Chapter Text
I sat there in the front of that empty church for what seemed like hours. My hands were red from holding them together so tight for so long. I couldn't tell when I had started crying, only that it seemed like I wouldn't ever be able to stop. A small creak from the left of me broke me out of a catatonic state, and I looked up to see the preacher looking at me with the same sad look everyone gives me now.
“You know… you've been alone for a while now… would you like someone to sit with you?”
I stared back at the casket I was sitting in front of and shook my head. I'd been alone for longer than he could imagine.
He sighed and sat in the pews behind me. I tore apart my stinging hands and let them fall to my sides with a painful thud as they hit the floor beneath me. My legs were past the point of numbness and felt like lead as I stood up. My eyes fell on the closed casket, and a painful sting erupted in my chest. I bit my lip, turned away, and went to sit next to the preacher. He was still sporting the sympathetic look I've become far too accustomed to.
“I've never had to do 3 funerals in one month. I know you've most likely already heard this, but I am so-” Before he could finish his sentence, I had gotten up and started to leave. I was tired of people being sorry, tired of hearing their sympathy, just tired. He didn't come after me. I'm sure he got the memo. I pushed open the church doors and was met with the cruel rays of sunshine. I went to cover my eyes, but my arms still felt like lead, so I just scrunched them up and started walking to my car. I reached my door when this awful feeling washed over me. My stomach lurched, and I could feel the bile coming up from my esophagus. I ran to the nearest tree and threw up my stomach contents. I rested my arms on the tree and just stood there for a bit. There wasn't anything left for me to feel. No one left for me to lose. I couldn't bring myself to move. Memories of my family started to flood in.
How my parents always used to take us to the movies every weekend, even if we had seen all the movies before, how my brother would always call me shortstack or fight me, or take me to the store with him late at night.
I feel so alone.
Why? That was the only word that seemed to echo through my head. As I started to blank out again, I noticed a pair of shoes stop beside me. I shakily lifted my eyes above my arms and was met with a man wearing tan pants and a black turtle neck. He had hazel eyes… or maybe light brown, and his hair was a sandy shade of brown.
I stared at him for what seemed like forever before he finally spoke up.
“What's your deal? Don't like looking at dead bodies or something?” I cringed at his words and wiped my mouth before bringing myself to a fully upright position. He stared at me with a look of expectancy, like he wanted me to answer him.
“I'm just not feeling well…” My voice was hoarse, and I knew that he could tell I had been crying. He just nodded and looked back at the church before looking back at me and starting. “Well, at least you're not this one sad sack the preacher was telling me about. I mean, they lost all their family within a month, and not to spread rumors, but I heard that one was a suicide!” My breath stopped, and I felt sick again hearing this stranger talk about my family. I bent over again and threw up, except I had nothing left to toss, so it was a mixture of saliva and stomach acid.
“Oh shit… that's you, isn't it? Oh damn, I'm sorry.”
His apology sounded dry. He didn't mean a word he said. I looked back up at him to see if he had any remorse, but instead, this fucker was smirking. I shakily sighed and stood up to make my way to my car to get the heck out of here. “You know it's very disrespectful to talk about someone's deceased loved ones like that. Why are you even here?” I was angry, and I wanted him to know that. He just chuckled and started.
“I am good friends with the preacher and uh.. I like to give my respects to the dead, you know? I really am sorry, though I didn't know you were the one with the tragically passed family, but I should have guessed, seeing as you are standing in front of the church.” He smiled, and I swear a glint of danger flickered in his eyes. I just sighed and pulled out my keys. “So you just intrude on people's funerals and then gossip about them? How are you even friends with the preacher?”
He shrugged in an annoying way. “I am a friendly guy, I guess. And I don't intrude. I get invited. Small town, ya know.”
Done with this foolishness, I opened my car door, but before I could sit down, he stepped in front of me.
“Whoa, whoa, you're not going home all sad and junk, are you? That's dangerous, you could end up being the fourth funeral this month!”
“What are you insinuating? That I'm going to kill myself? Gosh, you are such a creep, you know! I don't want your fake sympathy! I just want to go home.” I've had enough with this creepy stranger. Why did he rattle me so much? Why was he so eerie? I do not like his vibe at all. He just stared at me with that creepy smile of his and threw his hands up in surrender.
“Sorry, sorry. I guess I do have a tendency to overstep my boundaries with strangers. At least let me know your name in case I see you again. Or if I get the suspicion that you kicked the bucket.” Wanting to be done with this whole encounter, I told him my name.
“Wren.” He smiled and stepped away from my car so I could get in. “I'm Brian, Brian Thomas. One last thing, though.. Wanna give me your number as well?” I swear his eyes grew darker after that, but I didn't care and wanted him to leave me alone, so I wrote my number on a piece of paper and handed it to him. “Don't call me for useless things. I won't answer. Now, can I go home?” He nodded and started to walk away. I sighed, somewhat relieved that this ordeal was over, and started to go home.
I kept thinking back to his smile and the somewhat vacant look he had in his eyes. He was hiding something for sure. I mean, friends with a preacher? “Invited” to strangers' funerals? It didn't make sense, but I didn't want to play detective, so I turned on the radio and tuned to a music station.
