Don't Look Up

"Hi, my name is Helena.
The first thing you should know about me is that ever since I was little I've gotten frequent nosebleeds in the summer. Pretty bad ones, especially in the morning. My mom used to freak out and worry about me all the time, but after hitting my growth spurt I'd barely even get light headed anymore. Mostly just end up feeling annoyed that I'd have to change my pillowcase... or the whole pillow.
When I moved into my new apartment off the road from Cedar street, I made sure to keep a bin full of new sheets and towels in my closet just by my bed. The apartment itself was old, damp, and with the thinnest walls known to man. I could hear my neighbors when they got a new dog, or cat.. or divorce. But, it was mine. And in this economy, I couldn't ask for anything better.
In the bitter hours of the morning, my alarm rang. I thought about shutting it off and going back to sleep, but the familiar feeling of thick liquid cascaded down my face. I shot up, hoping I was quick enough before it touched my brand new linens, and cupped my hand around my face to prevent any further dripping. My eyes stayed squeezed shut as I made my way to the bathroom. The sun wasn't even up yet at this time of morning and I wasn't about to blind myself to see what I'd gone through thousands of times before.
'Ugh,' I muttered to myself and splashed warm water on my reddened face. By the time I opened my eyes, only faint red streaks remained along the white porcelain. 'Ugh.'
Since I was up, there was little reason left to call out of work. And I knew if I didn't go in, I'd be short on rent for the month. So, I did the usual. I brushed my teeth, my hair, changed my clothes, and took a rip from my bong so hard I nearly threw up and had to brush my teeth again. Most of the time I'd take an edible or two before my shift , but I'd run out the night before and like hell I was going into work sober.
The commute was... fine. I took the subway right by my apartment and it left me two blocks away from the store. People weren't really up this early in the morning, the sun was still barely on the horizon. I liked the quiet though. I liked the safety you could feel when there wasn't a single other human around. I liked the way the sky was caught between the sun and the moon meeting each other and how they said their tearful goodbyes... Wow, I was(am?) pretty high.
Anyway, I met my manager in front of the shop just as he was unlocking the gates. He was the same age as me, but the worked here much longer. The owners gave him the first shift since he knew the routines so well. 'You're here early,' he smirked at me. Now, I could say he wasn't gorgeous... I could, but I'd be lying. There was a reason every other woman at work wanted this shift. I think the only reason I got it was because I didn't put my hat in the ring. He had this soft-looking hair that came down attractively messy and deep set dark eyes that seemed to look at you like you were the only person in the world.
I could've fallen for him, but during our first solo shift he really came out of the gate with how fuckin' weird he was.
'Look at this," he pulled out his phone excitedly. On it was a news article 'Willoughby Sisters Still Missing; No New Evidence Found.'
'More of your True Crime bullshit, Jaime?' I sneered, disgusted. I never understood the appeal of following and learning everything about some sick bastard or the people involved. The world is dark and awful and it sucks, I get it.
He rolled his eyes, ' Aren't you the least bit curious?'
'Not really. I have much better mysteries to solve.'
'Like what?'
I looked up at his over 6 foot self, 'Like why you're such a freak.' He grinned, it was gorgeous. Please don't make me continue.
More importantly, that was the first time I heard about them. The Willoughby sisters. Looking back on it now, they looked thin even in the article's picture of them. Jaime told me more as we set up the store that day. The siblings weren't the first, just the ones who blew this story up so much, at least according to him. He talked about their survivalist father teaching them everything from morse code to skinning a dear to making a fire with only sticks and leaves.
'How,' he brought up the topic again despite my constant groans. 'How do two badasses like that just go missing?'
'Maybe they encountered bigfoot in the woods.' I was tired of talking about the dead every time a customer left the two of us alone for even a second.
'Maybe you encountered bigfoot in your dreams,' he mumbled his poor comeback, pouting.
'Maybe I did,' I smirked at him. 'Maybe he was much taller than you.'
He stared at me, his eyes soft and intense all at once, 'I'll put aside that you were comparing me to bigfoot; you were thinking about me in your dreams?'
'Ew, no," I replied too quickly.
He smiled again, 'Uh huh, okay.' I threw a shirt at him and he laughed. 'Anyway, it still doesn't interest you? You don't have any ideas or thoughts?'
My hands folded the last of the women's shirts neatly in an over-the-top pyramid display we set up for all new merchandise. For a moment, I let myself consider the question. 'The woods are dangerous. Anything, even a scratch left untreated, can turn deadly. Who's to say they didn't just take a wrong turn somewhere and the woods did what the woods do?'
Jaime, suddenly sounding serious, replied, 'Because I don't think anyone in their predicament would go down without a fight. There'd be signs of survival, of hope even in the dark. But, there wasn't. They're just gone and...'
'And?'
'And I think that those who are lost always deserve to have someone care enough to go looking for them.'

