I Can See You

  Dharlene Bernards spent her free time in the library. She took her backpack and grabbed a pocketbook, which was a birthday gift given by her Aunt Hilda for her birthday last year. She did not even have the slightest chance to read it because of her busy schedule in school.
  Although she focused her mind on reading the book, she could not concentrate at all because her mind raced with the thoughts of her best friend, Sarah. It’s her second death anniversary today, yet it all seemed to have happened just yesterday.
  Everything was still so clear. They were riding in Sarah’s new sports car her father bought for her seventeenth birthday. They were having a wild ride, talking and singing at the same time. They talked about Sarah’s new boyfriend, Michael, and how she ditched him at the Homecoming Dance. They were having such a great time, till the brakes on Sarah's car stopped working.
  Everything went so fast. Sarah could not control her car, and the road had started to become tricky. Sarah drove in a zigzag motion as she tried to control the car. And as Sarah tried to control the situation, Dharlene managed to open the door and leaped out of the car, rolling and crying in pain as her skin scratched the rough road, leaving open wounds that stung like fire.
  And so, she watched the car as it ran straight along a drop. She heard Sarah's mournful cries, but it eventually stopped right after the car exploded. Dharlene was frozen in shock. But what bothered Dharlene the most was the guilt that kept on stabbing her heart. She did not save her best friend. She left her to die alone.
  Dharlene shook her head, attempting to wipe out the awful memory she held that day. She got back to her senses and started to leave the library because she was already late for her next class.

  After class, Dharlene headed straight home. She rode her bike and enjoyed the cool gentle wind that took flight through her hair. When she arrived home, there was a car in her driveway. Curious, she went inside and looked for her Mother.
  Mom?” she shouted. “Where are you?”
  “I’m in the kitchen, dear” her mom replied. “Oh, and when you come in here, please close your eyes. I and your Dad have a surprise for you!”
  Dharlene obediently followed her mother’s order, forgetting to ask about the car on their driveway. As she neared their kitchen, she closed her eyes and proceeded to walk blindly.
  You can open them now, dear” her mother instructed.
  As she slowly opened her eyelids, adjusting her vision to the bright light in the kitchen, she saw her parents holding a banner, written with bold ‘Happy Seventeenth Birthday Dharlene!’ letters.
  “Oh! Thank you!” Dharlene yelled in joy.
  She hurriedly hugged her parents and kissed them on the cheeks. “You’re both so sweet!” she exclaimed.
  That’s not all, Dharlene” her father chimed in. “Look what I’ve got in my hand”
  As Dharlene stared at her father’s hand, her mouth dropped open.
  “I – I – Is that a car key?” she asked, stuttering.
  Yes, Dear. And guess to whom it belongs.”
  “It’s mine!” she shouted.
  “Bingo! You hit the Jackpot” her father exclaimed, leaving Dharlene staring blankly in happiness at her father.
  “Oh my gosh! Thank you, Daddy!” She embraced her father again and kissed him even more. “Does that mean that the car on our driveway is my car?”
  “Double Jackpot!” her father cried out, giving Dharlene a high five.
  “Oh Daddy, I love you so much. I love you too Mom. You’re both the best parents a daughter could ever have.”
  “We love you too dear. Now, hurry up and get changed. Dinner’s almost ready.”
  “By the way, can I test drive my car tonight? Please!”
  “Oh, I don’t know Dharlene.” Her mother’s emotion suddenly changed. There was a frightened expression on her face. “I’m just scared that the accident might happen again.”
  “I’ll be careful Mom. Don’t worry”
  Dharlene realized that her mother was afraid that Sarah’s accident might happen to her too.
  Her father broke the silence. “Let her do it Hon. Besides, she needs to learn how to use it anyway. Just be extra careful Dharlene” her father said.
  “Thank you, Daddy. I promise I’ll be careful”

