Author’s Note: Hey guys, This is my first time doing the daily photo challenge. It’s rather dark and a bit gruesome. I hope I did well! Here is the link to the post: http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2013/03/18/writing-challenge-nighttime-photo/. Enjoy!
It’s 2AM and your phone has just buzzed you awake, filling the room in white-blue LED light. You have a message. It’s a photo. No words, no explanation. Just a photo. Tell us all about it. And what happens next.
–
It’s 2 A.M. and my phone vibrates with that stupid bright light, dragging me out of my sleep. “GAH!” I shout as I roll out of my bed onto the floor. Everything seems to swim and I cannot quite get my surroundings under control. I sit myself up and reach to grab my phone off the dark wooden beside table. The Android phone feels heavy in my hand and I press the power button, hissing slightly at the bright light that invades the dark room. My fingers swipe the screen of the phone, bringing the message up. My eyes widen at the sight of the message: it’s the old Cathedral, the one I had not been to since the funeral.
I know who sent this and I shake with anger. This man has been turning my life into hell ever since that day. He has constantly taunted me, evading my grasp. I swore to my sister and myself I would catch this man and here is my chance. I became a detective to bring this Monster to justice. “See you in hell, fucker.” I whisper to the phone before placing it back on the table. I race to get dressed and I can’t help of think of that day as I get ready to find the man who had turned my life upside down.
–
It had started out like a normal day I found out my sister was dead. Nothing every really happened in our small Irish neighborhood in Manhattan. Sure, there was public drunkenness or thefts, but nothing to the degree of this. Things like this were rare for a city, but my neighborhood prided itself on being one of the safest. I was heading home from my high school, happy to see my sister again. Alex had come home from break at College and while Alex had spent most of her time with me, she had gone to hang out with her friends the night before. I was pretty pumped to be able to see her again.
There was a Cathedral that I passed on my way home and my family went there every Sunday for Mass. I noticed the police gathering around the Cathedral and I was instantly worried. The Police normally never visited the Cathedral unless it was for Mass and this was not for Mass. Police Sirens blared and there was crime scene taping off the entrance of the Cathedral. My chest tightened and I began to fight off the nervous thoughts.
It could be your sister. Something terrible might have happened to Alex.
I approached the steps of the church when a familiar officer recognized me. “Hey, Mallory. Can you come here for a second?”
I nodded and walked over to Officer Finnegan. He looked down at me with pity in his eyes and took a deep breath. “Mallory, I have something to tell you. Your sister is inside the Cathedral. Unfortunately, I cannot let you see her. Mallory…”
He took another deep breath, trying to prepare himself to break the news. “Your sister is dead.”
I shook my head. Uh-uh. No way. Not real. Can’t possibly being happening. I could prove that she was not dead. All I had to do was step into the church. I dodged around Officer Finnegan and ignored his shouts. I raced up the marble steps ignoring the shouts of others and ducking under the police tape. I could not possibly prepare myself for the Horror inside.
My sister lay on the ground, in a crimson pool of her own blood. Her mouth was open in a half scream and her eyes were wide in terror. I dropped to the ground, unsure if this was reality. My mouth opened and closed attempting to make sounds, but none could come. The world lost color right before my eyes and the silence became deafening. I took my sister’s cold hand in my own and I really can’t remember anything next except for one thing.
I swore that I would hunt down the monster that killed my sister and slay it.
–
That memory still haunts me to this day. Hell, I cannot even look at myself in the mirror. We looked too similar to one another: bright green eyes, ash blonde hair, pale freckled skin. It had been frightening. The chance has finally come for me to take out my vengeance. They say ‘an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind’, but I could not care at this point. All I want to do is make this fucking Monster pay. I walk up the same marble steps that lead me to the event that had changed my fate once. It had been a long time since I set foot in this Cathedral; I had not stepped inside since my sister’s funeral. I could not stand to relive the traumatic event and I could no longer believe in an omnipotent being who could allow things like this to happen.
I pushed the wooden doors open, slightly wincing at the creaking sound. I grabbed the flashlight from my coat and flicked it on. Annoying bright light filled the Cathedral and I stepped inside to investigate. The Cathedral was pitch dark and I supposed he wanted the element of surprise. After all, the monster could not be human enough to face me directly. I continued to walk amongst the pews, searching for any signs of him. The lights flickered on, leaving a dim glow in the Cathedral and my vision focused on the figure in front of the alter. His face was obscured by a hood of a black jacket and I clicked my flashlight off, stuffing it back in my pocket. I placed my hands in pocket, waiting for him to make a move.
“How nice of you to join me Mallory. You and I have very good memories of this place.” He said in a deep dark voice. I glared at him, not trusting myself to speak or move. I wanted to kill him so bad, right there and then. However, things would be much sweeter if I could bring him to justice.
He seemed unhappy about the response he was getting and continued on with a sigh. “Now, Now, Mallory, don’t be like that. Your sister was much more vocal, screaming for her to leave her be and to free her. But she belonged to Death and Death always gets what he wants. You and I have unfinished business, Mallory. We both know you I am responsible for killing those girls. You are going to be my final murder and it will all have come full circle. My last murder where the first happened and the girl who looks like her sister.” Each step brought him closer to me and I could see him pull out a knife.
All I could say was, “Bring it on, Fucker.”
Everything seemed to speed up violently. He rushed at me with the knife and I barely dodged him, managing to trip him a little. He let out a grunt at this and charged at me again. He slammed into me, knocking the both of us to the ground. I kicked and punched at him, deflecting the knife away poorly. I earned several scratches on my arm, but managed to kick him off me.
We got up onto our feet once more, circling one another. Our eyes locked on each other’s. We knew that only one would survive. We had come too far for the other to survive.
He launched himself at me again. This time went quicker than the first. He tried to stab the knife directly into my chest, but my hands locked onto his wrist. He was quite strong for someone who seemed so inhuman. He began press down, the knife nearing my chest. It was time for me to make my move, now or never.
I placed my foot on his chest, knocking him away. I had not managed to get the knife out of his hands and he came at me once again. He was too fast for me this time and managed to stick the knife into my side. He pulled the knife out and I could see the shadow of victorious smile grace his lips. I took a few steps back and pressed my hands to my side, trying to stop the blood. “Goodbye, Mallory. I hope you get to see your sister again. Tell her, I say goodbye.” He said, before going after me once more.
I had one more chance and I hoped that it would work.
Just as he launched himself at me, I launched myself at him. We tumbled to the ground and everything happened in the blur. I managed to grasp the knife in my hands and I plunged it into his chest. He growled at me and tried to rip the knife from me, which only prompted me to stab again. He went quiet.
I disentangled myself from the man, silently bleeding out on the floor. Silent sobs shook my body and for the first time, I truly grieved for my sister. Tears ran down my cheeks and I shakily took my phone from my pocket. I had recorded his confession, in case I did die. I opened the phone and dialed a familiar number.
“Hey, Mallory! It’s Shelia. What’s the matter?”
“Just get the force over here and an ambulance too.” I nearly cried, holding back the sob.
“I’ll be right there. Everything is going to be fine.” Shelia comforted, before hanging up.
It was over. Everything was over and I could finally let go in a messed up way. I let out a sigh of relief and placed my hand to my side. “Hey, Alex.” I whispered, feeling relieved and light.
Word Count: 1,677
