Close Your Eyes

5. Dora the explorer

.

.

.

.

.

.

OH my GOD... Nick f*****g pick up your goddamn phone. f**k f**k fuck....

why doesn't Nick EVER pick up !

after 3 calls

"NICK f*****g COME OVER RIGHT NOW!!!"

"aughuhghuhg huh?"

"NICKKK WAKE UP "

"whbs what?? woah isn't it like 3 in the morning?? why? I don't wanna go for Brian's Break back session no fuc-"

"bruh I'm in trouble! please come over right now!!"

"how will your mom let me in at this time of the day?? erm night."

"theres a ladder near the fence, you can use that to reach my bedroom window."

"again, on a scale of 1-10 how bad is it? 10 being worst"

"3000"

"all right."

I exhaled deeply. Oh my good lord. who can this be? I lay on the bed thinking of all the possible outcomes. I was panicking. ambulance sirens all in my head. why ambulance though.

I got up with a start, on hearing sharp taps on the window. my heart nearly exploded.

I saw Nick at the window, mouthing 'Let me in you asshat'

I opened the window. He got in and he sighed. his brown hair was messy as ever. bed head as they call it. is it?? He was in a grey hoodie and sweats. Not gonna lie, looks kinda cute though.

"I swear to god, if your mom catches me and accuses me of doing the nasty with you, I will kill myself" he said , looking sleepy as ever "god I'm missing hours of sleep"

"shut up! you have pulled a record number of all nighters."

"yeah but this my cheat night ; aka night to sleeeeeeeeeeeeeep" Nick said , yawning and deposited himself on my bed

"get up dumbass. this is like the most perfect position for my mom to doubt that everything has already happened." I throw a pillow at him.

"hm. agreeable. what happened anyway? did dora the explorer go too far and wander into the unknown jungle?"

"I really don't know, but look." I showed him the message on my phone

"unknown sender. no number, just ' I'm watching you'. a prank probably. I even doubt if Ethan sent it to you." Nick said carefully, scrutinizing the message

(Ethan was our class clown)

"didn't Ethan go to Australia or something?"

"Oh ya he did, my bad. anyway , call me a professional programmer whack or whiz kid, but I cannot understand this" he said looking confused

he locked eyes with me for a moment. I looked away

He sure is sleepy

"Look. do not be frightened by this. If you want I'll reset the phone for you, if you doubt that someone tracked or hacked your phone."

I'm pretty sure Derek sent me this message. also why would he watch me. I thought everything was over between us?

"Mabel. are you listening?"

"yeah , do whatever. I'm concerned. this s**t has me shook."

"fine" Nick said , and set to business

I went and lay on the bed to distract myself.

"Mabel... MABEL! I've done the resetting okay."

I didn't realize the fact that I had dozed off.

"wow okay, so quick"

"just took me an hour. also lock your bedroom door." Nick said getting into the bed with me

"w-why??" I ask , the realization dawning in on me

"because I don't want your mom opening the door and seeing the situation."

"Nick, um... I-" I began stammering

"what?" Nick inches closer to me

"I-I.."

"you know you can say anything..." he says

did I sense that as a seductive purr.

oh my god.

this is SO not happening.

".....anything you want.....to do." he whispered into my ear

"um"

"what is it?" he comes more closer

"well" I said giving in "I don't have protection."

"seems like I came prepared" and boom , he takes a condom out from his sweatpants pocket.

well , after all this stress and chaos, I could relax a bit.

But I was shy to expose my body. I may have nice ass and boobs but yeah I'm kinda insecure.

He leaned and turned off the lights.

thank god, at least now he won't see any of my expressions.

"what do you say? I can't go back home now anyway. not at this point of time" he says, and comes closer again, inches away from my lips.

ah, looks like theres no other choice."

I pull him in for a kiss." what do you think the answer is ?"

"guess I'm taking the chance then" He says and pulls me in again.

and slowly he slid his hands under my t-shirt.

.

.

.

.

.

I tried my best not to scream, when he started going in me. It felt so good oh my god.

suddenly Derek came into my mind. with him , I was crying in pain. but here I'm moaning, having experienced intense pleasure

I shuddered.

"Nick" I whispered, into his ear.

.

.

.

.

