FIVE
Jordan Xander had learned at the young age of nine when she and her family moved from Nigeria to Milborough that not everyone had good intentions. And certainly not everyone wanted to be her friend. That, when push came to shove, you find out who your friends truly are.
Perhaps that was the reason as to why the sweet and innocent young girl that had arrived here had quickly turned a page and became distant, destructive, and disrespectful.
She remembered, back when she had started college five years ago, that she wanted to be a Licensed Practical Nurse and work at the local hospital in the next town over but that dream slowly faded that fateful night.
The night when she had been raped and left beneath a flight of stairs completely exposed. So many nasty things were said, not only to her but to her family, through both social media and in person.
The bullying was constant.
Her dark brown eyes filled with tears as the anger, hatred, and sadness came back.
And the friends that had been there with her that night had thought it would be a hilarious joke if they had spiked her drink to make her possibly loosen up a bit and actually have fun. It was the opposite. It was a complete nightmare, and upon finding out what had happened to her, they did nothing to help.
No. Instead they thought it'd be an amazing idea to film it then post it onto social media.
Now, five years later, she was now known as the Milborough Lay. After that night her health and mental stability, her carefree and fun loving attitude melted into a mixed pile of depression, anxiety, and panic. It was probably why she was now homeless.
It was but a spiraling, never ending nightmare that she wished she could escape. But how was she supposed to do that when the very people who were supposed to care and protect her left her high and dry, blaming her for what had happened.
Jordan figured that the mental and physical pain she felt didn't compare to the emotional pain she had to endure when her parents disowned her when, after that attack, she discovered she was pregnant and without consulting anyone she immediately went and had an abortion.
Many of those who had found out from her church had condemned her.
Jordan had, on multiple occasions, wondered where the justice was for her for the mental and physical trauma she had went through from her attacker? What sort of closure did she receive? Why was she being punished when she wasn't even drunk, wasn't wearing anything provocative, always a hard working and respectable student? Was there something she had done in her past life so horrible that she deserved it?
Now, there she was, putting on her clothes after her third client that night, feeling both numb and disgusted with herself and wondering how long she would keep doing this to herself for.
A trail of kisses was pressed against her neck and down her bare shoulder, a shiver running through her body. Jordan closed her eyes, biting the inside of her cheek to keep from crying out.
Oh, how she hated this.
You need to stop! A voice inside of her mind always cried out at her. You are so much more worthy.
Deep down the self-worth that she once had years ago had shattered and Jordan feared that she'd never pick up those pieces, and if she did, it wouldn't surprise her if someone tried to knock her down.
Again, and again, she'd hear herself saying, "Y'know that if ever you need my services again to just give me a shout, right, sugar?"
Each time, she'd take the wad of cash and shove it into her shirt and down her bra and get dressed in such a way that it vaguely reminded her of a robot - a puppet even.
Once the door closed behind her, leaving her standing on the front steps, did the smile Jordan wore fade into nothingness. Her brown eyes watering, as they did after every client she looked at and sniffled as her nose became stuffed up.
Jordan shivered, stepping down onto the walkway, feeling the cold air biting at her exposed skin. Taking a few steps towards the sidewalk and pausing as she wrapped her winter jacket tightly around her small frame, eyes skimming around her surroundings and noticing that the snow was a lot heavier than what it was when she arrived and the visibility was worse than what it had been earlier. She had hoped that the temperature would've risen a bit, as it usually did whenever it snowed this heavy, but there were a few times it didn't.
And this was one of those times.
As always, in this sort of storm, all sounds seemed to have been completely muffled from the snow and the only thing that Jordan could hear was her own breathing.
Unfortunately, it wasn't surprising for her.
Her eyes kept averting from in front of her down to her feet, watching as her high heels were covered in wet slush, feeling the cold seeping in through her shoes and socked feet and leaving her constantly shivering.
Jordan was thankful when, instead of the slush, she finally ended up with completely fresh powder underfoot but had to remind herself to be careful, knowing that, more than likely, ice was hiding under that snow. It surely wouldn't do her any good if she wound up in the hospital with a broken foot or a cracked open skull.
As she walked, Jordan listened to the dull thud of her heels as she trekked through the powder of snow. She hoped that she'd be able to warm up at her next client's place.
It was a slim hope.
The sting of disappointment was coming on strong when she could see the outline of her rundown apartment building coming into view as she got closer and closer and, just as she was about to reach the crosswalk, her phone rang.
Stopping in her tracks to grab her phone, she flipped it open, frowned at the unknown number, held it up to her ear and started speaking.
"Hello?"
"At the old warehouse a small task is held for you." A hoarse whisper spoke through on the other end, another shiver shooting through her, but Jordan chalked it up to her phone being in the cold for an extended period of time. Something about this didn't sit well, but what did she know?
