Paranormal Witness

Paranormal Witness(Jennifer Jones) I am not dead. Nor am I alive. I feel somewhat stuck between three very different worlds. I look straight ahead. At a far distance I can see the first world. Souls that have not chosen a God roam around in search for loved ones, lonely and desperate to move on. I tilt my head up towards the cloudy sky. Through those big white clouds, I can see a great God smiling at those who chose to follow his path through out life. Tiny sweet voices of the holy souls could be heard. I came to a cliff and stopped. A bridge was connecting the cliff I was on to the cliff on the other side and continuing to another land. I stepped onto the bridge and immediately looked down. It was fiery hot and a heat wave to come up to my feet and through my body, causing me to break out in a sweat. I could see individual souls down there. Lost souls of the damned and the doomed. I continued walking and wandering. I don’t know which world I belong in. But I must hurry. This bridge will be ending soon.

A month earlier. It’s eleven thirty p.m. and I find myself awake and laying in my bed staring at the ceiling. I reach over to the night stand and grab my iphone. I tap the mail icon and send a message to my friend from high school named Samuel. Hey… sending. I waited for the check mark to appear. I set my phone down on my bed and got up to go to the refrigerator. I opened it and found that there weren’t that many choices to chose from. But I saw some ice cream and immediately grabbed it. Now I know a pint of Ben and Jerry’s Peanut Butter and Chocolate ice cream isn’t the best mid night snack, but just the thought of that chocolate made my stomach growl. So I closed the refrigerator with it in my hand and grabbed a spoon. Then I ran back upstairs and my phone was lit up displaying ‘one new message.’ I picked it up and tapped the view button. ‘ wow you’re up late.’ I reply to it with ‘ikr cant sleep at all.’ Then I picked up my pint of ice cream and took a big scoop of it, putting it in my mouth. The coldness of it froze my two front teeth for nearly a full minute. After waiting around ten minutes for Samuel to reply, I decided to call him instead.
“Hello?” He answered.
“Hey what’s up?” I asked.
“Nothing I’m just on my computer checking my email.” He said over the clicking of his mouse.
“And that would explain why you didn’t respond to my text message.”
“Yeah about that… He started. “I’m sorry anyways how’s life?”
I took another scoop of ice cream and put it in my mouth. Biting down on a big piece of a peanut buttercup. “It’s okay I guess.” I said.
He laughed. “You know you’re not supposed to chew with a full mouth.”
I laughed too. “But I’m hungry and it’s so good!”
“What exactly are you eating?” He asked.
“Peanut butter and chocolate flavored ice cream.”
“Sounds good you’re making me jealous.” He said.
“Well, how about we go out to dinner tomorrow and you can enjoy some ice cream in my face?”
He paused for a second. “Sounds good.”
“Alright well I’ll let you know where we can eat at tomorrow, okay?.”
“Okay bye.” He said.
I hung up the phone and put it back on my night stand. Then I rolled over and pulled the sheets half way over my face as I sighed and closed my eyes. A short while later I was asleep in no time.

The next day, I woke up feeling extra tired. I sat up and rubbed my eyes a I tried to blink against the bright sunlight. It was time for me to get ready for work. I don’t really hate my job because I help children and parents in need of counseling. Now if I was flipping burgers at a restaurant, then I would probably hate my job. I got out of bed and let out a big yawn. I went into the bathroom and took a quick ten minute shower and came out wrapped in a pink towel with the sent of lavender in the air. I walked over to my closet and opened it. Reaching up, I pulled back a row of clothes that were too casual for work. At the very back of my closet was an all over black suit with a skirt. I grabbed it and put it on. Then at the bottom of the rack, I grabbed a pair black high heels to complete the look. Glancing at the alarm clock, I realized I had no time to make breakfast this morning. I rushed downstairs, putting my hair up into a pony tail and getting my keys out of my purse. Once I was outside, I hopped into my newly purchase black Mercedes. My next door neighbor waved at me as I took off going six miles over the speed limit. Just ten minutes later I was pulling into the parking lot of the office I work at. The first section of the big building is where all the physiatrists are positioned at. Right at the end of the building is where all the administrators offices are located. Mines is right in the middle - two stories up.

