Chapter Two
552 Words
That line made me speechless.
I stared at it for a long moment before glancing around.
It wasn't suicide..
Then it was..
Murder.
A gasp escaped my lips as the realization hit me.
But... who?
Who would kill Sam?
And why?
What could he have possibly done to make someone want him dead?
My stomach twisted at the thought.
Suddenly, my vision began to blur.
The ground seemed to tilt beneath me.
Then everything went black.
When I opened my eyes, I found myself lying on the forest floor.
I quickly pushed myself up and looked around.
Where am I-
The question died in my throat as recognition struck me.
This place...
It was the same forest.
The same place.
The place I used to call our spot.
My heart pounded.
Tall trees surrounded me, their branches swaying gently in the cool breeze.
The scent of damp earth and fresh leaves filled the air.
Sunlight slipped through the gaps in the trees, casting scattered shadows across the forest floor.
A few steps ahead was a cliff.
Beyond it stretched a vast expanse of water, its surface shimmering beneath the light.
Gentle waves rolled below, crashing softly against the rocky shore.
The view was breathtaking.
Yet something about it felt wrong.
The cliff's edge stood only a few feet away.
Sam and I used to come here all the time.
We would sit near the edge, talking for hours while watching the endless horizon.
But now, the place felt different.
The familiar warmth was gone.
An eerie silence hung in the air, making the forest seem darker than I remembered.
A shiver ran down my spine.
How did I end up here?
"Hello? Is anybody here?" I called out.
My voice echoed through the trees before fading into the distance.
I took a cautious step toward the cliff.
"Nicolle..."
The voice was barely above a whisper.
I froze.
My eyes widened.
That voice...
"Sam?" I breathed, turning around.
A sharp pain exploded through my stomach.
My mind went blank.
I looked down with trembling hands.
Blood.
Bright red blood stained my fingers.
My breath caught in my throat.
Slowly, I lifted my gaze.
A figure stood before me, their face hidden by the shadows.
Before I could speak, a hand slammed against my shoulder.
The world lurched.
My feet left the ground.
And then I was falling.
My vision was blurring, the world around me fading into a haze.
But then I felt a presence beside me.
Sam.
I turned my head.
He was smiling.
Not the forced smile he used when he was hiding something.
His real smile.
The one I hadn't seen in so long.
He reached out and took my hand in his.
Warm.
Familiar.
Tears trickled down my cheeks.
I tightened my grip, afraid that if I let go, he would disappear again.
We kept falling.
The wind roared past us, yet his voice reached me clearly.
"You are going to be alright, Star."
His thumb brushed against my hand.
"Don't give up so easily."
I bit my lip, struggling to hold back a sob.
"Learn to face the truth..."
His smile softened.
"...and the lies."
My chest tightened.
"I'll always be there for you."
His voice grew distant.
"Always."
My eyes widened.
"Sam, wait-"
Thump.
Darkness swallowed everything.
- Writer