Just as she opened her mouth to speak the line disconnected. She frowned, looking down on her phone for a moment, before placing it back in her pocket and contemplated on whether or not she should just go home, considering she was only about fifty metres from the front door of the building, or turn around and walk the three blocks to where the warehouse was?
It wasn't like she had anything to come home to, anyway, the bitter thought unnecessarily entered her mind as she turned on her heel and begun her walk back the way she came, but further than what she was, sighing.
At least, once she got paid for her time, she'd be able to buy some food instead of just being able to pay her rent.
* * *
The walk went a bit more swiftly than she thought it would as she traveled slowly up the dirt road leading up towards the warehouse that had been shut down ages ago. From where she stood, fear crept into her heart and she almost stilled, wondering why she was there in the first place but remembering the call she had made her go forward.
Jordan knew well that it was a stupid idea. Most of the time her clients left a little more information that what this caller did, and they certainly didn't hang up until after everything was finalized.
Oh well, she figured, she'd learn for next time.
Something, however, at the back of her mind nagged at her, pleading in desperation, for her to turn around and walk away.
Taking a deep breath as she reached the steel doors, she closed her eyes for a split second before grabbing onto the handle and then opening it up.
She stepped inside, gasping at the cold, feeling more chilling than it did outside, and shivering as the made her way further into the building. Jordan listened, for anything to tell her that there was somewhere there. But it was silent as could be. A pin could drop, she swore, and you'd hear that like a metal pipe would when it was still up and running.
It was pitch black which made Jordan squint in a feeble attempt to help her vision better, but there wasn't much she could do, and there was barely any battery power to her phone, knowing that if she turned the screen on it wouldn't help much in slicing through the darkness.
Her heels echoed loudly through the building as she went through door after door.
A dim light. Shadows cascaded over the walls, dancing in a secret dance. That's when she called out, wincing as her voice echoed loudly against the walls.
"Hello?"
This must've been where they kept vehicles, she thought, seeing that she was in a room that resembled a multi-car garage. On either side of the room she could vaguely make out at least six massive, industrial sized bay doors.
Something snapped somewhere behind her and she whirled around, placing a shaky hand on her chest, heart thumping madly.
"H-hello?"
An eerie sound filtered through the room, the hair on the back of her neck stood and she froze in her spot from fear. More noise to her left and she began to shake.
Jordan's voice was above a whisper as she tried to speak out again, but it was barely audible.
Her eyes widened as something appeared to her left, in the corner, completely surrounded by darkness.
"Tthhee ssiinnss yyoouu ccaarryy wwiill bbeeccoommee yyoouurr eenndd."
Whatever it was seemed to stay. Jordan's breath caught in her throat and her body finally wanted to cooperate with her as she took a step back, turning, and screaming as she came face-to-face with a figure, standing at least seven feet and towering above her.
Whoever it was, they wore nothing but a black hooded cloak. The smell that met her nostrils was anything but pleasant, smelling like meat that had been left out longer than it should. Jordan clenched her jaw shut, resisting the urge to gag as her stomach dangerously churned. She couldn't see anything under the hood it was so dark.
"D-d-did you call me?" She stuttered out breathlessly, feeling scared shitless.
No response was given.
She continued to stare at it...him...whatever it was as it just stood there.
That foreboding, sinister voice she had heard before spoke again.
"Tthhee ssiinnss yyoouu ccaarryy wwiill bbeeccoommee yyoouurr eenndd..."
What exactly was that supposed to mean? Her heart jumped up into her throat and she swallowed down the painful lump of fear she felt form down.
Jordan's vision blurred, tears falling down her cheeks, staining them as she quickly glanced behind her, seeing nothing there, she began bolting.
Mid-step something came over her and Jordan found herself stopping abruptly, almost like one would do to a character in a game as they pressed pause.
She tried to cry out for help.
She wanted to scream when three figures seemingly glided to her, each holding out a hand...There was no flesh on those hands.
Fear gripped her heart.
The Shadow Men, Jordan's eyes widened at the realization, as story after story regarding the malevolent creatures flickered through her mind. And not once did she think that they were nothing short of real. She had, on multiple occasions, heard that it was a story made up a long while ago to scare children.
Jordan gasped, feeling as though she was floating, her brown eyes greying out as she limply turned towards one of the doors, noticing that it was open halfway.
She tried to stop, but she couldn't fight as her body, on its own accord, made its way closer and closer to the open bay door.
Metal creaking, the chain holding the heavy door up as high as it was, was beginning to let go but Jordan continued on, the hoarse voices whispering loudly in her head.
It wasn't like anyone would miss her.
It wasn't like anyone cared.
And as soon as she stepped under, the chain broke, the door came down upon her quickly.
Pain shattered through her entire body and something warm gushed over her body and completely blinding her.
The pain and suffering she had endured over the years had completely left her. Her curse had become her saviour.
At least now, she was finally free.
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