Macabre: The portrait

Lost in Crumble

Jake's POV

"She's been standing there for way too long, should we get closer?" I asked the priest, my voice trembling with fear.

"Yeah, it's been too long now. I've never done this outside a room. Let's take a step closer," he replied, his voice filled with unease.

We cautiously approached the burned pile, but she remained motionless. "Mel!" I called out, my voice quivering. She just stood there, facing down, not moving an inch. "Let's get closer," the pastor instructed, his voice barely above a whisper.

As we took hesitant steps towards her, I pulled out the bottle. The moment I unscrewed the cap, her head snapped up, and she turned to face us. My heart pounded in my chest as she glanced at the bottle and let out a bone-chilling scream. "It's not her!" I yelled to the pastor, urging him to begin the process.

As the pastor started pouring the water, she sprinted with a speed I couldn't fathom. We tried to chase after her, but she was like a blur, impossible to catch. By the time we reached the car, she had vanished into thin air. "What now?!" I asked, my voice quivering with terror. I clutched my hands tightly, fear coursing through my veins.

"We'll have to find out where it resides," the pastor explained, his voice filled with determination and a hint of dread.

"Isn't he supposed to be an expert in this? Why didn't he start the process on time? I promised Mel I'll fight this, and now look. How will I even know where it resides? I don't even know much about my upbringing, and now this?!" I exclaimed, frustration and guilt lacing my words. I slowly knelt on the ground, feeling the weight of my mistakes. "No, no, no. Mel's parents! How will I explain to them how this happened? I'm just a bad cloud raining on anyone. I shouldn't have involved her in my life."

The pastor's voice was gentle as he tried to comfort me, "Son, don't be hard on yourself. I've faced this before. It won't be long until we find her." I glanced at the time, and it read 17:45. There was still time before her parents would come back.

"Can you please drop me off at her place?" I asked the pastor, desperation evident in my voice. "Very well," he replied. As we drove, doubts crept into my mind. Was the pastor as clueless as we were? Did he truly know what he was doing? But I realized it wasn't fair for me to place blame solely on him. After all, we were the ones who brought him into this terrifying journey.

I hurriedly made my way into the house, my heart pounding in my chest. The air felt heavy with anticipation as I entered Mel's room. With trembling hands, I gathered a few of her clothes and carefully placed them in the basement, hoping to create the illusion that she had left.

My gaze fell upon her phone, a lifeline to the outside world. I knew what I had to do. I picked it up, my fingers trembling as I composed a text to her mother. I let her know that Mel had gone to visit Elaine for a week, a feeble attempt to buy us some time. I prayed that this deception would work, that her mother wouldn't suspect a thing.

Now, the real challenge lay before me. I had to brief Elaine, to prepare her for the possibility of Mel's parents calling or even worse, her showing up unexpectedly. The weight of regret settled heavily upon me. I couldn't help but question the choices I had made, the path I had taken. But it was too late for regrets now. I had to face the consequences of my actions head-on.

The call:

"Hey Elaine, it's Jake," I said, my voice filled with unease.

"Oh... What's up?" she replied, her tone cautious.

I took a deep breath, trying to find the right words to explain the situation. "There's been a problem, a really strange one. Mel... she's gone. I can't find her anywhere, and I don't know how to explain it."

"What do you mean my friend disappeared? What did you do to her, you psycho!" Elaine's voice trembled with anger and fear.

I quickly defended myself, panic creeping into my voice. "No, no, I promise I didn't do anything to her! It's hard to explain over the phone. I really think it's best if we meet in person. I reached out to her parents and told them she's staying at your place for a week. Can you cover up for us?"

Elaine's voice turned cold and accusatory. "So you're involved in her disappearance, which explains why her parents don't know!"

I hesitated for a moment, choosing my words carefully. "In a way, yes. But I swear, I didn't do anything bad to her. We need to talk face-to-face, Elaine. Can we meet tomorrow?"

There was a brief pause, and then Elaine's voice commanded, "Tomorrow. Diamond Walk. 8am." Before I could finish my sentence, she abruptly hung up the call, leaving me with a mix of anticipation and apprehension.

Man, I could feel the intensity in her voice. Turns out she's super protective of her friend.

Sitting there with her family, in the absence of Mel, felt eerie. Her dad tried to break the tension by asking about the project. It helped a bit, but my mind was racing, trying to figure out how to approach this whole situation with Elaine.

I found myself in the basement, clutching her sweater, still carrying her scent. It hit me hard, realizing the impact my actions had on her. I crumbled to the floor, my heart tearing. I've never been one to show emotions like this. It was all so unfamiliar, overwhelming even. What else could I be feeling? It's like my family's history is haunting me, causing this unbearable heartache.

I desperately tried to recall what the medium had said, but my mind betrayed me. I scribbled down whatever details I could remember from her words and Mr. Whitaker's advice. When I put the pieces together, it started to make some twisted sense. I paced back and forth, searching for any solution to this nightmare. Even Google couldn't offer any help. How the hell am I supposed to navigate through this mess?!

Man, I replayed every single moment we spent together. They may not have seemed extraordinary, but they warmed my heart. Her smile, it lit up my entire day. Her eyes, like glistening tar on a scorching hot road. Her heart, a radiant star that brought light to even the darkest of days. And those lips, delicate like butterfly wings, so beautiful when they spoke. Her presence, it built my very own empire.

I couldn't help but ask myself those two words over and over again: what if? What if we had never crossed paths? What if I hadn't invited her to my house? What if I had sensed her skepticism and let it all go? If anything were to happen, I'd bury myself in a deep, dark hole, taking with me all the memories we shared. No one had ever understood the unspoken emotions within me until she came along. She grasped the silence between my words and showed me patience like no other.