I climb out of the Mercedes and head toward the front door. This particular section that I work for is also known as the CPSC or Child Protective Services and Counseling area. The work here is not that hard. I help organize files and occasionally when approved by my boss, I can go and visit some of the assigned locations on file. But if I do visit, I am required to record and report anything that might seem suspicious to be used as evidence if that child’s parents are taken to court. I enter the building and stop at the large white desk directly across from the door. On that table is a sign in sheet. I sign my name on it and head down the long narrow hallway lined with elevators on both sides. I stop and scan my ID card on the slot at the side of elevator three. It opens and I step inside, pressing the number two. When it slides open again, I’m on the floor that my office is located. Both men and women in suits and briefcases walk back and forth between rooms. I dodge them as I make the way to my office. It is the second to last door on the right side of the hall. Just as I walk in, my boss Stephanie looks up from a stack of papers.

“You’re late.” She says with a blank look on her face. “I went ahead and started on some of your files and there’s no need to thank me. Cuz’ it’s comin’ outa your paycheck this week.” She smiles but not in the humorous way, but in the joking sarcastic way. She motions towards the large stack of papers. I take them and smile in a bitchy sort of I could care less way.
“Sorry.” I say as I turn my back and stomp away. She nods her head and turns to the laptop on her desk, already recording my tardy in the computer system. I sit at my desk. It is separated from the other desks by a white wall about four feet tall. On the desk is a telephone, notepads and pictures of my family. I set the stack of papers beside the phone and begin to finish sorting them from A to Z. And I was halfway through when a name with a small picture attached to it caught my attention. I stared at it in disbelief. Is this really who I think it is? It was the picture of a once girl but now woman by the name of Jane Dean. From what I know, this was the same Jane that I went to college with nearly a year ago. Her husband John was listed too. This is a surprise to me because Jane was cooperative with all the professors and she made pretty decent grades. But how could she and her husband be listed on this particular file for possible endangerment if she was just an average good person? And since when did she have kids that I never knew of?
“Miranda, stop daydreaming and get back to work.” Stephanie said. I looked up at her and apologized, surprised that she had caught me off guard. After she had turned away, I grabbed a sticky note off the notepad and made a note to remind myself to make a visit to Jane very soon. When five o’clock finally came around, I was relieved to clock out and leave work. I got in my car and drove home to change my clothes. I went upstairs and opened my closet again. This time, I got a short black dress that was backless and strapless. Then I got a pair black high heels and put my other ones back on the bottom rack. My hair was put up in a gypsy style bun. I applied some lip gloss to my slightly chapped lips. When I got outside, I cracked up the car and drove west, toward Samuel’s house. Outside the window there was nothing but trees lining the road and large fields of green grass. In some places horses and cows were roaming around in large ranches. I liked coming out here in the country, enjoying the peace and quiet lands. I waited for an eighteen wheeler to pass before I switched lanes and took a left. From there, I drove up a small hill and into his drive way. He was just coming out his house when I pulled up.
“Hey I didn’t even think you’d show up.” he said. I rolled down the window and shifted into park.
“Oh come on you know I wouldn’t ditch you like that.”
“So where we exactly eatin’ at?” he asked.
“I’m not telling you it’s a surprise.” I smile and shrug my shoulders.
“Really?”
I nod. “Just follow me and you’ll find out.”
I backed out of the driveway as he got in his car and started the engine. About fifteen minutes later we pulled into the parking lot. Samuel got out of his car and looked up at the sign above the restaurant. “Wow, Chinese?”
I shrug as I get out of my car. “Thought I’d choose somewhere different.” When we were inside, a young lady holding a stack of menus greeted us. “Hi, welcome to Chinese Cuisine, I’m Michelle.” We said hey and followed her to small round white table. The restaurant was almost full of people. The smell of Chinese noodles was thick in the air. Michelle handed us a menu. I looked at every item that was on it. Every last one of them sounded good. A few minutes later Samuel motioned for Michelle to come over. “Ready to order?” she asked.
“Yeah I’ll take the teriyaki chicken on a stick with vegetables.”
“Okay and you sir?” she turned toward Samuel.
“I think I’ll try the sweet and sour chicken with rice.”
She scribbled it down on a notepad she was holding. “And what would you guys like for your drinks?”
“I’d like iced tea.”
“Yeah me too.” said Samuel.
We waited for around ten minutes on our food. I looked around at all the different and unique Chinese pictures hanging on the wall. “So you’re okay with this choice right?” I asked him.
“Yeah it’s fine. I love Chinese food just as much as I do American. It’s no problem, I appreciate it.”
Michelle came back with our food about a minute later. “Here you go.” she said as she set our plates down in front of us. I picked up one of the four sticks with teriyaki on it, biting into it as I said, “Man this is delicious.” I looked up at Samuel as he dug into his dish of chicken. “Mmmm, I agree you should try some of this.” As I reached over to get a piece of his chicken I noticed a small wrapper beside my drink. “Hey look I a fortune cookie.” I say as I picked it up and unwrapped it. I cracked it open and pulled the small slip of paper out of it.
“Hmm I don’t see another one.” he said as he looked around. “What does yours say?”
I didn’t answer his question directly. “I…I um.” I stuttered. I read it out loud slowly instead. “It says death is on its way.” I spoke in almost a whisper.
“What the hell? Let me see that.” He grabbed it out my hand and read it silently. His look changed from shocked to puzzled. “Now this is some messed up shit, ha-ha.”
“Got damn it Samuel, this isn’t funny. I’m reporting it to the manager.” I picked up my purse, preparing to leave.
“Wait, wait, wait a minute now. Why are you leaving we barely finished eating.”
“You know what? I don’t like the feel of this place anymore. I get a fortune cookie that gives me bad luck instead of good luck. F-that. You can stay and finish your food but im going to get something from Subway down the road.”
Samuel laughed even harder. “What? Oh come on you’re making a big deal out of nothing. It’s just a stupid cookie.”
I stood and moved towards the front door. Another waitress appeared right in front of me smiling. “Leaving? She asked. “Oh yeah.” I replied. “Have a great day and please come again.” she said. I stopped and stared at her. Right in her face. “No. The. Hell. I. Won‘t.” I walked out and left her standing there stunned.

