Entry One: A Change of Scenery

Bridgeport: the city that never sleeps. It's the steel Mecca to some people, the high rise buildings presenting so many opportunities for a better job or a better education. How could anyone not love Bridgeport?

But I hated it. Oh, how I hated it.

The constant parties at all hours of the night that never seemed to contain themselves to the clubs. The brushes with celebrities who loved making people feel like they were beneath them. The Vampires- and oh yes, they exist, that cause fear to send chills down the back of any sane person walking the streets alone.

The way someone can disappear in a place so big, because in a place like Bridgeport your friends are not really your friends. They all want the city life, they want to be like the stars. They are selfish and vain and care nothing about stabbing you in the back. If you don't like it, you get left behind and ignored, fading into invisibility. Nothing more than a speck in the crowds.

I hated, and still hate, Bridgeport.

That's why I moved, and how I found myself the new girl in a small town known as Riverview. Little did I know, I would find myself in a predicament so much bigger than Bridgeport.

My new home in Riverview was like a breath of fresh air- literally. It was really small, but it was quaint and suited me nicely. I knew it would be the perfect place to begin my budding career as a children's book author and illustrator.

There was only one thing it was missing: my computer. I'm anti-social by nature, and I spend most of my time online. Plus, I write using a computer, so not having one made my job just a little more difficult. I hated having to sell it to fund my move, and vowed that it would be the first thing I bought once I had a more stable income.

In the mean time, I decided to spend a little quality time with one of my possessions that I hadn't sold: my easel. I decided on my initial tour of the home that I wouldn't need the second bedroom and so, after moving in, I turned the small room into a sort of art studio. It had a great view of the River that Riverview was famous for, so I decided that would be the first thing I painted.

I was about halfway through my painting when my stomach started growling. With all the unpacking I had done, I had completely forgotten to eat.

I wiped my hands and cleaned my brushes before heading into the kitchen to make myself my first lunch in my new home.

I was not but two steps into my living room before I realized that I wasn't alone. Before I could stop myself, I screamed.

The girl in my living room winced and covered her ears. I stopped screaming and started gasping for breath, my lungs aching from my yell.

“Geeze, did you have to do that? Trying to get in touch with someone in China?!” The girl asked, her hands still over her ears.

“Sorry but-...” I took a few deep breaths and tried to calm down before speaking again. “I don't know you. You're in my house. How did you get in my house?”

“I'm Sammie.” My intruder said, finally taking her hands off of her ears to extend her hand in a shake. “I live a few houses down. I'm the welcome committee! Your door wasn't locked, so I just stepped inside. I didn't mean to scare you. I brought cake.”

Sammie spoke at a mile a minute, and I stood silent a few seconds after she was done to process what she had so quickly said.

“You just walked into my house?” I was still in disbelief. I was from Bridgeport, home of creatures of the night. I always kept my doors locked.

“It was easy.” She smiled at me, as if trying to put me at ease. “Oh! I hope you don't think I was trying to rob you or anything because I wasn't. Really, I wasn't. I just wanted to say Hi and Welcome and see if you like cake. Do you have a coffee machine? I didn't bring one of those.”

I sighed and rubbed my temples. Maybe I had just left my door unlocked. It was a long day getting everything unpacked. Maybe I was careless. Sammie seemed nice, and she had brought me cake, so there was that.

“I'm Cheyanne.” I said finally. “I just moved in from Bridgeport. And uh- no, I don't have a coffee machine.”

“That's okay!” Sammie said, flashing another bright smile. This time it did put me at ease a little bit. “Do you have somewhere I could put the cake? We could sit down and chat, and maybe calm down a bit. I was hoping to give you a tour later, if that's okay. You have a nice place- oh, there's a table. I'll just put it there.”

And before I could stop her, Sammie had set the cake down at my small table and was already in my kitchen looking for a knife to cut it with.

