Window Pain - Chapter 3

In the morning, Rebecca walked out the front doors of St. Claire Manor, making her way across the parking lot to her car. She could feel the exhaustion from the night weighing heavy on her. Still, she found herself thinking about what Paul had said to her on the phone. About how he knew about something in her past then told her about it. She had no idea how he knew about it, but that didn't matter anymore. Now she would have to try and explain it to him, so he would not think that she was some kind of crazy woman. The only thing was, she just wanted to forget about her past. So that way the pain wouldn't come back to her again. That was something, which she knew was nothing more than a dream. All she could do was to except the fact of what she had did in the past. Even though she had no idea what Paul would do when she did. That was the one thing, which scared her the most. People often have joked around about those who always remained silent, never saying exactly how they were feeling. That they were the ones to watch out for. Rebecca knew that Paul wasn't a violent type, but really wasn't sure what he would do now that he knew part of her past. And especially when she would admit it to him. Would he hit her? Or would he do something else? The more she thought about it, the more she dreaded going home to him. Even though it was just a motel room they lived in (for now at least), she still called it home. In a way she hoped that he would be writing, so he would probably forget about what he had said to her last night. But she knew to well that he wouldn't forget. In fact he almost never forgets about anything. That was the one thing, which upset her most of the time. For he would never let her forget something which she had done which was embarrassing. Even though it was just a playful joke to him, it was something more to her. But that was the way he was, and she had learned to except it.

When she got behind the wheel of her car, she sat there for a moment in silence. Luckily, no one else from the night shift had been around to see her. For then they would probably think that there was something wrong. The thing was, there was something wrong. (Wrong within her own mind that was). She was afraid to have to look at Paul and tell him about the stupid things in her past, which she had done. The things, which she found herself, still were beating herself over the head for doing. She hadn't said anything about what she was thinking, for they would definitely believe that she was nuts. And that was the one thing which she didn't need them to think, considering that she had only started a couple weeks ago. But there was one person she worked with, that she almost revealed the truth to. This one nursing assistant named John who she got to know. He was a man in his late fifties, heavy set, with salt and pepper hair that was already starting to recede. There was something about him, which made her feel comfortable to talk to him. Yet, Rebecca didn't want to get to personal with him, for then she might give him the wrong impression. Still, she found something in him that even Paul didn't even seem to show her in the last couple weeks. A true interest in what she would have to say. Ooh, he would listen to her, with his eyes staring at her so focused on her. But in a way, she knew that he really wasn't paying attention to her. His mind was probably on something else, a million miles away. Rebecca didn't know that for sure, and in a way she really didn't want to know. For then she would probably be drawn into his problems, (or as Paul called it, his nightmares).

As she pulled onto the main street of 95th, she knew there was no way that she could avoid facing him. The sooner she did the sooner it would all be over with. That was the only thing, which she thought of. And as far as what she thought she was starting to feel about John, she knew she could not say anything about it to Paul. Even though she knew that he loved her and would do anything for her, this would be something, which he couldn't handle. She decided that she wouldn't even tell him that John worked with her. If she did, Paul would not only be suspicious, but his jealousy would have made him imagination run wild. Not only would it destroy their marriage and Paul's own mental status, but it would also destroy her inside. Yet she figured it was nothing which she had to worry about. For John was just trying to be friendly. Or at least that was what she believed. Her hands gripped the steering wheel, while her mind continued to try and find an explanation for the events of her past, which he now knew about. Or at least two things in her past. The only thing was, she couldn't come up with anything, that was except for the truth. And that was the one thing she was afraid of. It seemed that ever since they had come to Lincoln, she had experienced that same fear which now plagued her mind.

"What am I going to do?" she whispered to herself.

The one question which she seemed not to be able to answer. Unlike all the other times when she always knew what she would have to say or do. How she wanted to forget about it all, but knew there was no way she could ever forget about the things she had done and the people her actions had effected. As her car moved closer and closer to the motel, the fear inside her started to turn into anxiety. The kind she had felt years ago with her first husband, when she tried to kill herself. She only hoped that this time it wouldn't lead to that.

