Eva - Sar's Short Story

[woodyloveslinkin]

Okay well I'm trying to make it short and it's unfinished so far. It's sorta shit but *meh*

 

Eva

It was a Monday evening in a small town in the States. This town had its quirks and its far share of strangers that came and went. But the one that made this small town in Arizona stand out is the type of strangers it attracted.

There had been rumours about one particular woman, who seemed to strange to be part of the normal population, but somehow, the rest of the population couldn't quite classify her to be a stranger, because of her normal appearances at the local diner. But they did admit that she was strange and not very sociable. Ordered the same coffee each morning from the same diner at the same time of each day, no sugar and no milk, Cliff's Diner, and always on the strike of ten in the morning. Dressed the same as well, her hair done the same way and her nails painted the same shade; in a black dress that had a neat bow at the waist, her black hair clipped back away from her forehead as her red painted nails grasped the white coffee mug. She wouldn't leave a trace of her red lipstick on the white coffee mug nor she would leave any trace of her makeup-caked face anywhere, it was almost as though she was a spirit that was solid or as though she was a robot. No one knew her name and no one knew where she came from. No one had any knowledge about her other than what her daily routine was. Her daily routine had been slowly gathered up from the town folk whenever they would sit down with another and gossip about the news that was going around; someone's daughter was pregnant to so and so's son and so and so said something mean to someone else, nothing was ever sacred in this town.

Everything that went around in this town, came around.

This woman's routine was -

9 a.m.

She leaves her house that is on the highway. She walks down without a word to be spoken until she arrives at Cliff's Diner at ten.

10 a.m.

She orders her coffee. No sugar and no milk. She sits down and reads the newspaper. People stare at her but she doesn't seem to notice. People want to talk to her, in some cases, people do talk to her, and when they do, she looks up at them, glazes at them with her blue eyes but doesn't speak a word. She looks back to the newspaper and waits for her coffee to arrive. Her coffee arrives, a short time later, and she drinks it. She waits until it's exactly two minutes to eleven and stands up.

11 a.m.

She leaves Cliff's Diner, after leaving the money for the coffee, exactly $2.50. The bell on the diner's door rings to indicate that its been open, and she leaves the diner, again, without any word said. She walks along the various streets that this town had and only stops when she comes to the cemetery. She doesn't stop to wait for passing traffic, she always looks ahead to see where she can J-walk across streets, and always, she gets the opportunity. The residents of this small town don't know why she goes to the cemetery but Mrs Collin, the old lady who lives near the cemetery, has confessed on the Lord's soul that the woman comes there to farewell her departed husband with a bunch of fresh flowers each day. Many argue against Mrs Collin's theory that many have seen her walk throughout town without seeing the woman with a bunch of flowers in her hands, but according to Mrs Collin, she sees her every time with a bunch of flowers in her hands. It was this woman, that many people don't know much about and debating over the issue over who's right and who's wrong about the events that surround this mysterious lady's life, seem to be the main topic of local debates.

12 p.m.

She is not seen by anyone. Mrs Collin says that she walks through the cemetery and into the forest behind it, but anything up until 2 p.m. she doesn't know where that woman does or where she goes.

1 p.m.

The woman is not seen anywhere.

2 p.m.

The woman appears in town, walking down the main street, headed for the local grocery store. She always gets the same items, two oranges, three punnets of strawberries, bread, milk and a packet of breakfast oats. No one knows why, but these are the only items that this woman has been seen with. People have assumed that she must have a stash of food secretly hidden away in her house somewhere, again, people don't know much about this woman, so they have to assume eveything.

3 p.m.

The woman is seen entering her house with various plastic bags in her grip. When the front door closes, it seperates the truth and the unknown for the community of this small world. No one has seen the inside of her home, not even the backyard of this mansion on the highway. The kids chatter about how it's really a haunted mansion but the elders shake off that feeling, accusing the woman of being in a high place of magic, a witch or a sorceress almost. Again no one knows.

There were two women sitting outisde Cliff's Diner who were passer-bys, they just wanted to stretch their legs for a couple of minutes and grab a quick bite to eat. Both blondes, both tall women and both had just caught ear of two men discussing the topic of this mysterious resident.

"You know what I've heard? I've heard she's on the run from the law and she's here just keeping low. Do you think this could be the reason for all the keeping-lowness?"

"Is that even a word Jerry? Keeping-lowness?"

Both of the women were somewhat intrigued by such news, as both of them had talent for snooping around, of course, they were news reporters!

"Are my ears decieving me Quinn?" asked the first woman, as Quinn, who was the woman sitting opposite her in the white shirt shook her head, as she took a sip of her hot chocolate. Quinn was never one for coffee, but preferred chocolate over coffee anyday. "A new story I smell."

"That's great Anna, but how do we know that we're not barking up a tree that has a hoax at the other end of it instead of leaves?" asked Quinn. "I wouldn't bother with it." Anna looked at her sternly. "But now on the topic of trying to get a good news story, hopefully something Derek will promote us both on, it's worth a try." Anna nodded as she turned back around to see if she could get a couple of answers out of the guys that she had overheard talking, but only one guy was left.

