Death Watcher-Section 3

First, I apologize these snippets aren't very long. Between work, school, family, and editing I don't have a lot of time. Hopefully I'll pick up my pace soon though because this one is always in my head. 
Second, if you missed either of the previous sections go here: Death Watcher-Section 1 or here: Death Watcher-Section 2



“Jake…” I started, turning off the car. I thought about trying to outright lie to him again, but he would know. He always knew. Once again guilt clawed at my throat until it was hard for me to breath normal. Jake was one of the best men I’ve ever known and I’d gotten him involved in something I didn’t even understand.

I cleared my throat and tried again. “That man across the street. He was…well, it’s just that…I could tell he was completely impaired. He couldn’t even walk straight and when I saw him heading for his car, I panicked.” There. Some truth, some…not truth. Hopefully he would let it go.

“Raelynn, do you know why I broke up with you?” Jake asked, his voice a low timber in the too quite car. The sudden change of topic took me completely by surprise. My gaze snapped to his and suddenly the already small space now felt overwhelmingly suffocating.

In all honestly I didn’t know why he dumped me. I assumed it was just because he was so popular now and wanted to date around. But I never asked him, just accepted when he said we were over and happy to have been a part of his life. Having no air left in my lungs to answer, I shook my head. His eyes were so intense I felt a shiver rake my body before I could stop it.

“Because you’ve never let me in enough to be completely honest with me. Not really anyway. You would give me just enough to keep me around, make me think you trusted me, but you always kept your secrets to yourself. I couldn’t do it, I couldn’t watch you struggle with whatever demons you wrestled and not be able to do anything about it.”

I would have laughed at his choice of words if I hadn’t been so utterly devastated. He pinned me directly and I couldn’t handle what he was saying. It was true. Too true, and there was nothing I could do about it. It was better to let him think I had trust issues than try to explain the very real demons that actually haunted my life.

He seemed to realize the conclusion I arrived at and sighed in defeat, sufficiently breaking my heart into smaller pieces than they already were. Tears blurred my vision as Jake reached for the handle of my car. This was worse than when we broke up, how was that possible? It felt infinitely more final and I hated it. Hated that I had to deal with this ugliness in my life alone still.

“I hope someday you find someone you trust enough to open up to. I’m sorry it couldn’t be me, but if you ever need a friend I’m always yours. Just don’t ever ask me to knock out a drunk man again,” he smiled, trying to break the tension choking the air. It would have worked if he hadn’t looked so desolate.

My heart screamed at me to call him back and tell him everything. Instead I watched him walk down the street and turn the corner, until I could no longer see his hunched form. The tears fell freely then and the aching in my chest was almost unbearable.

I knew Jake would find a way to get his car from school, or just get a ride in the morning and since he only lived three blocks from my house I didn’t need to worry about his safety. But I did. Something terrible happened today and I could only pray whatever would come next wouldn’t involve him.

That’s how I knew what I did had been the right thing. By not telling Jake what was going on I could protect him. It shattered me to let him go, knowing I was the reason we weren’t together anymore. But I would be okay. I would move on knowing Jake was safe. And that was worth the heartache.

I finally flipped down the visor mirror and fixed my appearance before I dashed toward the safety of my house. Just as I reached the door handle I had the overwhelming feeling I was being watched. Turning back I scanned the surrounding houses and streets and saw nothing. I waited for the cold, but I took its absence as a good sign. Still my stomach dropped like a stone and I quickly ran inside and locked the door behind me. What had I done?

*Copyright Jayne L. Bowden*

Death Watcher-Section 2

Here is Section 2 of Death Watcher. If you haven't read the first section, you can read it here: Death Watcher-Section 1 Hope you enjoy, sorry for jumping right into it.



“Stop him,” I managed to whisper. “Jake, please stop him.”

“Stop who? You’re not making any sense! What is going on?” he demanded again.

“The man across the street; don’t let him drive away. Stop him at any cost. Please, Jake. Please,” I begged. My vision was getting clearer and I saw the confusion in his eyes. I wish I had time to explain, but it might already be too late and I couldn't handle that thought.

“Run!” I practically shouted, my voice a little stronger now. Jake gave me one last bewildered look before he sprinted away. I knew Jake was fast, one of the fastest in our school, but I could only pray it would be fast enough. I leaned my head against the steering wheel and slowed my breathing.

Seconds turned into minutes and the nauseous feeling in the pit of my stomach started to fade away. I slowly sat up in my seat and looked around for Jake. I noticed there were only a few cars left in the student parking lot and hoped no one had seen my bizarre behavior.

I returned my attention to searching for Jake when suddenly a dark figure blocked my view and startled me so bad I jumped up in my seat and smacked my head on the top of my small car.

The death creature stood before me, eyes gleaming with malice, and with it came the cold. I’ve never been this close to one before, usually they kept their distance, and the annoying drop in temperature I associated with them now felt like I was standing outside in a full on ice storm without a coat.

The creature’s eyes narrowed dangerously at me and I knew something was terribly wrong. Was Jake too late? Did this thing already claim its prize? My fear spiked as another thought occurred to me. What if the creature wasn’t satisfied with just one person today? I shrieked when the creature reached a disgusting hand toward me and slid its sharp talons down the glass of my window, leaving long scrapes behind.

I covered my ears at the sound and my heart pounded out of control. When the noise stopped I dropped my hands and held absolutely still, afraid if I moved too fast it would attack. How was I going to get out of this alive?

Suddenly a loud thump crashed into the passenger side of my car and I let out a blood-curdling scream. Jake glanced at me anxiously as he scrambled into the seat next to mine.

“We need to go now,” he told me quickly. I didn't even hesitate. Tires squealing I got us out of the parking lot in record time, grateful to get away from the nightmare that would stay with me long after it left this earth.

Jake's shaking hands fumbled with the seat belt and I wondered if he had actually been able to see what stood outside my door just moments before.

“Did you—” I broke off unable to finish the question. I couldn't stand the thought of what it meant for that man if we failed. My hands trembled as I drove us swiftly away from the school.

“I stopped him from going anywhere for a while,” he replied brusquely. I felt instant relief, but something in his tone had me glancing at him. He refused to look at me.

“What's the matter?” I asked, feeling part brave, part desperate. His blue eyes flicked to mine and I saw the pain there. My heart fell and I instantly regretted getting him involved. 

“I knocked him out,” he told me miserably.

“You what?”

“I knocked him out! I tried to talk to him, but he wouldn't listen to me. He pulled out a bat and I panicked. I took it from him and just sort of bonked him over the head with it.” I realized I was gripping the steering wheel so tightly I couldn't feel my fingers. I forced them to relax, peeling them away from the wheel one by one and adjusting my grip. 

“I checked his breathing and he’s fine,” Jake continued. “But I can’t believe you made me do that! Raelynn, why did I just do that?” We pulled into my driveway and I longed to dash inside where I felt safe and wouldn't have to answer Jake's questions. I had no idea what to tell him. I was relieved he stopped the man from being killed, but it felt too soon to discuss, even if I wanted to tell him what I could see. Which I didn't.  


I was still reeling from the creature that approached me. It was strange enough I saw two of them in the same day, but for one to actually come up to me had me more scared than I thought I already was of them. I wanted to believe it was just because it knew I could see it, and had nothing to do with Jake stopping the thing from taking its victim. But deep down I knew something wasn’t right. I could feel it in my very core.

Want to read more? Click here for Section 3.

*Copyright Jayne L. Bowden*