Lost in Pages {Read ME}

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                                                      Chapter 1, Dark Maneuvering           

What is there to fear, but fear itself? Fear usually manifests itself in the reminders of the past that can become our very present. ~ Destarti McQueen

Devon dashed through the empty office building. His heart rapidly pumped in his chest and his pulse raced. Sweat dropped down into his eyes. He looked over his shoulder.

Someone had to be there. He had heard something.

After all that had been going on, he had a right to be jittery.

There had to be someone in here. He could feel it that was why he had taken off running. Something was after him.

There was nothing quite as frightening as an empty building with a ghost. Rows after row of empty cubicles, but there was no place to hide. The only real light came from the windows facing the skyline that lit the area.

He ran into the elevator doors. Quickly he punched the down button.

Devon glanced over his shoulder again. Nothing.

Am I just going crazy? He wondered.

The elevator dinged, the doors slid open. Florescent light blinded him. He dashed in and slammed his palm against the last button to the garage. The doors slid shut, enclosing him.

He was nearly to his car.

Devon breathed a sigh of relief as the elevator started to take him down. Each floor sent more relief through his body. He was almost there.

All of a sudden the elevator jolted to stop.

Devon fell back against the walls. His pulse accelerated once again. Goose bumps sprang all over his body as a cold chill slid through the elevator.

The light flickered then it went out. Something moved above the elevator. Then there was a crashing sound dropped to the top before everything fell silent once again.

Fear enflamed his heart. “Please God no,” Devon gulped. His wife and kids flashed through his head.

“God isn’t here for you Devon Christopher or do you still go by D.C.?” a foreboding voice spoke from the darkness above.

Devon’s mouth went dry. “Who…who are you? What…do you…want?”

A chuckle escaped the darkness. “I am here for the day of Reckoning, Devon. I am here for you.” Something dropped to the elevator floor.

Devon breathed heavily. “Who are…who are you?” Something was at his feet but he couldn’t see anything. Apprehensively he edged closer to the wall. The darkness was too thick to see what could be coming his way.

“Oh, you will find out, soon.”

Suddenly Devon’s feet were yanked out from under him. His head struck the walls of the elevator. The cord tightened around his ankles. His heart pumped hard against his ribs.

Devon’s screams awakened the empty building.

                                                            ~*~

Trent Avery sat in His Red Corvette, waiting for his date to come out of her apartment.

Coach Lowe had made an exception tonight for him to go out. Practices had been touch and he had classes on top of that to stay in the program. College basketball was harder than he would have ever imagined when he was in high school dreaming of this lifestyle. It took a lot more work at homework and keeping his act clean. His life was the gym or his dorm room. He was really under strict management these days.

His phone buzzed with a reminder: Pack for Fiery Reunion. Oh right I nearly did forgot, he thought.

Next week was his high school reunion. At first he didn’t really want to go but coach had talked him into going. In a way he wanted to go back to see if people wanted to see him or not. Who would actually show up for it? Their class hadn’t been close; it had been quite a mess. This is what really made him think twice about life. It was a reminder and he wanted it. Would anyone be excited that he showed up? There were a lot of regrets back in his home town and some of it he had started to make amends for, if he could.

Life had really changed for him. Now there was a lot of craziness with the stuff that had been showing up at his dorm. It was all weird and crazy. There were some really sick people out in the world.

Trent was grateful for this time to relax, this would be great. So what if he had a curfew but it was worth it in his book.

He glanced at his cell clock, checking the time. His date was late. Oh, well he still had some time. He was getting hungry though. The day had been a quick one with no time for a shower let alone food.

Someone knocked on his window.

He could only see a hooded figure outside. Trent rolled down his window. “What can I do for you…?”

A large fist shot out, slugging him across the jaw.

His head hit the steering wheel.

Blood filled his mouth.

He looked up but his vision was blurred. Who was this? He moved to get out. His hand rested on the door handle.

A second blow caught him on the nose.

Everything went black.

                                                            ~*~

Sarah Beth climbed the stairs to her apartment. Her six inch high heels clicked on the brick steps. Her long red curls were a bit messed up as they bounced against her back.

One of her customers had gotten a little too friendly not to mention he had also smudged her makeup. One thing she hated the men doing this man had broken them both. She had her own rules.

She couldn’t wait to sleep alone tonight. There was a something to be said for one’s own space.

Her phone buzzed with messages from the customer and her boss. Stuffing her phone into her Michael Kors bag, Sarah Beth ignored all of it. I don’t need this tonight. Leave me alone, she thought with frustration. Her boss had made her his favorite, which had a lot of benefits. But now it had the annoyance to it. When she woke, she would give him a call.

As she got to the top of the stairs to her door, she saw something was lying on the mate under the door.

“Not another weird gift,” she sighed tiredly. She squatted down and grabbed the white box. Untying the pink ribbon she opened the box. Inside was a sapphire and gold perfume bottle. Normally she had gifts from her customers, but usual to be at her door since she never brought them to her apartment.

She undid the lid and smelled it.

Her head felt light. She felt her body falling. Sarah Beth saw the door opening. Her body fell to the bricks.

“Hello, Sunny girl.”

The face was but a blur in her vision. She tried to open her mouth and speak but her mouth was numb.

“Did you miss me?”

She felt her body being lifted. Then darkness crept into her vision. The latch on her door clicked behind her.