La Fille

(Based on a true story) 

-1-

Hi.

My name is David. I’m currently 24 years now.

I work at a multinational IT company. I’m a popular person. Friends always gather around me – whether for invitations, advice, relationships, et cetera, I was always the first person to look up to. My boss was really proud of me – well, because I was very much honest and can work well with people…

One day – somewhere around the 3^rd week of May 1997 – as I was filling up some papers on a hot Californian afternoon, I heard someone call out my name:

‘E-excuse m-me, a-are you David Rogers?’

I turned around.

That was the first time I met her.

Alice.

Alice Anna White.

She was somewhere around in her 20s, had a very fair skin complexion, and was looking at me in a manner that creeped me out.

(strange)

‘Yes, it’s me. You can call me David. I hate the Rogers part actually.’ I said.

The girl smiled. Oh, how lovely it was!

She had some documents to photocopy. Unfortunately, her scanner had crashed, and was asking if she could use mine.

I gave her the allowance.

As she left, I saw Susan coming towards me. She was one of my colleagues in the branch I worked in.

‘Was that Alice?’ she asked.

‘Ya. Why? Any problem?’ I asked. I didn’t feel anything about that girl.

‘Oh, no no Dave. Well, the thing is…she never comes out of her cubicle, that’s why…’

‘Wait what?’ I asked.

Susan then began to tell me. It was something like this:

Alice had joined the office when she was around 18 or so. At that time, she was suffering a lot of mental breakdowns. Her father was an alcoholic. The family was never stable, and domestic violence was common in her threshold. As a result of which,

(Well, let’s skip that part. It’s too depressing for me to tell you.)

Susan also told me that she never had a stable relationship. Every boy she dated, she was deliberately dumped by him. As time passed, she became extremely silent, and today, she hardly ever talked.

(well, that would explain the stammering.)

‘Well, how did you know all this?’

‘Well, one day I decided to take her out for lunch – you know, for a get-to-know-each-other sort of affair. Over there, she told me her whole life history…

That girl is not stable. It’s best you talk with her kindly.’

‘Woah. When was I ever angry?’ I asked surprisingly.

‘Well, that time at Burger King, you nearly wanted to kill the cook because the patty wasn’t well-fried!’

We both laughed aloud.

***

-2-

This is what I call – rather I feel – the exposition part of it all. Alice turned out to be a good colleague. I got to know more about her. She was charming. Yeah, of course she remained unnaturally silent, but otherwise she was good.

Now let me tell you how the events progressed, which ultimately ended in a nightmare and a bizarre incident I will never be able to forget…

Now, the company which I worked in was spectacularly brilliant. We did everything – from group trips to birthdays, from funerals to Christmas, from scaring each other on Halloween, we could depend on each other for everything. And then, we had this brilliant boss, who would just let us go if we felt ill. He scolded us if we still worked after we felt like exhausted.

Businessmen like this are rare, to be honest.

Anyway, it was soon time for our summer break, which extended from 24^th to 31^st May. I was looking forward to it. That month saw me handle more workload than I had ever imagined. Like, it was tough to take rest. But I never complained, don’t know why. I had heard that my ancestry blood had the essence of slavery. Perhaps it’s still active to this day!

Finally, the 5 o’ clock bell rang on May 23^rd, 1997. As we all began to pack up our stuff, we were discussing among ourselves what were our plans. Eight were going to Miami, to stretch their legs in the beach, indulge in that great sin, and just chill.

Among them, Alice was going off to the beach.

‘That’s great! Well, I staying over here. I need to spend time with my family.’ (I married my girlfriend when I was 22.)

‘Oh.’ She said.

As I turned around to leave, she suddenly tugged me by my sleeve.

‘Yes?’ I asked her.

She said nothing, but just stared at me.

I got that creepy feeling again which I had got that afternoon. Why was she staring at me?

Then, she turned back and walked down to collect her things.

As the elevator raced down, I began to wonder.

The girl’s eyes had welled up with tears…didn’t know why…

She wanted to tell me something…

But what?

***

-3-

This year’s vacation was great.

Unknown to me, my wife Julia had booked a 3-day trip to the Big Apple. We had a wonderful time over there – eating, sight-seeing, attending jazz concerts – I felt like I had painted the town red!

When I returned back to my desk on June 1^st, I noticed that everyone was there – some engrossed in their work, some chatting away about their holiday – the office felt lively.

Everyone was present over there – except Alice.

Where was she?

I enquired about her to Mr. York, our boss. He shook his head.

‘No Dave, I’ve not seen her. Why? Any problem?’