.

.

I don't know how long we were at it, but then finally after a certain point of time, he collapsed, kissed me and turned away.

I've never felt this good in a while.

I pulled up the covers and turned to the other side. and I slept off

.

.

.

.

.

I woke up, as the sunlight fell on my eyes.

I suddenly sat up in bed, pulling the covers with me, and I turned around.

Nick had left already.

.

.

.

.

I showered, dressed and went down for breakfast

"good morning sweetheart" mom was reading the paper

"Hi mom"

I sat at the table and made myself a bowl of cereal

"honey, what is bothering you?"

I can't believe what just had happened. Nick and me.... no. I might have had one of those s****l dreams.no no...no,but why?

I've never felt any sort of attraction towards Nick. never in the 10 years I've known him.

maybe I should just call him and-

"Mabel. Darling are you alright??" mom got up

"uhh yes. yes I am!" I say , snapping back to reality. god , I was so lost in thought.

mom put her hand on my shoulder. I nearly cringed. I've got no clue to why I had cringed to her touch.

I got up from the table and started off to my room

"Darling, you haven't even touched your breakfast"

"I'm not hungry mom"

and I the closed the door.

I grabbed my phone. Nick had also restored all data for me.

I called him.

3 times and he hasn't picked up yet.

I went back to my bed, and curled up, underneath my blanket. it has his scent.

my head was so messed up.

.

.

.

.

.

I was in some place very familiar. my college. I was standing at the entrance. I looked around and there were no people around. I shrugged and went into the college. on the noticeboard, I saw a new pin up with the words..

"YOU WILL DIE"

I turned around tried to run back to the entrance. but then it was like my legs had turned into lead. I was stuck.

I quickly turned my head around.

that was when I saw people. black robed. with faces masked.

oh s**t,

I tried to run again, but this time I could move, but it was swimming in tar. ever so slow

the black robed people were coming in my direction.

I started freaking out, dammit , I can't even run away. f**k.

they finally reached me and in a moment I was surrounded by robed ghouls.

they picked me up and one of them tossed me over its shoulder.

I started screaming. I can't move. they had an iron grip.

they started moving forward. I desperately turned my head to see where they were taking me to.

after a few minutes, they entered into the 'art' classroom. why though??

they deposited me on chair, and I immediately tried to get up, but they held me down. one of the ghouls tied my hands and tied me up to the chair. they didn't forget legs too.

great. now I'm stuck. I tried to fight against the restraints, with no hope.

I sighed.

suddenly, another masked person entered. he wore a red mask, which was different from the white ones the ghouls had. but this man was also robed.

"ah. looks like we have a chief guest as a spectator." I've heard that voice before.

a scream started from somewhere behind me. I tried to turn my head the best I could.

from my peripheral vision, I made out a familiar face. no. not just one. two.

"Mackenzie!.....Nick!!" I started screaming.

I turned back to the masked man "why??? what do you want??"

the masked man brought out a knife from his pocket.

he inched closer to me. and traced the knife down my throat.

"such a beauty. sad that you'll also have to die."

I was so frightened.

"but I'm gonna save you for the last." and he moved away.

"bring them forward" he commanded.

the ghouls brought Mac and Nick forward, and tied them up on chairs.

now that I could see them clearly, I saw so many bruises on the faces, like they had been hit.

"what have you done with them??" I screamed at the red masked man

"'what am I going to do with them?'" would be a better question

he snapped his fingers.

two of the ghouls , moved forward and taped their mouth up. and they revealed a scalpel.

I tried to grasp what was going on....

"no...NO..STOP" I started screaming at the top of my lungs.

the ghouls turned the heads of both Mackenzie and Nick and placed their scalpel at the middle.

"it is a pleasure having you to witness this majestic event." his voice seemed EVER so familiar.

"Der-..Derek..YOU! why !! WHY!"

he let out a laugh, which sounded hoarse. like a bark.

"you should have realized your mistake, when you made out with Mackenzie "

"but I didn't! she just-"

"you should have told me that you loved her all the way along. and not me. do you realize the number of sleepless nights I've spent , after I came to know about this. my girl, whom I've loved since the first time I laid my eyes on her, CHEATED ON ME. WITH ANOTHER GIRL" he bellowed.

