Читать книгу Morion Necklace - Юлия Алпагут - Страница 3

Miranda accompanied her grandmother to the train station. Said goodbye to her and put her on the train. Old woman left.

Sitting in a taxi, the girl suddenly realized that she absolutely did not want to go back home now. It was a warm June morning, and she decided to stroll through the park near her house. Then she went to the café. Went shopping. Walked around the city a little more and returned home only in the evening. Closing the front door behind her, Miranda casually tossed her keys on the shelf in the hallway and threw off her shoes.

– Oh… I’m so tired, – she exhaled.

Somewhere in the apartment her mobile phone rang.

– Oh my God! – exclaimed the girl, – I completely forgot about Aiden and Granny!

Miranda ran into the kitchen, where the bell rang from.

– Hello! – grabbing the phone, she said loudly.

– Oh my God, Miranda! Finally! Why didn’t you answer the calls? – excitedly asked Aiden.

– Sorry, sorry, honey! I escorted Granny to the station and then went shopping… I completely lost track of time… I forgot the phone at home… Sorry…

– Uh, Miranda … – he exhaled, – Thank God you’re okay! I did not know what to think!

– Forgive me, – apologizes Miranda.

– When we meet, I will glue the phone on your hand, – said the man.

– Oh, well, you started talking like grandma! – exclaimed Miranda.

– This is all because your dear grandmother destroyed my brain today! Do you know how many times she called me?

– Yes… I can imagine … – exhaled Miranda.

– Honey, I have to work. I’ll call you later. Please hold the phone nearby. Ok?

– Okay.

– And call your granny! She is very worried!

– I’ll call, – Miranda said and turned off the phone.

A few seconds later she called her grandmother. After hearing from her beloved old woman the story of how much she was worried until she could get through to her, and how did she get to the house, and how grandfather met her, and many other things, Miranda completely exhausted.

– Grandma, I’m so tired … – she squeaked.

– Oh … – said old woman. – My dear, i talk too much… It’s late. Go. Do your business and go to bed. Be sure to call me tomorrow. And do not forget the phone!

– I will not forget, – Miranda assured her. – Aiden is going to glue it to me.

– It is right, – supported grandmother, – Good boy!

– Always knew you would get along, – the girl smiled.

– Yes, yes… Go, honey. Do not forget to call me tomorrow!

– I will not forget, – Miranda said and turned off the phone.

***

The girl went into the bathroom and looked at her reflection in the mirror.

– You’re so pale, Miranda, – she said to herself and tapped on the mirror with her index finger.

– You need to take a bath. Yes Yes! This is a good idea! A hot bubble bath is what you need right now! – she talked with her reflection.

– Today you and I will be alone here. And tomorrow… And, probably, the day after tomorrow… Although… Maybe this is too much? – Miranda thought. – I do not know… I already missed Aiden. The last time I saw him was a week ago, when he took me to the station … – she said and, taking a deep breath and opened the tap.

A strong jet of water gushed into the bath. Slightly twisting the mixer, Miranda adjusted her temperature and plugged the drain with a silver stopper.

Taking off her jersey, the girl caught a glimpse of herself in a fogging mirror. “Something is wrong…” – flashed through her head. She undid her pants and stooped to pull them off. Throwing clothes in a basket of dirty laundry, Miranda turned to the mirror and looked at her reflection again.

– Something is not right… You are strange, Miranda… What’s wrong with you? – the girl said softly, bringing her face to the mirror and wiped it with her hand.

– Oh my God! – bounced back sharply, she exclaimed in horror, not looking away from her reflection.

– How is this possible? It can’t be … – Miranda whispered and put her hands on her chest, where her heart was now beating so hard.

From the mirror, Miranda watched her startled reflection. And only one thing distinguished them from each other. She, Miranda, had blue eyes, and her reflection had brown eyes. Same as hers, now deceased, friend.

“Carey” – the girl thought and covered her face with her hands.

– I’m probably losing my mind, – she said softly and took a deep breath.

“This is a hallucination… a hallucination… There can be no such thing… Really?! I’m just tired… I just need to rest… That’s all… Everything is fine… Everything is good …», – she calmed herself. “You need to open your eyes and see… Now I will look in the mirror, and everything is as before! I am as before… As always …», – Miranda thought and finally decided to look in the mirror at the girl she knew, who looked at her a minute ago with someone else’s eyes.

Miranda slowly removed her hands from her face and opened her eyes. The mirror was completely foggy. And the girl had to come closer to wipe mirror again.