‘No Sir. There was this paper she took, I think she forgot to return…’

And it was true. I had written a small essay about why IT was progressing rapidly; it was required by the publishing department of our company. She had taken it to read it. I found all pages as I checked after she returned.

There was one page missing from there.

‘Oh. Well, I guess she would come the next day. Don’t worry about it.’ He spoke.

Nodding in approval, I left.

Monday turned to Tuesday, Tuesday turned to Wednesday, but there was no sign of her. My boss contacted her, but there was no response from there.

(what happened?)

Since most of my colleagues hardly knew her, they didn’t seem to much worried about it. But I was.

Deeply worried.

Finally, on Friday, I got to know what happened.

As the clock rang for lunch, I got up and was just about to hit the canteen (my tummy was rumbling as hell), I suddenly saw Susan coming to me.

‘Hey, you wanna have lunch at Taco Bell?’ she said.

‘I also might be able to tell you about her. Alice.’ She added.

Partly because of that, and partly because I never had a Taco before, I went with her over there.

As we place our orders and sat down, I asked her:

‘So, what about Alice?’

‘Dave, it’s serious.’

‘What?’

What she tole me next, surprised me:

Alice – over there at Miami – had befriended four of our male colleagues (Angelo, Daniel, Roger, Tim) and their friendship was growing steadily over there – sunbathing to everything, they were there with her.

That was until one day, she was given a proposal by one of them. It was Angelo.

She refused, and she even had to shrug him off. Now, here’s where the thing starts.

He was so upset and angry at her that he planned to harass her.

So one night, just before she returned, one of them had drugged her by adding something in her glass of champagne. Her account was terrible.

‘They had beaten her badly. They scarred her arms, her neck, and was having a photoshoot with her. She was too weak to fight…

She was completely humiliated.

After that, she returned to her house, burst into her room, and shut the door. She hadn’t come out since then. Her brother – Chris – reported of hearing hours of muffled sobbing and shouting from that room.

‘You know, Dave, as I was about to keep the phone – I was so shocked I didn’t want to hear anything – she told me something which was like a riddle to me.’

‘Riddle? What is it?’ I asked. The taco was getting cold as I took the second bite.

What she said also puzzled me.

'Love's true-lie.' Susan said.

'What? Love's true-lie? What does that even mean?' I asked.

Susan just shook her head. She didn't know.

(obviously)

As I sat down on my chair for the last shift, I could feel the anxiety growing in me...

Something...

Something...

***

-4-

The next morning, I called up for Angelo. I wanted to have a word with him.

'Good morning, Dave! Any problem?' he asked.

'Um, yes.' I said in a straightforward manner.

(girls are not toys to play with.)

'You met Alice White back in Miami?'

'Alice? Oh, yeah, that girl! Yes. What about her?'

'You nearly murdered her, Angelo.'

'Who? Me? No, no, why? Who told you such things?'

'Look Angelo, let's be honest man - you tortured her the night before she left Miami. She turned down your proposal, and you, unable-'

(oh the anger)

But no. I couldn't make him speak the truth. He continued to insist on his innocence. Even the other three men

(devils)

maintained it.

Upset, angry, and frustrated, I went back home. Without Alice, I could feel a sense of exhaustion coming over me...

My wife suggested to file a report. But I couldn't. There was no strong evidence to prove. The victim herself was nowhere to be found, there were no witnesses...

Even Susan felt helpless...oh Jesus

Will there be any answer?

***

-5-

Now, let me fast-forward to the August of 1997. I was now expecting my first child to be born.

Two months had passed. Yet, there was no Alice.

The office continued to function the same. Yet, there was no Alice.

I contacted her house from time to time. It was either her brother, or her mother, or some relative of her. But no Alice.

No Alice.

It was 17th.

During this time, I had to work a lot of extra shifts. You see, the Silicon Valley had been inspecting ours and other such types of companies (don't know why) and so, I was working practically day and night to keep the reports right...

When I returned home, it was 2.30 in the morning. Julia had already gone off to sleep...she normally woke up till I returned, binging on some late-night show or something...

Having a quick warm bath, I opened the fridge to take out a tuna sandwich and a Cola can. My tummy would have to be filled with this, unfortunately...

'THAP! THAP!'

A pounding noise suddenly made me jump. Who was it in the middle of the night?

The sound came from the second bedroom. Julia slept in the first. The second was my part-study.

The sound came from there.

I slowly crept inside the room. It was pitch-black. Nothing could be seen. I opened up my flashlight.

And that's when I heard that scream.

A bone-chilling, feminine scream echoed around the room.

I turned around to come face-to-face with my mirror, and that's when I saw her.

The face of Alice was staring at me from the mirror!

