"I was in the mood for some chicken and veggies or something...how about you?" I called from the kitchen. Maybe we could -try- to spend one evening together without all the crap.

I crossed to the fridge and got out the chicken I had thrown in the night before. While she was gone, I -had- missed her. Alot. I mean, it was only 3 days apart. Before she left, I was wishing we could have a couple months apart. We started fighting every morning, every night, started eating out instead of together, leaving early so we didn't have to see eachother. And...right now, all I really wanted was to sit down and have a dinner with her. Like we used to, when it didn't happen all the time. But now, she was home...she seemed really distracted. Aloof, almost. That damn school's got her working too hard, especially now that she's lost her job. Maybe I can get her a spot at the restaruant...or something...if we stay together that long.

Yeah, I tried to lie to myself for awhile. All this shit was gonna work itself out, and we'd eventually live happily ever after. But after our last argument, I know it's never going to happen. But...when I walked through the door and went to her, everything felt...okay. Maybe we'll be able to save it for a little longer. Or atleast break it off as easy as we can.

I still hadn't heard an answer.

"Aurora?"

Silence. I walked out into the hall.

"Babe?"

The phone rang. I went to get it, but after one ring it...stopped. Rory must've gotten it. Probably expecting a call or something. I went back to dinner. I bet it was about those report things she's been going around for, with that Anna Morgan stuff about her horses. I snuck into her room while she was gone. Sure, I feel bad about it, but you know. I was curious. I found all this stuff about the Morgans, and their horses, and Moeske, and some woman named Evelyn. And I kept finding the same picture of this creepy-ass little girl with this long hair in her face. Something was just too unnervy about her. I didn't hear anything for a while, so, I tried again.

"Babe, did you hear me?"

Nothing.

"Babe?"

The bedroom door opened. Well, -her- bedroom door opened. I stepped into the hall, and I was -going- to ask who was on the phone, but the look on her face stopped me cold.

She looked like she had run into Death. Her eyes were wide, her face had lost -all- it's color.

She was -shaking-. Actually shaking. What the hell...?

"Rory?...Aurora." I went to her and touched her arms. She looked at me like she -just- realized I was alive.

"...Yeah--Yeah?" she seemed to snap back into reality. "What?"

"...Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm okay...just...a little stressed." She smiled and walked into the kitchen. I had a feeling that wasn't the only thing...

"Okay, hon...well...I'm making chicken. That okay with you?"

"Yeah, sounds great." She sat at our pitiful little dining table.

"Okay...hey, what do you want to make for Friday?"

"..Friday?"

I looked at her. I couldn't believe she had already forgotten. It was HER idea...

"Friday. Next Friday. Your -parents- are comming."

"..Oh, God, that. I...don't know. I don't care."

"You don't care? You -should- care."

"Yeah? Well, I don't. Just...fix something..."

"Yes, your majesty."

"Oh, don't start that."

"Start what? I just cook, clean, and do shit around here. That's all I'm good for."

"I never said that!"

"Uh-huh, sure."

"Oh, just STOP IT. I'm not home 20 minutes, and we just start fighting again! I'm SICK of it, it's so..Goddamn POINTLESS..."

...And then there was a silence. She was right, though. It really was pointless. And I was sick of it too...I don't know why I was so mad in the first place. And I'm pretty sure she doesn't know why she's mad either.

We spent nearly the entire evening in silence. It was definately something we were used to...then we picked up our plates, dumped them in the dishwasher, and went to bed. Our seperate beds. I stayed up awhile and read. I could hear the faint rumble of the television from her room. I missed the nights when we used to sleep next to eachother. I think sleeping away from eachother was the last nail in the coffin of our relationship. I turned out my light and glanced at the clock. Almost 2. Her television was still on. She had always been a little bit of an insomniac...

--------------------------------

"You clearly have no idea what you're talking about, you handsome, sophisticated, hyper-intelligent, svelte, well-read, sparking, salty, olive-complected, full-head-of-haired man!" Space Ghost rattled off, getting in the face of famous Bob Costa.

I was curled up in my bed, the television blaring, the picture of Samara on my nightstand, and the tape next to it. I still hadn't recovered from the brutal wake-up call I had just experienced...everything I had just seen and...and felt...and heard...


I was paralized infront of the television, every picture and vision whirling around in my head. So many. Anna. The mirror. The fingernails. Anna on the cliff. The dead horses. Richard Morgan. The barn. Samara...in the plastic...in the mirror...comming out of the well...the well...

The phone rang.

I dived for it. I had to get to it before Kate picked it up. I listened to the fuzzy silence...then...a voice, soft as rain water.

"...7 days..."

"..Samara?"

There was nothing.

"..Samara." I was louder. Firmer.

Still nothing. Was she gone? Did I really hear her, or was it in my head...?

"...Samara!"

"...you were looking for me..." It -was- her. I felt myself smiling. She knows who I am...I opened my mouth to answer, when--

"Babe? Did you hear me?" It was Katelyn in the other room. I jumped and looked towards the door. The line went silent. I couldn't hear the fuzzy popping anymore.

"Samara?" I sat up a little.

"Babe?"

She was gone. I put down the phone, and I felt cold all of a sudden.

I had just spoken to a child that had died back in the 70s. And she KNOWS who I AM. I walked out of the bedroom. I didn't even hear Katelyn talking to me until she held my arms. I put on a good face, and blamed stress or something. She wouldn't have believed me if I tried...

I shivered. In truth, the idea that all of this was real scared the hell out of me. I saw what happened to that last girl...was that going to happen to me...?

The T.V. flickered. I stared at it. Just the cable. It's always sucked in this building. It was the cable. That's -all-...

It flickered again.

Just the signal.

It went to static...

...No. God--NO. I wasn't going to get freaked out.

I decidedly turned off the television and laid down.

I needed a new hobby..

One that didn't include dead people and cursed tapes.

The wind was cold. Biting cold, all across this gray moor-like place.

A small forest of skinny trees surrounded me, like a box. The sky was silver. The ground was wet.

I felt a tiny hand slip into my own...I looked down...

Dark black eyes met mine. Hidden in dusty brown hair.

Her skin was grey and soggy...no...it was white...and soft and cool.

I spoke her name...and she smiled.

I could almost feel the sun on us...she tugged on my hand.

And I allowed my feet to move...I let myself follow.

-------------
Thanks for reading! Reviiiieeew as always, many thanks.