When she reached the motel, she sat behind the wheel, in the parking lot, not wanting to go inside. The only sound, which she could hear, was the hum of the engine, as she reached into her purse for her cigarettes. Normally, she didn't smoke, that was only within the times when the pressure and stress had gotten to her. And this was one of those times for her. Not just because of the pressures of work, but the memories of her past which the town seemed to bring back to her. In her mind, she had already predicted what he would do when she walked into the room. The way his eyes would glare at her with such disgust, his arms crossed in front on him as he waited to see what she would say. Just that cold stare alone would send a chill down her spine, paralyzing her body for a moment. Of course, that was only her speculation on the way Paul would act. It seemed ridiculous for her to sit in the car, afraid of what might not happen.

"Come on Rebecca, what are you afraid of? Paul is your husband and has always been there for you through everything. The only thing you need to do is to be honest with him about your past." she thought.

In a way she knew that what she thought was the truth. Still, there was something deep within her soul that made her feel uneasy. She had remembered how Paul had always been there by her side, through everything. Never wanting to give up on her and always trying to make her happy no matter what. Even when she suggested they move here, he never argued about it. Leaving his family and friends without a second thought about it. Rebecca never had a man who took such an interest in making her happy as Paul did. The only thing was how happy was he right now?

When Paul woke up, he could feel his head pounding with such intense pain, as he slowly sat up in bed. Rays of sunlight shone in through the small opening of the curtains. But luckily, not big enough for the sunlight to blind his bloodshot eyes. As he sat there, the memory of last night stayed fresh in his mind, as if it just happened. But it wasn't only that, but also the woman in the black dresses too. Nothing made sense, as if he was still in some sort of dream. The room still had the faint scent of jasmine in the air. A reminder that the woman had been with him, to share a moment of pleasure that their flesh had longed to experience. The more he tried to think about it, the more he could feel the pain surging through his brain. Making him believe that his brain was going to explode any second.

He swung his legs over the edge on the bed, then stood up. Paul made his way over to the table where his laptop sat. When he sat down in front of it, his hands reached over to the side of it and turned it on. His eyes staring at that blinking cursor again and the words which he wrote last night. Not only did it fit with what he would looking for to continue on with his story, but it also broke him free from the writer's block which he had been enduring. Then he continued writing where he left off. The words just seemed to come to him, as if something had opened up in his imagination. No, not something… someone. He remembered how the woman had said that she would inspire him. In a way, he had no idea how. But whatever she had done, it worked. The more he wrote, the more alive he started to feel. His eyes stayed focused on the computer screen as his fingers continued to type in such a fast pace. Everything around him suddenly started to fade from his mind, leaving only the world, which his writing was creating. Nothing seemed to matter at that moment, only his writing.

It was then he heard the sound of Rebecca's voice coming from his side. He had jumped briefly, the sudden shock bringing him back to reality. He turned and looked to see Rebecca standing there with a brief smile on her lips. It seemed odd that Paul didn’t hear her come into the room. Not even hearing her unlock the door.

"Hi sweetie… I'm sorry that I startled you." she said.

"No, you didn't. I was just into what I was writing." he said, then hesitated for a moment. "How was work?"

"You know, just like any other night, Running around trying to take care of all the patients, while the nursing assistants are outside smoking for who knows how long." she said, then walked over to the bed and sat on it.

he had watched her as she made her way to the bed. When she looked at him, he could tell there was something on her mind. Something which she was trying to hide from him. Yet, Rebecca wasn't the type of woman who was good at lying. He was always able to tell that, every time. Paul was going to ask her what was wrong, but figured it would be better that he didn't. All he could do was to wait for her to say what was on her mind. He knew that was what she was waiting to talk about. Finally, after a couple seconds went by, he couldn't take it any longer.

"So what's on your mind, Rebecca?" he asked.

"How did you find out about my past? Who was the person that told you about the things, which I did back then?" she asked.

"I don't know the woman's name, but she said that she knows you. Knows a lot of things about you that you've been keeping from me." he said in a calm voice.

"Well …, I don't know who the woman could be, but you were right about what you told me. There is no way for me to hide it anymore. But that was my past. When I was young and stupid. In a way, I'm glad that you found out and told me. This way I don't have to hide it from you anymore. And also, I can face it and let it die." she said.

