Created By

pete3lover23

Rate this Story

Embed

It was a normal rainy day in Salem, the skies were the same pale gray as it had been for the past few months and that sweet summer rain smell hung in the air. However, Melodee felt that something had changed. During her English class she was preparing for a speech on the beautiful novel she had read. She looked up and met his gaze. There he was, David Haxton, standing right in the middle of her English class. He grinned. She smiled back at him with a look of excitement, eager to speak with him.

            David Haxton, Melodee’s oldest and truest friend had moved to Texas a year earlier to be with his dad. Now that he’s back in Salem to finish out his senior year, Melodee is more excited than ever.

            After class she waited for David and found her boyfriend, Oliver, waiting for her.

“Hey Mel, What’s up?” he asked.

“Not too much but David’s back!” said Melodee bouncing with excitement.

“Who?” Oliver said as he wrapped his arm around her waist and led her to her locker.

Melodee stopped “David, David Haxton, remember?”

Oliver rubbed his chin, “No, I don’t think I do.”

They heard a shout and turned around to see David jogging up to them.

“David!” Melodee exclaimed.

“Hey,” David greeted, “Wait, Oliver? Gosh you changed so much I didn’t recognize you at first.” he said.

“Oh that David, How’s it been?” Oliver said.

“Oh the usual, just helping my dad out.” he explained.

“David, why didn’t you tell me you were coming back?” Melodee asked.

“It was sort of a last minute decision when my dad died.” he sad seriously.

                                                           *           *          *

The next day at school David was very distracted. When Melodee saw him at lunch it seemed as though he were completely somewhere else. When they sat down at their lunch table his expression was very blank as though he were tensely thinking…

“David? David? Are you alright?” Melodee asked.

“Hmm, what?” David snapped to attention.

“Are you alright?” she asked again.

“Umm, yeah, sure.” he said unsure of his answer.

“What’s wrong?” Melodee asked with concern.
”It’s just, I don’t know it’s a girl” he said with regret.

Melodee’s face lit up, “Oh who?” she said with a smile.

Just then she walked by, “No one “he said nervously.
”You like Rachelle don’t you!” she said in an excited whisper, “Rachelle,” she called “sit with us today.” she smiled.

“Okay,” Rachelle said, “hey David.”

After lunch the halls were buzzing with excitement--finals were over!

Finally everyone can go home and relax, well not everyone, thought Melodee. The party was planned to go on tonight with Rachelle as the host.

I hope David and Rachelle can work something out, thought Melodee.

            David and Rachelle decided to go to the party together. What am I doing? I must control myself, David thought. She’s a good girl. I can’t let this slip through my hands…again. David mentally restrained himself. He knew that what he did in the past was wrong and that’s why he ended up here, a fresh start.

            It was just an hour before the party was supposed to start when Melodee decided to call David. The phone kept ringing until she got his voicemail. That’s odd, where could he be? I’ll call his cell phone. Melodee thought.

The phone rang once, twice, almost three times when he answered.

“Hello?” he said.

“Hey David, where are you? Are you going to Rachelle’s party tonight?” she asked.

“Of course I am, I’m actually helping her set up right now.”

“Oh that explains why you didn’t pick up your home phone; well I’ll let you get back to helping then. See you in a bit!” she said.

“Bye.” said David.

“Bye!” said Melodee.

            For most of the Salem High students the party was a huge blur of alcohol, music, and socializing. The one, who seemed to be suffering the most however, was the hostess. Rachelle was sick and absent from school the following week.

“David have you heard from Rachelle?” asked Melodee.

“Hmm? Oh, yeah she’s feeling better but still can’t come to school.” said David.

“I’m starting to worry about her. Maybe it’s something really serious and maybe we need to take her to the hospital.” she suggested.

“No if anyone found out that she had been drinking, she could have her scholarship taken away, just let her heal.” said David.

“You’re right I’ll just leave her alone.” said Melodee.

            Melodee was worried, Where was Rachelle? Why is David so jumpy? He looks like he hasn’t slept since the party, she thought while heading home after school, she lived close enough so that she didn’t have to ride the bus. Her feet scraped the sidewalk as she walked on, her head bent, and her hair in her eyes, thinking. How about I call her? Yeah that’s a great idea! thought Melodee. She go home and went straight to the phone dialing Rachelle’s home number. It rang once before someone answered. “Hi, is Rachelle there?” Melodee asked.

“No, sorry she’s been on a camping trip with a couple friends for the past week.” They answered.
”Oh,” said Melodee “okay then thanks bye.” she said as she hung up the phone.

            The rest of Melodee's day consisted of going out with Oliver and doing their homework and out to a movie and just talking, during which Melodee brought up David.

"Have you noticed something weird about David?" she said.

"No, why?" he asked.