'AHHHHH HA HA! T-THEY T-T-THEY WOULD-WOULDN'T L-LE-LEAVE M-ME!' The visage screamed aloud. I saw the mirror getting stained with blood.

Was that a noose around her neck?

Yes, it was. The noose was tightening her and drops of blood were dripping from it!

'T-THEY WA-WANT M-ME D-DEAD, D-DAVID! I-I-I C-CAN'T T-TAKE I-IT A-ANY-ANYMORE! S-SO, S-SO...'

I was so stunned by it all that I couldn't speak. What the heck was happening?

And then, I heard her scream for one last time, the noose breaking her neck, and her last words...

'Goodbye, David Rogers...'

She gave out a mournful weep.

And at that moment, the blood-stained mirror burst into pieces...

***

-6-

'AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!'

I screamed aloud, which made Julia come running for me.

'What the- oh my God what happened over here?'

I stared at the state of the room. The curtains have been slashed open. The floor contained fractals and fragments of the broken mirror, which were still smeared with blood...

The clock had stopped at 2.45 a.m., the 18th of August, 1997...

***

-7-

I couldn't sleep that night. It was impossible.

I told Julia what I had saw. She believed me.

'Dave, I think you should phone her up. I don't know why, but something doesn't feel-

Her voice was interrupted by the ringing of my phone. I got up and received it.

It was Chris.

What I heard made my spine chill.

Her sister Alice was found dead, hanging from her balcony with the help of a noose...

She had committed suicide.

***

-8-

I took a day off from work the next day. I barely had the stamina to work that day.

Alice was gone. My colleague, the introvert, and the oppressed girl, was gone.

Forever.

It's practically hard for me to believe it...

The doctor's report told that she committed that atrocious act somewhere around 2.30 to 3 in the morning. I matched the previous night's events...

If I am not wrong, then she died at exactly 2.45 a.m. ....

That was the last time I ever saw her, but in pain.

In extreme agony she came to me...

She wanted help...but I...

Oh, why didn't I help her...

WHY?

***

(Feel the pain. Accept it. Enjoy the past. Go on with the present to nurture the future. Autumn leaves give way to wintery breeze, turkeys give way to good tidings...

A year melts into another one. Soon, spring knocks. But the love experienced, the affection, cannot change...it's rigid...

New-born leaves make way for summer skies. Soon, it's time for work....)

-9-

3rd June, 1998

I was back from my summer break two days late. The company was bursting jollily as usual. Our percentage was increasing, which was great.

As I entered the office, I noticed several of the men huddled around the Boss's cubicle. Woah, I wondered. Was there a promotion already? That's strange.

They never gave promotions before December...

I entered the cubicle. The busy chatter suddenly dropped.

'Um, what is going on?' I asked.

'Bad news, Dave. Bad news.' Mr.York said. 'Hear it for yourself.'

I turned my eyes to the news...

'We've just got a report from our Miami special correspondent. Four bodies had been found floating towards the shore at the beach today. The four men had been identified as workers at the York Enterprises Ltd. based in California. Their names are: Angelo Igor, Daniel Watts, Roger Huge, and Tim Hawker. Their cause of death - as released by the meds - was poisoning. Apparently they had been poisoned and died shortly afterward...

'Hmm, sad, very sad...' Mr.York commented.

I felt uneasy. 

Something was not right.

I walked out of my office and onto the road. Something was not fitting.

After a few inquiries at the hotel were the deceased were and contacting the press, I finally got it.

The four men had died on 29th of May, 1997, at exactly 2.45 a.m.

The exact date on which Alice was harassed. The hotel room also matched - 215. Also, the time was exactly the time...

Of her death.

Was this purely coincidental, or...

No.

I'll not think about it.

It's best to keep it left unchecked.

It's been 15 days since the turn of the millennium. I'm back to be that guy who was loved by all. I'm now a proud father of one daughter and one boy.

I'm happy, alive and kicking.

Yet sometimes, the past troubles me. It doesn't want to remain always...

Sometimes, late at night, when sleep finally comes over me, I hear a laughter

A sweet, feminine laughter.

I knew it too well...

That laughter belonged to the girl called Alice Anna White, who was in her 20s, had a very fair skin complexion...

and whose screams of agony still resonate within me...

Screams that completely shatter my mirror of peace into pieces, stained with blood...

Tortured, harassed, dirty blood.

And at that moment, the clock gave off three deathly, yet mournful strokes...

***

M.Macabre

19.01.2021

Dedicated to; Edgar Allan Poe (Happy Birthday!), to everyone who made my 100-post journey possible.

A BIG FAT HIGH-FIVE!