Once I was got to my car, Samuel racing to me, stopping me from closing the car door. “Wait a minute Miranda, please come back in so we can finish our food that we barely started.”
I rolled my eyes. “You saw what that damn thing said and I’m way to upset to eat now.”
He put his hand on his hips and cocked his head to one side. “Since when does stupid stuff like this upset you?”
I yanked the car door from his hands and shut, letting the window down as I cranked up the car. “Since my life has been threatened. But listen I gotta go and I’ll talk to ya later.”

I backed out of the space and drove to a particular part of the city. The part that I dreaded going to, but I have some business to handle now. It was getting dark outside. The moon, a full one today, hung in the sky shining bright. I rode down the dark quiet street. It was literally so quiet that I could hear my ear ringing. I sped through the neighborhood before turning into a short narrow driveway. I opened the door and stepped out of the car. As I walked up to the front door, my high heels click-clacked loudly on the pavement. Before I could even knock on the door someone peeked out the curtains and came to open it for me. My hand was still in mid air as the door opened to reveal Jane standing in the doorway. She was glaring at me. I noticed she had a blackened eye. Her face was only half lit up by the dim porch light. But I could still notice that her lips appeared to be swollen. They moved as she began to speak.
“What the hell do you want?” Her voice was raspy and her breath smelled foul. Smelled like she hadn’t brushed them in weeks. I was still in shock by her appearance that I couldn’t speak for a minute. She pointed a finger at me and narrowed her eyes. “If you’re hear to take what I love from me, you better turn your ass back around.”
I backed up a step. “You don’t understand. That’s not what I came here for.” I added.
She leaned towards me, closing the gap I had created between us. “I know exactly what you came here for. And I’ll be damned if I let you walk up in here and take my kids!” she screamed at me. “I won’t let it happen.” she whispered in my face.
“Jane listen to me, I didn’t come here to take you children away from you. I came to make sure that they’re okay because I was notified that they are in possible dangerous conditions.” I spoke softly. But that didn’t help. It only made her madder.
“You think my kids may be in danger?! Son of a Bitch!!” She hit the door with her fist. Then she took another step towards me. She was a little to close for my comfort. I shoved her aside, causing her to almost fall off the porch.
“AHHH, bitch get out of my way.” she screamed. But I didn’t listen to her. I stepped inside and ran to the back of the house. I nearly tripped on some broken glass and a broken off Barbie doll head. When I reached the hallway it was dark. I had to re-adjust my eyes from being in the bright living room. I saw that there were five rooms. Two were on the left, two on the right. I determined that the fifth door was a bathroom or closet. Just as I was about to enter the first one on the right, the last door on the left suddenly opened. “Shit, God help me.” I muttered to myself. He caught me. In the act as I was standing there with my hand on the door. He looked with big huge black eyes at me. I looked at him. Only our expressions on our faces weren’t the same. I was in a state of shock. And he was about to explode with anger. “Jane who the HELL is this my house?” He yelled loudly and moved towards me. I backed up a step and almost fell on Jane standing right behind me. Now I was trapped. I realized the only way I could escape was to enter one of the rooms near me.
“No I didn’t invite her in here John, she forced her way in.” I felt the atmosphere in the room change. I shifted on my feet uncomfortably. I had to make a move.
“I’ve said this once. And I will say it again. I only came here to check on the kids.” I said causally. I eyed the distance to first door nearest me. Then the second door, slightly farther. I caught his eye. He knew what I was about to do. But before I could he ran towards me like a bull and picked me up, my feet dangling off the floor.
“Damn it! Put me down!!” I yelled. Everything from my waist up was hanging off his broad shoulders. He swung me around, telling Jane to lock the door to the kids room. As he got closer to the door, I reached out and grabbed the door knob, causing me to slide halfway off of him.
“Oh no you don’t.” he said as he held on to me tighter and through me back over his shoulder. He was squeezing my legs so tight I thought I might lose circulation. My breathing got harder and harder by the second. He took me out to his truck parked outside. Jane came up right behind him and helped him put me in the back seat.
“I got her. You go get a small towel out the bathroom for me.” he told her. He reached over in the front seat and pulled out a gun, pointing it at me. “You move, you die.”

