Melissa just finished writing her letter; it simply recapped the events of the prior night.
She stretched and yawned, just as Mac pulled her back down.
“You're really up this early?”
“Of course.”
“Take your ass back to bed.”
“Or what?”
“Wanna find out.”
“Yeah, what you gonna do hit me?”
“Hmm no but I’ll tell Miley on you.”
“Miley this, Miley that, let’s not forget she’s like 5’4, I’ll win.”
“Oh really?”
“Yes…. I mean don’t tell her I said that.”
“That’s what I thought lil girl.”
“I’m not little I’m big and strong.”
“Aren’t you scared of spiders?”
“No just bug creatures with 8 legs.”
“Hmm and that’s not a spider?”
“No…”
“You’re a horrible liar.”
Mac pulls her into his chest.
“But that’s one of your best traits.”
“Yeah yeah.”
He grips her chin.
“What was that?”
“Oh nothing.”
“That’s what I thought.”
Melissa giggles.
Mac smiles.
“Think I’m joking?”
“Yeah, you better be, I’m stronger.”
“No, the hell you're not.”
“Wanna get struck by lightning?”
“Uhh..”
“That’s what I thought.”
“….”
“Haha.”
Devan yells from a bed across.
“Man can y’all shut up its 6:00 a.m.”
Melissa rolls her eyes.
“Whatever.”
***
Devan is driving the camper as everyone in the back sits… well except Melissa who’s slightly bouncing her leg, the bed creaks as she does.
Aisha rolls her eyes.
“Melissa honey are you that excited?”
“Duhh I haven’t seen her face to face in years!”
Mac pats her back.
“It’ll be fine.”
Melissa picks up her phone, the smooth cold titanium curves rubbing across her skin.
She dials Aerianna’s number, after a few long rings the line connects.
“Hey big sis.”
“Aerianna!!”
Melissa smiles.
“I’ve really missed you!”
Aerianna’s liveliness filled the room; everyone felt it.
“Yeah! I’ve really missed you as well.”
“So do you wanna come with us to eat?”
“Nah I’m actually making you a surprise!!”
“Oh, what is it?”
“What did I just say?”
“Ugh…”
“Heh you never change, see ya, love you!”
“Love you too!!”
The line disconnects.
Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.
Melissa looks out the window, they were in the amazing city of Frisk, in Zeltic it took them forever to get to this place in their eyes.
It felt like a city from the 80’s with a modern vibe, the giant mountains dominated the view, just like the churches who's buildings made up for most of the land marks in the state, where the people worshipped a god called Amethyst, her name was known far and wide.
Melissa looks back.
“Neveil, and Aisha, don’t you believe in lady Amethyst?”
Neveil nods and lifted up an Amethyst necklace from inside his shirt.
“Yeah.”
Aisha shook her head.
“I did when I was younger but not really.”
Aisha tilted her head.
“What about you?”
“I do believe she’s at-least there.”
“How do you think the universe was made?”
“Have you ever heard of the creation myth.”
“Refresh us.”
“Chris probably can explain better than me.”
Chris nodded.
“Indeed, but to elaborate on your earlier discussion, I do believe Lady amethyst is real because she’s actually one of my patrons.”
“Oh, I forgot about that.” Said Melissa.
Chris nodded.
“ but anyway, the creation meth goes as follows, a long time ago there was a light people call it, the brightest light or the light bringer whatever you call it one day it somehow grew board and decided to enlighten everything, and then after it did so allegedly explain itself up into four fragments, not all of them are accounted for, but people believe one of the fragments is in Skeldrheim, and is a mythical beast.”
Everyone stays silent before Devan breaks the ice.
“I bet Melissa still wants to go there…”
Melissa giggles.
“Duh.”
Devan chuckles.
Just as they pull into the restaurant, tires screeching, the birds sitting on the power lines flying away.
The first one to emerge was Melissa, dragging Mac close behind.
“Damn Mel why the hell are you so strong.”
“Because I am.”
Aisha and Devan emerge close behind; Chris and Neveil follow.
The restaurant was vast, wide with many cars in the parking lot; the pure aroma of the food was enough to drive one to gluttony.
Melissa smiled.
“Oh, my goodness!! It’s amazing.”
Mac nudges her.
“Yeah, I know I always pick the best spots.”
Frisk ‘s family dinner, owned by a family who immigrated from Zucksha in the continent of Eldoria.
They walked closer as a women stopped them.
“Are you returning or new?”
“New.” Said Devan.
“Very well right this way.”
She opens the door and takes them through the restaurant, the place nearly packed to the brim, and all the different smells enough to overwhelm one’s nose. Once they reached the back, they all sat.
The woman smiled.
