The Witness

The Haunting

Am I a bad person for not thinking about anyone else? Here I was living my best life with Dakota, and everyone I know and love was out there worrying about me. Thinking I was dead. Searching for clues and answers, unable to let it go.

That did cross my mind.

And it did bother me.

But not as much as the other side of it. That out there was a girl's family wondering what happened to their daughter, waiting for the killer to be caught. My family had hope that I would one day return, Antonia's family, had no hope. They knew their daughter was dead, that she wasn't coming back ever. Someone had murdered their baby girl and that person was still out there.

I was the only person in the whole world that could give them closure. That could put Antonia to rest once and for all. And there I was, ignoring that responsibility, pretending I didn't know anything about anything. But I did know, I saw everything. Antonia had cried out for help from me, her eyes looked at me as if saying you're my only hope.

Bad person or not, her family still deserved answers.

But I didn't want to be the one to give it to them.

I wanted to remain in my safe corner of the world.

But Antonia wouldn't let me.

The Haunting

"One year ago today Antonia Hernandez was brutally murdered in her own home. 365 days later and police are still no closer to any answers. All tips have led to dead ends, and any evidence remains elusive. But it's not just Antonia's family who wants answers. Melony Black, witness to said murder was also kidnapped one year ago today, and her family also wants answers."

Dakota turns the tv off.

I turn on the couch to look at her.

"Don't watch that." She says.

"Sorry, you know I can't help it. I just want to make sure we're safe. That they don't suspect you." I pet a sleeping Cali in my arms.

"They don't."

"How do you know?" I ask.

"I talked to the police."

"You what!?"

She walks around and sits next to me.

"That day I was gone a long time. They brought me in for questioning. They had found some messages I had sent to Antonia, and they knew about Carolina. It painted me in a bad light, but they were looking for a man. In the end, they cleared me easily, I had an alibi, remember?"

I shake my head no.

"That hotel we stayed at, I checked in two days prior. Told them I was there because my house was being fumigated. Which was true. Plus I made sure the front desk saw me go to bed, they never saw me sneak out because I parked in the back. So according to the police, I was in that hotel all night. I have witnesses that say so. They never brought me in for questioning again. Plus I made sure that when I went to the interview, I rented a car, different from my own."

"You really think of everything," I smile.

"Can't help it," she pecks me on the lips.

I flinch when a loud crash of thunder echoes throughout the house. Cali also freaks out, she jumps out of my arms and gets all fluffed up.

"Awe, poor baby, she got scared." I pick her back up.

The lights flicker and the power goes out.

Dakota sighs.

"I'm going to check the breaker, I'll be back." Dakota went to her room to grab a raincoat.

"It's okay," I kiss Cali on the head. Her eyes are big and her tail is fluffed.

Dakota comes back out in rain gear and opens the back door to go check the breaker.

I pet Cali and wait for Dakota when I hear something fall in the kitchen. Cali gets really freaked out and jumps away from me, running to hide.

"Cali! Come back," I get up to go get her.

I glance over to the kitchen and as lightning flashes, Antonia appears and disappears. I quickly ignore it and go to grab Cali who ran under the entry table.

"Cali, come out," I bend down to grab her.

I reach my hand under and feel something wet, when I pull back to inspect I see blood. I scream but when I blink nothing is there. Cali gets spooked by my scream and runs upstairs. I get up and turn around to look at the back door, to see if Dakota heard me. But Antonia is there, staring at me.

I quickly turn back around and run upstairs.

"Cali!?" I look for her.

I see my door is slightly ajar so I push it open.

It's so dark in here.

"Cali? You in here? Here kitty, kitty, kitty," I use my phone to light up the room.

I bend down to look under the bed but when I shine my light under there, it's not Cali I see. It's Antonia's dead body, laying on the ground, staring at me with those dead eyes. I scream and pull back.

I bump into something and scream again.

"Whoa! Babe, it's just me." Dakota helps me up.

"S-sorry," I look back at the bed.

"What is it?"

"Nothing, I was just looking for Cali, she ran up here," I say.

The lights flicker on and Cali jumps from the bed to my shoulder.

I scream again.

"Cali! Stop that!" I grab her.

Dakota laughs.

"Come on," I sigh and move to leave.

"Weird, did you turn this light on?" Dakota asks me.

"No."

"Hmm..." she flicks the switch off.

I eye the room as the door slowly closes, hiding the darkness beyond.

I stick close to Dakota the whole way down the stairs.

"Do you believe in ghosts?" I ask her as we sit down.

"Ghost?" she smirks.

"Yeah."

"No," she snorts in amusement.

"Oh," I look down at Cali and pet her, to calm her and me down.

"Do you?" she asks.

I shrug.

"Why?" she asks.

"Okay, if you don't believe in ghosts, do you think people can be haunted?" I challenge.

"I mean I guess, people can be haunted by memories or regrets but I don't believe in ghosts."

"Emm," I scratch Cali under the chin.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, just freaked out it all."

"Do you think ghosts are real?"

I look up towards the backdoor where I see Antonia standing out in the rain, the water pooling red around her.

"No," I say. "Just curious." I look away.

"You get scared easily," she pulls me into her arms.

"Yeah, guess so." I snuggle into her.

"Don't worry, no ghost is going to get you. I'll protect you." She assures me.

I look out the back again, and Antonia is still there.

I close my eyes and pretend I don't see anything. Maybe if I pretend hard enough, she'll finally leave me alone.