?THE UNKNOWN?
?Chapter Twenty-Eight <28>?
A/N: Before I begin….First of all……….. Like_before_reading?. Pinky will appreciate that?. Anyway, back to business?. I really appreciate you guys opinion. Some of you said I should post the two stories while some said I should first complete the ongoing story. Well, I think I should first complete this first. After all, we are getting close to the finish line. And yes, the psychopath will be exposed very, very, very soon. I was very excited when I woke up to seventy something comments?. Thanks guys. I hope to wake up on such amount of comment whenever i post?.
Anyway, Enjoy!!!?
?When another tragedy befalls them?
Recap….
“Doris…Doris…. She’s dead.”
Recap Ends….
“Are you okay?” Clayton asked Gina as he took a sit beside her. Gina just offered him a smile. A sad one at that before turning to stare at the alter. “She had a beautiful soul.”
“Yeah.” Gina responded in a low voice but thank goodness Clay had a sharp hearing so yeah, he heard her.
“You okay, right?” He repeated the question again. She turned to look at him then offered him a smile again. “Stop smiling like that and answer me.” Clayton said in a calm voice.
“I just lost my friend, Clay. I would be lying if I said I was okay.” She replied.
“Then, why are you still holding it in, Gina? Let it all out. Cry it out.”
“I wish I could. When Phoebe died, I didn’t cry as she was buried. Because I wanted to be strong. I had to be strong for my friends. And Alicia? I didn’t also cry. But right now? I want to cry. But…I…I can’t.”
“Why not?”
Gina let out a sigh as she turned to stare at the photo in front of them again. The photo of Doris smiling face. She had taken this picture on her birthday. It was a very memorable and happy day. That photo was one of her favorite picture. Too bad it was now used as her obituary.
“She had asked us not to cry the day she would be buried.” That was her reply.
“What?”
⏱️ FLASHBACK⏱️
“Here.” Olive handed a cup of coffee to each and every one of them. She took hers and set the empty tray on the center table before taking a spot beside Gina.
“Thanks.” The girls said to Olive in unison. Olive just waved them off taking a sip from her cup.
“This…this is refreshing.” Doris said after taking a sip from hers as well.
“I know right.” Gina said. The girls chuckled.
It was silent for a while. It was peaceful. Each and every one of them had forgotten about the death going on. They’ve forgotten of the fact that one of them was going die any time soon. Well, it was their moment. Their moment of peace until Doris spoke.
“Guys…” She began, calling their attentions. They all turned to her. She offered them a warming smile. “I don’t want you guys to cry on the day I get buried.”
That choked Olive because she started coughing while Gina patted her on her back to calm her down.
“What?!?” Olive asked after regaining herself and had stopped coughing as well.
“The day I die I don’t…”
“That’s bullshit, Doris! You are not going to die. None of us is ever going to die, okay!?” Gina said.
“Well, how would we know that when you aren’t even sure yourself?”
“Doris…”
“Please.” She pleaded. “It’s my last wish.”
⏱️FLASHBACK ENDS⏱️
“That was her last wish.” Gina said as she bends her head and was now staring at her lap. “It heard though but we’ve got to fulfil her last wish.”
Just then the priest climbed into the alter. Everyone stopped whatever they were doing and focus their attention on the priest.
“Good day everyone.” The priest began. Some replied while some couldn’t because they were crying. “It’s very sad to know that one of us is gone. Again. Ms Doris Perkins.” The sobbing increased as it filled the church. The priest stayed quiet for a while until the sobbing decrease. He talked for a while and then asked some of Doris family to say one or few about their precious daughter. Everyone talked and now it was time for one of her friend to talk about her.
Olive got up to her feet and walked over to the alter. She was putting on a black flay gown with a black heels. She made her hair in a bun and put on her dark shades. She wanted to cry but it was so unfortunate that she couldn’t.
“I…I don’t even know what to say. I…” She paused. “I can’t do this on my own…” She looked towards the direction of her friends. They all got up to their feet and made their way to her on the alter. Each of them was wearing dark shades. “She was our strength.”
“A sister from another mother.” Zoe added.
“A brave one.” Maddie said.
Gina was staring at Clay as she says. “A girl with a beautiful soul.”
“May her soul rest in perfect peace.” They all said in unison.
****
They all stood in front of the grave. Everyone had thrown some sand or flower in her grave.
The priest sighed in sadness. “A minute of silent for the deceased.” Everyone kept quiet as they bent their heads and shut their eyes close for a minute. They were paying their last respect to the deceased. To Doris. “She was a wonderful daughter, a great friend, a girl with a beautiful soul….May her gentle soul rest in peace.”
