The Untold Chronicle: Fire and Rain

Chapter 2

I slowly opened my eyes when the place became silent. I tried my best not to make any sound before I heard the guy’s footsteps getting softer. Looks like he’s getting out of this place. I went out where I was hiding before fixing my clothes. I peered into the area where they were fighting.

I gasped as I saw the man lying on the ground. The guy who stabbed him had already left, so I slowly walked towards the man. I walked silently as I reached him. My hands were trembling while reaching for his wounded chest. The knife was there, and I wanted to pull it, but I knew it would be a bad move. My mind is not working well so I don’t know what to do.

“Ambulance,” I whispered before I stood up and looked for my phone.

They answered after the third ring. I just told them the location of us, I barely know this man, so I haven’t answered some of their questions about him. They are now on their way. I went back to the guy and saw his blood dripping from his chest. I started to panic before removing my blazer to cover his wound. I was about to stand up again and shout for help when he stopped me by holding my arm.

“Don’t” He requested; I was hesitant to follow him but went back to him.

His eyes look so helpless and his grip on my arm loosened. He winced when he tried to move so he didn’t continue what he wanted to do. My hands were shaking while holding the cloth on his chest. He opened his mouth to say something but stopped and just stayed quiet.

What should I do?

“You’ll die if I don't look for help.” My voice was so scared while saying that.

He simply exchanged a glance with me and smiled slightly. I was able to examine his face this time. He has a round face and an overly thick beard. He has brown skin, and his arms are a little hairy. Earlier, a lot of blood came out of his mouth, but it quickly stopped.

I hissed; how could he smile at me after being stabbed?! This guy was so unbelievable, I was about to disobey him when he talked again. He whispered something but I didn’t hear it, so he repeated it.

“What?” I asked in a little voice.

“Pocket.” He repeated, my forehead knotted when I didn’t get what he meant.

He pointed to his pocket when he saw my confused reaction. I slowly reached for his pocket, and I felt a hard thing in it. I looked at him with a hesitant face. He motioned me to get it. I put my hand inside his pocket and looked for the hard thing. I was confused when I pulled it out and it is a small book.

“Don’t show it to anyone but yourself.” He whispered, almost losing his breath.

I looked at the book, puzzled, and was about to open it when I felt his hands fall on the ground. I immediately looked at him with a nervous expression on my face, he slowly closed his eyes. My eyes widened because of it.

I quickly stuffed the book into my bag before checking his pulse. I cursed when I received nothing. While checking him I heard the ambulance’s siren. The ambulance arrived way too late! The nurses started to get out of the van and went towards us.

“What time did you see him?” The nurse interrogates.

“T-ten minutes ago” My voice was trembling in fear.

A girl nurse walked towards me to put a blanket on mine. I thanked her before she guided me up to the ambulance. The guy has no identity, so we don’t know some of his relatives. The nurses moved quickly, and they carried him on a stretcher and put him inside the van. The nurse told me to join so she could also help me clean the blood on my hands.

“He’s dead” The nurse announced after they pumped his chest nonstop.

I held my mouth, I expected it, the knife was buried so deep in his chest. I know he can’t make it. The nurses started to wipe the blood on my hands and uttered some comforting words.

“I should’ve called the police when I saw that scene,” I said regretfully.

They didn’t respond and let the siren of the ambulance cover our ears until we reached the hospital. I stayed at the hospital for minutes until I got calm. I’ve already seen this kind of scene but tonight was so unbelievable. I’d seen it from my two eyes, and they were just near me.

They told me to sit on one of their bleachers and waited for their approval on making me go home. In a couple of minutes, a nurse approached me, so I stood up to greet her. He told me that I can now go home and take some rest. They also recommended I take a taxi so I could go home safely. I went out of the hospital and a taxi approached me, I told him my location.

I was dumbfounded as I sat inside of the taxi, what had just happened? Did I just witness a crime? I can now sense that this crime will be over the city, everyone will be scared at night. I held my head in tiredness.

