If I Die Young

6. Proof/Noelle

It was a few days before I really got the courage to go out at night again. It was two in the morning on Saturday when I realized the nightmares weren't going to fade and I wasn't going to sleep. I took my trembling feet and slid them into my slippers, flashes of blurred, bloody images filling my mind. I didn't know if they were real or not.

I got up and walked to my door, deciding a cold shower might do me some good. The moment I stepped foot into the hall though I felt the air shift and I knew there was something wrong. My feet were silent as I treaded through the home, my unease growing steadily. The bathroom was vacant when I finally got to it and I took a moment to recollect myself. I stared in the mirror, trying to sort out reality from fantasy; here I was, as gorgeous as I'd ever be. My cheeks looked a little gaunt and my eyes sunken, but other than that, I was okay. A sigh escaped my chest and I'd just put my head down when I heard the voice again.

Sable, run away.

"Who's there?" I announced, somewhat shakily. No response.

I swallowed my fear and picked up my phone again, prepared to capture whatever it was on camera if I could. The door opened slowly as I turned the lights off and crept into the hallway again, peering around the corner and then around the other one. I saw movement and decided to follow it, taking careful steps to make sure I didn't alert it to my presence.

There was no doubt in my mind this was the same thing I'd seen my first night here. I was never able to get a face or even specific features, but it was still present and still absolutely haunting. I snapped photos of it here and there as it trailed back to wherever it was going, and I realized that it had stopped outside the door to the attic. I began to record a video, capturing its movements as it seemed to fade through the wood and disappear from view. I hadn't noticed I was walking closer to it, but I was only a foot away when the door flew open suddenly and sent me into another fit of hushed cursing.

"You have the absolute worst timing on planet Earth I swear to God!" I hissed at Ladon as he held his hands in the air defensively.

"What the hell are you doing up this late?" He asked.

"I had to pee." I paused. "Did you see anyone go in the attic just now?"

"Uh, no, the door's been closed all night." He said flatly. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

"I think I have."

I watched his eyes widen in curiosity as he stepped forward, coming into the light himself. For the first time I got a real look at him: he was taller, with a head of raven colored tufts and a smooth jawline. He was handsome, but not in the traditional sense like Ezra. I quit ogling him to pull my phone up and I played the video, glad to see that it had captured exactly what I'd needed it to. He seemed to be in total shock when he saw the figure move and when the video ended I showed him the pictures.

"You...You were following this thing?" He awed.

"I saw this the first night I was here. Has no one else ever seen it?" I asked, and he shook his head vehemently.

"I can't even tell if it's male or female."

"I don't think you're supposed to be able to." I nodded. "Look, sorry for snapping. I'm having a real rough time tonight and I feel a hell of a lot more validated now."

"What's so rough about your night?" He snorted, and I flinched slightly.

"I haven't slept, and...you don't care, why am I even bothering." I sighed, turning to walk away from him. I was exhausted and not in the mood to deal with someone being a douche.

"Hey, stop," I felt his hand wrap around my wrist gently, "I'm sorry, I'm used to people being assholes. What's got you so worked up?"

"Ever seen a gory horror movie?"