The Girl

Chapter 8: Rae Manor - The Nightmare

I was sitting in my room at my house in San Angeles, feeling so bored to death. My Mom was out shopping with Reinn, I chose to stay behind since I’m not a fan of shopping myself.

My Dad was in town this weekend and we decided to spend the time together – it’s not like we could meet him anytime we like. 

This house was our first home, the first house my Mom and my Dad lived in after they’re married. We moved out from San Angeles when I was 7 years old and Reinn was 6 but because his job was mostly done here, no matter where we’d gone we always came back here.

Since my Mom is a Roma by blood, it’s hard for her just to stay in one place. So we moved around much, to York, Augusta, or sometimes abroad to London, Paris, Rome, and the last one is Berlin – well, actually we moved around so much I lost count. Due to these moving around it’s hard for me to get some real friends, I’m not an extrovert type of person so it’s hard for me to make friends. If suddenly her Roma mood comes back and we have to move again, it’ll be hard to lose someone or people that you are attached to. However, I was so grateful that my Mom decided to move to San Rafael. I met many good friends in San Rafael, and I met Jason too.

I remembered when he called me Saturday morning and asked me out to see a movie in the evening. I wanted to go with him but we were already packing to go to San Angeles, and so I said no. Besides my best friend's birthday coming up this Sunday – which is today – and it’s not like I had many best friends he’s the only one before Jason came around.

“My best friend's birthday is coming up and I want to celebrate it with him,” I said – yesterday, over the phone.

“Him?” His tone was changed a little bit.

“Yes, Carson.”

“So…This Carson guy, how old will he be?”

“His name isn’t Carson Guy but Carson Taylor,” I laughed, he muttered something ‘like I care’ on the other line. “It’s his 17th birthday, we always celebrate it together.”

“Over dinner?”

“No…but don’t worry he’s alright.”

“I won’t bet on it.”

The conversation ended when my Mom called me from the car and when we got here, it turned out that my Dad had to cancel his flight for a few hours, an occupational hazard – he said – but will be here by dinner time.

 I wanted to tell Jason about this strange dream that I had last night. It’s quite harrowing, my heart sank just from remembering it again.

In my dream, I was in some kind of a tunnel. It was dark and almost no sound - the only sound I could hear was the sound of water dripping nearby but I couldn’t tell because I couldn’t see anything. I remembered how I felt in my dream. I felt so frightened, I could feel the horror creeping down my spine. I couldn’t describe it precisely.

I forced myself to crawl on the ground slowly, just moving ahead although I didn’t know what I would face later. I just needed to get away from there, far away, as far as I could. I tried to call for Jazz, but no sound came from me as if a stone was shoved into my throat and blocked my voice. I cried in silence. I kept moving on, I didn’t want to be there. 

It felt ages before I could finally see a dim light in front of me but then I heard footsteps from behind. I froze. I didn’t dare to move. My heart was beating so fast as if it would jump out of my chest as the steps grew near me. I closed my eyes, fearing that I would be caught and killed. Then I felt chill airbrushed over me as someone passed me by.

I opened my eyes and I saw Claire was walking alone, her hand was trailing the wall covered with mud and icky moss. She didn’t even stop to notice me, she just walked slowly as if there’s a force that pulled her. I called her, she turned her face to see me, and her face was so much paler than me like there was no blood in her. Her face was blank - there was neither expression nor emotion, just empty, like the face of death. I was so uncertain if she’s alive, I hesitantly reached out my hand to her. She was stone cold.

‘Claire,’ I called her name again. She was looking right through me, still no sign of life in her eyes. ‘Claire it’s me, Rae.’ Now both of my hands cupped her face, trembling, both from my fears and the coldness of her skin. Then slowly I felt her warmth come back, her eyes rolled back only the whites were seen, I was confused and let go of my hand away from her when suddenly she grabbed me.

Her eyes were back to normal, she now looked at me with fears, and tears were falling out. ‘Rae help, help me,’ she cried. 

