Walking through the hallway reminded me of all kinds of stuff. Everyone’s stares, their mumbles and their thoughts made my head ache more and more. Walking through the thunder dorm felt like miles. Even at home it felt like they were watching me from the windows. I isolated myself from the rest of the world. I shut my curtains and locked my doors. Just like that I was all alone in the world again. Ever since my friends’ funeral my family also distanced themselves from me. They also believed that I was cursed or a psychopathic murderer.

I had a routine every day; wake up, go to school, lock myself up in my room. The same routine went on for days, weeks and months until my 17th birthday arrived.

Although there was no one to congratulate me, when I became 17, I was happier than anyone. It meant that I could finally run away from that rotten town to somewhere none of them could touch me or insult me and my existence. I could be free. But then I came to my sense. I shouldn’t be happy or want to run away from here. I need to stay and repent for my sins. For my friends. For the lives that I had robbed of.

I walked to school. Just as always in my dark blouse, deep blue skirts that covered my knees and my 2-inch-tall brown heels. From seeing my clothes classmates called me another named, the witch of Friday the 13th. I never questioned it. Thought that it just came to be since I bring bad luck just like all the taboos that happen on Friday the 13th. It would’ve been better if I was born as Jason Voorhees. At least than I’d have a reason to be feared or to be angry at the town’s people.

Everyone in the town neglected me but it didn’t bother me as much as it did when I was younger. I was going to leave soon anyways.

A month before graduation. I walked into the town’s central graveyard. I faced the four small graves gather on one corner of the mile long yard. Knelt on my two knees and prayed. I prayed for their forgiveness for the sins I had committed to them and the sins that I will commit of now on. I cried and cried until nothing came out of my eyes.

“I’m sorry guys, but I going to be sorry for the rest of my life for what I’m about to do. I’m sorry, I can’t take this anymore. I’m going to move to another town. Somewhere where no one will be able to recognise me and my sins. I’m going to go and live the rest of my life like a human. I have been repenting for the past 5 years and I will repent for the rest of eternity after death. I’m sorry, I’m really sorry. Please forgive me.”

The day of the graduation arrived. As the bell that marked the end of the graduation echoed through the hallway, everyone rushed to run out the doors into the real world. The doves flew out of their nest searching for a place to lay their own while the sole crow flew high up in the area ready to launch itself towards its prey.

I packed my bags as soon as I got back home and left the house without a word. My house was empty, but I left a note, a farewell note. That night, I spent a night at the cheapest motel in town. When I stepped into the room I could smell the rotting corpses of the dead rats. I nearly couldn’t resist the urge to throw up, but I got myself together and clean up the fleshes. It was impossible to get rid of the smell, so I had to go out and buy myself deodorant. I wanted to take the perfume, but the store manager suggested deodorant.

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The deodorant barely did its job.

I washed up and laid on the bed. The room was disgusting but I felt as relieved as ever. The blanket was old yet comfy and the lights were deemed, just at the right level to keep me from awaking up during the night. Soon I fell into a deep slumber.

The bed wasn’t mine but felt as though it had been mine forever. I didn’t have a dream that night. It was just pitch black. It was my first time having slept more than 5 hours in a single bedding. But my peace was broken early in the morning.

There was a loud bang at my door. I woke up from the sudden commotion. The room went silent once again. I grabbed my pillow and the remote that was near my head. One step at a time I crept closer to the door. But when I got to the door, I couldn’t sense anyone in front of it. I peeped through the peephole. No one was there. “Is someone there?” I whispered. I stood there for a good 5 minutes but there was no reply. I thought nothing of it and went back to bed. When I checked my watch on the side table it was 3am. I got annoyed and tried to get myself to sleep again. However, the knock kept me on edge, and I couldn’t go to sleep.

I laid there, staring blankly at the stained ceiling. Counting numbers from 100 backwards, hoping that the boredom could get me back to a state of calmness. Even so it was impossible to sleep. At that point I gave up and checked my watch once again. It was 4am.

I threw on a pair of shorts and ran down to a nearby convenience store. After a grabbing a few snack I headed out to eat at the outside booth. I sat at the last spot on the booth. There I found myself seated next to a few girls from my grade. They looked as if they were at a club until just now.

They were talking about going on trips after that weekend. I wasn’t trying to eavesdrop, but their conversations kept me company as I ate the snacks. Minutes went passed, and as I was about to finish the last of my nibbles the topic of their conversation switched. “Hey, have you guys heard? Kate moving out of town.”

“What? Really?”

“Yeah, apparently, she left a note to her parent. Her parents are also moving soon.”

“Thank goodness they’re going. Now the town will be peaceful again.”

Their chatters went on and on, even after I had left the store.

It hurt to learn that my absence pleased them, but I wasn’t too surprised of their reaction. What surprise me was that my family was moving away. Now I won’t be able to find them anymore after I leave this place. I felt relieve but a part of me broke down.

4:30am. By the time I got back to the room I was tired. I sat at the small desk that was place in the corner of the room and laid my head down on the desk. It didn’t take long till I fell asleep.

In an unexpected turn it suddenly felt cold in the room, but I couldn’t move a muscle. Then I heard small voices speaking from the other corner of the room. They were very familiar yet unrecognisable. But in a span of a heartbeat, it hit me. It was Ava and Georgia. Their voices from when we were small. Ava’s voice rang louder in my mind till I could understand what she was saying. “Kate, it’s not your fault. You’ve done enough for us. Go live your life.”

Tears rolled done the side of my face as I let out a cold sigh of relief. They all placed their hands on my crooked back and hugged me tightly. They felt so warm and calming that I didn’t want them to let go.

The alarm that I had set at 7am chimed. I woke up in a panic and looked around the room. I was alone on the desk with a blanket on top of me. It was warm as if it had just been in a microwave. I cried my soul out and thanked my friends and apologised repeatedly.

After calming down I packed my belongings and left to the airport.

I bought the fastest ticket out of the town. Everyone at the airport eyed me until I left to board the plane. There was no one sitting next to me on my first flight. It was great since I didn’t need to worry about how they thought of me, but I could still hear the sorrowful worries of everyone that was boarding the plane with me. “Oh god, please let us live through this flight.” Is what they all said but I didn’t mind it. As it did not matter to me anymore on what they thought.