  After dinner, Dharlene hurriedly went to get her jacket and the car key in her bedroom. Then she went outside to give her brand new car a drive. Her mother was the most worried, but Dharlene swore that she will be cautious in everything.
  She started the car easily and backed out the driveway swiftly. She waved her parents goodbye and headed for the road.
  The air from the car's air conditioner felt cool in her face. She was not having any problem with the car. It drove so smoothly that she doesn’t seem to be driving anything.
  After a while, when she reached the darker parts of the town, the headlights of her car started to fail.
  There does not seem to be anyone passing in this part of the town. She can’t see ahead because everything was so dark.
  Then there was a bump in the road.
  At first, she thought she ran through a huge stone. She hit the brakes and stopped. She grabbed her flashlight from her bag and started to get out of her car. She aimed the beam of the light on the front of the car and stopped. Her hand began to shake, the soles of her feet started to get ice cold. The light revealed that she accidentally bumped a man!
  Dharlene stood frozen, trying to keep her balance as she saw that the man was bleeding, a lot. Blood started to scatter on the road and through the wheels of her car. Without knowing what she was doing, she hurriedly climbed back inside the safety of her car and drove back without even looking back.
  She suddenly realized that she killed a man, and she did not even try to help him. But what can she do, he was dead after all. And it was not her fault. Yet, guilt kept on stabbing her till she reached home.

  The following night, her parents went to her Aunt Hilda’s house for a visit. She did not go with her parents because she had a lot of homework to do which was due tomorrow. She waved her parents goodbye then locked the door shut.
  She had not told her parents what had happened the other night because she was scared that her parents might ban her from using the car anymore.
  After she ate her dinner, she went straight to her bedroom and started to work on her assignments.
  After minutes of solving and studying, she did not realize that she suddenly dozed off.
  She was awakened by the sound of her phone ringing beside her bed. Still sleepy, she weakly grabbed the phone’s receiver.
  Hello?” her voice as soft as the wind as she talked.
  “Hi, Dharlene. Missed me?” the voice on the other line replied. The voice was raspy and dry, like the voice of the dead speaking.
  Dharlene was startled. Her hand began to tremble. She had a hard time gripping the phone’s receiver as her hand shook hard in fright.
  “W – Who is this?” She stuttered as she replied.
  “Oh, you know me Dharlene. I’ve got something for you. I left it outside of your house. Come on Dharlene, check it out. You’ll love it!”
  “B – B – But who…” Dharlene didn’t have the time to ask. The person had already cut the call.
  Fear swept all over Dharlene's body. With shaking knees, she started to walk out of her bedroom in tiptoes. She silently walked down the stairway as if she was floating.
  As she reached the main door, her fear had increased massively. With enough courage left in her, she slowly turned the doorknob and pulled the door partway. She peeked outside. A cool gust of wind blew on her frightened face. As she slowly lowered her head, she glimpsed at the box lying still beside the door. She grabbed the box with all her might and locked the door shut.
  Her hands were clammy and wet as she tried to open the lid of the box. As she managed to completely open the lids, she gasped in surprise as she saw what lay inside.
  It was a toy car. It was identical with her car. It got the same model and color. Curiosity and fear stabbed Dharlene hard.
  Then she saw it. Red paint had been smeared all over the front of the car as if it was to resemble human blood. It was still dripping wet and the paint had scattered on the bottom of the box. In her fear, she accidentally dropped the car on the floor. The car toppled upside down, revealing its bottom.
  There was a little paper glued on its bottom. Dharlene slowly grabbed the car and rested it on her legs. She had a hard time reading what was written on it because the writing was so small. She leaned her head closer to the paper and managed to read the writing. She almost threw the car when she realized that the ink was dried blood. Her hand started to get ice cold as she started reading.
  'Hi Dharlene. Missed me. I came back for you. You may have forgotten about me, but I’ll always remember you. How can you forget when it just happened last night? Wherever you go, wherever you hide Dharlene, I can see you. Just wait for me and I’ll be there. Goodnight Dharlene. Sleep tight, and don’t let the bed bugs bite.’