The Visit

Thursday, October 12, 2023

The sky covered with gray clouds makes this day even more grim. I am nervous and anxious to walk into the church. My stomach starts to churn when I look up at the magnificent church building. It's so tall and looks made out of sandstone. The stained glass looks so beautiful with its array of colors and depictions of Jesus. I look around and see people dressed in black. They are crying, filing in a single line into the building. I see women dabbing their eyes with tissues. Amongst the women, I spot Judy, Izzy, Karissa, and Roni. They reconciled with each other. I don’t want to intrude on them. I follow the crowd down the aisle to the casket that is left open. I look in at my dear friend. She looks so beautiful in her favorite red sparkly dress, and her makeup is all done. Her long brunette hair is done up nicely. She looked like she was just sleeping and was going to wake up soon. I lean down to say my goodbyes.

“Ruth, I will miss you. You were my better half.” My eyes start to water, and I feel a tear running down my cheek. I stood up straight for a bit. I take some deep breaths to calm myself. I lean back down, closer to her ears.

“I promise I will go to our favorite place and make a toast for you.” I give her a quick peck on her forehead. I stand up, wipe my eyes, and proceed to walk to my seat. While sitting in the church for her ceremony, I hear people whispering about how Ruth passed away.

"I heard it was an accident." An old woman with a feather in her hair said.

"Oh, well, I heard she did this to herself." A middle-aged man said.

"Nonsense. I heard she was murdered, but the coroner has marked her death as suspicious.” A young, pretty woman said.

I keep getting a weird feeling while I am listening to them. When the ceremony ended, it was really lovely and sweet. Everyone follows out to the cemetery and watches Ruth being put to rest. I go home and pack my things for tomorrow's trip.

Friday, October 13, 2023

I woke up feeling like someone was watching me. The sun is blindingly coming through my floor-to-ceiling windows. I sit up in bed and stretch. I don't want to get out of bed, but I need to get up. I promised Ruth I would go to our favorite lookout point to make a toast and see the stars. I groan at having to leave my warm, big, comfortable bed. I go into the bathroom and get ready for the day. I eat breakfast and get in my car. Put the key in the ignition and start her up. I look at myself in the rearview mirror.

“Ok, Elizabeth, you can do this. You have to do this for Ruth.”

I drive out of the garage and head south down Drew Street. The leaves on the trees were vibrant orange, red, and yellow. Today is awfully chilly and windy for a fall day. I forgot how the road is so windy with all these turns, but it will be worth it when I get to the lookout. I drive straight to our spot, not wanting to stop. I still couldn’t get the feeling of someone watching me. The road ended; it was time to get out and walk the rest of the way. I get the sparkling water out of the car and a blanket.

I proceed up the hill towards the willow tree that marks our spot. Upon reaching the top, I see a woman with curly brunette hair wearing a sparkly red dress. The dress looks like the one Ruth was buried in, which is odd.

"Excuse me?" She must not have heard me. I walk closer.

"Excuse me, Ms.?" The woman slowly turns. I can't believe my eyes. I drop the sparkling soda and blanket. The woman looks like her. "R…. Ruth?"

"Yes, Elizabeth, it's me."

"How? How are you here? You were put to rest yesterday. I saw your dead body."

"Elizabeth, I cannot explain it myself." I run over to her, my eyes flowing with tears. I throw myself at her and hug her.

"I can't believe that you are actually here."

"Elizabeth…" She forces me to let go and holds me by my shoulders. "I'm here because I'm not at peace."

“What do you mean, Ruth?”

“I was murdered, Elizabeth.”

“What?”

“I need your help to find out who killed me.”

“Ok, Ruth.” I sat down beside her and was ready to listen.

I started my day off by having breakfast with Judy. It was a nice, beautiful day to sit outside and enjoy breakfast at Eden’s Cafe. Judy wanted to talk about her son and how he is starting to have a girlfriend. She wanted advice on how to talk to her son about dating. We talked for an hour until she got a call from Hawkins Middle School. Johnny, her middle child, got into a fight. We had to end our lunch early for her to pick him up.

Then I went to Clarice's in the mall. I need some new jeans. I ran into Karissa while browsing the straight jeans. We got to talking and got coffee from the food court. Then somehow, we ended up in a shoe store. I saw these amazing boots and had to get them. Before I left the mall, I made plans with Karissa to meet up with her the next day for lunch. I got in my car and headed home. Traffic was horrible leaving the mall for my house.

I pull up to my big, blue, two-story modern home. I unload my car and walk straight to the kitchen. I started to make lunch when I heard a knock at my front door. I turned the soup on low and went to see who it was. Upon opening the door, Roni was there. She must have been crying a lot since her eyes were red and swollen. I invited her in and offered her some soup. She told me that her boyfriend broke up with her. They were together for three years. She was telling me that they were at Robert’s restaurant. He got down on one knee, which made her think he was going to propose, but instead, he broke up with her in front of everyone. She stayed at my house till four o'clock, when she decided to go home.

The night started to fall, so I started to get ready for bed. I was about to crawl into bed when there was another knock at my door. I walked down the stairs and turned on the outside light. Izzy was standing there, freezing cold. I opened the door and told her to come inside. We sat on the couch and talked for a bit. Izzy was feeling depressed, so I told her about how my life was going. I got my dream job as a manager interior design, a raise, and a boyfriend. She got happy and realized that her life would get better than mine. She left, and I went to be.

