Scream 4

Chapter 17

(A/N: warning that there is a flashback of self harm below, at the very end of the chapter. It's written in italics.  Skip if you're sensitive to it. 💞)

*~*~*

It was dark by the time your cellular lit up, like a beacon in the steadily growing darkness. In a short time, darkness took possession of the sky, the only sources of light being the street lights and the headlights of cars that ran back and forth over two different lanes.

The bad news was that you had gotten nowhere with your investigation so far, and you had completely lost track of time.

The good news? You had been typing away, large amounts of inspiration coursing through you for your newest designing project.

As you unlocked your device, you strained your eyes at the bright light and saw that the caller had an unknown caller ID. Nah, nah. You weren't in the mood and pressed decline.

You were able to shake it off easily enough and raked a hand through your hair, keeping it there as you gazed at the clock in the corner of the screen. It just so happened that at that second, the unmistakable sensation of being watched had you perk up on the mattress. You were comfy but left the warm nest of blankets anyway, making your way over to the light switch as an explosion of light flooded the room.

Your paranoia had you check up on every corner, as well as under the large bed, but nothing came up, and you cursed to yourself. Had watching Saw gotten to you after all?

You put the phone down beside you, crawling back under the sheets as you refocused on your laptop, pausing for a moment before your fingers took off in a flurry of inspiration once more.

*Thud!*

You ended up losing track of time again until a noise coming from downstairs had you abruptly stop with what you were doing, your hands sliding from the keyboard to fall limply into your lap.

Emma loved her sleep and could probably sleep through an earthquake.

Admittedly, you were too shaken up to find out what caused that noise, but knew fully well you couldn't get a wink of sleep with the dryness in your mouth that had your tongue sticking to its roof.

And so with a grunt, you pushed the blankets off and onto the other side of the bed before standing up sluggishly, the floor under your bare feet could.

Really should have bought those cute bunny slippers you had seen in the store when you went shopping with Emma.

You peeked your head around the corner out of the door to see nothing, nothing and... More nothing. The hallway was empty.

You snuck downstairs while holding your hands out in front of you to keep yourself from crashing this and that and made it to the kitchen, grabbing a glass mug to fill it up with faucet water before taking a huge gulp from it to quench your thirst.

But just as you were about to put the glass down in the empty sink, you saw a shape in the window nearest to you.

A reflection.

Needless to say, you screamed internally, but it was overcome by the sound of glass shattering on the floor with a cry breaking from your lips. Whizzing around, you found...

Nothing again. No one.

Your pulse roared, and confusion flashed through you. "Emma?" You called out carefully, listening for any sign that your friend had woken up.