“Are you okay?” The driver asked so I looked at him.

I know I look pitiful now but after that thing, I don’t even know how to fix my hair. I gave him a simple nod because I can’t even let out a word. He turned on his radio so that the taxi would make a little noise. The taxi driver drove me home safely and I already went to my apartment.

I went directly to my bathroom and just threw my bag on the table. I let the coldness of water cover my whole body as I opened the shower. The whole bathroom was filled with the water splashes from my shower.

The crime earlier might give me some nightmares and I know I can handle it. I finished having a quick shower and went to my room. I jumped into my bed and felt its softness. I felt my body got tired because of today’s work.

I heard some police car sirens, so I stood up and walked towards my window. I saw them heading to the crime scene. I watched them get out of my sight since that scene won’t let me sleep tonight. I’ve decided to drink some coffee.

I turned on my thermos and sat on my chair. I felt exhausted. I stretched my back a bit before I let out a deep sigh. Is Zoelle now asleep? I need someone to talk to tonight. I looked at my clock and saw that it is already 9 pm. Should I call her, she might be having her marathon tonight.

I waited for my coffee to be done before going back to my room. I was so bored, and I don’t want to open my social media because I know the news will be there. Maybe, I should start to do my office work to get rid of that scenario. I reached out for my laptop and turned it on. I started proofreading it and in the middle of editing my head is spacing out.

“Argh!” I groaned before turning it off.

I know I can’t do my work properly, so I just decided to get some air on the veranda. I sat on my mini coffee table where I usually spend my time in the morning while having a hot coffee. The refreshing air made my hair lose its tie.

I hugged my arms when it started to get cold. I looked up and I saw the round moon I was admiring earlier. How could you be so perfect? I stood up and decided to go to sleep. I was about to enter my room when my phone suddenly rang.

I looked for my bag and saw it on the table. I opened the bag and there I saw the pocketbook the guy gave me. I stared at it for a long time until the ringtone on my phone stopped. After a few seconds, it rang again so I looked for it immediately.

Zoelle is the caller.

“Hey?” I answered without cutting the stares on the book in my bag.

“Oh, my goodness! Where have you been?! I heard about the news! Are you okay?” She hysterically asked.

“Hey, calm down. I’m fine.” I sighed.

“You’re not. Come over here tomorrow, huh! Did the killer see you? What if he followed you? Come on, live here with me. Please” she said continuously, I wasn’t able to answer all of her questions!

“Calm down Zoelle!” I stopped her, luckily, she followed.

“I’m okay, how about you? DO you still have your fever?” I asked her.

“Come on! You were just at the crime scene earlier, yet you’re worried about my body temperature?” She exclaimed so I chuckled.

“You’re making me worried!” She said again and now her voice broke.

“What the? Were you crying? I wasn’t the one who got stabbed! I just helped that man. Hush now.” I can’t help but laugh at her.

She didn’t respond to me and continued sobbing. I took a sip of my coffee and waited for her to stop crying. Is she worried or she was just overreacting? In a couple of minutes, she finally stopped crying.

“Drink some water first” I uttered and heard her stand up from her bed.

I heard some pouring water and waited for her to finish her drink. She heaved a loud sigh before talking to me again.

“It is too dangerous; you should just take a tricycle instead of walking.” She started scolding me.

“The night was so refreshing so I just took a walk. Come on, stop that. I’m fine now, I didn’t get any wounds and I promise that the killer didn’t see me.” I assured her.

“Please move in here. I’m so scared that you might get into that kind of crime scene.” She begged to be, but I continuously shook even though she won’t be able to see me.

“My father picked this apartment from me, and the landlady was his friend. I am surely safe, Zoelle.” I told her once again.

“Come over here tomorrow.” She asked again so I just agreed.

She dropped the call and I decided to go to sleep but my eyes caught the book I placed beside my bag. I picked it up and my eyes looked in confusion while staring at it. What’s with this book?