Before I could reach back to her suddenly a dark and tall figure came out of nowhere – appeared in some kind of grey mist. He was wearing a robe that covered his body all over. He grabbed her by force and took her away from me. Claire screamed my name with horror in her eyes. With reflex I followed them, I stumbled a couple of times but I was so determined to get and help her, so I rose and chased after them. Ignoring the pain and my bleeding knees.

Then they stopped in the middle of a big room. The stone wall bounced the fire glow from the torches around us. We’re not alone. I saw a group of people wearing the same robe gathered there. They surrounded Claire and that being - since I’m unsure if that was even human. Blocking my way toward them. Those people started to make noise as if they’re enchanting words that were unfamiliar to me. I kept trying to pass them, to get to Claire, but in vain. 

I saw the being’s hand rose in the air, holding a bright silvery dagger. I froze. My body was numb, I couldn’t move. I just stood there, glued to the floor. I screamed her name over and over again until I felt my throat soared. With its freehand, it touched her neck, caressed it slowly. Claire's eyes struck with horror, she was screaming in terror. It now moved its hand and grabbed her hair, pulled her head back, exposing her white neck. Then it slit the dagger on her neck in one swift move. Her blood was deluging like a waterfall, filling the floor and it’s moving towards me. I saw her falling slowly to the ground, eyes widened with fear and pain. I still stood there, frightened.

Then it’s pointing its finger to me, calling me. My body moved on its own, I tried to stop it but it’s forcing me even hard. I forced myself to the ground, clenched deep to the stone floor, I could feel my nails were cracking because I was fighting with the force that pulled me forward. 

The being was now growling in anger, it flew toward me. I saw a creepy skinny hand under the robe, reaching out to me, and when he grabbed my hand I could feel like I was showered with ice, it’s so cold. It easily lifted me in the air. I struggled and kicked it in its head. Its hood was thrown back and I could see its face now. Its head was like a skull covered with greyish skin, no flesh, and his eyes were dark so dark that I could see the fire from the torches flickering in it. It had no lips, its sharp teeth, and rotten gums were exposed. So petrifying and repulsing at the same time. I once again froze. My eyes were widened in deep fear.

It pulled me back down. It whispered in my ear: ‘Sameera’ with its deep chilling voice. I screamed in fear over my life and then I was awakened in my bed, sweating.

I touched my hand – where it had touched me in my dream. I perplexed, I saw a smear in the form of fingers – like its fingers when it grabbed me. I wasn’t dreaming now for sure, I was fully awakened. I closed my eyes just to be sure that I wasn’t sleeping, when I opened it the smear was gone. I breathed in relief.

Reinn was suddenly gushing out from the bathroom that connected both of our rooms. I was so surprised I almost fell off my bed. She was breathing hard like she just ran for 10 miles.

“What’s wrong?” I asked her. She sat by my bed.

“I just had the worst nightmare ever,” she said. “Can I sleep here?”

It’s so strange when two people – sisters – having a nightmare on the same night, I was wondering, “What was it about?”

“Can we not talk about it,” she said, her face was weary. “I just want to sleep, Rae.”

I didn’t want to sleep alone too, not after what I’d dreamt. I moved a little bit, making space for her to lie down on my bed. I didn’t get much sleep afterward; I was awakened now and then as if someone was there in my room, watching us. As if that figure was watching me.

 I used my spare time to go to the city library in San Angeles – on Saturday after My Dad decided to delay his flight. My Mom was already drowning in her work, in a police case. It’s quite a big case because it involved more than five detectives. She never talked about it much – it’s violating her oath. When the police recruited her, she was sworn not to share any information of ongoing investigation and not like I wanted to know too because sometimes it’s too gruesome.

I browsed in old newspapers and obituaries from the ‘70s, to find some information about Alex. I guessed there were many people named Alex, he's not the only one, which made the search more frustrating.

I found an obituary of a man named Alex Bright - he died in 1971 at the age of 57. It’s not our Alex for sure because he’s still 16 and stayed 16 for the rest of his ghost’s life.

Another Alex died in 1979 – Alex Gilde - but he was 5 years old, died of Typhus.

Maybe I read more than 50 obituaries of people named Alex but none of them fit the description of Alex the Ghost. No luck here.

