I can’t stop running, angels are chasing me.

The words are written in a book, in a note within it. Folded paper, the words in that order. I think the ink was black, but I can’t recall. I can’t recall the shape of the words either. I should have paid more attention, I should have taken the note with me. I shouldn’t have lost it.

I take the book by accident, chance. There was nothing to do in that house. There’s fog outside and no matter what everyone says, it’s not safe in there. The house isn’t mine, but there’s a library with books with no title. I take one out and there’s comfort in recognizing the words written in there.

I began looking through it as I stay near the window, the back of my mind and the soles of my feet urge me to go find a nice chair, perhaps the red one that’s in the middle of the library, but my cousin Anne is outside the house, she’s running, playing, enjoying the outside. I can’t do much from here, but I can look. If something happens I can tell everyone what happened to Anne, save them from worrying, save them from looking.

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Marcus goes outside for a moment, his unruly hair recognizable from here. He’s tall and he’s still wearing the suit he wore for dinner. He yells at Anne too casually and she runs to hug her cousin. I don’t want to intrude but it’s worth it for the sense of relief I get when they both walk inside. I walk away from the window.

Or I start to. I finally open the book properly, before walking to the coveted red chair, when I see it. A folded note. The words.

I read them, and read them. They’re not Anne’s, Marcus’s, Laura’s or anyone else’s. It’s better than the book. I leave it on the table near the chair. I walk out of the library and onto the hallway. I was still holding the note.

I open my mouth but there’s no noise. I’m not gonna be shouting again in here. I don’t notice anything different, yet.

I walk down the hallways. Onto the entrance, Anne would be there, so would Marcus. They would take too long taking off their dirty shoes.

I didn’t know yet I had already seen them for the last time.