The darkness Within

A girl with pass shoulder length hair is looking at the window watching the tree leaves swaying along the wind, she was deep in thought. Her eyes is blank as if she wasn there but no one seems to notice it.

Just then a ball suddenly hit her left eye out of nowhere making her snap out of it and hold her aching left eye instead. Her seatmate Cassandra look at her in worry but she just smiled and told Cassandra that its okay and shes totally fine.

The girl is Beatrice Finley, she went to the restroom and splashed her face with water to make the pain go away and wiped her face using a towel. After she finished drying her face, she look at the mirror but instead of seeing her actual reflection, she saw her reflection crying blood while smiling in sadness instead.

Beatrice blinked and rubbed her eyes and look back to her reflection again but the reflection she currently saw is now gone and nowhere to be found, the reflection that replaced it is now her real reflection without the blood and the sad smile plastered on her face but now its her actual expression.

As Beatrice was about to walk out from the restroom, her phone ringed so she pick it up and found out that its her father who messaged her, it says Im sorry sweetheart, your dad can be home for today or maybe a week- she didn even bother to read all of it. Her fathers reasons is always the same, can go home because of work/The flight had been delayed.

”His always been like this after that incident…I don care anymore ” she stated as she loosened her grip the doorknob and walked out. One thing she didn notice is that, a single tear escaped from her left eye and a flicker of emotion could be seen but as soon as it show up, it quickly disappeared.

Beatrice walk pass by the new transfer student which is a male, the new student quickly caught a glimpse of the singed tear and the emotion, so he stopped and look back to Beatrice but the girl is already gone. He was about to walk away but he notice something shiny at the floor so he walked closer and found out that it was a bracelet with a little heart at the center, the new student got a hunch that it was from Beatrice so he hid it and plan to give it back to her.

After class, Beatrice immediately went out of school alone and turned to the corner where the riverbank could be found. She stopped near the water and lay down on the grassy ground, her things laying beside her. Beatrice stared at the clouds having flashbacks when she was still four years older.

The time were she and her parents was cloud watching while saying some funny jokes to each other but her face turned into a sour expression when the flashbacks shows her the incident she wanted to forget so badly which turned her the person she is now because no matter how much you run away from your problems, there is no escape from it, the only solution for it to be gone is by facing it with confidence.

Beatrice raised her hand and stared at it but her eyes widened in shock and in fright from watch she saw, she caught sight of her hand covered in blood that she knows too well. She was horrified so she immediately sat up and look around, her heartrate became unstable and so does her breathing, she stared at her hand again while shaking but she didn saw it covered in blood anymore so she started to calm herself down while reassuring herself that it was just an imagination, but the fact that she is also lying at herself that it was not true that she herself is not even sure if she was telling herself the truth.

Tears started to stream down while her heart is aching, she doesn what to feel anymore. She buried her face at her knee and sobbed quietly, many people passed by the riverbank but they didn notice Beatrice, like she didn exist at all.

After for a couple of minutes, she finally calmed down and quickly wiped her tears away. She put on her fake smile and laugh at herself.

*Chuckle* ”I looked like a mess… Im so weak. Oh well, its time to go now. ” She stood up and grab her things, at the same time, the wind blow up some of the leaves of the tree away and make Beatrice hair sway with the wind as she walked away from the riverbank.

When she stopped at the pedestrian, she caught a sight of the transfer student waving at her. Beatrice know who he is because he is the whole talk of the girls in class, his whole name is Crisanto Diaz.

He transferred from Philippines to America. The fact that Crisantos English sounds like his from America is just clearly amazing, even though Beatrice didn know the male that much but she can tell that the male has an innocent and pure intention. His bright smile and pure aura can help her from smiling a genuine smile for the first time after so many years after the unexpected incident happened, Beatrice waved back to him.

A flashback of her mothers blurry face suddenly appeared telling her something that made her remember the words her mom told to her.

”You can just say you won fall in love sweetie, because when the right time will come, youll fall in love to a boy that you truly desire. But be careful, theres many challenges you will face before you will know that if that boy is really meant for you as your meant to be. ”

Beatrice was confused as to why she remembered that memory but she just shook it off and went to the other way, though Crisanto still remembered that he had to bring back the bracelet that Beatrice accidentally dropped, so he chased after her without knowing that the traffic light turned into green.

”Finley!!! ” Crisanto shouted to get Beatrice attention.

Beatrice stopped and look back when she heard her last name got called by someone but when she did, it felt like the world around her started to go in slow motion as she watched the car going straight towards Crisantos direction in a fast pace.

”Look out!!! ” Beatrice yelled as she throwed her things aside and run towards Crisanto to push him out of the way. People started to yell in surprise as Crisanto look at the coming car in fear. As the car got closer, Beatrice managed to push Crisanto out of the way causing the both of them to roll on the other side of the road.