We had a nice chat over cake, though it was mostly Sammie talking. She told me about some of the other residents and a bit of the town's history. She was a little hard to understand because she spoke so quickly, but it was still nice to have made a friend in the town. In fact, the more Sammie talked the more I found out we had in common. By the time our plate's were cleared, we had become very good friends indeed.

“Ready for the tour of the town?” She asked when we were done eating.

I really wanted to work on my painting a bit and unpack my towels, but I wanted to see my new town. It'd be nice to go around and see the buildings without craning my neck upwards because of the skyscrapers.

“Sure, let's go!”

I thought we would be taking a Taxi, but Sammie wanted me to really experience the town so we walked everywhere. Our first stop was the library, where after showing my around Sammie had to practically drag me out of there. They had so many books, it was hard to leave!

Then we went into the center of town and she showed me town hall and gave me a brochure about self-employment. I leafed through it as we walked as saw that in Riverview you register as a writer or artist, so I made a mental note to do that later.

The school was my second favorite stop to the library, because it had a wonderful garden, but it was the commotion going on down the road from the school that caught my eye.

“What's going on over there?” I asked Sammie, pointing to a large home. “Who lives there?”

“Oh.” For the first time all day, Sammie was speechless. She fidgeted for a moment before answering. “That's...That's RJ. It's just...best to avoid her. Okay?” Sammie took my arm and tried to pull me away, but I pulled myself free of her grasp and started towards RJ's house. I could hear loud banging coming from the home, followed by what seemed like wailing.

As I got closer, I noticed a bunch of tables sitting out front full of items.

“She's having a yard sale.” I turned to Sammie and said. “Let's go check it out.”

In a last effort to keep me away, Sammie began to plead. “Look, Cheyanne- you're new. I get it, you want to make nice with the neighbors, and that's nice. But no one- and I mean no one around here talks to RJ. She's got a bad past, I mean really bad. She's crazy, too. Certifiably Insane.”

Another bang came from the house and Sammie's voice sped up. “Please don't go talk to her. Who knows what she can get you into. Please, Cheyanne. Please? Please.”

I sighed and shook my head. “Sammie, it's a small town. How bad could she be? Besides, maybe she's selling a computer! It looks like she's got some good stuff over there!”

I brushed past Sammie and started toward the tables. I could have sworn I heard her hiss behind me, and the whispered words sounded a lot like “Cheyanne, she's killed somebody!” but I decided to ignore it and keep going.

Sammie waited patiently on the street while I browsed the items. I glanced over to the table that held a few random tools and spotted a miracle: a laptop. I squealed with delight and picked it up to look it over closer. It had no scratches or dents, and looked like it was in perfect condition. I couldn't imagine why someone would sell it if it was still working, but I didn't care.

I set the laptop back on the table and looked away from it to the porch. I saw what could only be RJ staring back at me.

She looked like a human barbie doll, perfectly tamed blonde hair and expensive, skin-hugging clothes that showed off her amazing figure. I suddenly felt very self conscious.

“Do you..uh..” I struggled to find the words with RJ's cold stare locked on me. “Uh. How much for the laptop.”

“Fifteen hundred.” Her voice came quick with an icy cold undertone.

“Are you insane? That's crazy! I don't have that much!” As soon as I said the words, I regretted them.

“I. Am. Not. Crazy!” RJ's voice got really shrill and she balled her hands into fists. “Urgh! I can't wait to get out of this stupid town!”

I noticed other people had started to arrive, picking through the items but avoiding RJ and I. It was like we didn't exist to them, and I didn't know if I should try to diffuse the situation for their sake or mine.

Before I could speak again, someone did take notice. I didn't know her name, but she was a brunette with a nice pair of glasses.

“RJ, leave her alone!” The girl snapped, her eyes narrowed. “Just pack up your stuff and leave already! Nobody wants you here! I bet that's why you're selling all your stuff in the first place, because you have to leave!”

She huffed and shook her head, stomping away angrily.

