All is Found

2

Hey this is Ashlyn leave a message and if you're lucky I'll call you back. BEEP. Ashlyn it's Elijah, yes I did just pull out my whole name because this is serious. Please tell me where you are. The note you left me isn't funny, Bobby is really worried about you, hell so am I. I'm trying to buy you time so you can have some space because I know why you went back home but you need to call me! If you aren't home by tonight then Bobby is calling the police and it's out of my hands. Seriously Ash, call me back.

            I don't remember how long I was in the tub for. Actually I don't really remember much after I saw the Grim Reaper. After I came back up from under the water I felt like the weight that was sitting on my chest eased a bit. The elephant was replaced by a rhino. I barely remember getting out of the water and now I'm lying in bed with the sun streaming in through the curtains covering the window.

            It took a few moments for the events of yesterday to finally sink in. The party. Leaving the letter for Eli. Running to the bridge. Throwing my coat down over the rail along with my cell phone. Climbing over the railing. The dark flat sheet of water waiting for me. The Grim Reaper floating in front of me, waiting for me. Ready to take me. Thea. She pulled me over the railing. She saved me. My angel.

            I pushed myself up in bed and hissed as pain shoot up from my hands. Once I rested again the headboard I looked down at my hands. Band-Aids covered the heels of both of my hands. When Thea pulled me over the rail my hands got scrapped up. I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and looked around the room. It was on the smaller side. The bed is in one of the corners of the room. A nightstand with an alarm clock it sitting next to the bed, a desk with a laptop sitting open is across the room, Christmas lights are hanging from the ceiling wrapped around the room. A large safe is next to the desk.

            Carefully I got out of bed and looked at my body in the mirror. I'm not in the clothes I was wearing last night. I'm wearing a black Henley long sleeve shirt, a pair of white basketball shorts and grey ankle socks. Other than my hands being scratched up I look fine. But we all know looks are deceiving.

            I pulled open one of the doors in the room to find a walk in closet. The first thing I found is a long sleeve shirt with a Salem Police Department patch on the shoulder. Thea's a cop. I stopped looking in the closet and closed the door behind me. I need to get out of here. Thea will make me go back and I can't do that.

            I went to the other door in the room and pulled it open to find the living room I was in yesterday. Carefully I moved through the hall to find the door so I can leave but when I came around the corner I found Thea sitting at her kitchen table sipping coffee from a mug while reading the paper. I was startled to see her and my foot stepped on a creaky floorboard. I'm convinced the creak could be heard from miles. Thea's head shot up from the paper and she coughed on her sip of coffee.

            Neither of us said anything as we stared each other. Thea's blonde hair is sitting in a messy bun on top of her head. She's wearing an old faded Salem Police Department sweatshirt with the right sleeve pushed up to her elbow.

            "Would you like some coffee? It's not the best in the world but it will do." Thea offered and closed the paper.

            "Sure" I said and slid into the chair across from her. Thea got up from the table and returned a few moments later with a steaming mug and milk. Once Thea settled into her seat she placed the mug in front of me and the milk. When her hands were free she pushed the sugar over.

            Two spoonfuls of sugar and a splash of milk. Just enough to turn the color of the coffee from the dark brown to a chestnut. When the color was just right I took a sip of the coffee. Thea was right, the coffee did kind of suck but I was grateful for the caffeine.