”Uh… ” Crisanto was out of words at what happened, he was currently laying at the bottom while Beatrice was on top of him. ”You idiot!!! You couldve dead there when I didn manage to save you on time!!! ” Beatrice scolded him as she stood up from her position.

”But it didn happen because you saved me. ” Crisanto pointed out, Beatrice puffed her cheeks.

”You
e an idiot. Remember that. ” She said as she noticed that the people is are starting to go towards them while she helped Crisanto to get up.

People started to surround them, she immediately drag themselves out of it. Beatrice grabbed her things that she had thrown away and loo at Crisanto.

”Be careful next time. ” She said and walk away, Crisanto watched Beatrice figure getting further and further away but when Beatrice was so far now and couldn be seen anymore, Crisanto immediately realized that he still didn returned the bracelet that Beatrice suddenly dropped when they had crossed path at the school.

”U-uh! WAIT! ” Crisanto called and chased after Beatrice but Beatrice was now nowhere to be seen in sight. He sighed in disappointment when he realized that he couldn see Beatrice anywhere.

”I was supposed to return her bracelet back to her that she accidentally dropped, but here I am, being an idiot and probably be dead by now if it weren for her. The gentleman was supposed to be the one who will save the damsel in distress, not a girl saving a gentleman. ” He said as he run his hand through his hair.

”You
e an idiot. Remember that. ”

Crisanto smiled as he remember what Beatrice said to him. ”Im an idiot alright. ” He chuckled and walked back to his destination that he was supposed to be going before he spotted Beatrice.

Meanwhile, Beatrice entered the hospital and walked in the room number 392 and there on the hospital bed could be spotted a woman laying on it, she seems to be in her early forties. The woman had a very pale skin with a skinny body, she also had a wavy blonde hair.

The woman look like a corpse because of her pale skin and skinny figure, and to top at that, she is also not moving while her eyes is completely shut close. If it weren for the oxygen and heartbeat, the woman would probably be mistaken as a dead body.

Beatrice placed her things on the couch and grabbed the fruits and bouquet she bought before arriving to the hospital. She put the bouquet to the vase and placed the fruits to the bowl, which is near the mirror, as she finished arranging the fruits, she raised her head and faced the mirror accidentally. Beatrice was about to sit down but her reflection started to talking.

”Its all your fault you know… its your fault as to why you mother was put in that state. ” Her reflection told her. ”I know… ” Beatrice voiced out, she didn even deny it.

”And the fact that it was supposed to be you, who will be in that state instead of your mom. ” Her reflection stated causing Beatrice to grit her teeth. ”shut up ” Beatrice spokeed.

”Oh?… but its true though, it was supposed to be you tha- ”

”I SAID SHUT UP!!! ”

Beatrice punched the mirror causing it to break, alerting the nurses from the noise. The nurses immediately opened the door of the room where Beatrice and her mom was in.

”Is everything okay? We heard shouting and a glass breaking. ” One of the nurses asked. Beatrice put up a fake smile again, while her hands is hiding behind her back acting innocent like she just didn punch the mirror.

”Everything is fine, its just some cockroach popping out of nowhere so I had to throw something to kill it but I missed and hit the mirror instead, causing it to break. ” Beatrice made up a fake explanation to cover up that she is the one who punched the mirror.

”Oh, thank goodness. I thought it was some kind of robber getting in. ” The other nurse voiced out, as all of them sighed in relief. ”A robber? Pfft-! I don think they will risk climbing something this high to b honest. ” Beatrice giggled, the nurses laughed in realization.

”Oh right *chuckle* my bad… are you okay throwing that shards away? Or do you want one of us to call the janitor to clean that up? ” one of the nurse asked her. Beatrice shook her head.

”Don worry. I can do it alone. No need to worry and call the janitor. ” She answered the nurse honestly. ”Okay then… have a nice day miss Finley. ” They bowed and walked out of the room. Beatrice dropped the façade and look at her bleeding hand, she grabbed a roll of bandages from the drawer and wrapped it to her hand.

After bandaging her bleeding hand, she started cleaning the scattered shards on the floor. When it was only the last shards left, she noticed that theres a CCTV (closed-circuit television) camera watching the room. Beatrice instinct screamed danger.

”I got to throw that record tape away before they will report that I was lying. ” Beatrice whispered to herself as she grabbed the last shard and throwed it in the trash, she didn notice that her reflection is crying before she closed the trash bin.

She look back to her mother longingly and back at the CCTV camera. ”Im sorry mom but I have to do this because they will think that I was mental. ” She said and kissed her mothers forehead.