Jane came back with a blind fold instead and put it over my eyes. I froze. I didn’t want John to shoot me if I make a sudden movement. I could hear the driver’s door slam. Then my door followed by the passenger one. The car cranked up and went into reverse. As we started moving forward, I became panicked and unsure of where they were taking me. “Where are we?” I asked. I was a big mistake too. One of them, I’m guessing Jane, turned around a smacked me on the side of my face with the gun. I immediately felt blood gushing out. But I didn’t dare say another word.
“Be still.” she said as I squirmed around unable to sit still when the side of my head was hurting so bad. I stopped moving. My head was already about to kill me from the first impact. A second one could knock me out for good. The car kept moving. I tried to use my senses to figure out where we were headed. But it was to quiet to tell. I figured we definitely weren’t in the city anymore since it’s loud and noisy all the time. A few minutes later the car came to a stop. I heard both of them get out and walk around to my door. It opened and most likely John, reached in and grabbed my arm, dragging me out of the car. My feet landed on sand. I now know where I’m at. My blind fold was removed. “No.” I cried. Tears began forming in my eyes and rolled down my cheeks. I look all around, beginning to sob. We were standing just a few feet away from the lake. The water look calm and black. He grabbed me by my hair began dragging me toward the water. “Wait no please don’t drown me!” I screamed. I cried like a baby, gasping for air and trying to pull myself away from him.
“Don’t!!” I say as my head is submerged under the dark cold water. His grip on my hair on made it worst. He shoved my head deeper into the water. I can’t hold my breath any longer. I need air. I screamed at the top of my lungs and kicked my feet. My temperature dropped and my heart beat slowed dramatically. I stared straight toward the bottom of the lake floor. I could feel myself losing consciousness as started I slipping from his grip. And I gave up, going limp in the hands of my killer. My soul detached form my body.

I somewhat pass over into another ‘world’ I should say. I’m alive, but I’m not fully alive. I’m not in my human form. I’m in my spirit form, walking across a bridge in search of which world I should visit. At times, I wish I could go back to my normal life again. Had I not died, I would probably have returned home and told Samuel that I was sorry for having ditched him. But that is no longer possible since I took my own risk and visited a so called friend who took my life away. They witnessed my death. Jane did nothing to help me. If I have learned anything from this paranormal witness of events, I have learned to trust my instincts and any warning signs. Which in my case, the fortune cookie was a big warning. Now that I’m here, I will stay here and wait for both of them to arrive. And when they’re time is up, when they die and come to this world of lost spirits that I’m in, I will shove both of they’re heads into the lake of fire down below the bridge I’m on. I will drown them, just like they drowned me. Until then, I’ll be here waiting for them.