Paper Trail | Teen Ink

Paper Trail

May 1, 2013
By AsIAm PLATINUM, Somewhere, North Carolina
AsIAm PLATINUM, Somewhere, North Carolina
48 articles 3 photos 606 comments

Favorite Quote:
"According to some, heroic deaths are admirable things. (Generally those who don't have to do it. Politicians and writers spring to mind.) I've never been convinced by this argument, mainly because, no matter how cool, stylish, composed, unflappable, manly, or defiant you are, at the end of the day you're also dead. Which is a little too permanent for my liking." — Jonathan Stroud (Ptolemy's Gate)


Police Summary
December 17, 2007 – 0900 hours


Witnesses report that a car drove towards the scene yesterday at 1700 hours, leaving at about 1730. It was not the resident’s car. The resident’s car returned at 1815, followed by another car at 1830, thought to be the Jane Doe’s car. At 2300 hours, there was a loud noise that woke most of the subdivision, and neighbors noted flames at the home. The fire department was called to extinguish the flames. At this point in time, it has been determined that two individuals – a Jay Blevins and a Jane Doe – were in the home at the time of the fire, which preliminary tests have suggested was a bombing. The blast left the two individuals dead at the scene when first responders arrived. Primary documents have been found, including what appears to be a journal, and authorities are in the process of analyzing these elements, as well as discovering the identity of the Jane Doe, who is assumed to be of romantic interest to Mr. Blevins.



Journal Entry
December 5, 2007


I took Missy out to lunch today. I shouldn’t have, but I did. I told her that I wanted to talk, but I took her to The Restaurant; the one where I saw The Thing last week. We didn’t say anything. I could tell that she was still mad. Maybe she knew where we were. Maybe she figured out that I was too scared to go alone, so I took her. I don’t know how she could have known – I didn’t tell her, I didn’t tell anybody.

But that’s when I started locking up this book, so that nobody knows what I saw. Like they don’t already know. I get the feeling that they’re following me sometimes. I see a car that stays behind me for more than a few miles and I panic. Maybe she noticed this book missing from my nightstand. She says I’ve been acting weird – twitchy and restless. That’s why we fought, you know. Because she said I’m off, like I was hiding something. I told her that was silly but she knew I was lying. Maybe she thinks I’m cheating on her. I’d think that, if I was Missy. I can’t keep my thoughts together.

I try to think normal, I really do, but it all feels like lying. Because I know that every thought is just pretend, pretending I didn’t see those eyes and oh gosh! The spatter! I’m doing it again. I’m going to get myself killed. I shouldn’t have taken Missy to that restaurant. I should have made spaghetti. She loves spaghetti.



Journal Entry
December 7, 2007


I think they are following me – I keep feeling their eyes. They know who I am and what I saw. I don’t know how, but they know. I should have gone to the police when I had the chance. I was just so scared that they’d find me, find Missy. But now they did anyway and I never feel alone anymore. I think I heard a noise outside. Maybe it’s Missy. She’s bringing The Notebook because I promised her I’d watch it. But it could be Them. I’m so scared. Oh it’s her! I can’t let her read this. They’d hurt her.



Receipt
December 9, 2007

Jay Blevins
Colt 1911 Pistol [1] - $827
.45 ammunition [4] - $17.99 x 4
SUBTOTAL: $898.96
TOTAL: $961.88



December 11, 2007
Journal Entry


Missy won’t come over. She says I’m scaring her. I don’t know what I’m doing. We just have to be careful. They have eyes everywhere. I know they do. I haven’t slept in four days. I bought a gun - they wanted a background check. I might look a little crazy. But I’m not crazy, I’m just tired, I swear. I haven’t slept in four days. I keep seeing her face, except it’s not her face – it’s Missy. And I’m holding the trigger. But not really. The gun is in a holster on my belt. It’s loaded though. I should be faster at loading it. But I’m not. My hands keep shaking. I haven’t slept in four days…



December 13, 2007
Journal Entry


Missy came over today. She cried a lot and told me that she didn’t know what was going on, but that she was worried about me. We talked for a long time. I won’t repeat it, it was a really long time and I’m exhausted. But she made me realize that maybe I’m taking this a bit too far. I still didn’t tell her what I saw, and she didn’t ask. But she did say I should write it down, so it’s clear in my head. You know, so I can see that maybe I’m exaggerating it in my memory. So here it goes.


