Chapter Four:
It was the perfect night for a movie. The sky was clear and dark, giving a vivid glimpse of every star that resided in it. The moon was bright and full, shining over the many lakes and streams that adorned the landscaping of Greenwitch.
The faraway moutains could be viewed outside Lara's window as she brushed her thick blonde hair. Jake would be arriving soon to pick her up. It was lucky no one was home; that way she could blast her music as loud as she wanted and no one would ever know. That was one of Marie's pet peeves. The music being too loud. She would always yell from her room and say:
`` GOD DAMNIT LARA. TURN THAT BLASTED THING OFF. ``
Of course, Lara would reply with. `` HOW CAN I EVER TRULY FEEL THE MUSIC IF IT DOESN'T SURROUND ME?! `` Marie would just give up after this, and go back to whatever she'd previously been doing.
Lara sang along with the music until she heard the car horn outside her window. She abruptly turned it off and walked over to the windowsill, calling down to Jake. `` I'll be out in a minute! `` she yelled, shutting the window and gathering her handbag. She rushed downstairs and out the front door, and to her surprise she witnessed Jake coming around the car to open the door for her.
`` Uhm. Thanks. `` she said, giving a slightly raised brow at the boy.
`` My pleasure. `` Jake spoke with a laugh.
Once they pulled out onto the main road, leading to the mall, Jake looked over at Lara with deep concern.
`` You seemed a little jumpy yesterday. Are you sure everything's okay? `` he asked.
`` Yeah, it's fine. `` she said unenthusiastically. `` Well.. no. Not really. ``
`` What's going on? `` he questioned, taking his eyes off the road every now and then to direct full attention to her.
`` I've been having these.. dreams. `` she told him as they pulled into the mall parking lot.
`` Dreams.. what kind of dreams? `` he pulled into a parking spot and turned off the engine, reaching a hand over to place it on her shoulder.
`` Bad ones. Nightmares. `` she explained, shakiness in her voice.
`` What kind of nightmares? `` he asked, leaning closer.
`` They're about my parents. `` she said, beginning to cry softly.
`` Oh, Lara.. don't cry. I'm sorry... I'm so sorry. `` he said, embracing her with a hug.
`` Jake, they're horrible. I should've told you sooner. `` she said, leaning her eyes onto his shoulder and letting her tears soak his shirt. `` It's so awful. The fire.. it's consuming my house and.. and my parents are trapped. They're reaching out to me for help, and I can't get to them because I'm being pushed away and.. and they turn into ashes and I can't save them oh Jake! `` she broke down, sobbing uncontrollably.
`` Oh God, Lara sweety.. `` he held her protectively. `` We're taking you home. It's okay, don't worry about anything. `` he said, hugging her tightly. `` I won't let anything bad happen to you ever again. `` he rested his head on her shoulder and shut his eyes.
---
By the time they'd pulled into her driveway, she was calm again. Tear stained cheeks adorned her face as she let herself out of the car. She gave him a soft smile.
`` Thank you so much, Jake. You're the best friend I could ever ask for. `` she nodded, watching the car pull away from her.
`` Is he your boyfriend? `` came a soothing voice from behind her. She whirled around in fear to suddenly recognize him as Tom, the one she'd met earlier.
`` Uhm.. no.. he's a friend.. `` she stuttered, alarmed by his presence.
`` I see. `` he said, moving closer to her. She could feel his warm breath upon her frozen face. `` You've been crying. `` he said, staring into her eyes.
`` Oh.. no.. it was nothing. `` she said, turning her face away from him. He placed his hand underneath her chin and directed her face toward his own.
`` I don't like it when I see a pretty girl like you crying. `` he said with a smile, letting his hand fall from her face.
`` What are you doing out here? `` she asked, gaining some of her security back.
He frowned at her strength towards him. However, he remained calm. `` I was out for a walk. `` he explained. `` The snow, the cold air, it calms me. I was thinking. Don't you ever need solitude to think, Lara? `` They were inches apart now, their faces almost touching.
`` I.. I guess so. Yes... I do. `` she replied with a made-known weakness in her voice.
`` I would hope so. `` he said, his eyes almost boring into her soul. `` One needs to clear their mind of.. unwanted thoughts. `` he emphasized the last two words greatly. `` Or else we become so overcome with negative insecurities that we break down and become immobile. `` he turned, walking from her. `` I will see you soon. Goodbye, Lara. ``
`` Bye.. `` she said, his power already over her.
But why was he there, at that exact moment in time? She felt now as if she was never alone. That he was always there. Watching her every move.
She retreated into the empty household, locking every single door and window.
