Remember Me?

chapter 3

As she walked home from school, Cori thought about all the trouble It had caused her. It had all started when she turned ten, a birthday her mom had been excited to celebrate.

"Double Digits!" She smiled happily at Cori, "You only turn that once!"

Cori had grinned back at her-a grin that was missing two front teeth. Cori's mother was a nurse, and to be honest not a very good one. Since she went straight to the local hospital, she had almost always gotten the night shifts, so Cori rarely saw her. It was one weekend she had taken completely off, and Cori was exited to spend time with her.  

"We're going to have the best weekend ever!" Cori had exclaimed excitedly, as she mixed the batter of the cookies they were making.

"You betcha!" Her mom winked at her.

Cori had been suddenly struck by a vision- the first she'd ever had. All she saw was a scrawny looking young boy; about the age of six or seven, who had smiled mischievously at her and said, "You betcha!" before turning and winking dramatically.

Her mother had found her staring dumbly at the wall, still in shock after it.

It had all been different after that.

Suddenly, she was hearing whispers no one else heard and seeing things no one else saw; but the worst was the memories that assaulted her, but they weren't her memories. At first it had been triggered, a phrase or smell, but soon the memories came whenever. She had no control over them.

Cori shook her head to release the memories and walked into her apartment. She hated walking up the five sets of stairs but she hated the small, shady elevator more. It scared her too much, a fact that It had always teased her for.

she hated It.

Cori slid the key into the lock as she breathed in deeply. She should get used to her mom not being home, but it stung a little every time she came home to a empty house.

As she set her bag down and pulled out her piece of crap she called a computer, she heard a jostling outside in the hallway.

Cori opened the door enough to peek through and saw a woman carrying an enormous bag on her back. The woman seemed very old- ancient, almost- with fluffy hair and old, veined hands that shook a little as she opened the lock to her apartment. Even though Cori held her breath, she turned and looked at her straight in the eye and grinned a little, almost as if she knew Cori.

Cori whirled around and locked the door, keeping her hands on the door as if to keep her away, like that would help.

Behind Cori she heard It snickering softly.