The Evil Within

Secrets & Analogies

Amanda didn't dare tell anyone about her encounter with Adam, not even Emily.

The first night after the kiss happened, Amanda wasn't able to sleep a wink. Whether it was from anxiety or raging hormones, she wasn't sure. But three days passed without any event and Adam Landon was still very much alive and walking around with his friends.

Adam felt lighter than he had in weeks. That afternoon when he made a gamble and kissed Amanda, he expected to be slapped again, or maybe even punched, or perhaps a knee to the groin. But he received no resistance, only hesitation. And even though she said nothing after the kiss, it still felt like he managed to jump across a wide ravine and barely make it to the other side. It left him with the feeling of exhilaration and he couldn't get enough of it. So three days later, Adam found himself standing outside,  Amanda's window, throwing pebbles to get her attention. It took him five tries before the light in her room went on and Amanda appeared before the window clad in her night robe.

Amanda spotted him below, gesturing for her to come down.

Just what in the world was he up to?
He was going to get himself killed. Maybe he thought he was lucky because he's gotten away with everything up until now.

Stupid, brash idiot.

Amanda pulled on her hoodie before heading down to meet Adam, determined to send him home.

"You're not supposed to be here," she said in a harsh whisper.

But Adam only grinned at her with that disarming smile and beckoned her to follow him. It was like the beginning of a horror story and just like every dumb female character in your typical horror stories, Amanda followed him into the night.

They walked under the moonlight and Adam shared his theories about her so called curse that it might just be a work of a serial killer. And as long as the killer couldn't identify who Amanda was hanging out with outside her family, he should be safe.

And so they continued to meet in secret like that every night. At school they'd ignore each other like usual. It seemed like Adam was onto something with his theory, because even after regularly sneaking out every night to have those moonlight walks with Adam, nothing dangerous or life-threatening has happened to him, which made Amanda wonder, who on earth would go as far as killing a person who would so much as breathe in Amanda's direction? For years the police found no evidence that would lead them to the murderer. It's been so long that she had given up finding concrete evidence to explain all those murders and just succumbed to the urban legend that she was cursed.

¤

Amanda didn't like to admit it but she was actually enjoying and looking forward to her walks with Adam every night, even if it meant she was going to lose sleep. She liked talking to him and sneaking out to meet him every night always felt like she was walking on a tightrope with no safety net below. It was terrifying but at the same time, exhilarating. One wrong step could send her plummeting to her death, only, in reality, if somehow they were caught spending all this time together and the serial killer got wind, it wouldn't be her life on the line but Adam's.

One night, as she and Adam came back from their nightly excursion, Adam asked if he could kiss her again. She gave him a small nod, and as he stepped closer to claim her lips, this time she made sure to kiss him back.

All her senses became highly sensitive but it was all focused on Adam; the feel of his body against hers, the taste of his mouth, the scent that he wore. By the time they pulled apart, they were both panting.

Adam kissed her on the nose one last time before saying good night and just like every night, he would only leave once Amanda had gone through the door.

But tonight was different, because that night, someone was waiting for Amanda inside the house.