I was at Hometown Deli – the one on Broad, not Harper – when I heard a clattering outside. I didn’t think much of it, but I was almost done with my rueben and had a meeting that afternoon, so I left soon anyway. I heard something again as I started to walk down the street, and I looked down between the shops, you know, where they put the trash. There were three men, wearing dark sunglasses, one watching, and two holding some end of the body of a woman with blood dripping down her skull. Oh gosh it makes me so sick… She was young, blonde with pale thin arms. She – forget it. I can’t think about her. Anyway, I thought – I could have sworn – that one of them looked in my eyes. That he mouthed “I will find you.” But that’s silly, right? I was just imagining it, because I didn’t stop but for an instant. They didn’t even know I was there, that I was any different from anybody else looking straight ahead. So there’s no way they could know.


I put the gun in the safe.



December 14, 2007
Newspaper Article


In a third story apartment this morning, a missing person case came to a tragic ending when Nicole Samson was discovered dead with a gunshot wound to the head. A report was filed two days ago, though Nicole has been missing since December 1.

“I thought she was sick or something,” Nicole’s coworker, Vannessa King stated through tears. “I never expected this.”

And who could have seen this coming? A junior at Catawaba University, Samson was a budding detective, studying psychology with a focus on addiction. Her death has been ruled an apparent suicide.



December 15, 2007
Journal Entry


I had a horrible dream last night – I saw it all over again. But this time the dream sort of, I don’t know… Froze. I just saw the guy’s face, for so long. When I woke up, it felt like it had been burned into my vision. I kept thinking I saw him all day, but I didn’t, of course. That is, until tonight. I’m not crazy, I even tried rubbing my eyes and looking again. But he was there, right on the computer. It was one of those pop-up ads that come up when you look at videos. This was a police warning, talking about a drug cartel, and it was the same man. I know it was. They called him King Pin.







December 16, 2007
Text Messages

Jay: Hey baby, you coming over tonight?
Missy: Sure! 6:30? I can bring Chinese food.
Jay: Sounds great – don’t forget the dumplings.
Missy: What do you think I am? C’mon!
Missy: You know, I’m really glad you’re feeling better. You had me worried there.
Jay: Yeah, I know. I just got freaked out. They really should show better stuff on the news.
Missy: Agreed. Can you set up a movie before I come?
Jay: Sure – I’ll get something this afternoon.

Missy (some time later): Thanks for leaving the door open for me – forgot my key again!
Jay: I didn’t… Guess I didn’t close it tight.
Missy: Whatever, I’m coming upstairs – hope that movie is set up! My feet are tired from work. Talk about a long shift – the hospital was crazy busy!
Jay: I’m sorry. Come on up and I’ll rub them for you.
Missy: Now you’re speaking my language. Even if it does smell weird in here. Don’t tell me you left the litter box dirty again. It smells like ammonia…


The author's comments:
I've been puzzling for months over how to write something where everyone died at the beginning. I finally figured it out :)

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This article has 1 comment.


on May. 22 2013 at 5:43 pm
AlexanderIvanAshford BRONZE, Hope Mills, North Carolina
3 articles 0 photos 5 comments

Favorite Quote:
"He didn't know if he was a man who had dreamt he was a butterfly, or a butterfly dreaming he was a man."-Zhuangzi

Well-crafted and original piece. And I believe I speak for many readers when I say that this was also entertainingly creepy.:)