The Freaks | Sally Face

Chapter 3: Reflection

I wake up drenched in sweat with that painful ringing sound in my ears. I put both my hands over them to mask the sound but it doesn't seem to work very well. When I finally get a grip on reality; I realise where I am, no longer in my family home that I once loved but instead a crappy apartment in the middle of nowhere. I grab my phone to check the time, turning down the brightness so it doesn't blind me. Great, 4am. I still had four hours until I would need to meet Sal and go to school but I knew full well that I wouldn't be going back to sleep. I look out my window, a foggy mist surrounding the fields by Addison Apartments with no sign of sunrise just yet.

I jump out of bed to go and use the toilet before I decide to go and smoke outside to calm my nerves after yet another disturbed sleep. I grab my jacket, wrapping it round me and sneak out of the apartment. The hallways were dimly lit, I assume they work properly during specific hours of the day and 4am would not be the time to have blistering lights in your eyes. I press the elevator door and begin to descend to the first floor. I slowly make my way outside, checking my surroundings and exit the building. There was something about this place that gave me the major creeps, I couldn't figure out if it was the location, the eerie feel to the weather or the secret neighbours I was yet to meet. Sal and Larry were the only two I had met so far and they were really cool, but I only wondered about the other horrors this building has been through.

I drag on my cigarette feeling very alert to where I was. It was so bizarre being in a place that felt so vacant. Even in my home town there would be an occasional car that would drive past, heading for an early morning shift but in Nockfell there was nothing. As I finish my cigarette, I feel a buzzing in my pocket so grab my phone to check who was texting me at this hour. But of course, it was Sally Face.

Sal: You up?
Me: Yeah couldn't sleep. You?
Sal: Same here. Did you use the elevator by any chance?
Me: Sure did. Just went out for a quick early morning cigarette. Can you hear the lame elevator music from your bedroom?
Sal: Haha yeah, so what's got you up? If you don't mind me asking?
Me: The usual, night terrors.
Sal: I know what you mean, I have nightmares everyday so I don't even remember what it was like to have a full nights rest.
Me: Dude same. I envy Larry as he's probably sound asleep and snoring away.
Sal: I'm shocked you can't hear him out there, dude snores like a walrus.
Me: Haha, wouldn't surprise me. I'm going to head back up to 404, this place is seriously giving me the creeps.
Sal: You get used to it, well kind of anyway.
Me: Maybe. Also do you know what happened in 403? They've boarded up the place and stuck a load of crime scene tape around it.
Sal: Haven't heard anything. Wanna check it out?
Me: Seriously?
Sal: We can play a little game. That makes me sound like a proper creep doesn't it?
Me: You're damn straight Sally. I think I'll give the weird room a rest until it's light outside and I don't feel the monsters will eat me.
Sal: I'll hold you to that.
Me: Haha, I'm sure you will.

I smile at my phone and place it back inside my pocket. I go back to the forth floor and stand outside Room 403, just staring and wondering about what is behind that green door. I was never one to pry into any thing like this, we never really had an opportunity in Michigan, but now I was strangely contemplating texting Sal to come and meet me outside. I decided to bend down to look inside the letter box, it was still dark in the hallway so I used my phone as a flashlight to try and get a better view. I carefully began to open the letter box, the small creaking sounds becoming louder the harder I tried to stay quiet. I peek inside not really getting a good look of what is behind the door. I was really focused on finding out what happened.

"I thought you said you were going to give it a miss?" A deep voice came from behind me making me jump and fall hard on the floor, hitting my head against the wall on the way down.