Suddenly, I had a thought, and I knew it was the stupidest thing in the world but I was desperate for that computer.

I took a minute to relax myself and gather my courage.

“Look, I have a place. It's really small, but it has an extra room. If you let me have the computer, you can stay there totally free.” I couldn't believe I had said it, but I did.

“I don't want your charity.” RJ spat at me. “I don't need anyone's help. I'm leaving this town!”

“Look!” I found myself pleading with RJ the same way Sammie was pleading with me moments ago. “I'm a writer and an artist, I don't make a lot of money. I'm not trying to give you a hand out, I'm asking for one. I need this computer. I know it sounds pathetic but I need a computer and I don't know when's the next time I'll have enough money to afford one.”

RJ seemed to calm down, so I continued. “You've made a life here. I'm new, I haven't- but I would like to. I don't know you or your past, I don't care what you've done or who you are. I just need a computer. I'm not turning you into a charity case, I'm bargaining with the only thing I have to give. My home.”

She looked at the ground and visibly relaxed. I was more stressed than ever, though. Me- the coward queen, just offered a home to a potentially insane killer. I was so wrapped up in my thoughts I didn't see her nod.

“You want it that bad? Fine! You're so pathetic.”

The insult didn't hurt as bad as she intended it, because I had a brand new computer! Whoo!

I thanked her profusely, ignoring her eye roll, and headed back to Sammie with my new computer in hand.

“Look!” I said happily as I held it out. “Brand new laptop!”

Sammie looked uneasy. I could tell she had heard everything. “Cheyanne, I can't believe you did that.” She shook her head at me and sighed sadly.

“C'mon Sammie.” I said. “How bad could she really be?”

Sammie stared at the ground and shuffled her feet. Her answer came mumbled. “You'd be surprised.”

It was getting late at that point, so we took a quiet walk over to the local hot spot. Sammie said they frequently had girl's nights there and it would give me a chance to meet the group.

As we had a few drinks, another thing I wouldn't normally do, I met the rest of the group. Skip, Emma, and Julia, along with the girl from the yard sale earlier- Cait, and another girl who called herself Orange. The seven of us took up every table and a seat at the bar.

“Is it usually this crowded?” I asked Sammie.

From a table away, Skip answered. “Yeah, we take up the whole house.” She laughed and sipped her drink.

For the first few minutes we got to know each other. I found out a little bit about each girl- except for Orange. She kept the brim of her hat down and only made an off comment here or there just to keep herself in the conversation. Something about her intrigued me, but I didn't know what. She had that mysterious air about her- watching and listening but never sharing the details of her own life.

Since I never got to ask Orange why she was called that, I asked Skip where she got her interesting name from.

“The boys call me Skip because I skip out before they can do anything.” She giggled again. “Chiverly isn't dead, I'm just in the process of reinstating it.” We all started laughing.

“She's nothing compared to Cait, though.” Emma piped up. “Cait's a volunteer firefighter, but just to spend time with the local firemen.”

I smiled and laughed. “Wow, that's pretty bad.”

“Not as bad as RJ.” Julia said, then got really quiet as if she had said something she shouldn't.

“What's the deal with RJ?” I asked, but the stares I got back made me feel like I shouldn't. Instead of anyone answering, no one spoke at all.

Cait, apparently always stepping in, was the first to speak. “You asked her to live with you. Why would anyone do that?”

“She doesn't know!” Skip said from her table.

“Yeah.” Emma agreed. “She just got here.”

Sammie got quiet again, something that was starting to seem eerie given how much she talked.

Cait rolled her eyes and stirred her drink. “She might not know RJ, but I bet she knows Selena. Cheyanne, that girl-”

“Stop.” Orange's voice broke through and Cait instantly got quiet. “You're right, Cheyanne doesn't know RJ like we know RJ, but she will. There are lots of secrets in this town, secrets we have kept for a long time. Cheyanne's a smart girl, she'll figure things out.”

