saw that it was 10.30p.m. I yawned sleepily, heading towards my room to grab a change of clothes before I headed into the shower.

The warm water felt soft and soothing against my aching body. I turned my head upwards against the spray of the water, feeling the warm water cascading down my face. Instinctively, I placed my hands on my temples, covering my face from the running water. I stared blankly ahead; my mind occupied with what Jamier had told me this afternoon.

It was… shocking. That was no other word for it. How could something like that happen to Jamier? How could someone so, so wonderful, so sweet… go through something so painful and tragic? I used to pity myself, thinking that losing so many of my loved ones, my dad, my aunt, my uncle and grandfather was a cruel joke that God decided to play on me. If God had truly played a joke on me, He must have decided to punish Jamier relentlessly.

Jamier had lost his whole family… he was alone, alone in this world. I, at least, had my mother, and my paternal grandparents in Singapore. Jamier was such a good person at heart. Hearing him talk like that tore me up inside, and it made me want to protect him. He didn’t deserve any more sadness or heartache. He was too good for that…

I stumbled out of the bathroom, yawning yet again as I tugged my fingers through the wet tangles of my hair. I was too lazy to dry my hair so I headed towards the direction of my room, hoping that somehow I could have a dreamless sleep tonight... hoping that I wouldn’t wake up crying again in the middle of the night…

I sighed, pushing the dreary thought to the back of my head.

“DING-DONG!”
The door bell rang continuously, and I frowned, stopping in my tracks, right before the door of my room. The bed looked so comfortable now…

“KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK…”

Whoever had pressed the doorbell was now frantically knocking on the door. From the sounds of it, probably hammering their fists against the door. I gave my bed one last, frustrated, longing glance before I headed downstairs.

“Whoever’s decided to disturb me is going to fucking die.” I growled under my breath, muttering a string of profanities, as I yanked the door open.

“What is your fucking…?” I barely finished my sentence before I felt a small body throw itself at me, a pair of arms slung around my waist.

Bewildered, I glanced downwards, seeing a little girl of about 7 years old burrow her head into my stomach. She was shaking and crying, holding me tightly as though her life depended on it.

“Close the door please,” She begged. “Someone’s following me…” She stared up at me, her innocent silver-blue eyes wide with fear. “I’m scared, big sister…”

I nodded, and I shifted forward, heading towards the door. She was still holding me tightly, and I half-dragged, half-carried her as I closed the door behind me, locking it firmly in place.

“Are you okay? What happened? What’s your name?” I brushed her golden locks out of her face, before gently wiping the tears away from her face. She sniffed, and then lifted her silver blue orbs to look at me. And then, she let out a terrified shriek, her eyes widening in horror.

I started, turning backwards instinctively, but not before I felt myself before held in a headlock. I struggled, feeling the air being choked out of me. I gasped, tugging helplessly at the steel grip that I was locked in. The little girl was bravely kicking out at the stranger’s legs who hardly realized what she was doing.

“Hello…” A soft voice cooed into my ear. “Remember me?” I twisted backwards, staring at the stranger who was leering at me. Realization flooded through me, and I hissed as I tried one last time in vain to break free.

The last thing I remembered was that my head was slammed violently against the wall.