"IU just can't believe that you could have done something like that." he said.

For a moment she just sat there in silence. Her head lowered, her eyes looking down at the carpeted floor. It was obvious that she felt the shame of what she did. He wondered what it could be that he could say to her, before she would start to cry. That was the one thing, which Paul really couldn't handle. Not right now, with everything that stayed trapped in his mind. Even though it seemed sort of arrogant for him to think, but it was the truth. Her head raised up and she looked at him as the first trance of tears started to show on her face.

"Are you made at me?" she said in a nervous tone.

"Why should I be mad at you? Just because you have done some things in your past that you don’t want to tell me. It really doesn't matter to me. The only thing, which I wanted, was to have you share your past with me. You never said anything about it before." he replied.

"I know and I'm sorry about that. I just wanted to forget about what I had done back then." she said.

"Well, murder has a way of coming back to you in time." he though, then said. "That's normal. But, it's the past and nothing can ever come back."

In a way Paul had a feeling that what he had just said didn't feel right. After hearing her admit that she committed the murder. Just hearing her say that sent a chill running down his spine. He knew that he couldn't let her know how he was feeling, for right now Rebecca wouldn't understand. Mainly because he didn't understand it himself.

"So you are not made at me?" she asked.

"Of course not." he replied, then thought. "As long as you don't try and kill me, that is."

As Paul stood up, Rebecca did the same, and then she walked over to him. Her arms wrapped around him, as she kissed him. Her body pressed against his, as he felt it shivering slightly. Paul knew that she was upset, but there really wasn't a reason for her to be that way. She cried as he held her in his arms, of such relief that he understood. Or at least that was what she believed. Her head rested on his shoulder as his fingers ran through her hair.

"I promise that I won't keep anything from you again. I don't want anything to stand in between us." she said.

"I know. You had a rough day, why don't you lay down and get some rest."

"What about you?" she asked as she stepped back from him.

"I'm just going to do some more writing. The story is finally coming around the way I wanted it to. Maybe I'll go to a coffee shop later and pick us up something to eat. That is if you want me to." he said

'No, that's alright. I ate something at work before I left. And you're right I am exhausted. I just hope that I can sleep with you typing away on that computer." she said as she made her way back to the bed.

Paul knew what she was hinting about, for it was something she always did to him when she wanted to get her own way. Normally he wouldn't have given in to her, but from the way she acted he figured that he could let it go just this once. He tried to figure out what to say to her to make her happy, which of course was the most obvious answer.

"I'll take it with me. That way you can get the rest you need and I can still get the writing done that I need to do." he said as he made his way over to her.

"I'm sorry about this. I feel so bad about making you go somewhere else to do what is important to you." she said.

"Don't be, sometimes we all have to make sacrifices for the ones we love." he said as he sat down on the bed next to her.

"You know what? I don't deserve a man like you. You are the sweetest guy I have ever known." she said as a smile appeared on her lips.

"Well, I'm lucky too. I have a wife who is not only beautiful, but also intelligent and is so loving too."

She kissed him tenderly, their arms wrapped around one another as he gently laid her down on the bed. His hands moving over her breasts, fondling them through the fabric of the nurse's uniform that she wore. Rebecca didn't try to push him away, for no matter how tired she was, she found herself wanting him as much as he wanted her. The feel of the touch of his hands on her was enticing, as he slowly started to removed her clothes, as she did the same to him. The only thing, which she could think about, was how much she wanted to make love to him. To feel his flesh against hers, taste his kisses and then feel him inside her, thrusting with such vigor as he made her feel the passion, which they longed to embrace. Paul was her love, and she would do anything to please him, as much as he pleased her. That was all that she could think about right at that moment. The only thing, which really mattered to her, no matter what else, was happening within their lives.