In the middle of the night, I heard a crash downstairs. I got up to investigate and grabbed a bat from the closest one for protection. I walk downstairs, ready to swing at the intruder. I look around and get to the kitchen. There was glass that fell off the container. I must’ve left it, and Sallie, my cat, knocked it down. I went back upstairs but was stopped at the top. I was pushed, but I don’t remember who pushed me.

"Ok, well, from what you told me, everyone in our friend group was with you that day. Who did it? Really try to remember.”

"Wait, there was someone else.”

“Who?”

“Monica!”

“What? Monica is in London.”

“No, she is not. Monica is here in Pennsylvania. She is staying at Quaker Inn on Martha Street.”

“I can’t let her get away with this.” I stand up and am about to walk back to my car when Ruth stops me.

“Elizabeth what? This is the last time you will see me now that we have solved my murder.”

“Ruth, wait.”

“No, I must go now, Elizabeth; my mom is waiting for me on the other side. Remember that I am always with you. Goodbye.” I watch Ruth fade away in front of my eyes. I stand alone again.

I walk to the car and notice my face is wet. I look in the rearview mirror and see my very own eyes flowing with tears again. I wipe them, and with my shaky hands, I put the key into the ignition. I start to drive straight to Quaker Inn. I am so furious that I can’t even focus. I run seniors in my mind on how I am going to confront Monica. I don’t know whether or not to call Pete, my cop friend, before or after. I pull into the parking lot at Quaker Inn, my hands shaking from fear and anger. I pulled out my phone and called Pete.

“Pete, it's Elizabeth.”

“Oh, hey Elizabeth, how is it going?”

“Ruth's death was a murder.”

“What?”

“I want to our lookout point we shared. Ruth was there, and she told me what happened. Monica killed her.”

“Ok, where are you?”

“Quaker Inn on Martha Street Monica is staying here. I’m going to confront her.”

“Elizabeth, don't wait for me.”

I hung up the phone and looked out my windshield towards Monica’s room. I get out of the car and storm up to her room. I turn on the voice recorder on my phone. I pound on the door hard.

“Who is it?”

"Monica, it’s me, Elizabeth.” She slowly opens the door. I pushed the door all the way open and stormed into the room. “I know what you did.”

“I don’t know what you are talking about.”

“Don’t act so innocent and dumb, Monica. I know you murdered Ruth.”

“What?”

“You heard me, you witch.” Monica gets this big smirk on her face.

“So how did you find out?” Monica sits on the bed.

“Ruth told me.”

“Did she tell you how I did it?”

“No!”

"Well, let me tell you.”

I waited till nightfall to put my plan into action. When I pulled up to the house, I saw Izzy standing at the door. Izzy knocked, and Ruth let her in. Izzy was there for a while. I couldn't go in just yet. After a while, Izzy left, and I saw a light turn on upstairs. I knew it was almost time. I waited till Ruth turned the bedroom light off. I snuck in through the kitchen and saw a glass left on the counter. I knocked it over to get her to come downstairs. I hid in the pantry till I saw her walk by with a baseball bat in hand. I snuck upstairs and waited for her. I stood at the top as she made her last stride. Ruth looked up at me, and I pushed her down the stairs. I watched her tumble down, hearing bones breaking. I follow her down and get to the bottom. I look into her eyes and watch as life leaves.

"Now that you know Elizabeth, I can't let you go.”

“What?”

Monica pulls out a knife from her purse that was left on the bed. She lunged towards me, and I was able to dodge it. I look down and see evil in her eyes. I am by the bathroom, stuck, with my only way out being blocked by her. Monica inches forward, and I back up only to hit the wall. I can see her big smile starting to form.

“Why did you do it, Monica?”

“Ruth took everything from me.”

“What do you mean?” She holds the knife to my throat.

“She took my promotion. I was supposed to get the manager of interior design and the raise. She even took my boyfriend from me.” Monica backs away and looks at me with an evil grin.

“This is going to be nice.”

“Monica, please don’t do this.”

Monica launches forward again but is stopped by a loud bang. I open my eyes to see her drop and Pete behind her with his gun pulled out. He shot her and held up his radio.

“This is Officer Vode badge number 55372. I need an ambulance at Quaker Inn on Martha Street, room 205. I have a woman done.” He gets off the radio. “Elizabeth, are you okay?”

“Yes. Will she live?”

“Yes, Elizabeth. Her wound is not dangerous.”

“Great, she can't get away with Ruth’s death.” I pull out my phone.

“I hope this will help; it is her confession.”

“It will.” 

Thursday, October 19, 2030

Monica was arrested for Ruth’s murder and attempted murder. Every year on October 13, I visit the lookout point. I know Ruth is not there, but I still update her on what is going on. I told her how I had developed breast cancer and was in stage four. I told her I only had months to live and couldn’t wait to be with her.

Friday, December 12, 2030

My mother, Elizabeth, has passed away. She told me about Ruth and their special spot. I keep up the tradition she started. I visit them every year. I know she is happy in heaven with Ruth.