It was the longest sentence I had ever heard her speak, and I was just about to thank her for taking my side when she continued.

“Cheyanne needs to make her own mistakes.”

I didn't get the chance to ask her what she meant, everyone started to get up and make excuses for leaving. Even Sammie, my new best friend, had somewhere to go.

It was all fine, though. I was going to pay my new room-mate a visit. Maybe by helping her pack her things I could find out a little more about her.

When I got to RJ's house the tables were gone. I assumed she must have decided to keep her things. I stood on her porch and rang her doorbell seven or eight times, but I never got an answer. I waited and waited, but nothing. It was creepy.

I'm not nosy, but I couldn't help myself. I headed to her window and peeked inside, gasping at what I saw.

Or should I say- didn't see. She was gone. There was nothing inside the house. Nothing at all, not even wall paper. I twisted my neck and stood on my tip toes to get a better look. No furniture, no floor tiles, nothing. The house looked like it had never been lived in.

I hate myself for it, but my first thought was 'Oh well, free computer'.

I called a cab to take myself home- having done enough walking for that day, thinking of how happy my new friends would be that RJ was gone and that no one would have to deal with her anymore. I couldn't help but wonder more about her, but it seemed out of my hands.

When I got home I expected to see RJ's expensive car sitting in my driveway, or her waiting on my doorstep with a bunch of boxes. Nothing, no sign that anyone had been there all day.

I shrugged to myself and let myself in, silently praising myself for remembering to lock the door when I left.

The first thing I did when I got home was set up the new computer. If RJ wasn't around, that wasn't my problem.

I signed into my instant messenger, my heart jumping excitedly in my chest. It felt like years since I had been on the internet, even though it was only a few hours- a day or two at most.

I began browsing the net while waiting for some long distance friends to come online. It felt so good to be connected again. I finally began to relax after a long day.

I was about to click a link when a window popped up.

Premed_murder: u r in danger.

I wrinkled my brow. “Stupid spam bots.”

I closed the chat window, but it popped up seconds later.

Premed_murder: U r not alone.

I stared at it for a few minutes. Alright, now this was just creepy. I hovered my mouse over the small x button.

Premed_murder is typing....

Premed_murder: they will be hurt.

Premed_murder is typing....

Premed_murder: u r not alone.

I closed the window again, seriously creeped out. I was going to turn the computer off, but something stopped me. Footsteps.

I looked up and screamed for the second time that day.

“It's just me, freak.” RJ snapped, mimicking Sammie's earlier move of covering her ears.

I slammed my fists on the table. “How do you people keep getting into my house!?!”

RJ rolled her eyes. “Our house now. Do you have clean towels? I need to shower.”

I leaned back into my chair and shook my head in defeat. “There's some in a box in the bathroom.”

She started toward the bathroom without a thank you but I had to stop her.

“RJ, Is there something wrong with your computer? I keep getting some seriously freaky messages. Does it have a virus or something?”

RJ glanced at the computer on the desk. “What? No. I never even touched it. I just had it because it was a nice thing, and I like having nice things.”

She shrugged her shoulders and brushed past me. “Bathroom is this way, right?”

Before I could nod she entered the room and I heard the door lock behind her.

I sighed and went back to the computer. It must be someone playing a joke on the new girl, that's all.

I started to type in a web address, but the message popped up again.

premed_murder: u all r in danger...tomorrow. It will b tomorrow...

I closed the window and glanced at the bathroom door. “You never touched it? Really?” I called.

I don't think she heard me over the shower running.

I decided to ignore the messages completely. This was a brand new computer, and whoever it was was just stupid.

I heard the window go off a few more times, but I kept my vow to ignore it.

Finally, after the tenth or eleventh time the window popped up I decided to give the person on the other end a piece of my mind.

The message on the screen stopped me, though, sending chills down my spine.

premed_murder: u will regret this....