After the moment was over, Rebecca found herself drifting off into a dream. One, which had been so intense, like nothing, she had ever had before. She had found herself in the arms of John. The scent of incense filled the air, reminding her of when she used to go to church as a child, while the room was dimly lit with large candles burning around them. Feeling him kiss her so tenderly, which his fingers traveled over her naked flesh, like tiny explorers discovering a new land. Each touch, each kiss, heightened the pleasure which he was making her feel. Her back pressed against the hard wood of the table, which she lay on. Rebecca could feel his lips moving down her body, caressing every inch of it with such focused attention. She closed her eyes as the waves of passion consumed her mind. There was no way she could pull away from this man, even if she wanted to. His lips moved down between her legs, to her sex, which waited eagerly for him. Feeling him attack it, made her gasp. Her back arched as she felt she couldn't take any more of this. Rebecca couldn't understand why she was unable to push away from John. But it had gone to far now for her to do anything about it. She had become enveloped within the passion that he had brought to her. It was then she felt his manhood thrust into her. Making her gasp even more as her eyes opened. She found her head over the edge of the table, except it wasn't a table at all, but tan altar. As her head dangled over the edge, her eyes caught the sight of a large crucifix with the statue of Jesus on it.

"My God. We're doing it in a church." she thought.

Right at that moment she could feel his thrust becoming more forceful, burning her sex, making it impossible for her to resist its pleasure. Her body opened like a flower, yearning for every ounce of pleasure that he could give her. Her nipples throbbed and her sex throbbed as she fell deeper into this forbidden passion. Her head raised up determined to look at his face. His eyes looking at her with such a fiery passion, as each thrust from his hips drove her into a higher level of pleasure.

"Oh John, yes… Yes. Don't stop." she begged.

"I want to please you like no other man can." he said.

Or at least she thought he said it, for she could hear his voice, but his did not more. Before she could say anything else, he flipped her onto her stomach, spread her legs and then impaled her again. Her breasts pressed against the soft cotton fabric of the cloth, which covered the altar. She could feel him driving deeper and deeper into her love canal, as she let out such moans of ecstasy Even though this was blasphemy for them to be doing; Rebecca could no longer care about that. She had gone too far with it to stop now. Her eyes looked up again at the statue of Jesus on the cross. Hearing her name being whispered over and over again, lingering in the air around them. It was then that she saw blood flowing from the statue's eyes and the wounds on its hands and feet. It eyes stared at her, almost as if they were looking at her in disgust. At one point she could swear that they were glowing with a white angelic light. The whole time the sound of the voices calling out her name grew louder, as the pleasure they shared overwhelmed her. She could feel her climax flow through her like a tidal wave, draining every ounce of her strength. Then when hers ended, his began, filling her with his liquid essence. Then the sound of a woman screaming echoed through the darkness.

Rebecca sat up in the bed, her eyes darting around her, heart racing wildly, body coated in sweat, as she tried to figure out where she was. When she realized that she was in the motel room alone, she laid her body back onto the bed. Paul had left so that she could sleep, and right now she was glad he wasn't there. For if he were, he would have been asking about what was wrong. And what her dream was about. The dream she had, had seemed so real that she thought it had happened. She could feel her sex throbbing in pain, as if she had really endured it. Rebecca had no idea why she had dreamed about having sex with John, but she did. In a way, when she had made love to Paul, for a brief moment she had imagined that he was John. And because of it, she found herself even more aroused by it. She had no idea why she was feeling this way, for she had never had fantasized about another man before. How she wished she could find the answers to this odd feeling she was experiencing. But in a way, Rebecca feared to find out the truth.

"What in the world is going on with me? I wish I knew." she whispered as she felt herself drifting back to sleep.

Back into the world of her forbidden desires, which she would never speak of to anyone. Not even admit it to herself.

Paul found himself sitting in a booth at a small coffee shop in the middle of town. His eyes stayed focused on the computer screen of his laptop, as the words started to flow in his mind. As he continued on with the story he was working on, he felt himself slip away into the world of his own imagination. His way of escaping from everything that was around him. Even though it would be only for a short time, it didn't really matter to him. All that he could concentrate on was the story, for in his mind that was the only thing that was important at the time. After he had stopped, Paul had written a hundred pages (including the pages that were already written before), without making one mistake. His hand reached over for the smoldering cigarette that sat in the ashtray. He took a drag from it, as he tried to get himself to relax. It was then the waitress, a young woman with long brown hair that was tied back in a ponytail, came up to his table. She smiled at him so pleasantly, as her hands rested at her side.