It was the perfect night for a movie. The sky was clear and dark, giving a vivid glimpse of every star that resided in it. The moon was bright and full, shining over the many lakes and streams that adorned the landscaping of Greenwitch.
The faraway moutains could be viewed outside Lara's window as she brushed her thick blonde hair. Jake would be arriving soon to pick her up. It was lucky no one was home; that way she could blast her music as loud as she wanted and no one would ever know. That was one of Marie's pet peeves. The music being too loud. She would always yell from her room and say:
`` GOD DAMNIT LARA. TURN THAT BLASTED THING OFF. ``
Of course, Lara would reply with. `` HOW CAN I EVER TRULY FEEL THE MUSIC IF IT DOESN'T SURROUND ME?! `` Marie would just give up after this, and go back to whatever she'd previously been doing.
Lara sang along with the music until she heard the car horn outside her window. She abruptly turned it off and walked over to the windowsill, calling down to Jake. `` I'll be out in a minute! `` she yelled, shutting the window and gathering her handbag. She rushed downstairs and out the front door, and to her surprise she witnessed Jake coming around the car to open the door for her.
`` Uhm. Thanks. `` she said, giving a slightly raised brow at the boy.
`` My pleasure. `` Jake spoke with a laugh.
Once they pulled out onto the main road, leading to the mall, Jake looked over at Lara with deep concern.
`` You seemed a little jumpy yesterday. Are you sure everything's okay? `` he asked.
`` Yeah, it's fine. `` she said unenthusiastically. `` Well.. no. Not really. ``
`` What's going on? `` he questioned, taking his eyes off the road every now and then to direct full attention to her.
`` I've been having these.. dreams. `` she told him as they pulled into the mall parking lot.
`` Dreams.. what kind of dreams? `` he pulled into a parking spot and turned off the engine, reaching a hand over to place it on her shoulder.
`` Bad ones. Nightmares. `` she explained, shakiness in her voice.
`` What kind of nightmares? `` he asked, leaning closer.
`` They're about my parents. `` she said, beginning to cry softly.
`` Oh, Lara.. don't cry. I'm sorry... I'm so sorry. `` he said, embracing her with a hug.
`` Jake, they're horrible. I should've told you sooner. `` she said, leaning her eyes onto his shoulder and letting her tears soak his shirt. `` It's so awful. The fire.. it's consuming my house and.. and my parents are trapped. They're reaching out to me for help, and I can't get to them because I'm being pushed away and.. and they turn into ashes and I can't save them oh Jake! `` she broke down, sobbing uncontrollably.
`` Oh God, Lara sweety.. `` he held her protectively. `` We're taking you home. It's okay, don't worry about anything. `` he said, hugging her tightly. `` I won't let anything bad happen to you ever again. `` he rested his head on her shoulder and shut his eyes.
---
By the time they'd pulled into her driveway, she was calm again. Tear stained cheeks adorned her face as she let herself out of the car. She gave him a soft smile.
`` Thank you so much, Jake. You're the best friend I could ever ask for. `` she nodded, watching the car pull away from her.
`` Is he your boyfriend? `` came a soothing voice from behind her. She whirled around in fear to suddenly recognize him as Tom, the one she'd met earlier.
`` Uhm.. no.. he's a friend.. `` she stuttered, alarmed by his presence.
`` I see. `` he said, moving closer to her. She could feel his warm breath upon her frozen face. `` You've been crying. `` he said, staring into her eyes.
`` Oh.. no.. it was nothing. `` she said, turning her face away from him. He placed his hand underneath her chin and directed her face toward his own.
`` I don't like it when I see a pretty girl like you crying. `` he said with a smile, letting his hand fall from her face.
`` What are you doing out here? `` she asked, gaining some of her security back.
He frowned at her strength towards him. However, he remained calm. `` I was out for a walk. `` he explained. `` The snow, the cold air, it calms me. I was thinking. Don't you ever need solitude to think, Lara? `` They were inches apart now, their faces almost touching.
`` I.. I guess so. Yes... I do. `` she replied with a made-known weakness in her voice.
`` I would hope so. `` he said, his eyes almost boring into her soul. `` One needs to clear their mind of.. unwanted thoughts. `` he emphasized the last two words greatly. `` Or else we become so overcome with negative insecurities that we break down and become immobile. `` he turned, walking from her. `` I will see you soon. Goodbye, Lara. ``
`` Bye.. `` she said, his power already over her.
But why was he there, at that exact moment in time? She felt now as if she was never alone. That he was always there. Watching her every move.
She retreated into the empty household, locking every single door and window.