Anyway, during my research time, I found this interesting news in the crime section. Around the 1970s, there were cases of missing persons around San Angeles, Redwood City, and up to San Rafael. All people that were missing were young women between the ages of 15 to 17 years old. They were just gone without a trace, the police sensed that there was a cartel of human trafficking involved but they couldn’t find any evidence to support it.

I guessed the crime investigating technology back then wasn’t as advanced as nowadays. There was no DNA technology nor adequate forensic lab like now. Back then, those people relayed more on their hunch. I wouldn’t be so surprised if these cases remained unsolved. Maybe these missing girls were claimed to be running away from their parents with some rock star wannabe.

I felt sorry for the parents. You know, what if it turned out that their daughter died, not running away like the police said or claimed they were. They deserved to know the truth. I guessed many of them still hoping to find her, or wishing that she walked back through their door again, crying and saying that she was sorry, and promised not to do that again – instead she never returned.

My Mom picked me up in the evening and we headed off to the restaurant to meet my Dad. It’s a regular normal family dinner, because we were a regular and normal family. She spilled all the information about us having boyfriend, and my Dad – like many Dad in the world – was asking a lot about it; how does he like, who are their parents and what did they do, was he drinking or smoking…you know the routine investigation of a father, tried to fish out some information from you. Anyhow, my Mom was the one who answered all of his questions – not me or Reinn.

So back to me again, I was still in my room, still feeling so bored to death on this beautiful Sunday afternoon. My Dad was downstairs in the living room with his friend, discussing their next project, which will start by this summer. I tried googling instead of sitting in the library, trying to find more clues about Alex.

My phone rang three times before I picked it up. Jason was calling. I was happily smiling, not to mention that I kind of missed him so much.

“Hey, you!” I said, cheery.

“Hey gorgeous,” he called back. “What are you doing now?”

“Nothing much,” I said - looking blankly to the computer screen and playing with the mouse up and down. “I just browse on the internet and try to look for something about Alex.”

“Any luck?”

“I think I need a leprechaun to give me some luck.”

He was chuckling, “I don’t know anything about the leprechaun, but I can’t bring you some Starbuck, not luck.”

“There are Starbucks too in Angeles, you know, I could get it myself. You don’t have to play a hero to bring me a cup from San Rafael.” I rolled my eyes over his words. “Anyway, Caramel Macchiato ice blended sounds great.”

“One Caramel Macchiato coming right up Ma’am. Extra Caramel or you like it plain? With whip cream?”

I laughed - I was trying to picture him in Starbuck uniform and that green looking apron. “I like it plain, thank you.”

“What’s your address?”

I blinked. No, wait. Did he mean it? San Angeles and San Rafael weren't that far, but it would be ridiculous coming down to San Angeles just to bring me a cup of Macchiato. It’s not that I didn’t want it, I love to have my plain Caramel Macchiato and I’m dying to see him too, but it’s just ridiculous.

“No, Jazz. You don’t have to bring it to me from San Rafael. Beside, Starbuck just around the corner,” make it three corners from my house.

“Who said I’m in San Rafael?”

I was perplexed. “Where are you?” I asked - feeling confused.

“Guess?” I could picture his face – he’s grinning widely, and his eyes were squinting, looking at you and teasing you with his gaze. If this some lame joke he thought he could throw at me, I’m going to kill him – the first chance I got in San Rafael.

But if he’s, you know, here – in San Angeles – because of me, well.

“Are you in Angeles?”

“Ding ding! That’s correct.”

My heart sunk. “Why?” I asked slowly.

“My Mom asked me to drop off her party dress that she left in San Rafael, so here I am.”

Well, it’s not the answer I hoped for from him, but sometimes a girl couldn’t hope too much right? I mean he’s here and that’s great but if he said that he’s here because of me that would be even great.

“I just drop it off, so what’s the address? I’m around the Heights.” He’s not too far, but also not too close by.

“Just go to Rio St. and take a turn to Scott St., I’m around the Ala Grande.”

“Okay, just text me the address, I’ll be there.”

“Okay.”

“And Rae…”

“What?”

“I missed you,” then he just hung up.

What’s that all about? He said he missed me and then hung up, that’s so impolite. But it’s enough to get me into cardiac arrest since my heart started to beat so fast.

