"It's been over twenty years since then…twenty long, strange, hurtful years. I haven't seen her face in over seven years, and even though I tried as hard as I could it was never enough. A cycle, once it has been started, can never stop. No matter how hard we try and no matter what we do…she will never sleep…
Twenty years ago…
"I really am trying Amelia," Two teenagers where walking down a wet city sidewalk, one was a blonde haired boy with freckles and emerald eyes. The other one was a black haired girl with porcelain colored skin and deep blue eyes.
"I appreciate you trying to help me Ryan, but this is a personal matter, only I can do something about it." It had been raining for the past few weeks and the ground shimmered as the sleek water soaked up the few beams of sunlight passing threw the clouds.
"Even if it is personal, I'm still your best friend and the fact that you will not tell me what's wrong is getting to me! You've been so depressed."
Amelia had been very depressed lately, her cousin Katie had died about four months ago and her aunt Rachel and her cousin Aiden had moved to the county. Her aunt never said why, they just packed up and left one day.
"Ryan, it's my burden to bear, you don't need to get caught up in it." They turned a corner and came up to the porch of a small house crushed between two apartment buildings. Amelia took out a key, turned the knob and with a great creek of the door she was permitted inside.
"No…um…offence or anything but are you ever going to…you know…do some repairs on this house?" Amelia was a College student going to Kirkland University; she was studying to be a professor of European Literature while on the side working as a book store clerk that was just down the street. Ryan was a fruit through and through; he wanted to be a wedding dress designer and loved everything that was pretty. He had an extensive seashell collection that he was more then happy to show anyone who visited his home.
Amelia and Ryan had known each other since sixth grade, always looking after one another like brother and sister. In a lot of ways Ryan lived with Amelia, he had his own apartment, but enjoyed being in the company of his good friend rather then stay at his place studying for Trigonometry. Amelia was happy to have him over, but hated how he would try and decorate when she was very happy with how her home looked.
"So, is anything interesting going on with you this weekend?" Ryan grabbed a green apple off the counter and proceeded to gnaw on it.
"No, not really…" Amelia didn't do much on the weekends; it would usually consist of reading a new book and watching documentaries on the Discover Chanel about great British writers. So, for the most part, no, nothing really happened to her often, especially on weekends. "I'm just going to stay home and do the usual, read, watch T.V. and sleep. You?"
"I'm going down to Georgia to visit my aunt Cassie; she had a baby recently and wants me to come see her. Hay, you can come along if you want to?"
"Can't, I have one too many things to study this weekend, I really wish I could Ryan but grades come first. Will you take pictures for me?"
"Sure thing Amelia, I'll say hi to my aunt for you as well." His watch then went off; he lifted his wrist and looked at it. "Ah, I gotta go, I'll see you latter." He then stuck the apple in his mouth and headed toward the door.
"Hay, if you could, would you get my mail and set it on the porch for me?"
"Yah, sure thing." He then opened the door, grabbed the mail, placed it on the porch, closed the door, and was on his way.
Three Hours Latter…
"Junk mail, junk mail, junk mail, newsletter, bill, junk mail, junk-" Amelia had started going through her mail then she got to the bottom of the stack. There was a yellow package folder sitting in her hands and it felt heavy. She then opened the envelope and out of the package slid out…a single black blank VHS tape.
"Huh? What's this," she looked it over. "Strange, it doesn't say anywhere what it is?" She then placed it on the table. "Oh well, I'll take a look at it latter." The Microwave then went off, signaling that her cup of tea was ready.
She sat down with the tape in her hands; her fingers caressed the smooth black cover that held flimsy film within it. She then, in one swipe, pushed the tape into the VCR and pressed play.
That was the day everything changed…
As the strange blue and green hued images played across the screen Amelia sat there in confusion and fear. Who in their right mind would make something like this? What the Hell does it mean? Why send it to someone like me? Was it Ryan, did he do this for kicks? No…no he wouldn't do that. Then who? Who did all of this? Who?
The tape finally stopped and Amelia sat there, her cup of tea empty and her head whirling with confusion.
Then…the phone rang…
She then went over to the Telephone and picked it up, the sleek hard plastic going up against her face. "He-Hello?"
"Seven Days…"
The other line then hang up, a heart sick Amelia standing there with nothing but fear on her face. "Seven Days, till…what?" She just stood there; she didn't know what else to do. She just…stood there.
One week latter…
To be honest she hadn't thought of what happened at all since it did. She had merely dismissed it as someone sending her the tape and getting their timing right. She walked down the street toward her home and noticed that her house was…wet? It had rained a few days ago but surly it would have dried up by now? The way it looked it seemed as if it had just rained…but all the other houses where just damp, not wet?
Amelia then went up to her front door. It was dark outside because she had to work over time that day. There had been a sale at the bookstore and she had to stay till eight. She opened to door and flicked on the lights, placed her jacket and purse by the front door and went into the kitchen.
She then opened the fridge and took out a cup of Jell-O that she hadn't finished. She then picked up the remote control to her T.V. set and turned it on. She quickly flipped through the channels until she found something she liked. She set the remote on the counter and proceeded to make a cup of orange tea.
The timer had just gone off on the microwave when the T.V. short circuited and went out. She then went over to the television and turned it around, trying to see what the problem was?
Then, the T.V. turned on and was static…
She looked at the T.V. and stood up. "But…it just shut off a second ago?" She went over to the counter and grabbed to remote. She pressed power…but it wouldn't turn off. "Oh, come on! This is stupid, I'll call Ryan and see if his brother can come over and fix this thing" She then went over to pick up the phone.
Then, an image of a field and a well appeared on the screen…
She put down the phone and walked over to the television set. "Wh-What in the world?"
Then, an image of a little girl climbed out of the well…
"Oh my God! What the hell is that?!" She slowly backed away from the television set, but with every step she took back the image took one step forward. Slowly, and with the movements of a Tiger the image started to emerge from the screen. One water logged arm put it's self on the floor for stability. Then came a face coved by long, wet, black hair. Finally a body followed that was clothed by a muck covered dress.
The figure then stood up and slowly walked toward Amelia, the girl stood there is shock, as if this was a horror film that she had agreed to play the role of the tragic heroine. The figure then stopped three feet in front of her and a long lock of hair revealed a glistening blue eye. Amelia then saw the images of the tape run across her eyes…and then…darkness…
The next morning…
Ryan was standing on the porch of his friend's house and knocked. There was no answer so he took out a spare key she had given him and opened to door. He then went into the Kitchen when he saw something that chilled his bones.
Amelia was lying on the floor, her long black hair coved her face, and her cup of tea had fallen over. He then rushed over to her side and nudged her. She didn't move, so he nudged her again. Once again, she didn't move. He then grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed back her hair. There she was, Amelia lying in his arms, the same as she always was.
Then, one eye flicked open…
"Amelia, are you alright?" The young girl tried to get up but had a hard time. She looked up at her friend, her eyes glistening blue, a strange light blue her eyes had never been before. She naturally had deep, dark blue eyes. Yet…her eyes where…light blue. A shimmering light blue that you only saw when you looked at the sea from a distance.
"Ryan…is that you?"
"Yah, I'm right here Amelia, what happened?" She looked away from him, and at the T.V. set with fear and confusion. However, there was something very important that she had done that she didn't realize.
She…had survived the tape…