Okay guys! I don't know if you've read the prologue or not, but if you can find it, you may want to read it, as it might clear up some stuff. Of course that's completely up to you! We're back to Lakisha and we're in wonderful first-person! There's a guy at the end that I know I'll get questions about, but please, refrain from asking. Like I said in the prologue, things clear up further in. Well, I hope that this is somewhat enjoyable.
CHAPTER 1
Lakisha
I sighed as I peered out to the sidewalk in front of me. The streets were overwhelmed by people, all going somewhere with something meaningful to do. They didn't care to leave a small path for a sixteen year old guitarist-in-the-making to get to her lessons. Why should they? They all had places to be, too. I sighed once again and begin my trek to my lesson. Somehow I planned on making it to guitar in time. I was already late last week, and my instructor, Bob, wasn't overly thrilled with me.
I shoved by a crisp looking accountant who was jabbering on her cellphone. She temporary pulled the cellphone a centimetre from her ear to glare at me. Watch it kid! Show some respect for the upper-class in your community! I could almost hear the words she was obviously thinking. I shrugged it off and continued walking. I wasn't about to let some snobby lady with expensive clothes intimidate me.
I tugged on the guitar case's built-in strap and bit my lip nervously. No way was I making it to lessons on time! I clucked my tongue out of habit and once again resume walking. I knew I was only slowing myself down by pausing so often, but my mind was so clouded, thinking just wasn't coming naturally to me that day. I decided it would have been better for all of humanity if I took it slow.
I almost clobbered an elderly lady with my guitar case after an idiot-on-wheels decided it would be funny to shove me over. I apologized to the lady and glared at the back of the red-head's blue and white striped t-shirt. What was wrong with people these days?
For some reason I always caught myself thinking that way. What's wrong with society? Or maybe I'd ask myself why the heck God decided he needed to create human beings. Whatever the question, I could never fully find the answer. I still think this way, and I still have no answers. Not in-depth ones anyways.
I was nearing the last business when I felt a cold, bony hand coil itself around my wrist. I gasped and spun my head around so quickly something snapped. Hot pain seared through my neck. I
was overwhelmed by a horrible sense of fear. I was looking into the deep-set, dramatically blue eyes of a ghoulish old man. He was the most frail-looking thing I had ever seen! His skin was pasty and his
shoulders were rounded off slightly. Despite his frail appearance, he seemed to have an extremely firm grip on my wrist.
My whole body seemed to shut down then, my mind and my limbs refused to function cooperatively, my voice refused to make words and my lips refused to squeal in fright. There was something horrible in those man's eyes, I swear it. Something almost evil...
“Be prepared, you're next,” he whispered, too low for any passer-by to hear. Just those four words and his hand uncoiled and he turned and disappeared into the crowds. My knees buckled and I grabbed hold of the back of a nearby bench to steady myself. What the heck was that all about? I considered calling the police, but I only had a few minutes left on my cell phone, and besides, he had left me alone hadn't he? I wanted to puke all over the sidewalk. I remained there for a few minutes, clinging desperately to the bench.
I somehow managed to compose myself and turn and walk away. I reassured myself that he was just a crazed old man with nothing better to do than attempt to give the younger generation their first heart attack. Whatever. I flipped my long brown hair behind my shoulder with a trembling hand and continued to my lessons, ignoring every other human being in the world.
I finally arrived at Bob's place. For a moment I am too nervous to knock on the door. I was obviously late, and Bob wouldn't be happy. He had enough hanging off of his shoulders as it was. He was only twenty-six and he had already lost his wife and first child during vacation. She began to give birth three months before the due-date; right in the middle of their vacation. They had been visiting some forest in British Columbia and she went into labour. By the time the rescue teams got there it was much too late. I didn't want to add to his stress right now. The last lesson I was late he lectured me and then began to weep. Of course once a grown man starts blubbering, you have to let out a few tears, too. I hoped that this lesson wasn't the same.
I finally made up my mind to knock on the door. I heard slight commotion going on inside, a thud and a grunt before he finally opened the door. “You're late,” he muttered to me, rubbing the bridge of his nose and shutting his eyes.
“Yeah, sorry. Traffic was terrible today! Is there something happening downtown?” I apologized, scuffing my shoe on the cement.
“Not that I'm aware of. I haven't been out of the house for a while, though, so I could be wrong.” He ushered me inside and apologized for the mess. Truthfully, I didn't mind, my house didn't look much different. The only difference were the soggy tissues spread out all over the coffee table and sofas. A window was open and the hot summer breeze drifted through the house. He obviously hadn't 'gotten over it' as he had claimed yesterday when my mom phoned him to ask if he was okay to do a lesson.
“Okay, let's start with last week's songs,” he mumbled. I could see his eyes tear up when he looked past me to a photograph of him and his wife on their wedding day that was hanging on the wall behind me. He wiped his eyes and straightened out. “Start whenever you're ready.”
“Actually...I had something different in mind. My mom's been hounding me to sing during lessons, and I wrote a song yesterday. I was wondering if I could get some tips? I'll sing it too if you want,” The song was actually meant for him, but I didn't bother bringing that up.
“Really? That's interesting, I didn't know you sang,” he perked up slightly, nodding his head at me to continue.