I sent him a message of my address and threw the phone over my bed. I looked at my reflection in the mirror. I think I should change to something fancier; something like Reinn would have in her closet. She wouldn’t mind if I borrowed one or two of hers – or a complete outfit.

I quickly opened her closet and browsed over her clothes. I changed into her turquoise sleeveless Shanghai blouse - which our Dad bought for her when he was in China – and a pair of my jeans. I tied my hair because this was my bad hair day since I didn’t wash it this morning. I took a glance at her make up kit on the table; maybe a swap of lip-gloss wouldn’t hurt so much.

Arrrrgggghhhh……

This wasn’t me, I never would do something like this – playing dress up for a boy – but I do it anyway and hate it.

I hate what he’d done to me, he changed me. I hate him and like him so much at the same time – it’s killing me. I used to never care so much about my appearance, I never spent so much time in front of a mirror before a date like Reinn – when the result was stunning, she’s more gorgeous than before.

I’m the typical brainy girl that always had the answer to almost everything. I read books, not fashion magazines, I watched Discovery Channel not The Entertainment or Fashion TV, I went to art shows or gallery openings and not to a spring’s fashion show. I never knew which eyeshadow goes with which dress or what the color trend for this summer. I’m a typical girl that the teacher would’ve called to solve a problem in front of the board.

But looked at me now, wearing a fancy blouse, wearing lip-gloss and God knows what happened next if I didn’t get out from Reinn’s room.

Did you know the feeling when you tried so bad not to fall but instead you’re already falling since the beginning? That’s what I felt right now.

I tried so hard not to fall or to have a crush on Jason when I have already fallen since the first time I saw him down in the hallway, the first day I went to school. Every step I made only got this feeling even worse.

On the other hand, I love when he calls my name, when he wraps his arms over my waist, or when he plays with the curl of my hair with his fingers. He didn’t know how much it drove me crazy when he slowly brushed my back with his hand, the craziness which made you want to say ‘please don’t do that’ and he did. There’s this tingling sensation creeping up from your spine up to your neck, slowly eating up the clear conscience in your brain, and all you wanted to do next was to push him to the wall and kiss him.

But then again it’s not me. It wasn’t me who said all those things to you.

Over the silent arguments in my head, I heard my phone rang again. Jason was calling.

“Yes?”

“I’m in front of your house,” he said, uncertain.

I peeked over the window from my room. I saw him and Alex stood in front of my door, holding 2 cups of Starbuck.

“I saw you. I’ll get down in a minute.” I took 2 stairs at once when I got down, almost slipped myself.

I opened my door and found them standing in front of his car. They both were smiling at me. Jason was wearing a Navy blue Polo shirt under his blazer and a pair of off washed jeans, while Alex was still in his ‘70s style. 

“One plain Caramel Macchiato just as requested,” he winked his eye to me.

“Keep the change,” I got closer and tiptoed, to kiss his lips. Once again, it’s not me who’s doing that – it’s the other me, the one that he changed.

“If I buy 2 Caramel Macchiato will I get 2 kisses?” He grinned.

I rolled my eyes. “Hi, Alex!” I said - he waved his hand to reply. “Come on in!” They followed me inside.

“Where’s everybody?” Jason asked.

“He’s afraid to meet your Dad,” Alex said, chuckling. Jason’s eyes were squinting and gave a little growl over him.

“Well you are, and don’t give me that look cause I’m not your teammate that you could intimidate that way,” Alex was pointing to his eyes – if Jason could only see him like me.

“He’s not that bad, my Dad,” I said to assure him.

We sat down in front of the TV, drinking our Caramel Macchiato. Talking about what he did on Saturday, which was the same as I did. He went to the city library in San Rafael to look over for more clues about Alex and that he told Alex not to help him to get the archives because he’s not sure how to tell those people if they saw books flying around to him. No luck in him too, same as me.

“What if I’m not from around here?” Alex said. He gazed at the coffee table. “What if I was from York or Timbuktu? I mean, you’ve tried and Jazz tried and you both failed to find something.”

“Yet! Alex,” I said. “Not yet, we’ll find it.”