****
“GINA! WAIT UP!” Clayton yelled as he ran after her. She suddenly stop running and fell to the ground. She couldn’t hold it any longer. She couldn’t keep it in. Her heart were heavy. Her legs were numb.
“Gina…” Clayton put his arms around Gina and that did it. That made her let go as she started crying. She poured her soul out, crying.
why does it have to be her or her friends. What wrong have they done to that psychopath that’s making him or her hurt them like this? They’ve never caused any one harm….right?
“Why….why….why….Why us? Why Phoebe? Why Alicia…Why Doris…? Why…?” She kept asking.
Clayton just kept her in his arms as she cried against his ch-est. He felt her pain. He was also sad. Doris wasn’t just her friend, she was also his friend.
*Don’t promise to save me, Clammy. Just promise me that you will catch this animal and put him or her behind bars….justify my death and my friends’. That’s what I seek of you. That’s my last wish.*
She had told him that. His heart were heavy. She was a nice fellow. A friendly and gorgeous one for that.
*Hmm. Dory? You’ve given me a nickname already, Clammy.*
*Clammy?*
*Just trying to be even here.*
He would miss her. That’s one thing he knows for sure. He tightened his arms around Gina. He was going to catch that psychopath before he or she think of hurting any of the best friends. He was going to keep them save. Especially….the girl in his arms.
****
“Why did you tell her, Kylie?” Bobbie asked as she sip from her wine.
Kylie shrugged. “It’s not like I told her the name of the psycho. I only just gave her a hint. No harm caused.” She smiled and sat down on her couch and crossed her left leg over her right. “I can’t wait to see the whole drama unfold.”
“I can imagine the look on their faces when they get to figure out who the killer is.” Bonnie said, getting excited.
“No, no, no.” Kylie said as she stick out her index finger and shakes it I’m front of Bobbie. “There would be no faces, remember?” She said as she pulled her hand down. Bobbie gave her a confuse look but slowly it faded out and turned into a smirk. “They would be six feet below us by then.”
“You are right. Ryan’s death is getting close to being justified.”
“All thanks to this psychopath.” Kylie said with a smirk on her face. “May Doris soul rest in peace.”
“And to more death. Cheers to that.” Bobbie said, sticking out her glas-son the air.
“Cheers.” They both clinked their gla-sses with smiles on their faces then they brou-ght the glas-sto their li-ps and took a huge gulp from the gla-ss.
****
“Here.” Clayton handed Gina a bottle of water. Gina smiled at him and collected the bottle from him. “How are you doing now?”
“Not bad.” She simply reply as she takes off the cap and gulped down some water. She felt relieved as it ran down her throat. “Thanks for the water. It’s really refreshing.”
Clayton smiled. “I’m happy that that helped. I’m sorry for your loss.”
“Thanks.” She let out a de-ep breath and she look ahead of them. There was a silent moment between them until Gina asked. “How is princess doing?”
“Fine. She always ask about you all the time. She misses you.”
“I miss her too. She’s such a adorable child. Oh. I had promised to bring Elsa to her the next time I come visiting.”
“Elsa?”
“Phoebe’s daughter. She’s with her grams after the death of her single mother.” She sniffed. “God. I’m not the type to cry like this.”
“You are a tough girl.” Clay said. She smiled. “Did you tell the girls who the next victim will be after Zoe?”
She shook her head no. “They don’t want to hear about it. They are scared as fu-ck. I am likewise afraid as well. I don’t even know when my name would be written.”
Clayton reach out for her hand and sque-ezed it softly. “Nothing will happen to you. I won’t let anything bad happen to you.”
“Thanks.”
****
Gina walked into her apartment. She was looking so stressed out and sad. How was she going figure out this criminal? What does she have to do?
“Stop thinking.”
“Aarrrgh!” Gina screamed and took a step back. She opens her eyes that was once closed and came face to face with Maddie.
“You look….” Maddie started laughing.
“Stop laughing. it’s not funny. Do you know how scared I was? What are you even doing here?”
“We mean…we?” Olive questioned as she got out of the kitchen with a smile plastered on her face. “We came to cheer each other up. How are you feeling now?” She made her way to Gina and placed her palm against her forehead, Gina swat her hand from her forehead.
“I’m not sick. And I don’t need this cheering up of a thing.”
“Well, we do.” Zoe said with a smile on her face. “After all. I would be next to leaveeee. Ahh, I’ve lived long.” The girls started laughing.
“I might be the next after you.” Maddie said.
Gina gave her a sad look. She had just say that but little does she know that she was actually going to be the next after Zoe.
“Let’s eat, guys.” Olive called out from the dinning.
“Ha. God. Thanks goodness. I’m actually starving right now.” Zoe said and made her way to the dinning. Gina and Maddie followed her from behind.
They had lost one of their friend but good news here was….they still had each other. TBC.