"Can I get you another coffee?" she asked.

"Sure, that would be great." he replied.

The woman walked away, Paul's eyes watched her as she did. Even though he was married, he figured there was no harm in just looking at another woman. It was then that he saw the woman with the ebony hair standing by the front door of the place. She was wearing a white blouse and tight faded blue jeans, which showed off the curves of her hips and legs. For some reason she just stood there watching him, as if he was suppose to get up and go to her. But Paul figured if she had something to say to him, she would come over to him. So he sat there and waited to see what she would do. The whole time he did, thoughts of Rebecca came back into his mind. Wondering what else it could be that she was hiding from him? After a couple minutes had passed, the woman made her was to him. Paul tried to act as if he hadn't seen her, but he knew to well that she was aware of it. The way she moved across the room seemed so elegant, like something out of a dream. Her eyes stayed focused on him as a devilish grin formed on her lips. Did she know something more about Rebecca? And more important, did he really want to know about it? Paul just sat there, unsure of what she was going to tell him. Even though he felt the urge to walk out, it was already too late. She had seen him and now was closing in. Even though he didn't invite her to sit down with him, she did it any way.

"It's so nice to see you again, Paul." she said.

"Yeah, after last night how could I forget you. Of course, I still don't know your name." he replied.

She just looked at him with an almost cocky expression on her face. Paul wasn't sure if she would tell him her name or not. But why would she want to hide it from him? Was there something about who she was that brought about some trouble? In a way he really didn't care, all that he wanted was to continue on with his story. Yet, part of him couldn't pull away from her. Wanting to know what she would say next to him. What information she would have about Rebecca. For a moment she just sat there in silence, her eyes never straying from him. It was as if she was waiting to tell him something, which of course was what Paul feared.

"Why are you so interested in knowing about me? Is it that important to you?" she asked.

"It is. I would like to at least know the person's name when I'm talking to them. Why is it that you don't want me to know that?" he said.

"Because I don't want you to get involved in what is going on around this town. Something is going to happen, something big. And you have to be sure that you're not around when it comes." she said as her hand reached out and touched his.

"I understand. But what could it hurt to just know your name."

She smiled at him, as if she knew that he was right. And also that he was determined to know it, no matter how long it would take.

"My name is Dasha. If you ever need me, just think my name and I will be there. I am here to help you, in any way I can." she said smiling.

That was the one thing which Paul really didn't understand. How could she help him, when he didn't know what problems he was facing? In a way though he felt that she knew more about him than she was letting on. The only thing that he could do was to trust her and wait to see what would happen. He knew there was something which she wanted to tell him. That was the one thing which seemed obvious to him. But what was it? That was what he feared.

"So why are you here?" he asked.

"To warn you. Things are not what they seem. Your beloved Rebecca is being tempted on being unfaithful to you. And if she does, she will become one of the Reverend's followers." Dasha said.

"What can I do to stop her from doing that?"

"Nothing. That is the path she must go on, if she chooses it. You can not try and bring her back, or you will be drawn into the darkness too. You must finish the story, that is what matters." she said in a stern voice.

Paul couldn't understand the importance of him finishing this book. And why shouldn't he try to stop Rebecca from cheating on him? To try and save their marriage. It all seemed like some sort of bizarre dream that he couldn't get out of. It was then that she stood up, her eyes gazing down at him.

"I must leave now, but we shall meet again. Do nothing to stop Rebecca from going down her own path. There shall be someone else who shall touch your heart. A woman shall come soon. Till then, focus on your story." she said.

Right after that she fade away, like the lingering memory of a dream in the mind. Paul couldn't believe what had just seen or even what she had said. It had to be wrong, for in his mind he believed that Rebecca wouldn't do something like that. Of course he couldn't believe that she could kill someone, but she had. And she had an affair with a married man in the past. Maybe this town did have some sort of power over the people who lived here. But what? And if it did, then what would it make Rebecca do? In a way he really didn't want to find out. Just seeing the man look on that woman's face, the one who had killed the cop and herself last night, terrified him. Thinking that Rebecca might get that way too, or even worse. But no matter what, there would be nothing Paul could do about it. And what could Dasha have meant when she said that another would come to him?