“I will be your server names Katie.”
Melissa nods.
“We’re you just uhh standing outside waiting?”
“No, I was coming back from my break.”
“Oh.”
Katie places a contract on the table.
“You see we don't list this on our website however first-time customers get to eat for free, but you can’t tell anyone this or else we may go bankrupt. We are still a small business. We’re only in the city so please sign this nondisclosure contract.”
Mac picks it up, and reads it over, placing it back down.
“It’s safe.”
They all signed the contract.
Katie nods.
“I’ll be right too you with menus.”
She walks off.
Neveil looks around.
“Hey, what do you do for work Melissa?”
“That’s kinda random.”
“It’s just we’ve been on the road for 6 days and back when we fought the skeleton thing you said you weren’t a mechatronics engineer, but we thought you were.”
“Oh well, I umm I am exactly what I’m setting out to do. I’m a writer, but I’m also like an illustrator, unfortunately I don’t make very much money I mean, draw all of my years writing I made about $300,000 but that was in 11 years…. So, I’m $27,000 a year… I mean if you add my illustration, I guess I’ve made like 500,000 which is decent but...”
“Damn…”
“Yeah, but I make just enough, plus Mac here makes a lot of money so we manage.”
“So then if you want to be a writer, why are you in school for history again?”
“Oh, it’s just I figured that I might as well be a historian because they make like $100,000 a year and you know we would have a little bit more spending money. Mac told me I didn’t have to, but I just kind of felt bad, relying on him.”
Mac sighs.
“Yeah, you should’ve gone for illustration or literature to more pursue your dreams.”
Melissa nods.
“I know I’m sorry, but I did have fun doing history. I mean learning about all those figures was a pretty nice thing, and I know quite a lot about the world, so hey, maybe it’ll help us out.”
“Hopefully so.”
Devan looks at Melissa.
“Wait wait wait wait wait wait that still doesn’t answer the real issue. Why did you lie about being a mechatronic engineer?”
“Uhhh the thing is I didn’t lie…”
“What?”
“So basically, there was a guy in my college who is studying to be a mechatronic engineer, and I guess he just graduated and didn’t want to agree and just I mean we were friends so I guess he just kinda kind of gave it to me.”
Mad nods.
“She’s being truthfully.”
Everyone at the table does a double take.
Devan rubs his head.
“That’s not how that works…”
“Well duh, but I guess he made it work…”
Melissa leans back.
“So, you know, I watched a few videos, and I managed to be able to that robotic hand which blew up in my face literally, so basically I suck at being a mechanics engineer, but at least I have the degree!”
Mac chuckles.
“I’m glad you’re so optimistic.”
“Thank you.”
Just as the conversation was about to continue, Katie returns and places the menus down.
“Call me when you're ready.”
As she walks off.
The group grabs the menu and skims over it.
Melissa chose a steak and ribs; Devan and Mac picked the same; Chris decided on ribs as well, along with Neveil.
After confirming their order, about 30 minutes passed and they got their food overall. It was a very pleasant experience, though the people who ordered the states complained that it was a little bland.
They all left the restaurants, leaving a pretty decent tip and boarding the van riding straight to Aerianna’s house and after about 20 more minutes, they arrive on her street.
Melissa’s standing excited to get off.
The street itself, was very pleasant, it matched the 80s vibe of the city, however it gave a strange sense of déjà vu, kinda like it was everyone’s childhood street, even though it wasn’t, the shoes hung along the powerline, the birds flying in the sky, the potholes so massive it’s almost like you could slip into them, or the sewer drains so wide it’s almost like you can get dragged down through it, very odd.
Aisha jitters.
“This place gives me the creeps.”
Melissa scratches her head.
“I mean, I’ve seen it a few times on FaceTime, but this is my first time in person in a long while and it’s definitely still a little odd.”
Melissa points to the house.
“That one.”
Devan pulls on the side of the street, however, something odd was present, Aerianna’s door was cracked, not enough to see the whole house, but just enough, say for a smell to escape.
“Why the hell is her door open?”
Melissa shrugs.
“I don’t know.”
Melissa walks out, and something hits her nose.
“Is that… Chicken Alfredo I smell!!!”
Everyone else follows her out.
Mac nods.
“Yeah, your favorite.”
Melissa grins.
“So that’s my surprise!!”
Melissa scratches her head.
“Oh, so she left the door open to mess with me so I could smell it huh!?”
Devan nods.
“Makes sense.”
Melissa strides over and pushes open the cracked door.
“Aerianna!!”
But there was no response.
“Hide and seek?”
Melissa looked back, there was a blue car in the driveway, so she was indeed home, and it would make no sense for her to suddenly go with a guest without notice, especially when she was having guests over.
