The Town's Only Death

Strange things happen in my small sea side town. At least, that's what people say. No one knows the story of the town, the history. So, Felix and I are set to figure it out together.

People have been taken, every year one person from a random House is taken, some are returned, others never come back. Last year, my cousin was taken, this year, everyone is afraid it will be them. My cousin, you see, showed back up, but not her herself, her body, shredded on the side of the river bank and we want to know why.

One week, one week before the next person is taken, Felix and i walk the path in the park slowly, the crisp fall air blowing makes the colored tree leaves look even more amazing.

"Alice, are you scared? Of.. next week?" Felix asks hesitantly

"No," I say "why should I be?" I reply, enjoying the feeling of crunching leaves below my feet.

"Are you not afraid of getting taken?"

"No, cause one day we will be, no use in being afraid. Felix, what are you getting at?" I ask worried

"I'm saying, let's find out why people are getting taken every year. There has to be something."

"You know what, sure. Let's do it."

As we walk, we go to the town square, seems like everyone is enjoying the cool autumn day. Felix takes us to the town hall to look at the towns history, but the lady at the desk explains that if we want that story we have to find the box with the locket and then the woman it belongs to. The only person who has come back alive, the first person to be taken.

So, we head down to the basement of the small town hall to find the locket.

Looking through boxes, Felix excitedly yelps " I found it Alice, I found it!" He runs and hugs me.

The locket had someone's initials on it, the towns witch. Well, she isnt really a witch, but she lives in a creepy shed like house at the end of River Drive and never leaves. But, we go anyway.

Coming up to the house, Felix and i both get goosebumps, I can feel his through his thin long sleeves, I can feel his muscles tighten as he knocks on the woman's door.

As the door creaks open, a small boney black cat slips through the doors crack before a woman no taller than I walks through the threshold.

I hold up the locket, my hands shaking "I-I found your locket, I was wondering if you could tell us what happened all those years ago. Why all this started." I stutter trying to get the words out.

"We want to stop this, before someone else is taken." Felix speaks after me and the woman beckons us inside.

"Sit, I knew someone would come eventually" the woman says, sitting in a wooden rocker across from a small couch.

"The town, has a past. I am the reason for that past. I was a reckless teen, and he did not like it. That man, was death." She speaks slowly.

"I always joked that we wasn't real, that he was a joke, never had I been so wrong."

"When he found me," she says "he told me I had a choice. Either he take my baby sister from me, or he curse the town for one person to die each year. I chose my sister to live, but I am not allowed to see her. I was gone a week, but to me it felt like a few hours." The woman finishes and sips her tea.

"How do I talk to him? How can I stop this?" I ask quickly, wanting an answer.

"He'll stop for a price, but possibly one you won't like. But you don't choose to speak to him, he chooses you."

And with that Felix and I give the woman her locket and go back out into the cool air. "He picks me? So that means, if I don't get picked next week, this won't stop" I tell Felix, angry.

"Are you crazy Alice? That's a death wish!" Felix turns me so that I face him.

"I have to Felix, this has to stop" I say, and hug him tight.

The next few days go by slowly, mostly Felix trying to make me believe it won't be me chosen. That it will be someone else, but the day is so close, and I have a creeping feeling that it will be me.

After school, we get pizza. I can't stop thinking that two days from now, someone will be taken, but instead of being afraid, I'm excited, it feels like I'm filled with adrenaline but I'm calm.

As we walk home through the park like every day, Felix seems off, until he breaks the comfortable silence.

"Alice, do you really think it'll be you that will get picked? Do you really want that?" He asks, fear rippling from his voice.

"Yes. I want this to be over, don't you?" I ask, playing with my sleeve.

"No, Alice, I don't," He looks down at me "I can't lose you Alice" his warm hand slips to my neck.

"It wouldn't be a terrible loss.." I reply, my heart beat quickening as his other hand slides to my hip.

"I can't lose you Alice because, I love you." He says, waiting for my reply, but all I can do is lift my lips to his. And at that moment, I don't want me to be chosen.

"W-why didn't you tell me sooner.." I say after we move apart, my head resting against his chest.

"I was afraid, I was so afraid you didn't love me back" Felix says, his left hand tightening slightly against my hip.

"I do love you Felix, I always have." I say, moving closer against him, feeling safe against his chest.

We break apart after a few minutes and head home, him to his house after walking me to mine and giving me a goodbye kiss. Everything felt warm, like nothing could stop me from what I want, him. I walk upstairs, and go to sleep.

I wake up the next morning feeling happy, but then scared. Tomorrow, someone is picked to be taken and for the first time since Sunday, I don't want it to be me.

Felix and I walk to school, and like every year, someone is talking about tomorrow morning, wondering who will go missing. My anxiety rises, Felix must notice because he grabs my hand in his and walks me to class without speaking a word. Lunch and the rest of my classes are the same, Felix walking me there and kissing me before I walk in the room until the end of the day when we have to walk through the park, again.

Instead of going home right after school, Felix and I sit down at the park bench and cuddle against one another as we watch the colorful leaves fall with each gasp of wind. Before his phone rings and his mother tells him she wants him home, because everyone is afraid of what's to come at midnight.

Once we get to my doorstep, before Felix kisses me goodbye he speaks "please call me at midnight, promise me you'll stay safe."

"I'll stay safe, I promise." I tell him right before his lips meet mine and I murmur "I love you" against his.

"I love you too" Felix says and I watch him walk down the road before I go inside and up to my room.