I pulled a sheet of crumpled up paper out of my back pocket, took a seat my favourite stool-the one with the ladybugs painted onto it- and grabbed up my guitar from its case. I placed the sheet of loose-leaf paper carefully on the stand, running my hand along it to smooth out the wrinkles. Placing my hand on the strings, I began to play my intro. I breathed in and began to sing the lyrics as well I could manage. I could feel heat rising to my face and I knew that I was obviously blushing.
When nothing seems to matter,
when everything is shattered,
keep hold of love
keep hold of love
The song was sort of cheesy, but it brought tears to Bob's eyes. “It was wonderful, Lakisha.” He placed a hand on my shoulder and smiled weakly. I didn't know what to say so I just let things play out the way Bob wanted them to. “Why don't we start singing during lessons? I'll find more songs with lyrics. Maybe ones that don't, you could write?”
He wanted me to write lyrics? “Sure,” I smiled up at him, feeling rather pleased with myself. If he liked my song that much, maybe I did have potential after all! He smoothed out his black hair and handed me my song-book, placing it on the stand and flipping it open to a song I hadn't tried yet. The name was Latin or something and unpronounceable.
“I have no clue what it's called to be honest with you, but it's a beautiful song,” he chimed, “It's not too hard either. That part in the middle there,” he pointed to a few notes on the centre of the page, “is the worst part. It'll take some practice, but you'll get it!”
Feeling enlightened that his mood had cleared for the time being, I smile again and begin to play. The song was really quite beautiful. I'd have to remember to look it up later and find out the title. I was determined.
The lesson passed quickly, and I felt happy that I could make Bob smile again. I even sang a few more songs, mostly old ones. Like the ones I always used to sing in choir class back in elementary school. Bob would clap and nod his head, and he was actually smiling! Can you believe it? Well, whatever, I'm still happy I could make his day.
“Oh crap!” Bob shouted suddenly after checking his watch.
“What?” I asked hesitantly.
“We went forty-five minutes overtime! I'm going to call your mom before she gets the whole city in an uproar. You get yourself home quickly!” he grabbed for the cordless phone from the top of his piano.
Bob doesn't even play piano, nor did his wife. What's he got one here for? I wondered absently, scanning it. It was a dark chocolate colour and had a layer of dust covering it. I hadn't really noticed it until just now. Not that it makes a difference. I pulled my guitar strap from my shoulder and placed it carefully back inside its case. Again, I found myself thankful that I got a strappy case, they were hard to find here. Actually, mine is the only one I've ever seen before.
I waited for Bob's phone-call to end before saying goodbye and slipping out the door. The light hit me and I squinted. It was amazing how a room could seem so bright, and yet when you walked
outside, the sun was always five times brighter. I practically skipped down the stairs-unsafe, I know, but I was happy.
The crowds were still ridiculous, and my mom was mad enough. Well, I assumed she was mad enough, Bob hadn't elaborated and I hadn't asked. I decided to walk down a small abandoned-looking street. It was eerie, but anything was better than the crowds. I sprinted around the block and began to march down the street.
I glanced back at the street-sign. Tarnished Reality Avenue. I had been forced to sit for hours in front of a map of Saskatoon so that I wouldn't ever get lost. Tarnished Reality hadn't been on the map, I was sure of it. The houses were old and rugged. The paint was chipped and a few of the windows were boarded up. A door squeaked back and forth on its hinges in the wind. A cold shiver washed down my back. Oh well, it was closer to my house, so I'd take it. What could go wrong, right?
My vision clouded and I stumbled to the side slightly. I rubbed my eyes and it came back, but only for a moment before I grew dizzy. The whole street was spinning, and fast too! I don't remember ever being this dizzy in my life, I actually swore that I was moving! My vision was clouding again, of course the spinning buildings were blurry already, but my own hand was fuzzy. Colours faded in and out. I wanted to scream, call for help, but whenever I opened my mouth, nothing came out. The wind that was now swarming around my body seemed to swallow my words whole, without spitting out the bones. The wind stopped, as did the spinning, but my vision was still extremely fuzzy. I dropped to my knees and a horrible pain roared up my spine. I lurched forward and shook violently. The pain continued to ripple, intensifying greatly. Finally, I was able to scream. I screeched in pain. It was so high it made my own ears run and my throat go dry. What was happening to me?
Then there was nothing. I didn't dream, I didn't move, but I thought. I thought I was dead.
~*~*~*~
Mister Laroogo
I gawked at the scene in front of me. What the heck had just happened here? I've been on the force for over twenty-five years, and I've seen some extremely bizarre things, but this? Never had I witnessed something so unbelievable. Not ever. The girl had just friggen disappeared! Excuse the slang, I beg you, but what was I supposed to think? Oh, there goes another one! Ha! Yeah right! I was on the Kerr Road and the girl had just wandered into the empty space in front of me. She began stumbling around and eventually she fell to her knees.
She screamed and I ran to the edge of my deck, ready to save her from whatever horror she was going through. I got to the stairs and she had disappeared! Bang! Just like that! No more girl!
I stumbled through my sliding glass door and grabbed the phone off of my counter. I dialled my best friend's number and explained what had happened. He laughed his fool head off, told me that I needed to go see a shrink and hung up without a goodbye. Thanks for being there, Lyle. Sheesh. I sauntered to the couch and sunk into its overstuffed cushions. I closed my eyes and sighed, rubbing the bridge of my nose. The phone rang and I sprang to answer it.
Also, that's quite the reaction she's having. If I had been stopped by a guy, no matter how creepy, and he said something like that to me, I would have been reaching for my phone to call for the police, not staggering back and feeling weak.