"He just seems really weird lately, jumpy and keeps suggesting that I not go see if Rachelle's alright or not and then her mother said that she was on a camping trip when I called and he made it sound like she was at home sick from the party." she said.

"Maybe she is camping, but sick maybe you misunderstood him and maybe he's jumpy because he really likes Rachelle? Maybe it's just normal David. Don't worry about it Mel, he's fine." he explained.

"Maybe you're right but I'm still worried about him." she said.

"Don't worry about it, he's fine." he said.

"Okay then." she said still worrying about it.

            The next day was Friday and Rachelle was still gone, the day went by fast, David was even jumpier than before. Before Melodee knew it the last bell had rang and she got her things out of her locker rather quickly and walked outside, but something told her to turn her head and when she did, she saw him, David, walking in the opposite direction of the swamp. This made Melodee very curious, she decided to follow him into the Salem Swamp.

            She made sure he didn't see her. something told her that something was wrong. As they arrived at the swamp David took a very unusual path and led her into the heart of the swamp, where there was sort of a small clearing where she saw a big cage, with something inside but she couldn't make out what was inside. She hid behind a bush and watched wondering why David was here.

"Hello sweetheart, how are you today?" David greeted whatever was in that cage.

"Please, let me go!" a familiar voice cried out.

Rachelle.

"Now, you really don't want me to do that, it's a scary world out there, and I just love you so much, how could I ever let you go?" he said with a sick tone.

"David! I'm starving and I want to go home. This isn't funny!" Rachelle cried.

"You really want out?" he said sounding concerned.

"Yes! Please!" she said getting up on her knees grabbing the bars of the cage.

"Promise you won't run away from me sweetheart?"

"I promise! Please!" she pleaded.

He slowly got out the keys to the lock, and unlocked the cage; Rachelle tried to stand up but seemed to be weak and stumbled at first. David helped her up when she stood up completely she tried to get away from him and run out of the swamp but David was too quick for her weakened body and held her to the ground.

"You said you wouldn't run away!"

"David you need help!!!"

"No, I need you! But you keep pushing me away!" he said in anger as he pulled a pocket knife out of his back pocket.

He clicked it and Rachelle’s eyes grew big and she started to scream and struggle with the rest of her strength but it wasn't enough to get away from David. He slowly took the blade and slid it across her cheek gently increasing the pressure with each centimeter and she started bleeding then Melodee turned her head and covered her eyes, she couldn't watch, her mind was racing. What do I do? Should I call the cops? She takes another look; Rachelle's laying there covered in blood her piercing green eyes staring at Melodee as if crying for help.

Melodee snuck away and dialed 911 frantically and explained what happened and headed to the outside of the swamp waiting for the police officers.

As they arrived, she led them to the clearing.

Everything was gone.

"It was here! The cage was over there, and here's where I was, and here's where he killed her!" she shouted.

"Calm down, are you sure you saw this?"

Just then David walked through and Melodee exclaimed, "That's him!"

David stopped and looked very confused.

The police started to question him.

After everything they started to question Melodee about any medications or drugs she may have consumed that cause hallucinations. Melodee couldn't believe this.

She saw it. She saw him kill Rachelle. Or did she?

After the police had left Melodee started to walk home but found David calling her name and speed walking to catch up to her.

“Hey! Why’d you think I killed Rachelle? I really like her, you know I do.” He said.

“I saw you! You locked her up and she tried to run away when you let her out and you killed her!” Melodee said with warm salty tears in her eyes.

“What are you talking about Mel? Are you feeling ok?” he said with concern.

“I’m feeling sick, I need to go home and think.” she said turning and walking in the direction of her house.

“I hope you feel better!” he said as he waved good-bye.

Later she called Oliver and told him about it.

"And there she was, dead, and then the police didn't believe me they asked me if I was on drugs that would make me hallucinate!" she said still shaken from the vision or Rachelle’s eyes staring at her.

"Hun, are you sure you saw this happen?" Oliver asked.

"Of course!" she said.

"Well you do have an imagination that can get a little wild sometimes, you're positive?" he asked.

"I think..." she said.

"I'm sorry Mel but I think you imagined it, well anyway I have to go so I'll see you tomorrow night okay?" he said.

"Okay, see you." she said.

"Bye" he said.

"Bye" he said.

The next morning Melodee decided to go see David and apologize and tell him that she was concerned and that she's sorry she followed him.

She walked up to his apartment door and knocked. He opened the door and let her in.

“Hey, come on in he greeted warmly, go ahead and sit down I’ll be out in a sec I have to use the restroom.” he said.

“Okay” she said taking a seat on the old stained couch.

After a minute she got bored and curiosity lead her to staring at a strange notebook on the bookshelf next to her.

She picked it up and began to read it.