Disclaimer – I don't own anything, unfortunately. I wish I did but I don't. Each character belongs to their respected (highly respected) owner.
Chapter Two – Better to Forget...?
Somewhere in America
Cody Campbell sat in a booth at a diner sipping on a rapidly cooling coffee as he flicked through the latest news. Dressed in jeans and a collared shirt he looked just like everyone else in there though his height made him stand out to the waitresses. Two of them had bets going in an attempt to get his phone number but so far he had barely noticed them, leaving one of them to think he was gay. The other waitress just thought that he was lost in his own world. His hazel eyes had seemed soulful and the way he flicked his hair out of his eyes made her smile.
Cody was unaware of all the attention he had been getting. He was tired and still had a long way to go. He had been on the road since five in the morning and he still had some way to go before he reached his new home. He smiled at that thought. He'd been working hard for the last two years to save enough money to put a deposit down on his dream house and he'd finally found it. He'd put a deposit on it on the spur of the moment and, for the first time in a long time, he had no doubts over what he was doing. He'd quick his job, packed up all his belongings into a U-haul trailer and now he was here, half way, in a diner.
Looking back on his life he knew he was extremely lucky. Roughly three years ago he had woken from a coma that his doctors had claimed was a miracle enough. He had no memories of the accident that resulted in his coma and, finding that he had no family, he found the entire thing refreshing. It seemed to him as if he had been reborn. What's more, the doctors were astounded at his quick recovery. After being in a coma for so long the doctors had been resigned to his fate in being a vegetable if he woke but he'd surprised everyone.
Smiling again, he folded his newspaper meticulously and finished his coffee. After a moment he signalled the waitress for a refill on the coffee, feeling that he was in no real rush and that he should be well caffeinated for the remainder of the journey. As he waited for his drink he pulled out a slightly battered laptop and booted it up.
When he had been released from the hospital he'd been surprised to find that he'd accrued a tidy amount in savings, it was enough to cover medical bills and begin a new life. At first he wasn't sure what line of work he was going to enter, not really knowing what skills he may have had but ultimately he had found his calling in writing for the local paper. He wrote a column on anything really. He was surprised at how easily he had gotten the job and began to believe he had a guardian angel. It wasn't long before he found himself going to church on a semi regular basis.
As the screen came up Cody quickly pulled up a word document and began typing, his long fingers moving deftly over the keys. Since the coma he had been writing lists and other thoughts in an attempt to remember who he was. He would even write out his dreams, hoping that he would, someday, find out who he really was.
Last night he'd had a dream that was new to him. Normally, his dreams were very faded, as if he was looking through several layers of dust or watching a very old movie. This time, however, his dream had been very clear. In it he had been sitting around a table talking to three others. He couldn't see any features and the voices didn't sound familiar but there was something about the house that he was in that made him think it was important.
"Here's your coffee, sir," someone interrupted his thoughts.
He looked up and found himself staring into a pair of pretty but slightly vacant blue eyes. The waitress was pretty, Cody couldn't deny that, but there was nothing else there so he smiled and thanked her before turning back to his computer.
He was in the middle of finishing when he felt a shiver of fear trace down his back. Instantly, the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end and he glanced over his shoulder. Nothing in the diner had changed but he felt the urge to leave. He quickly packed up his gear and chucked some money on the table, making sure there was enough for a tip.
In a few short steps he was out the door and heading towards his battered pickup truck with the U-haul barely hanging on the end of it. Sliding into the cab he spared one last glance over to the diner and was surprised to see the blonde haired waitress staring back at him. For one quick instant, Cody thought that there was something wrong with her. Her eyes were no longer blue; instead they seemed to be almost pure white, as if she'd developed cataracts. Blinking, he shook his head and looked again. The waitress saw him looking and gave him a timid smile and wave, which he returned. Her eyes were normal.
"Whoa, Cody, too much caffeine," he berated himself, chuckling softly.
He started the truck and made his way onto the highway. Hopefully, if his truck lasted, he would be at his new home by the end of the day. If not, he knew he could sleep in the cab or even get a room at a cheap motel though he was a bit wary about the last option. There was something about motels that made him feel strange. Plus, he never knew how clean they were.