I was silent.

"since you don't have anything to say for yourself. I'll end it for you." and he snapped his fingers again and nodded to the ghouls

the ghouls nodded back

Mackenzie and Nick struggled in their restraints. Mac looked at me, her eyes bright with tears. she was trying to say something to me.

I couldn't bring myself to look at Nick.

then slowly, In one swift move, the scalpels were deep in the neck.both of them stopped struggling. and then in one quick move, they ripped it downwards.blood started flowing out.

I started screaming. my throat was burning. tears flowed down. he just killed them both

"YOU MONSTER!" I fought against the restraints. somehow, the ropes which bound me to the chair came undone. I rushed straight towards Derek, and kicked him where it hurt the most since my hands were still bound. strange that I could move at the speed of light now.

he suddenly bent forwards. "HOLD HER YOU BUFFOONS" and then I was held back again .

he recovered, and he smirked at me.

"is that all you could do?" I tried to kick him again, but I got punched in the gut. repeatedly.

I lost my breath. the entire world seemed like it was spinning.

"and now for the grand finale of this exhibit"

he pushed in an easel.

and he pulled me forward. by this time, I was too dazed.

he cut my tie around the hand. and he held onto my right hand.

and he gave me that cruel smile, while he dipped my hand into the pool of blood that had formed on the ground. and like a baby learning how to write, he traced the words on the easel, with my bloodstained hand.

.

.

and I tried to read it....

'MABEL HERNANDEZ IS A CHEATING WHORE.' and beside it my hand print.

and when he let go, I collapsed to the ground. I had enough of this torture.

and I saw a ghoul coming towards me with a scalpel

I struggled and tried to quickly crawl away... but I was too slow.

he had already placed the scalpel on me neck , and had begun to press on it.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

my phone started ringing from somewhere.

.

.

.

I woke up with a start. tears were already flowing from my eyes. I kept my hand on my neck and deeply inhaled. only to breakdown again into tears.

through blurred vision, I tried to see the caller ID

'Nick Odair'

I quickly got a visual of him, limp, tied on the chair, with blood and his life flowing out through the cut.

I shook my head

I wiped my eyes and got up, and answered the call

"hi" I said

"um.. heya" Nick sounded nervous

"were you busy in the morning or something? I had called you several times." my great mouth

"ohh I'm sorry about that. I was sleeping." that sorry doesn't sound genuine

"ah . thats okay"

"is your phone running fine now? any weird messages now?"

"nahh, its clean I guess"

"hm."

"when did you leave today?"

"I left before you woke. I was in kind of a hurry."

still no mention about what had happened between us.

"hey, I'll call you later? gotta go for groceries "

"okay, take ca-"

he had already cut the call.

I looked at the time; it was 4 pm

.

.

.

hours passed , and I waited for his call.

I cannot catch feelings for him. no

but then, why am I acting like this? desperate for his call.

.

.

.

I finally went downstairs and had dinner. mom was very upset, but then I managed to convince her that I had indigestion and theres nothing wrong with me. but she gave me a suspicious look.

when I got back to my room, I stared at my laptop. I still had a lot to research and learn before I entered into the dark web. stepping in illiterate , would be a dangerous move.

I turned the lights off , and got into my bed.

I closed my eyes,

thinking of Nick.

and that he never called after all.

but I shook it off, and thought about the dream.

everything was true . except that Nick wasn't there when it happened.

I'm darn sure that it was HIM behind the red mask.

it WAS Derek who killed her. and humiliated me in front of the entire college. before he disappeared. completely disappeared from the place. no one knows if he is even alive.

it was over. me and him. nothing.

I was so shattered after that incident. on the same weekend, I overdosed on Fentanyl , to relieve the pain, but I just slipped into an endless sleep.

"shes lucky that she survived, to see the light again" I heard the doctors say to each other, the day I finally woke up. but I didn't want to, really.

after I recovered, I was sent off to rehab, as they had a doubt I was a regular drug user.

and that is how I ended up where I am now.

but why would Nick be there? I know its a dream... but it doesn't make sense.

but now. from all the things that are bothering me, the one troubling me the most all this time was this question,

what happened to Derek?

.

.

.

and now one more

.

.

where is Derek?