"Paul you are definitely going crazy. There is no way what you have seen had really happened." he said to himself under his breath.

Even though he said it, in a way he couldn't make himself believe it to be true. As he sat there trying to find a logical explanation for what he had witnessed, his head started throbbing in pain. It had gotten so bad, that he couldn't even continue on with his writing. Luckily he had gotten enough done for one day. More than that which he had believed he would be able to do.

"What the hell is happening ? Why is this happening to me?" he whispered as his hands covered his face.

The pain in his head started to grow even stronger, making him thinks that his head was going to explode. When he removed his hands from his face, he noticed the waitress standing by his table. She had such a concerned look on her face as she held the tray with his coffee on it.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

"Yeah, just a little tired that's all." he replied.

"Then I guess you'll really need this." she said as she placed the coffee in front of him.

Paul thanked her for it, then watched as she made her way back to the counter. This time though he wasn't thinking about her, but about Rebecca. Could Dasha be right? Could Rebecca be thinking about having an affair? Even though he knew it was ridiculous, the thought of it still stayed in his mind. He had no idea what he would do if he found out that this was true. Then Paul found himself thinking about Dasha. About how she had said that something was coming and he had to steer clear of it. The only thing that Paul wasn't sure about was what that could be. He could feel the tension building in him, making it difficult for him to find any logical thoughts. In a way he started to wonder what it could be that he had gotten into.

His eyes looked around at the customers in the coffee shop, as if he was expecting to find someone watching him. All he could see was a teenage couple sitting in a booth holding hands, three elderly women at a table talking about the latest gossip and a young woman with long amber hair and blond highlights sitting across the room from him, reading a book. For some reason Paul found himself watching her, for what reason he was not sure yet. She was dressed in a dress and shawl that gave her the appearance of a gypsy. He turned his attention away from her, back to the screen of his laptop. As he stared at the blinking cursor, he could feel someone's eyes on him. Watching him so closely, probably trying to figure out what he was doing. Then again it all could just be his imagination. Even though he wanted to look around and see who was watching him, he didn't. How he wished he could make sense of what was happening to him, but nothing did. The more he thought about it, the more confused he became. He just tried to forget about it, as he continued on with his writing. As he did, he could feel the person's stare growing even stronger. As if it was like a hot poker burning through his flesh. He knew he had to find out who was looking at him Paul knew it had to be either the waitress or the brunette that reading her book. In a way Paul really didn't care about it, for his attention was focused on what he had written on the screen. He didn't realize that what he wrote was what he had gone through so far. To him it was just another story that he came up with his head. But this time he was writing it down. In the story the main character was looking out the window, watching as two men who were beating each other to death. The only other difference was that this story was based in downtown Chicago. Still, Paul felt there was some connection from what he was writing and the events, which had happened so far.

"Come on Paul, you know there is no way the things you are writing are going to come true. You're just letting your imagination run wild." a voice said in his head.

"But what if it is? What if some how what I'm writing is finding a way of coming true?" he thought.

The voice didn't say anything, for he knew what he had thought was ridiculous. He heard it let out a sigh, yet it didn't seem to come from his head.. No, this time it was coming from somewhere in the room. Clinging in the air and surrounding him. He could feel the fear running through his soul, stiffening his body slightly. Then his body relaxed as it slowly felt the fear leaving him.

"Look… Look what's happening outside." the waitress yelled as she pointed at the window.

