Elima hasn't come to the office since then. She's upset, I get it. I didn't even try to call her.
This morning too, it's time to head to the office and do work as usual.
I walk to my car, it’s cold outside...the surface temperature of November’s winter is seeping into the usually warm underground. I bet Solemnia is freezing.
Before I get in, I see someone going to the apartment, someone I don’t recognize.
“Hello there. Are you a new neighboor?” I ask them.
It’s a young girl with and deep, blue eyes. Her blonde hair is dyed at the ends with a red gradient. Stylish.
She turns to me, tightening something against her chest. It’s a book with a black cover.
“Oh, hello,” she softly replies, "no...I’m just visiting someone. A new friend.”
“Oh, I see. Have a great day,” I nod to her and get into the car.
“Good, thank you.”
Lowe takes the report and turns to me with her chair, leaning her arm against the desk.
“What?” I ask, as she’s staring at me.
“You have much less color than usual. Did something happen?” She asks.
I scratch the back of my head, “I just...yeah I'm okay. Just had a fight with someone.”
"Your assistant?"
I nod silently.
She sighs, going back to her paperwork, “I trust this won’t make you falter on the job, though.”
I scoff her, “always the same, huh?”
“I’m your supervisor,” she smirks, “I need to keep you in check.”
I chuckle and close my coat, “don’t worry. I’m not a teenager. I’ll manage.”
“Good. Have a good day.”
“Mhm."
I finally bought a proper car yesterday, since Elima has suggested I did many times. I park at the office and walk up to the door. As I push, I notice it’s not open.
Right, Elima hasn't opened today too. Even if I expected it, I still feel a bit disappointed.
I turn the key and step in, and I immediately freeze in confusion as the door shuts itself behind me.
My office door is wide open. I remember closing and locking it last night.
I grab my revolver and walk to it carefully, the blinders are down. I gently step in, pointing my gun at angles...until I realize no one’s hiding in here.
When I put my gun back into my holster, I look at my desk.
Two foreign objects are placed on it. A little brown notebook and...a novel.
The Blackened Theatre. A fresh, new copy, identical to the one I burnt with Elima.
I open the notebook next, and the first pages immediately make my blood run cold.
It’s Claire’s diary.
It’s very long, and it mostly talks about her daily life at the boutique and her cat.
Everything looks normal until we reach the last month before her death, when the Other One ghost started appearing in her visions.
I think I’m being followed by someone.
I took my meds as always, but this time, even without the voices and figures, I still felt like something was following me. Should I tell my doctor? Maybe they’re not working anymore.
Or maybe someone is following me for real?
Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.
It’s been a week now, the feeling won’t go away. My doctor said it’s not recommended to raise up the dosage since it was done recently...and that I shouldn’t worry. It’s just a feeling.
I’m trying to ignore it, but every day I feel more and more scared. I don’t understand what’s going on.
Is my illness finally punishing me and catching up?
Never mind what I said yesterday, I was actually being followed. It’s this very kind girl named Elaine. She’s very kind to me, and she said she’s been staying far away because she didn’t want to scare me. Her hair is beautiful, they have this particular red tint at the end that I really love...she said she dyed them because she likes my red hair.
Elaine comes to my house every day, she has made my illness better too, somehow.
Today, she gave me a book. She said it’s very important to her, and she would be very happy if I read it.
I’m about to dig in! I wanna make her happy tomorrow when we talk about it.
Elaine didn’t come today. I was so excited, I wanted to talk about The Blackened Theatre with her!
The White Maiden is such a cool character, and the protagonist’s love story with her is very poetic. I get why she’s very fond of this book.
Elaine...just disappeared. I don’t know what happened, I don’t understand why she left me.
It’s been another week, and I haven’t seen her yet.
I don’t even know where she lives…I didn’t ask her. I’m so stupid...I’m an idiot.
After I prayed for Elaine to come back last night, something weird happened.
The White Maiden appeared in front of me, even though I’m on my medication. She’s the girl of the Blackened Theatre, the book I read before all of this started.
She told me Elaine is not worth my time, that she’s going to be my new friend.
It’s almost been a month, The White Maiden is even better than Elaine! Talking to her directly about the book feels so good!
We shared our deepest secrets, even if I know her secrets because of the book.
We laugh together, we enjoy each other’s company. I’m starting to fall in love with her.
It’s a bit stupid...it makes me blush writing it down.
Today, something sad happened.
Elaine came back. She was in the boutique, she had lunch with me. But she acted like nothing happened between us. She didn’t even have her hair dyed red anymore.
I’m angry at her.
I invited her to my house, we have to talk things through. The White Maiden agrees.
I thought a nice way to begin our friendship again would have been talking about the book. The White Maiden stayed outside the house because she was angry at Elaine for leaving me.
And she was right. Elaine...she was mean.
I don’t know what happened...she just left shortly after, she didn’t even finish her tea. She wasn’t even interested in the book, she wanted to talk about other stupid stories...and that right in front of The White Maiden. She was with us, and she was very disappointed.
Screw her. I don’t need anyone else.
I have my White Maiden ?
I’m scared. I’m hiding in my bedroom, I locked the door.
I don’t know what the hell happened, but The White Maiden is being aggressive at me since I tried to be friends with Elaine again. She tried to attack me and she constantly glares at me wherever I go.
She told me I betrayed her...I don’t know what she means! I hate Elaine too now! I tried to talk to her, but all she did was stare at me and hate me.
I’m so sorry, my Maiden. I wish I could make you forgive me.
The White Maiden tried to kill me while I slept. She tried to strangle me...I escaped into the bathroom and locked myself there all night.
Now it’s morning, and she’s not here while I write.
I can’t sleep at night, I need to call for help, I’m so scared.
The police are taking too long. Mr. D’arbie doesn’t believe me. He just left my house, giving up on me...he thinks I’m crazy.
I don’t know what to do anymore, everyone thinks I’m crazy. But her hands are real! I was about to die that night! She’s coming for me again, I can feel it.
Why would Elaine give me that book?! She’s crazy! She cursed me!
If he didn’t see her, then she must be already inside my head. That detective was my only hope...but he didn’t see her either, just like Elaine that afternoon...she didn’t understand why I looked out of the window, after all.
Am I actually going crazy? Are these meds useless?
Someone’s knocking at my door. Maybe it’s him. Maybe he changed his mind.
My blood freezes.
This isn’t the last entry.
My throat clogs as I read the last one.
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---
Below this message, Elima's house number.
I panic as I stumble out of the office, reaching the phone. I call her home as fast as I can.
It rings...
It rings...
It rings...
Finally.
"Hello, this is Detective D'arbie. Is Elima-"
The mother spoke, her voice colder than it should be.