”Please wake up sooner mom, things are getting different without you. ” She spoke one last time and left the room. As Beatrice left, her mothers finger moved slightly. Beatrice walked in the CCTV room, but when she did, she saw that the guard who is in charge of the camera is already dead leaning at the wall. Beatrice senses is on high alert as she fell that someone is creeping towards her from behind. Without any second, the person that creeped behind her drop to the ground dead.

The head of the person got twisted to the other way because the ambusher didn expect Beatrice to notice and attack immediately. Beatrice noticed that the person she instantly killed is a male with a snake tattoo at his neck.

The Snake Organization Beatrice thought as she heard a clap causing her to look towards the noise, the noise is coming from the chair that is facing the CCTV screen.

”Well, well, well… ” The chair turned around and faced her. ”If it isn the Beatrice Finley. The mafias so ever talented young executive. ” A short fat bald male said, as Beatrice glared at him.

”Where did you get that information? ” She asked, the bald male raised a folder. ”Its all in here. ” He said with a smirk. Beatrice took a step forward but a knife was throwed at her from the dark part of the room but Beatrice had a quick reflex so she managed to dodge it.

Beatrice look to where the knife comes from and two mmen came out of their hiding spot, which is the dark part of the room since they are wearing a black cloak.

”You have to go through them first before you get this tape… ” He waved the recording tape that he is holding on his hand. ”If you won manage to win from them, then… this tape will be released and Ill kill that woman you hold dear. ” He finished causing Beatrice eyes to widen in horror.

”You wouldn dare… ” She glared at him in hatred.

”Oh? But I would. ” The bald man smirked as he managed to succeed mocking one of the mafia to act carelessly but he didn know that Beatrice already beat his two henchman because he was busy imagining his victory. The fat bald man finally noticed it when Beatrice pressed a knife at his throat.

”Give me the tape or else… ” She pressed the knife deeper causing the bald mans throat to bleed. The bald man handed the tape to Beatrice, as Beatrice, without a hesitation, took it.

”Now, whats your name? ” She asked ”Mouser Dargis ” the bald man who is known as Mouser quivered in fear… a fear of death. Beatrice narrowed her eyes.

”Are you the leader of the Snake organization? ” Mousers eyes widened, he shook in fear, he felt like he had been eyed by the reaper while he was the prey. One wrong moved will cause death.

”Im not! Im just a special ranked member in that organization! So please spare me! ” Mouser cried for mercy as he kneeled on the ground. Beatrice eyes remained emotionless as he begged for to not be killed.

Beatrice retreated the knife away making Mouser look up to her in hope, but it all crashed down when she pressed the pressure point at Mousers neck causing him to pass out.

”I don like messy work if its not necessary, so Ill just make this quick and not messy. ” Beatrice stated blankly as she grabbed a hidden needles from her thighs and pierced it to Mousers neck like what she did to his two henchman that she fought.

After Beatrice made sure that is finally dead, she hid all the evidence that could be used as a clue for the investigations. She also tried the tape if it was really the right one and she sighed in relief when it is, as she continued to watch… it got to the part where she is talking to the mirror, and when she watched it… she didn see anything in the mirror at all. Except that, she is only talking at her own reflection who didn even talk back.

Beatrice look at the CCTV camera in shock. ”So… that is all only a hallucination. Am I getting crazy? Because as far as I know… I was talking to my manipulative self of me that time… ” She was confused as she finished the camera tape. She grabbed the tape and run outside.

Beatrice lit up the tape by the use of a match at she always keep in her pocket, it was the only way of erasing the evidence, by burning the tape into ashes.

”If only I could control the time and rewind it to repeat my mistakes and make it right. Then, that incident won probably happen and my mom would probably like in the past. ” She said in despair.

In the room 392, Beatrice mother shed a tear in her comatose state, as if she felt her daughters longingness. ”Nrgh… argh… ” Beatrice mother groaned as if telling someone that don cry but it was in vain since no one can hear as she went back to silence again.

It started raining outside and Beatrice still didn went home, causing her to get wet, she emotionlessly look at the sky as she heard a voice, a very very familiar voice spoke to her. ”don give up sweetie… theres still hope. ” Beatrice look towards the voice is coming from and there, she saw her mom standing in front of her wearing the dress that she wore during the incident.

”You
e not real… ” Beatrice stated in a monotone. ”Moms words felt warm when she said something to me, but when you say those encouragement… it felt empty… nothing sparked. ” She spoke what she feels.

Her mothers figure stayed silent. ”Not even fathers words matter to me anymore… for all I know, he probably cheated to mom ” Beatrice continued. ”No one cared… no one even see who the real me is, they just see the happy go lucky me… it doesn even matter to me anymore, if I die no one would remember me because they are all fake. ” She finished and chuckled bitterly.

”Why am I saying this to you anyway? Your not real, your just a hallucination. Nothing more, nothing less… your not my real mo- ” the hallucination of Beatrice mother cut Beatrice sentence off.