“Hmm... hide and seek then, must’ve saw a big van coming, well I guess it looks more like a city bus.”
Melissa walks in, and she looks around. The house looked almost like it was owned by a granny. That was a big fight clock in the corner furniture. A massive TV, a fur rug, and just a few steps out of the living room, was a counter for the kitchen counter, just passed. That was the stove which saw a big pot of chicken Alfredo, Melissa had been smelling.
“You know, she could just be in the bathroom. I’m gonna check on the food...”
Melissa walks over and walks past the kitchen counter, she turns to look at the food, but just as she continues to walk, she feels a thick liquid squish under her feet; she looks down and freezes.
Devan walks in.
“Hey Melissa, what’s with that face?”
Mac follows close.
“Yeah, you look like you’ve seen a ghost?”
Melissa continues to stare down and drops.
“Aerianna….”
Aerianna was small, Caucasian, about 5 foot four; she had thin dyed red hair, a white oversized shirt and some pajama pants at the time; her eyes were brown, but they looked soulless.
“Melissa…. It was some guy… he had blonde hair… I’m scared I’m so cold…”
Aerianna tried to reach her hand out to Melissa, yet it quite made it…
The steam from the pot of Alfredo nearly reaches the roof before dissipating…
“Hey hey it’s ok, you’ll make it through this, ok?”
But there was no response.
“Aerianna.”
But there was no response, Kimberly Aerianna Summers light … had shined to bright and faded…
Melissa’s face becomes soaked in tears, she screams out, but no sound escapes, but then some sound escapes, a whale one of pure despair, she squeezes Ariana‘s life, his body in a hug, but it felt so light, almost like it didn’t have a soul….
Mac and Devan ran over.
Devan looks at the door.
“Wait don’t come in!”
Everyone at the door immediately acknowledges the urgency, so they stay out.
Mac walks over and rubs Melissa’s back.
“Hey hey… I.”
He didn’t know what to say… I mean, what could he say?
What am I supposed to say to her? I mean her sister’s…
Devan stood to the back of the counter, I mean, what could he do to help? He couldn’t just bring her back, as his hands shook violently, He looked to the counter and saw a note.
A note?
While shaking slightly, he went and grabbed it.
It was from… Jason?
Dear Melissa, I hope that you’re the one reading this. If not, whoever reads it should relay it to you; you see I always wanted to be the Zeltic slasher. I looked up to him when my parents told me the stories, I got put into a mental health facility because of it and once I got let out, I played it off… but I was so jealous. I wanted it to be just like him. in one day, I just started hearing voices in my head from some guy. He said that he was the one responsible for Alexander Henry’s death, the guy who killed my idol, he said that he’ll help me become like my idol, which is why he sent me into the forest to start scaring people, but then something manifested…. And you guys showed up to help me.
~Jason
Devan shakes, and he squeezes the note, slightly crumpling it.
You see… I went into the barrier with you guys and he made sure that my pathway didn’t show up, so you guys wouldn’t be suspicious of me, and once I left, he told me that I could finally begin my real job and start to become more like my idol, he told me the first order of business was to kill your sister Aerianna, and I did it and it was so much fun watching her fight back helplessly has the blade pierced her over and over and over… it was so satisfying… I hope this note finds you well, and don’t try and stop me or you’ll end up just like her.
~Jason
Devan shook and accidentally dropped the note. It lands softly onto the pool of blood, as it dyed itself red.
Mac looked over to the note and read its content and began to shake.
…. That….
Melissa, with her face soaked, looked over to the note and read its contents… just as the words became illegible…
You mean….
and then that emotion she failed the anguish the sadness, the depression, it changed into something else…. Hate….
I’ll make sure that….
Devan was now holding the counter, he wasn’t crying, but he was taken aback by everything that had occurred, everyone else walked in in order to check on Devan and everyone else, and they saw the same sight, they shook yet none of them cried….
Mac had a melancholic look on his face, yet he wasn’t crying, only Melissa was…
You see even though Melissa loved Aerianna and treated her as a sister. They weren’t actually related. They just had met randomly one day online, so no one really had memories with her besides Melissa, Mac and a little bit with Devan, Chris knew of her while Neveil and Aisha never got the chance to meet her, and Melissa, who has known her since she was 13, well yes she knew her. She didn’t know everything about her because Aerianna tended to keep things to herself, unless Melissa asked.
So why they felt bad for Melissa and this young girl who been killed gruesomely… they felt as if they lost nothing personal.
Shortly later, the police and ambulance arrived, and lingering through the air would be the memory of a girl who was Melissa’s “sister.” And nothing more but shortly after that would fade too, goodnight, Aerianna Summers no one ever truly knew you…