Samantha

Chapter 19

Samantha and I didn't speak much after that.
I tried calling her from time to time, but whenever I was able to summon up the courage to pick up the phone and start dialing, all I heard on the other end was silence.

I guess I couldn't blame her, after all she was right not to give me a second chance.
I played with her feelings,
toyed with her heart,
fooled her brain.
She was probably second guessing every moment we ever had, wondering whether or not they were truly genuine.

Samantha however was just one piece of the puzzle.
I had yet to speak to Christina or worse. . .

Christina  had yet to confront me.

I was locked in my room for a couple of days.
Claiming to come up with a reasonable explanation.
Rather I think I was just bidding my time.
Christina had almost mercifully gone to visit her grandparents that lived upstate for the weekend.
Giving me some time to work through all the possible scenarios.

That's when it happened.

I heard a knock on the door and heard my Dad's voice.

"Zack someone dropped something off for you."

I looked up surprised.

I didn't remember ordering something online recently.
I opened the door and saw my dad standing outside with a small box, all gift wrapped.

"You sure it's not the wrong address, I don't think it's mine."

"Oh it's yours alright." My dad stated proudly

"Unless you know of another Zachary Trenton in the neighborhood."
He continued, pointing at the label.

Sure enough, the label contained my name and address, but something else struck me then, the handwriting, I'd seen it before.

At that moment I understood.
I grabbed the box out of my father's hand.

"Thanks dad, I already know who it's from."

"A secret admirer huh?" My dad said with a mischievous smile.

I smiled back uneasy.

"We'll see."

"Well I'll leave you to it then, but seriously who drops a package off at this hour?, I thought all the post offices were closed."

As my dad walked away I glanced at the clock and saw that it was already around 10 pm.
An odd time to drop a package off for sure.
I held the box in my hand wondering what was inside.
It was small and weighed almost nothing.
Finally I could control my curiosity no longer and I ripped it open.
In the center lay a small piece of paper.
Something was written on it:

"My dear Zack, I'm sorry things turned out this way.
I realize we were never meant to be from the very start.
And yet, I couldn't stop myself from loving you.
But clearly you don't feel the same. When I asked you If you loved me you hesitated.
I know I threw you out, but I long for you even now.
The pain is unbearable, and that's why I decided to take this final step.
Meet me at the abandoned construction building at Miller's road.
The truth shall be revealed then."

Miller's road?
What was Samantha talking about?
The final step?
I was worried, scared even.
I prayed Samantha didn't mean what I think she did.

The construction at Miller's road was paused indefinitely when the resources to finance it, ran out.
Since then it's been abandoned for years, home to vagabonds and drunk teenagers, looking for somewhere to indulge in more extreme fantasies.
There were also stories that the place was also home for a lot of illegal activities.
What would Samantha be doing at a place like that?
I grabbed my jacket and ran out of my room.

"I have to go, be back soon."

"At this hour? Zack where are yo-."
My father's worried voice echoed.

I never heard the end of that sentence as I left without listening to another word.

I bolted for my car and drove out.

I arrived at Miller's road around 10.30 pm.
A half hour after I received Samantha's note.

The place was quiet.
And for a second a Chill went up my spine.
I had also heard stories about the place being haunted.
Rumors of course, though you can never be sure.

I entered the old construction building and started screaming.

"SAMANTHA."

Nothing happened, except for a couple of rats stirring in the dark.
I climbed higher, carefully avoiding the rotted stairs, if I fell here no-one would come looking.
And even if they did it would probably be too late.

As I climbed higher I could hear a faint noise, I would recognize that sound anywhere.

Samantha was crying.

Once I reached the top, I saw Samantha bathing in the moonlight, she looked so beautiful that it took a moment for me to realize that she was standing on the building ledge.

She turned around and looked at me with tear filled eyes.

"Zack. You're here. Come to say goodbye?"

.

.......................

Back at his home someone had entered Zackary's room.

A shadow loomed over Samantha's note, and sprinted into the night. . .