Once home, I started to regret leaving the church. The house wouldn't have anyone waiting for me inside. No laughter, no lights, nothing. Just plaster and brick and wood and cement. That's all it ever was, but now… now it seemed to be disgustingly true. I stepped out of my car and started to walk to the front door. My legs wouldn't budge. I couldn't move, my heart started to tremble, and so did the rest of my body. Before I could start to cry, I saw a light flick on in the upstairs window. My bedroom window.
I quickly got up and ran towards the door and unlocked it as fast as I could. “Maybe they are just playing a sick prank on me and aren't really gone.” I thought as I ran upstairs to my room. I swung open my door only to be met with absolute darkness besides the setting sun leaking in through my open curtains. My room was still a mess from the night before, but other than that, it was utterly vacant. I fell to my knees and started to wail. Of course, they weren't alive. I saw their lifeless bodies with my own eyes. I trembled and shouted and cried as loud as I could just to move the silence out of the house and replace it with my despair. My breath caught when I heard something come from my closet. I sniffled and stood up to see what it was. Before I could reach the door, I felt something hard and metallic press against my back, and I froze instantly. I couldn't get any air out of my lungs. The object started to trail up my body until it reached my head, and I was almost certain it was a gun. I started to hyperventilate as tears rolled down my cheeks.
“Turn around.” A deep and cruel voice spoke up from behind me. Not wanting to disobey, I slowly turned around and came face to face with a male in a yellow hoodie and blue jeans. He had a black mask with a small red sad face on it.
My tears started to roll down my cheeks faster, and my body felt like it was going into hyperdrive. Just as I was about to beg for my life, I felt something warm stream down my leg. I looked down, and to my horror, a puddle was gathering on the floor in front of me. The intruder looked down as well and stepped back in disgust.
“Did you just piss yourself? What a little pussy!” He laughed in a sickeningly sinister way and lowered his gun. I stood there frozen as my pee pooled at my feet. He just shook his head and started to make his way towards my window.
“It's a shame you pissed yourself. We could have had so much fun… I'll be back where you aren't covered in pee, okay?” With one last laugh, he stepped out of my window and disappeared into the day, probably off to terrorize someone else. I felt a chill run down my spine and grabbed my phone from my pocket to call the police.
I was already bathed when I heard a loud knock on the front door. I made my way downstairs slowly and looked out the peephole. I exhaled when I saw two police officers standing there. I opened the door and let them inside.
“So you said someone broke into your house and pulled a gun on you, correct?” One said. I nodded my head, and they started to look around.
“I uh just got home from a funeral and I saw my light turn on in my bedroom, but when I got up there it was off, then next thing you know…” I trailed off as a female officer gave me a sympathetic look. “The intruder must have some big balls to break into your house in the daytime! The sun is still out for Christ's sake!”
I gave her a half smile as the male cop came from upstairs.
“No signs of breaking and entering, but your window is slightly ajar. Think he could have gotten in through there while you were gone?” I bit my lip and thought about what he said. I remembered coming into my house a couple of days ago and opening my window to let some air in because I couldn't breathe. Recurring theme.
I sighed and nodded my head as the male officer nodded and took out a notepad and wrote something in it.
“Yeah, there have been cases of breaking and entering in this area for a while now. Do me a favor and describe him for me in as much detail as possible.”
I nod and start to tell him everything I remembered. “His voice was eerily deep, almost like he was using a voice changer. He was above average height, so maybe like 6 6… very lean. He had on blue jeans and a yellow hoodie with drawstrings, and his mask was all black save for a small red frowning face stitched on it. His gun was a black one.. And…” I stopped mid-sentence when I remembered that he said I'll see him again. My blood ran cold, and I couldn't get any more words out. I'm sure the officer noticed when he gave his partner a look, and she placed her hand on my shoulder.
“Don't worry, dear, we will catch him and make sure he gets put behind bars, alright?” Now, is there anyone you can stay with for the time being, maybe a friend or relative?” I clenched my jaw at her words. I didn't have anyone anymore. I looked down to hide my eyes, which I'm sure were beginning to tear up.
Just as I was about to speak up and tell her no, my phone rang. An unfamiliar number was on my screen. I answered the call and was met with a familiar voice.
“Wren? I'm surprised you picked up! I just called to make sure this was actually you. Get into anything fun?”
I cringed at his words and began to respond. “Why would I give you a fake number? And no, nothing fun at all is going on here…” Just as I was about to hang up, I got an idea. “Hey, umm… do you think I could maybe hang out with you for a bit?” I know this was dumb to ask a stranger I had just met, who I already didn't like, but… I didn't want to be alone anymore. I waited patiently for his answer, and I was almost sure he was going to say no.
“Sure. Meet me by the cemetery, okay?” I sighed and hung up. What a creep.
“I have someone now.” I looked back at the officers, and they gave each other a glance before starting for the door. “Stay safe, okay? And if you see any more suspicious activity, do not hesitate to call 911, okay? Have a good rest of your day.”
With that, they shut the front door and left. I exhaled a breath I didn't even know I was holding in and started to go back upstairs to grab my personal belongings.
Outside the house, standing at the edge of the woods, was Brian, holding his phone and smirking as he watched your house from his hidden position. You'd have never noticed that he'd been watching you since he left. And he wanted to keep it that way.