What Lies Inside

Chapter

I

The warm atmosphere and peaceful rainstorm washed over the Carvada residence; while the clouds loomed overhead, barely allowing moonlight to reach the surface.

Popping off the cork to a bottle of red wine while mesmerized as the foam splattered against the pelted carpet; Rose proposed a toast.

"To our sisterhood slash friendship." She held the glass high into the air.

"I'll toast to that," Sendy replied, followed by a huge gulp.

"So tell me, how're things been going?" Rose asked.

"What do you mean." Sendy sipped, knowing exactly where Rose was going.

"You know what I mean, down under." Sighing, Sendy put down the thin glass and braced for Rose's response.

"Rose we talked about this before, I haven't really been feeling like myself since you know, Stephen left; disappeared however you put it."

"I know, sorry I brought it up."

"It's OK, what about you and Carson?"

"Well we haven't really been intimate since the island and the whole baby thing since Mellow Woods took its toll on us; we thought it would be best to take a break from all that for a while."

"Sounds like a great idea, where is he on a peaceful night like this anyway."

"He went on a business trip so to speak for this new job he started."

"Any idea when he's coming back."

"In a few weeks, if everything goes smoothly, so I guess it's just me and you for while; just like old times."

"Well let me head home before I get too drunk to drive." Sendy yawned.

"You're more than welcome to stay over." Rose insisted.

"That's nice of you, but I have to get home and feed the cats, you know how they get".

"Yeah." Rose snickered. "Just call me."

"Of course."

Closing the door quietly behind Sendy as she left.

"I guess a bath and off to bed I go." Rose turned on the sound system and made her way to the master on suite upstairs."

"This is Carson, leave a message".

"Hi honey, I'm calling to make sure you're OK; I'm fine by the way. Guess I'm starting to miss you. Anyway just call me back whenever you get a chance; love you." She placed the phone on the back of the toilet, undressed, and slowly lowered her naked body into the warm water. Closing her eyes as she began to bask in the ambiance, she could feel her body being pulled from reality to a place but long forgotten.

The warm water from the low tide caressed the crevices in between her toes and welcomed her feet as she made her way across the shore.

"Hello...Can anyone hear me?" Rose shouted. Only waking the birds from the nearby trees and hearing her own echo. Turning and shouting the same thing, but this time out into the ocean. No answer, just a response from the waves as they crashed onto the sand, rising slightly above her ankles.

"You know you shouldn't be here." A cold presence stood behind her.

"You... I remember seeing you from before." Rose stammered.

"Was it a dream like this one." The woman asked. She was around Rose's age, but her skin was pale and stained; covered in scars as if she was beaten... She was most definitely deceased, but appeared here; alive.

"Yes, what happened to you?" Is all Rose could ask.

"I can't tell you everything, not now; not here." The woman backed away. "You need to wake up or you too will die."

"What." Rose felt a huge gush of water burst from her mouth as she sprung forward in the tub. The vibrations from the cellphone are what woke her; Sendy was calling.

"H-Hello." Rose stammered.

"Rose you there, I thought you were dead for a second; I've been calling you for the past three hours."

"Wow, I've been out that long."

"I guess so."

"I was taking a bath, I must've dozed off."

"That isn't safe Rose, you need me to come back over?"

"No I'm good Sendy, I started dreaming about something strange and all that other stuff."

"Something you need to tell me, Rose?"

, No, you needed something?"

"No just called to remind you we have a meeting in the morning."

"Thanks for the head's up; I'll see you in the morning." Rose placed the phone back down and headed into the bedroom.

"Hello, this is me again... Just calling to let you know I'm safe and to call me whenever you get a chance." She took in a few deep breaths and tried not to get too worried. The midnight hour wasn't helping but somehow forced her to sleep.

"I killed them, yes it was me that his in the shadows all these years, I would never forgive myself for what I've done." Harmony presence was unknown, only her voice encircled Rose as the never-ending darkness engulfed what little sanity she had left. Falling tears left their indention in the nothingness beneath her feet; symbolizing what impact Harmony's voice had.

"You're dead, you did this to me." Rose cried. "What do you want from me."

"I want you dead." Harmony appeared from out of the blue, pulling the trigger, forcing Rose from her own nightmare. The storm had subsided by now, leaving the windows coated in mist and the sun barely above the horizon; it was 9 A.M.