What is she?

Chapter 3 All Alone?

For the first time in my 17 years, I was finally going to spend a night alone. It was thrilling to think about. Deciding that unpacking could wait a little while, I found the campus trail map and headed out of my dorm. I still had a good hour of sunlight left in the day and I wanted to see if I could make it to the beach before the sun set. Heading to the road behind my dorm building, I followed it till I found the trail leading to the beach. It was a winding rainforest trail that connected to other trails. Following the map for the shortest hike to the beach I arrived about 30 minutes later. It was a beautiful sight. The beach was a mix of sand and rocks surrounded by forest with gentle waves. I could see the other side of the inlet across the water.

As the sun was setting the clouds had turned from white to hues of red, orange, and yellow. It was a breathtaking view I couldn’t take my eyes off of. I sat down on the rocky beach and enjoyed the gentle sound of the waves while I watched the sun set. The same feeling I had experienced when seeing the campus for the first time hit me again. It was so strange, first my fingers and toes started to tingle, then my body felt like it was on high alert but just as suddenly as it came on it disappeared. After relaxing for about 20 minutes and little light left, I forced myself to my feet and back to the trail leading to my dorm.

Reaching the entrance of the trail, I could have sworn I saw someone hiding in the tree line further down the beach but when I turned to look no one was there. Perhaps it was a bird or a deer I had startled. Could have been, right? The light was fading fast now and the forest only made it darker. Pulling out my phone, I turned on the flashlight and aimed it at the ground so I could see any tree roots along the path. Last thing I needed was to fall and injure myself when I was suppose to be meeting with the soccer coach in the morning. Halfway back to the dorm, my body went on high alert again and a voice in my head said

“Someone is watching us.”

I froze, I knew I was an odd girl but now I am hearing voices.

“Stop standing here like an i***t, RUN NOW!”

Without a second thought I was running down the trail, then I heard it, something was chasing me and it was gaining ground.

“Faster” came the voice again and next I knew I was running faster than I ever had.

Rounding a corner on the trail, I could see the tree line opening up to the road that led to my dorm. I pushed myself harder as I could still hear something chasing after me. Reaching the road, I didn’t dare stop or look back. I just kept running till I made it to my dorm building and locked the door behind me. Leaning my back against the door I slid down it till I was sitting on the floor trying to catch my breath. Reeling over what had just happened, I thought for sure I had officially lost my mind. My mom can never find out about this, I’ll be pulled from school instantly. The first night I spend alone away from my parent’s and I’m chased through the forest by something and I’m hearing voices. I would end up back in Portland so fast my head would spin.

After calming myself down and catching my breath, I pulled out my phone to see it was already 10:30 and I had to meet the soccer coach at 8am. Pushing myself off the floor, I headed to the common kitchen area of my dorm. Sitting on the counter next to the stove was a box labeled “Eliza’s kitchen supplies” with a sticky note on it in my mom’s handwriting. The note simply said “check refrigerator and cabinet.” Opening the fridge I found a few casserole dishes covered in foil, each one had its own sticky note with cooking instructions. Moving to the cabinet, mom had made sure I had some of my favorite fresh fruit along with a jar of peanut butter and a few instant noodle cups. Times like this, I was glad mom always prepared for everything. I grabbed the peanut butter and two bananas from the cabinet. Then I found a spoon in the box on the counter and made my way to my room.

Sitting down at my desk, I opened the jar of peanut butter and took a huge spoonful out. I had already inhaled one banana on my way from the kitchen to my room, so the second one I ate with the peanut butter. Once finished with my five star dinner, I started organizing boxes. Each one labeled like the one in the kitchen. Finding the box with my bathroom necessities, I dug through it finding what I needed to take a shower. I did the same with the box that had my towels and another that had pajamas. Entering the bathroom, I set up my necessities and turned on the shower. I quickly brushed my teeth at the sink, then stripped down to nothing and stepped under the hot water of the shower. My muscle’s instantly started to relax and only then did I realize how tense I still was from tonight’s event.

I stood under the hot water for a good ten minutes before I finally washed up. Finishing the shower by rinsing the coconut conditioner from my long hair, I reluctantly turned off the shower and dried off. I wrapped my hair up in a towel, deciding brushing it out was a waste of time tonight. After putting on my pajamas, I gathered my belongings and went back to my room. Organizing what I had taken to the bathroom, I turned to my bed. Sitting on the bed was the opened box my mom had been holding earlier in the day. The box contained my bedding, I quickly emptied its contents and set the box aside. The shower had relaxed not only my muscles but also my mind and sleep was calling my name. I gathered the bedding and got to work making my bed. Once finished, I walked out to the common area to make sure the front door was locked and turned off all the lights. Returning to my room I shut and locked my door, shut off the light, and crawled under the covers. My first night alone and I was asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.