For a moment Paul really didn't care about what was going on outside. But after a couple seconds, his curiosity got the best of him. He had to find out what the waitress and the others were looking at. He turned his head and looked out the window, seeing two men fighting. The look on their faces were that of pure madness. Eyes glaring in rage, fists clutched, as they screamed at each other in a language at all, just a series of grunts, moans and words that made no sense at all. The one man was about thirty-three, crew cut and fresh blood splattered on his T-shirt and jeans. His name no one seemed to know. The other man had to be in his late forties with brown hair that was slightly balding, wearing a dark navy blue suit. This man they knew, his name was Kurt Plantain. The man with the crew cut held a tire iron in his hand, swinging madly as move in on Kurt. Screaming like a madman, as his eyes bulged in such lunacy. Kurt backed up, dodging each swing, as he looked around for something to use as a weapon. He could feel the tire iron strike his side, making him scream out in agony. His body bent down, as the pain surged through him. From the corner of his eye, he saw the gas can which the Kurt had held before this fight started. It was his only chance and he had to take it. He raced over to the gas can, feeling the breeze from the swinging tire iron missing him by inches. The sound of his aggressor grew louder, even closer to him. When he reached the gas can, he picked it up, opened it, and then turned to the other man. Before he could strike, Kurt threw the gasoline at him. It splashed into his face blinding his eyes, as he screamed out in agony. Kurt took a Zippo lighter from his suit coat pocket, then lit it. But before he could throw it onto the trail of gasoline on the ground, the tire iron struck his head. Then again and again, blood flowing down his face, as his had loosened. The lighter fell onto the trail of gasoline, setting it ablaze. The flames quickly traveled over to the man, setting him on fire, while Kurt's body fell to the ground. He twirled around letting out such a horrid scream, as the flames grew even higher on his body. Till finally the flames engulfed him totally. He fell forward, his dead burning body collapsed on Kurt's corpse.

Paul turned away feeling the disgust festering in his soul. He couldn't believe this was happening again. He knew there was something in this town that was making these people act this way. The only thing was what could it be? The more he thought about it, the more confused he became. Till finally, he just gave up on it. Figuring there was no way he would be able to find out.

"Paul old boy, you just walked into the town from hell." he said to himself.

"Are you sure about that?" a woman's voice said, coming from the side of him.

When he turned around, he saw the brunette standing by his side. Her light blue eyes stared at him with almost a playful expression in them. Just when he looked at her, he found himself unable to say anything. He knew that she was waiting for him to say something, but his mind couldn't find the right words to speak.

"I'm not sure. he said.

"I noticed you sitting here by yourself. It looked like you could use a friend." she said, then hesitated. "May I?"

"Be my guest, I could always use the company."

She sat down at his table across from him, her eyes staring at him with such interest. Paul had no idea why she looked at him that way, but figured it would be revealed soon enough.

"So, what are you working on?" she asked.

"I'm working on a book. A novel." he replied.

She looked at him with an expression of such interest. To him it wasn't something that he never really thought about as interesting, he just did it.

"How far have you gotten in your book?" she asked.

"I have a hundred and twenty pages written so far." he commented.

"Wow… That's impressive." she said smiling.

Just the way she smiled brought about a warm feeling in him. Even though he didn't know anything about her, Paul could feel a strong connection to her. That was, if it was possible to feel that with someone you just met. None the less, there was something about this woman which made her stand out from everyone else. Just like Dasha. He only hoped that this woman wouldn't vanish before his eyes too.

"What's your name?" he asked.

"Alyssa. And you?" she said.

"Paul. Nice to meet you."

"So, what's the deal with you and that spirit you were talking to?" she asked.

Paul's eyes widened in disbelief. She had seen her, had really seen her. That or she was playing some sort of cruel joke on him. Yet, when he looked at her, Paul had the feeling that she wouldn't do something like that. He had to find out what she knew about it. That was if there was anything to discover at all.

"I don't know what you are talking about?" he said.

"Yes you do. The woman with the black hair that was sitting with you, then disappeared right in front of you."

"What do you know about her?" he asked in a frightened tone.

"Not much. Only that her name is Dasha Lexington and that she died twenty years ago. Reverend Campbell's followers had hung her from one of the blades of the old Mill. Before she died, she had swore revenge on the entire town, for they were too afraid to stand up to him and stop their senseless killings. And I guess her spirit has returned to do just that." Alyssa said.

"Then why would she have such an interest in me? What's the connection?" he asked.

"I'm not sure. All the information I have on her is back at my place. If you want we can go there and see what we could find out." she said blushing slightly.

Paul wasn't sure what her true intentions were, but he wanted to find out more about Dasha and also about Alyssa. In a way he found himself wondering what it would be like to kiss her. He had no idea why he was feeling this way, only that he was. Paul was willing to take the chance, just to find out what would happen. Without even thinking about it, he agreed.