That night, Jaime's face and tone got to me. I don't think there'd been a single day since I was hired that he wasn't smiling or goofing around. Yet, that shift he put on the most genuine expression I'd ever seen on him and I just had to know more.
Now, please remember what I said before. My walls were impossibly thin. While I researched, I could hear tapping just by my bed. It sounded irregular, but consistent. Not unlike a couple, also aware of the thin walls, trying not to make their bed hit the plaster too hard. I appreciated their effort, but they did keep me up some nights. The husband definitely had a routine, but hey, if his girlfriend or wife or husband liked it, who was I to judge?
A few hours and my back cracked as I straightened my spine. I hadn't learned much new. Just that the two women were in their early twenties like me. But, unlike my black pixie cut, they had long curly red hair that must've been a headache so far out in the woods. Their eyes were beautiful, big, emeralds that made them a sight to behold. While not as tall as Jaime, both of them would still tower over me at nearly six feet themselves.
'That's enough for tonight,' I muttered to myself and pushed the laptop away. It's not like I was going to be the one to find them. But, maybe now, Jaime and I would have more to talk about at work tomorrow.
My body instantly relaxed under my warm covers and it didn't take long for the tapping and scraping sounds to become almost soothing.
Tap. Scrape. Tap. Tap.
Scrape Scrape Scrape. Scrape Scrape Scrape.
Scrape. Tap. Scrape.
Tap. Scrape.
And then I fell asleep.

The next morning, my body knew what to do before I even fully woke up.
Eyes shut, I got my ass into the bathroom and wiped off all the blood before finally adjusting. A part of me wondered if changing my diet would help at all, but I could think about that on my day off.
I did my routine, got dressed, and was quickly out the door. I caught myself speed walking on the last two blocks. 'You're just excited to talk about the case,' I reassured myself.
But my chest seemed unconvinced as Jaime's smile now stirred something unfamiliar. 'Hey,' he waved.
'Hey back.' He rose a brow at my cringey reply. 'Don't. I'm just tired,' I glared at him.
His lips did that thing again where he smiled attractively, 'As you wish.'
He lifted the gate for me and let me go in first. 'So," I tried to sound not awkward and failed terribly.
'So?'
'I, uh, I did some research into that case you showed me yesterday.'
If eyes could actually sparkle, I swear that's exactly what his were doing. 'And?! What did you think?'
He got too close and I got his scent of sandalwood mixed with black licorice and vanilla. It was dark and sickly sweet. Fuck, I needed to get it together. 'I think it's exactly as I said yesterday,' I took two giant steps back. 'That they got lost and either they're still out there or something else got to them first.'
He nodded adamantly, 'Something indeed.'
I tried not to roll my eyes. I failed.
'I mean, like a bear. Not a serial killer, you weirdo.'
'Weirdo? Come on, Helena, you've called me much worse. Why are you being so nice today?' He went behind the counter and started getting the register ready for the day.
I followed his example and went over the price tags to make sure everything was updated. 'Maybe I'm just tired.'
'More so than usual?'
'Well, I did a lot of research just to discover I'm probably right in the first place.'
'Uh huh. And not one thought about me?' My head whipped towards him. He smirked before continuing, 'Or Bigfoot?'
'Oh fuck off.'
'Only if you ask nicely.' His voice lowered into a low tone I wasn't expecting. If I'd ever flirted at work before maybe I would've been better at navigating that. Unfortunately, all my boyfriends I'd either met through smoking or... well, yeah just smoking.
'Just do your job and I'll do mine. I guess this is what I get for giving your weird hobby a chance.'
He chuckled, 'I'm sorry for teasing. Would you want to continue this conversation at lunch?'
My ears heated up at that and my expression must've given away too much, again. He bit his lip while smiling and I almost screamed, 'About the case?'
A large part of me wanted to through a heavy bag at him, but I restrained myself. A saint-level of patience, I know. 'Yeah.'
A few hours later and Jaime couldn't stop talking about the sisters if you'd paid him. They lived in the same state as us which made things even more irresistible to him. Like a mystery he wanted desperately to solve and, outside of some brief morbid curiosity, I wanted to keep away from. But, Jaime seemed happy and at the time, that felt like more than enough.
'Your dad taught you a lot of the same stuff too right? On camping trips?'
His smile seemed even bigger than when a new case popped up on his notifications, 'You remember that?'
'Uh, yeah.'
'Cool. Um, yeah. I can even teach you some things, if you want. Like how to pitch a tent or send messages in Morse code.'
He knocked on the table.
Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.
Tap.
Tap. Pause. Tap. Tap.
Tap.
Pause. Tap.
Tap. Pause.
'What was that?' I tried not to laugh.
A bit of pink shaded his cheeks, 'Oh, uh... It was your name.'

