The sun had gone down below the horizon. The parking lot was covered in a warm golden light. Maggie and I walked out of the mall. I could hear people laughing behind us but it sounded really far away. I could barely hear it because my ears were ringing.
I could not shake off the feeling that something was off. I kept thinking about that dream the blood and that man.. Then I saw his eyes in the crowd. I knew it was not my imagination. Something inside me knew it was real.
My shopping bags were hanging from my hands. I did not even notice how heavy they were. My body felt weird like something was missing. It felt light too empty. Like someone had taken something out of me. Not put it back.
Maggie said beside me "I could have bought three pairs of shoes and still felt guilty." She looked at me. Asked, "Are you okay? You have been acting strange."
I told her "I am fine.". I was not fine. I was lying.
She did not ask me any questions. Not yet.
We got to the curb and Maggie took out her phone. "Lets take a cab. I do not want to carry these bags five blocks."
A old car pulled up after a minute. It was a model and the paint was dull and faded. The windows were tinted. When I saw the car I felt something in my stomach.
I said, "This car looks old."
Maggie just shrugged. "It has wheels. That is all I care about now."
The driver did not roll down the window. Say hello. He just unlocked the doors. The way he was quiet made my skin feel creepy.
Maggie got in the car. I followed her. I did not feel right about it. I got in anyway. My heart was beating fast.
The car smelled bad like perfume and something else. Something that smelt like metal.
The man driving the car was wearing a cap that covered his eyes. I could not see his face clearly.. I saw his hands and they looked rough. They had scars on them. The way he was holding the wheel made my throat feel tight.
I put on my seatbelt slowly.
He started driving without saying a word.
Maggie looked up from her phone. "Did you tell him where we want to go?"
I whispered, "No I did not."
She said, "Hey can you take us to Maple Avenue?"
The driver did not answer. He did not nod.
Maggie looked at me. I could see she was getting worried.
She said louder "This is not funny. Take us to Maple Avenue."
The driver still did not say anything.
The car turned off the road and the streetlights got fewer. The stores. We saw factories and old fences.
Maggie said, "This is not the way home."
The driver kept driving.
I shouted, "Let us out !"
The doors locked with a click.
I could not breathe. Maggie's eyes got wide.
She said, "What is going on? Why will the door not open?"
I said, "Try your phone."
There was no signal. Just noise.
The driver kept driving. The air in the car felt thick and bad. The world outside looked dead.
I could hear my heart beating fast.
I said, "We need to run. Soon as the car stops we run."
The car stopped behind a warehouse. Before we could even move the door opened.
Two men were standing there. They were wearing hoods. Their faces were hidden.
Everything felt slow.
One of them reached in. Grabbed my arm. He pulled me out hard. I screamed. I was. Fighting.
Maggie was scratching at his arm. "Let her go! She is my friend!"
They pushed her hard and slammed the door.
I screamed, "Maggie!"
She shouted, "Run! I will find you I promise!"
I could not run. They were dragging me away. My heels were scraping the ground. My heart was wild.
Another car pulled up. It was black and shiny.
This was not a random attack. This was planned.
When they threw me in the car I felt something weird. It was like a buzzing in the air.
I tried to scream. Someone put their hand over my mouth.
I felt a needle in my arm. It stung.
My body felt weak. My thoughts were all, over the place.
Before I passed out I heard a voice. It was deep and smooth.
It said, "You came early one. The blood is calling.. Now the veil is thin."
Then everything went black.