One of my all-time favorite posts from our first year of blogging was the original short story Cassidy wrote for us last year, you can read it here. She is too talented for words and she was the first person I asked to guest-feature for us again. Here is her new short story, tell us in the comments if it gave you the shivers it did me!
“Okay, you can do this.” Olivia Hatch spoke softly to her own reflection.
“Come on Liv! You’re the one who chose dare. If you’re going to be a big fat baby about it then we can go with option number two. You remember option two, don’t you? Calling and confessing your undying love to-”
“Kath! Shut up! I’m doing it.” Olivia met her own eyes in the mirror once again and with all of the courage she could muster spoke. “Bloody Mary.” A quick scan of the small bathroom before continuing. “Bloody Mary.” This time she couldn’t tear away from her own reflection. Inhale. Hold. “BLODY MARY!” She reached over and flipped the lights off and before she could think arms had surrounded her. “KATH! JEN! HELP-” a hand stifled her cries. The world seemed to be spinning as fear electrified every inch of her body. An instant later the bathroom door swung open to reveal a victorious looking pair of young girls. Olivia’s captor released her as he broke out into a familiar chuckle. “Danny you dick!” The young boy flipped the light switch on as he removed his cheap
Halloween mask.
“Gotcha.” he declared with a wink.
“Very funny you guys. Ha-ha. You scared a girl in a dark bathroom I hope you feel satisfied.”
“Quite, actually.” Kath shot Danny a knowing smile as she spoke. “Danny wanted to join the party and I told him this was the only way I’d allow it. Cut him break.” Danny grabbed Olivia pulling her into a caring hug.
“I’m sorry, Liv. Can you ever forgive me?” A goofy smile followed his apology melting Olivia’s heart.
“I guess so, but now your duty is walking me home. It’s getting late and I’m not looking to end up in the morning paper.”
“Fine by me.”
Crisp fall air chilled Olivia as she walked nervously next to Danny. Each of his steps were twice the size hers forcing her to walk briskly into the wind. As she attempted to look everywhere but Danny’s handsomely chiseled face she noticed a man darting through the shadows behind them. “Did you see that?”
“See what?” Danny gazed casually over his shoulder. “You saw something?”
“Don’t look! There’s a man. He’s following us.”
“I think you’ve been watching a little bit too much news coverage lately. I don’t see anything.”
“You’re right. It’s probably nothing.” Silence consumed the rest of the short walk home. Olivia casually checking over her shoulder.
The next morning Olivia awoke to a breeze flowing through her room and tickling her uncovered foot. Thats strange, she thought as she didn’t remember opening her window the previous night. Unwillingly she rolled out of bed and scurried over to the frame. She shoved the window with force, assuming it would stick, but for the first time in the sixteen years she had lived in that room the window slid down without a fight. “Bizarre.” She couldn’t help but speak her confusion allowed. Movement caught Olivia’s eye as she turned from the window. Something was in her yard. She strained her eyes looking for any sign of danger. That’s when she saw it. A hooded man creeping out of her yard. Her jaw dropped as he turned to look back at her window. He was a middled aged man with a large scar through his eye and down his left cheek. Panicked, Olivia pulled out her phone and dialed Kath’s number.
“Oh please, stop trying to get attention from all of this Holloween murdery bull crap.”
“Kath, I’m serious. I did not open my window last night and it closed so easy and then there he was in my yard like what?! And it’s not bull crap. People are dead.”
“One girl missing and one girl who was probably totally killed by her boyfriend does not constitute a freaking national crisis, Ok?”
“Can I please just stay at your house tonight? My mom is out of town until Monday and I know if I’m alone I’ll just spend all night freaking out.”
“If your mom is gone we are having a sleep over at your place. Oh and I’m inviting the boys so make sure you don’t wear your hello kitty panties.”
“I don’t wear those anymore. I’m not a child.”
“Speak for yourself babe. See you at seven. Until then try not to get axed. Love you.”
Bzzzt. Bzzzt. Olivia let out a sigh as she fumbled around for her phone in the couch. “Hello?”
“We’re here. Come let us in!” The lock made a loud thud as it turned and Kath was pushing her way through the door before Olivia had the chance to open it herself. “Helloooooo beautiful. Thanks again for inviting us over. This is Rob. You remember Rob, right?”
“Yeah, I think I had bio with him last year.”
“Perfect. You’re acquainted. Come on Rob lets go check the house for creepy spirits.” She grabbed Rob’s hand and giggled her way up the stairs. Danny stood in the doorway, chuckling.
“Well Hello, no need to worry now, your knight in shining armor is here.”
“Thanks. I’m glad to see someone takes me seriously.”
“Of course. Lets find a Will Ferrel movie to watch or something. Take your mind off the spookiness that is October.”
Darkness. Olivia felt around her bedroom awkwardly as her eyes adjusted to the dark. Her memory seemed blocked. She could recall her friends arriving and about half of a movie but then nothing. A flash of pain sent her hand up to her head where a lump had formed underneath her hair. Warm blood coated her fingers. “Danny?” Her voice cracked as it made its way past her dry throat. “Kath?”
THUD! The floor boards creaked as Olivia’s back broke her fall. “What the…?” Olivia was surrounded by blood and there, under the bed, was the source. Kath’s beautiful face was mangled. There was not an inch of visible skin that wasn’t sliced open or covered in blood. Olivia let out an ear splitting scream and immediately regretted it. Footsteps echoed through the house and into her bedroom.
The man with the scar stood in the doorway, knife in hand, staring at Olivia. Their eye contact held and thoughts raced through Olivia’s head. Run? Attack? Scream? Every option seemed undoable in light of her situation. But before she could choose, her knight in shinning armor came around the corner and tackled the hooded man. As the struggle raged on Olivia grabbed the small bat she kept at her bedside and ran to Danny’s rescue. Three swift hits to the back of the head and the man was out cold. Danny grabbed the knife and stuck it deep into the belly of the intruder. “Come on.” Danny grabbed Olivia’s hand and rushed her downstairs.
“Wait, what happened? Where’s Rob?” Everything began to sink in and tears rushed down her face.
“He’s gone. That man. He was going to kill me. You saved me.” Danny pulled her close and kissed her hard. Her first kiss.
“I don’t understand. Why me? Why did he do this?” She sobbed into his chest.
“He’s had it out for me. He wasn’t going to let this just be easy.” Olivia looked up at Danny from within his embrace. “He couldn’t just let it go and move on. Grudges are bad for the soul, Liv. He would still be alive if he knew that.”
“Danny?”
“But thanks to you I’m alive. I knew you were special. I knew you wouldn’t be a stupid bitch like his daughter. She just layed down and died, but you, you’re a fighter. You’re special.”
“Danny, let go you’re hurting me.”
“Oh, Liv, you don’t even understand the meaning of that word… not yet.”
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- Original Short Story Feature by Cassidy Liston
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- Review: Warm Bodies
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- Halloween Art Print Giveaway WINNER!