”What about Crisanto then? ” The hallucination of her mother asked and Beatrice got confused. ”Why him? ” she spoke. ”You smiled when you saw how pure he is. Didn you feel something? Something like a pull? You wouldn have saved him without a good reason right? ” The hallucination of her mother vanished after said those words.

Beatrice walked away from the place and went home that her family used to stay. The warm house from the past turned into a cold and eerily quiet one.

She went in the bathroom and took a warm shower so she won get sick. While showering, Beatrice noticed that the bracelet she keep and treasured disappeared so suddenly. The bracelet was gifted to her by her mother, so she can afford to lose it. She immediately washed her hair and went out of the house after she wore her nightwear.

Since the rain had stopped and its already dark, she had to bring a flashlight to use to light up the way so she can see, she also bring her phone with her in case theres a message.

Beatrice begone her search by going back to the places she went and if she were lucky enough, she will manage to find it in one of those places, but her search goes in vain as she still couldn find it. She even went back to her school hoping that she had accidentally dropped it there, but theres nothing.

”Just where did I dropped it?! I promised mom to not take it off, ever! But here I am, I couldn find where is it anywhere! ” Beatrice whispered in frustration. ”I can afford to lose it too! ”

She sat down on the nearby bench, helplessly and hug her knees. ”Thats my treasured thinbecause mom gift it to me when the whole family was complete… that was the happiest day of my life in my fifth birthday, but I managed to lost that remembrance. ” She stated as her voice got muffled because she buried her face at her knees.

”That is the only thing that comforts me when I miss mom. ” She mumbled as she felt the cold wind of the night pass by. ”Mom… Im sorry… I broke my promise… I lost the bracelet… Im such a fool. ”

”Finley? ”

Beatrice look up and saw the transfer student, Crisanto Diaz, again. She put up a fake smile. ”Oh… Hi Diaz, whats up? ” She greeted Crisanto.

”Uh… Sky? ” Crisanto joked making Beatrice giggle slightly. ”Just call me Crisanto by the way. I don get used to anyone calling me by my last name because it sounded weird and that is what they call my father as. So I don want to mix it up. ” He told her. ”What are you doing here outside in a cold night? ” Crisanto asked Beatrice.

Beatrice stayed silent for a while and hugged her knees closer. ”Nothing… Im just chilling… ” she replied. Crisanto sat beside Beatrice and he saw how her hand hold her other hands wrist, which made him realized that he still had the bracelet that Beatrice accidentally drop.

Crisanto grabbed something in his jackets pocket and put it on Beatrice palm. Beatrice eyes widened in shock and happiness, she then look at Crisanto for some explanation.You dropped it at school, so I grabbed it and was about to give it back to you but, you already went home. So I plan to give it to you when our path will crossed, thats why I called you at the other side of the pedestrian, but as a result, I almost died because of my carelessness. ” He explained, Beatrice couldn help but laugh making Crisanto blush from embarrassment.

”H-hey! Don laugh! ” He exclaimed making Beatrice smile at him while her eyes are closed. ”Thank you for giving my bracelet back… this bracelet really meant a lot to me. ” Beatrice admitted as she wore the bracelet back to where it was placed before.

Crisanto grinned in happiness. ”No problem! I was supposed to return it to you tomorrow but our path crossed again. ” He stated.

”Oh. So thats why… also, just call me Beatrice to be fair since you made me call you Crisanto. ” Beatrice said, Crisanto smiled and nod, he then look at the stars above the sky. ”Beatrice, what do you think of the stars and moon above the sky means? ” He wondered.

”Hmm… to me, the moon serves as the light of our darkness and the stars that is shinning above are our guide to what kind of future do we choose. ” Beatrice replied to Crisantos question.

”Wow! Thats impressive Beatrice! ” He gawked making Beatrice giggle.

”Thank you… I didn expect that kind of reaction from you. Mostly, the persons who I currently call friends didn even listen to it, sine they said that I talk too deep. ” Beatrice admitted making Crisanto look at her in shock.

”What kind of friends is that? Friends should stick together and listen to what their friends shared. ” He said with a frown as he got back at looking to the starry night sky.

”Beatrice… can I ask you something? ” Beatrice look at Crisanto in confusion but nod anyway. ”Sure, go ahead. ” She replied.

”Can you be my friend? ” He asked her making her eyes widened in surprise. ”Not any kind of friends like the others show you, I want to be a kind of friend that will be around you when you need me. ” He finished, Beatrice world felt like it had stopped.

”Sweetie… when you have lots of friends, only few is the real ones and the others is fake. But no matter what, don ever change your personality… a true friends are the one who are there for you when you needed them, and you will also be around them when they needed you. ” Beatrice smiled genuinely ”Sure! ”