As he drove along the highway he slowly forgot about the strange encounter. He flipped through the radio stations, searching for something relaxing and road worthy but found nothing but heavy metal and overplayed pop. Sighing he turned the radio off and stared at the road ahead of him slipping into a rhythm of driving that seemed natural though he couldn't recall ever driving for longer than a couple of hours at the most.
Cody had been on the road for nearly an hour when he realised that there was someone behind him. He pulled to the side, giving them ample room to overtake but when they didn't he shrugged and pulled back on the road. Some people tended to like following others so he paid them no attention.
After another hour Cody realised that the same vehicle was still behind him. There had been numerous places for overtaking and a lot more roads for the vehicle to turn off. He was not one to normally give into paranoia but something about this vehicle had the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end again.
The car was an old make and model that looked to be in good condition. He couldn't see who was driving and they seemed to be keeping well back yet Cody's alarm bells were ringing and he scanned the road ahead looking for somewhere safe to stop. His luck was still with him as he saw the neon lights of a gas station and he indicated his intentions, pulling over to the side safely. The car behind him suddenly seemed to roar to life and sped past him.
Cody had a brief second to see the driver, who looked to be male, maybe a few years older than him if that. He had an angry look about him but Cody knew he had never seen him before.
"Some people," he muttered under his breath.
Taking a deep breath to calm his nerves he looked at the gas station and decided to get something to drink. He entered the store, greeted by the soft tinkling of bells, and walked down to the fridges, looking for something to drink. He was reading the back label of a drink when the bells went off again. Something about their abrupt clatter made Cody look up. His eyes darted to the front and when he didn't see anyone he laughed softly, embarrassed by his reaction.
He selected his drink and walked up to the front counter. Whoever had entered the store was now standing in front of him and Cody relaxed even more, seeing that it was a young girl with dark curly hair. She was wearing a frilly dress that reminded Cody of those he'd seen young girls wear to communion.
She had a drink in her hands as well and was calmly counting out money on the table in a slow steady manner. The cashier looked bored but smiled none-the-less at the girl's display of independence. Cody couldn't help but grin as well.
The girl finished counting and thanked the cashier, turning slowly she made eye contact with Cody.
"Oh goody, it is you," she said in a sing song voice.
A look of confusion washed over his face.
"I'm sorry, do I know you?" Cody asked, frowning.
The girl crossed her arms over her chest and pouted. "What have they done to you to make you not remember us," she said.
Cody glanced up at the cashier who looked just as confused as he did.
"I'm sorry, sweetie, I don't know who you are," Cody said, not quite sure why he was apologising.
The girl laughed softly but there was something in that laugh that made him cringe.
"This isn't fun at all. Oh well, I guess I can wait if I have too. It might make this more fun," she said. "Oh, this might help you recall," she added, as an afterthought.
She turned back to face the cashier and held up her small hand palm facing forward. Her head seemed to roll back and Cody saw the cashier frown before he began clawing at his neck. He began to choke and his eyes rolled back. Cody could only watch as the cashier seemed to rise off the ground, tears and snot were streaming from his face and a pungent smell filled the air. Cody realised, belatedly, that the cashier had emptied his bowels.
He took two steps back from the girl who, by this time, had turned her head to face him. It was an impossible angle made even more frightening by the fact that her eyes had gone completely black.
"Having fun yet?" A dark voice hissed from her mouth. "No? Don't worry, there's more to come."
Cody took a step back before fleeing the store. He didn't stop until he was back in his truck and on the road. The day had turned cold and he found he couldn't stop shaking. Glancing down he saw the drink he was going to buy sitting on the seat next to him.
"What the hell?" He asked no one.
A/N – I hope this makes sense. I actually have a weird plan on where this is going. Hope you are still enjoying and let me know if there are any mistakes...I've read through it so many times but I feel as if my eyes are full of sand. Plus I'm rushing out for dinner and wanted to get this up for you all. Peace and pancakes all.