That night, I heard the neighbors on the wall again.
I thought it was a dream, that I was just remembering my time with Jaime.
Tap. Scrape. Tap Tap. 'L'
Scrape Scrape Scrape. 'O'
Scrape Scrape Scrape. 'O'
Scrape. Tap. Scrape. 'K'
Look? Look where?
Tap. Scrape. 'A'
Scrape. Tap. Tap. Tap 'B'
Scrape Scrape Scrape. 'O'
And that's the last thing I remember.

'Hey, Hele- woah!' Jaime jumped back from me like I had the plague. 'Are you dead?'
'I feel like it,' I yawned. 'I barely got any sleep last night.'
A bit of mischief shone in his eyes but I cut him off, 'My neighbors! Not you! Jeez!'
He wiggled his brows, 'I was just gonna ask if you've been making sure you're going to sleep on time. What were you thinking?'
My cheeks heated almost painfully, 'Get inside the store, you freak!'
He saluted me adorably, 'Yes, ma'am.'
I scoffed and just headed straight for the nearest clothes rack to get to work.
He came up behind me, close enough for me to catch his scent again. I whipped around despite my exhausted state. 'Jaime,' I groaned. But, I stopped. He had that look again. Both intense yet gentle.
'Yes?' His voice was soft. Quiet.
'What are you doing?' He was so close, but something in me wanted him closer.
'Do you want me to stop?'
I hesitated, but shook my head. If I was honest with myself, I'd been thinking about having him do this for a long time. 'No."
'Then... can I...?'
I rose up on my tip toes and kissed the bottom of his chin. 'Do it fast before the store opens.'
He kissed me and it... it tasted sweet.

I couldn't sleep that night.
Jaime's kiss was running rampant in my mind and causing my whole body to shiver in pleasure to imagined scenarios. Were we dating? Was it just a kiss?
He'd taught me more morse code at lunch... and kissed me a bit more. So, maybe it wasn't just a kiss?
Tap. Scrape. Tap Tap. 'L'
I froze. I could make out the scrapes on the other side of the wall now.
Scrape Scrape Scrape. 'O'
Scrape Scrape Scrape. 'O'
Scrape. Tap. Scrape. 'K'
Look? My whole body went cold. Where? What?
Tap. Scrape. 'A'
Scrape. Tap. Tap. Tap 'B'
Scrape Scrape Scrape. 'O'
Tap. Tap. Tap. Scrape. 'V'
Tap. 'E'
I couldn't breathe. I couldn't make a sound. My eyes moved, slowly, painstakingly up.
And there, sticking out from my vent, was a hand. An impossibly long hand with sharp nails dripping red onto my bed. My face, my lips. It was still warm.
I screamed. My body took over and I screamed and screamed. The arm struck out. Longer now, stretching with the sound of skin snapping and bones cracking. My body froze in place, the impossible grotesque scene before me cause everything in my body to betray me.
The person on the other side, banged against the wall.
BANG. SCRAPE. BANG. 'R'
The hand got closer.
BANG. BANG. SCRAPE. 'U'
It felt along the bed, looking for me.
SCRAPE. BANGE. 'N'
RUN.
I jumped up and scrambled for the door. A white-hot feeling suddenly tore down my back, but I didn't stop. I made it out into the hallway, tumbling and falling over myself as I did. The arm didn't follow.
'NO' A scream came from the other side of my neighbor's door. It sounded like a woman. 'DON'T STOP. RUN.'
I stood up again and heard her screams turn into gargling like fluid filling her lungs. 'RUN,' so, I did. I ran. I ran so far. I ran until my legs gave up and I couldn't run anymore.
I think that's what we're all doing, you know?
Each victim trying our hardest to save the next. Maybe that's why..."
The girl on the tv screen looked at you. AT you. Her amber eyes were so sad, but that wasn't the worst part. Your eyes trailed over to the unplugged tv wire. The worst part was that this video should not exist.
"Maybe that's why you're seeing this. Maybe that's why you haven't looked at the ceiling this whole time."
Your body froze and before you could rationalize what she said... anything she was saying. You heard it.
Drip. Drip. Drip.
Red droplets fell between your gaze and the tv screen.
Her face fell as if she could see it too.
"Oh god," she cried. "I was too late."