Holding her breath, Miranda looked at her reflection and exhaled with relief. A pretty girl of about twenty-five with long dark hair and blue eyes was looking at her from the mirror. Pale and a little scared, but that was her. It was Miranda. The way she was supposed to be.

***

About two hours later, Miranda came out of the bathroom. Having poured herself a large mug of hot cocoa, the girl went into the living room. Outside it was completely dark. But she did not turn on the light in the room.

Sitting comfortably on the couch, Miranda grabbed the mug in both hands and sipping hot cocoa. She began to inspect the dark room and the chair in which Carolyn used to sit when she came to visit her. The girl wanted to see her beloved friend again. Alive… A sweet and cheerful girl with big brown eyes and a smile that always shines on her face. But no matter how much Miranda wanted it, it was not possible.

– I’ll never see you again, – looking at the empty chair she said sadly. – Ah, my dear Carey… I do not understand how this could happen… It does not fit in my head. The police said you set yourself on fire! I can not believe this…

Miranda thought and a moment later continued as if Carolyn was there, next to her, and could hear her.

– You were so afraid of fire… Do you remember? We were out of town with your parents… Do you remember? Then, in childhood, when in our tree house burning candles fell on our drawings and magazines. And we talked and laughed so much that we didn’t notice it. And then everything flashed… We could not approach the exit… And shouted… We shouted, but no one heard… And then we jumped out the window… We had to do it. You broke your leg then, and I broke my arm… Do you remember? Of course you remember… You were so scared then. You slept with me in the same bed for a month because you were scared. And then, when we returned to the city, you still had nightmares for a very long time. Fire… Fire … – the girl sighed heavily, – They said that you set yourself on fire… But I know… I know how much you were afraid of fire! I know that you never had a match or a candle at your house… But they say that you did it yourself! It’s so hard for me to believe it! How could you, such a kind, nice, beautiful and cheerful person, do that? Do I really not know something? Did you really hide something from me?! After all, you can’t just do what you did! Did you do it?!

Miranda looked at the empty chair and tears flowed from her eyes.

– I want to see you so much, – after a minute pause she continued, – So I want to ask you what happened in your life, what I don’t know about… What pushed you into what you did with yourself?!

Miranda tried to imagine Carolyn entering the room and sitting opposite her in that chair.

– You know, Carey … – the girl sighed heavily, – I do not understand what happened that night… That night… You told me about Danny and you seemed so happy! And when you left… You all shone with happiness! And… I don’t understand what could have happened… You know… All this time, that you are not alive… Oh my God, it seems that an entire eternity has passed! And it took only two weeks… Carey… Carey, all this time I have been tormented by a terrible feeling of guilt… God! I think all the time, what would happen if I did not tell you that the apartment next to me is for sale? What if you didn’t buy it? Maybe you would be alive now? You lived next to me just a month… So close… Just a few steps from me… Just a month…

Miranda dropped a mug of cocoa on the floor and covered her face with shaking hands.

– Why? Why haven’t I heard your screams? – she sobbed, – You screamed! You should have screamed! Why haven’t I heard? Why didn’t I help you?

– Miranda … – suddenly a girl heard a quiet voice, – Miranda…

The girl immediately fell silent. She removed her hands from her face, peering into the darkness and began to listen to the whisper.

– Miranda… Miranda … – someone quietly repeated her name.

“This is Carolyn’s voice” – the girl thought with horror and frightened looked at the empty chair.

– It can not be… It can not be… I’m going crazy … – shaking her head she said.

– Miranda, – suddenly someone said her name loudly.

Girl with fright jumped up from the couch.

– Who is there? – she cried out.

– I’m here, Miranda, – said voice.

Miranda turned her head toward the door and swayed in fear. In the doorway, in the dark, someone was standing.

– Oh my God! Who you are? How did you get here? – she asked excitedly and frightened.

– You do not recognize me, Miranda?! – asked the dark figure and took a few steps forward so that the dim light entering the room from the window could light up her face a little. Miranda turned white with horror.

– Carolyn? Is that you? No… No… It can not be! You … – the girl only had time to say it and her heart almost stopped in fear when the phone suddenly rang. Miranda looked for a moment in the direction from where the phone rang, and then looked again at the place where her deceased friend had just stood. But Carolyn was no longer there. The girl looked into the emptiness, and the phone rang, making loud ringing sounds. Finally Miranda answered.

– Hello, – she said in a trembling voice, – Hello! Who is this? Do not be silent!

– Murderer… – someone hissed softly in a voice like Carolyn’s and hung up.

Miranda stood alone in the dark room. Eyes wide with horror, she looked somewhere in the void. She held a handset near her ear, from which came unpleasant short beeps. And tears flowed down her cheeks.