“But I have this feeling that we’re running out of time,” he was depressed. “This feeling that I have, about something bad…it’s getting stronger.”

“Did you find what makes you feel that way?”

“No,” Jason said on behalf of Alex, slurping his drink from the straw. “And he’s whining over this ‘feeling’ he had…”

“No, I’m not!” Alex said and Jason gave him an oh-please look. “Maybe I whined, just a little,” he said, giving up over the gaze.

“Make that all night,” Jason said again. Alex rolled his eyes.

“Rae!” My Dad called. I saw Jason’s face tightened, uncomfortable. “Rae,” he called again.

“In the TV room Dad,” I answered his call.

My Dad’s head popped out from behind the wall, he’s now standing in front of the room.

“I see you’ve got a company?” His gaze fell to Jason. His tall body straightened in this intimidating way – some sort of what Dad would behave over a boy who’s dating their daughter.

“This is Jason Burrow,” I said, fidgeting. It seemed that my Dad’s look worked even more for me than for Jason.

“He-Hello Sir,” Jason stuttered.

It took more than a minute before my Dad’s eyes turned to his usual calm and warm gaze. He smiled at Jason.

“Hi, nice to finally meet you, Mr. Burrow,” he shook Jason’s hand. “I heard a lot about you…from my wife - it seems that you have charm over my women.” Jason was smiling nervously. “We'll be heading to the Marjorie’s to grab a bite, Quinn and I. I wanted to ask you to join us but it seems you have another engagement,” my Dad said, looking down at Jason.

“We’re good, I’m going to Carson’s later,” I said.

“You’re going to see Carson?” Quinn Taylor – my Dad’s best friend – was standing behind my Dad, putting on his blazer. “Say hi for me will you, I went there this morning.”

“I will, not to worry,” I said. “You boys have fun and don’t even try to hit on the new cute waiter!” I teased. They both laughed and went out through the front door.

I turned around to see Jason, his face still uptight, like he’s seen a ghost – he couldn’t see a ghost, he couldn’t even see Alex.

“Was that Quinn Taylor?” His eyes were still looking over my front door.

“Yes, that was Quinn Taylor.” I took my drink from the table and started to drink it.

“And was that Michael Manor?”

“It’s Manor and not spelled like manor – the house!” I cried desperately.

“It’s Michael Manor, that’s how it spelled.”

“20 years of wrong spelling of my Dad’s family name, should I spend another 20 years to fix it?!” I rolled my eyes.

“Michael Manor…” He said it wrong again, I curled my lips. “Okay, Michael Manor…” now he got it right.

“That’s correct, and you’re saying?”

“Michael Manor is your Dad?” He looked deeply into my eyes.

“Do you need to see my birth certificate to prove it?” I was playing dumb. He didn’t like it - I knew it from his expression. “Yes! He’s my Dad. Happy now?”

“You never told me that Michael Manor is your Dad. Michael Manor as the 2 times Movie winners as best actor?” His milky brown eyes were still looking at me.

I didn’t mean to be secretive, it’s just I didn’t like to boast around about my Dad. Michael Manor the famous actor, the 2 times best actor award winner, the international heartthrob, voted as the most beautiful person in a famous magazine – I could go on forever to tell you his nickname. For me, he’s just my Dad – the overprotective one – that loves me and cares for me like any father in this universe.

“You never ask,” I said, looking away from his gaze.

“He’s not mad at you Rae,” Alex said – but I feel that he was. “He’s just in shock because he’s like this No.1 fan of your Dad.”

I blinked.

“Oh yeah…he is. He has all your father’s movie actually, displayed alphabetically,” Alex was chuckling again, against Jason’s rejection – he even tried to punch Alex but only managed to sway on empty space. Alex laughed even harder.

“You said that you wanted to see this Carson guy…” Jason tried to change the subject.

Shoot! I remembered that I was supposed to see Carson. “His name was Carson Taylor, not Carson Guy.”

“Whatever.” Jason stood up from the sofa, putting on his Blazer. “Can I come?”

“Yes of course. Let me get my jacket first.”

I told him where we could meet Carson, and he drove us there.