Sticky Shattered Glass Pieces

Chapter 54: Canterney Island Cabin

Rachel drove us to the house that she booked online for us that night. We reached the island from the airport feeling exhausted and tired but I thought I wanted to take a slow walk around the area since the weather was beautiful. With amber sky and coconut trees swaying in the chill breeze, a slow walk would be the best medicine to unwind in every stressful situation. So, I told Rachel I wanted to take a slow walk around and Rachel wanted to get some items for dinner that night.  

So, after my slow and long walk around the neighborhood, I was walking back to the house. It was already night when I reached the house, so, I thought Rachel would be back from the mall. The house we rented was surrounded by tall green trees and it is slightly hidden from the main road. I saw that the house lights were switched on, so, I thought Rachel was back from the mall. She wanted to get some things from the mall and I wanted to take a long stroll in the neighborhood, so, that is why I was alone that night when I came back to that house. 

Thus, I washed my legs before I entered the house and placed my handbag on the hall couch. I excitedly entered the kitchen to see what Rachel had cooked for me for dinner. Rachel promised me to cook her best spaghetti dish that night. To my surprise, Rachel did not cook anything yet for dinner and I wondered if she was feeling alright. I called out for her from the kitchen to ask if I should cook but there was no response from her. 

I walked out of the kitchen to check on her in her room but she wasn't in her room too. I was puzzled to see all of the room lights were switched on that night. I was too tired from all the walking that night, so, I wanted to clean myself up before dinner. I shrugged my thoughts away and wanted to take a bath first before my dinner. So, I took off my clothes and entered the bathroom to bathe. 

As I washed up in the bathroom, I thought I heard Rachel's car pulling up in the driveway. Then I realized that while in the house, I did not see Rachel's car outside on the porch. So, that explains why there was no response from her when I asked her if I should cook dinner. I was still puzzled and confused at why all the lights in the house were switched on including Rachel's room light. 

Curious, I quickly changed into my night clothes and walked down the staircase slowly. I noticed my mom sitting in the hall looking at the blank television in front of her. I was confused by her behavior but I decided to brush it off as I was hungry that night. I rushed downstairs to be greeted by Rachel at the door but I saw the main door locked and shut tightly. I was confused at first but then I saw a shadow in Rachel's room from the door gap. I smiled playfully and knocked on her room door. No answer. 

Being impatient with Rachel, I asked her, "Rach, do you want noodles for dinner?" 

I thought I heard something like a "hum" as her response when I asked her about dinner. I sighed hard and told her that she owed me her spaghetti dish. So, I proceeded to prepare dinner that day. As I was preparing the noodles for us, I heard someone sitting in the hall so I peeked out a little into the hall. She was sitting looking at the blank television and did not move one bit. She sat there in the exact same position without even moving one inch of her body for several minutes till I finished with my noodles for dinner. 

I found it peculiar with her behavior but I did not give it much thought. I thought Rachel was just tired from all the traveling. Hence, I plated the noodles and brought them out to the living area, and called out for Rachel. She did not respond to my calling nor turn her head. I was getting worried for Rachel as this was her first time portraying such behavior. Before I could walk toward her, I received a text message and it was from Rachel. I was shocked and to my horror, Rachel texted me that she would be back soon and she was making dinner for the both of us. 

Then who was it sitting in the hall now? I slowly gazed at "Rachel" who was sitting in the hall and back at the text message. I knew immediately that the person sitting in the hall wasn't Rachel because Rachel texted me to boil the spaghetti noodles first. So, I did not want to alert the person who was sitting in the hall and pretended to take wood from the front of the house. The person nodded her head and I quickly walked out of the house with my phone in my hand. My hands were trembling in fear and I did not know what to do. I managed to call Rachel over the phone and told her everything.

"Wait for me outside the house. Don't go in until I come back. Make sure whoever it is inside the house doesn't know that you know it is not me," Rachel's voice was concerned and worried for me.

Her voice was shaking and I could sense a tinge of fear in her voice when she told me to peek through the curtain to see if it was still sitting in the hall. I peeked through the curtain slowly and I saw it looked exactly like Rachel and it was sitting still staring blankly at the television in front of it. 

"It is still there, Rach! Come home fast!" I whispered to Rachel over the phone. 

"Just stay out till I come back. Meanwhile, keep an eye on it," Rachel warned me. 

I agreed with Rachel and keep looking inside through the curtains. I couldn't believe that I was talking to it just a while ago not knowing it wasn't Rachel. I felt goosebumps and a chill run down my spine when I thought about the reply it gave me when I asked about dinner. Then, I realized that when I came back home, I did not see "Rachel" in the hall but when I came down after my bath, that is when I saw "Rachel" in the hall. Plus, I did not see her car on the porch too!

Just then, Rachel's car pulled up in the driveway, and I looked at it in the hall for one last time. I told Rachel to keep quiet as I peeked one last time through the curtain. That is when it turned around glaring at us and giving us a smile that we would never forget in our life. That smile was as if it was mocking us!

"So, you know who I am," it gave out a high-pitched and piercing laugh before it vanished from the hall.