"Ah, hello?" asked Anna, as she caught the attention of the guy that was remaining. "I just heard you talking about someone that's on the run from the law. Is that true?" The guy laughed. "What's so funny?"

"It's only a rumour, Ma'am, nothing around here that's about that woman is ever true," answered the guy, as he flicked his brown hair out of his eyes. "If I were to tell you all the rumours that went around about that woman, I'm afraid that I would bore you."

"Okay, tell me something that is true in that case," said Anna. The guy looked a bit lost for a second and Anna suddenly felt like she was talking to someone who didn't know basic English. "Do you understand what I just told you?"

"Okay, I can tell you something true, this town is very strange and attracts very strange people to it," the gentleman told. "And what's your name exactly? I didn't catch it and I don't think I've seen you around here to be all honest."

"I'm Anna and this is my associate Quinn," introduced Anna, quickly pointing to Quinn behind her. "And who are you as well?"

"Todd," answered Todd. "I don't know what tree you're thinking of barking up, but I can already tell you that if you become too nosey around here, you may have to pay for your sin."

"How so?" asked Anna. "Who is this woman you were talking about to your friend just minutes ago?"

"I don't know her name, and even if you went around asking the town folk around here what her name is, no one would give you a truthful answer to that," answered Todd. "Because in order to give you a truthful question, we have to know the real answer to it firstly be considered a lie. Do you follow?"

"So no one knows what that woman's name is?" asked Anna.

"I don't like lying to people and especially to women like yourself, Anna, so I'm not going to justify that answer for you," answered Todd. "If I were to lie and mislead a pretty young stranger like yourself, you will be asking more questions and end up in a place where God himself will place a horrible future for you. I don't want God to do that to you, or to anyone, but choose your path now, Anna, do not go barking up that tree concerning that woman."

"Do you realise what company we work for?" asked Anna. "And do you know how strongly our work depends on leads like yourself?"

"I'm not going to end up caring if you work for any multi-million company or even a small local one, stand your ground Anna and do not dig deeper into this woman," answered Todd. "She is strange and we like to keep things around here the way things are. We don't need people snooping around and getting hurt. We're not in Chicago, Ma'am, with all due respect."

"No offence taken," Anna felt like she had to clarify as she swept her blonde fridge out of her eyes with her hand that had a number of rings on it.

"Who is this woman?" Quinn felt like she had to push Todd to answer the question. "What's her name? Where does she come from? How did she get here? Why is she so mysterious?"

"I would answer those questions if I knew the answers to them," Todd found himself indirectly repeating himself. "And as to the last question, you spend a day around here and then figure out why she's so mysterious. What makes her so mysterious is we don't know anything about her. Don't know her name, her number, we know where she lives though, we don't know if she's got family here, don't know if she's got any pets, don't even know her tax file number. That's what makes her so mysterious."

"Could she be part of a cult?" asked Anna. Todd shook his head in denial. "What makes you so sure?"

"Trust me, in a town like this, in the middle of nowhere, sects and cults are out of the question," answered Todd. "We've had strange people coming in and out of this place, but at least we've had a chance to speak to them and them respond back. This lady, well, she doesn't talk to any of us folk around here, she always has the same routine every day, it's as though she's reliving old memories."

"Could that be it?" asked Quinn. "If she's keeping to herself as you say she is, don't you think it could be all in the head for her?" Todd frowned.

"Where did you say you were from again?" asked Todd. "I don't think we discussed that point."

"Why does it matter?" asked Anna.

"Because people will start to think and see you snooping around here, changing the ways of this old town and there will be some uproar, trust me," answered Todd. "The old men and women around here, will hit the roof about you guys being around here and asking so many questions. They don't want things to change and I sure as eggs don't want to be dealing with delusional old women."

"We're from the Washington Post, just passing through and now I get ear of a mysterious women around here, I mean, I snoop around, that's my job as a writer," clarified Anna.

"You're a stinkin' journalist?" frowned Todd. "Hate to tell you this, but I work for the county. Sherriff's my profession and I have authority to make you leave this town. Now I know my job pretty well ladies, but this time, I'm turning a blind eye to you two. But I recommend, strongly, do not start snooping around, even if it's in your job description. The last thing you want on your resume is being imprisoned for a number of years for evading privacy laws."

"Are you going to help us with this story or what?" asked Anna. "We can take the mystery out of this woman for you."

"Like I said before, don't start changing the ways around here, ladies," answered Todd, as he got to his feet. "The folk around here don't like change and the first person they'll be complaining to is me. Now have a good stay and I beg you both, stay out of trouble." The plain-clothed Sherriff left without another word said or another action done, leaving the pair of journalists wondering what to do next.

Anna turned to Quinn and looked at her sternly.

"Going to the library to see if I can chase up anything on this woman, I'll be back in the room about seven," said Anna, as she got to her feet and walked away without giving the opportunity for Quinn to reply.

Quinn looked to the clock on the diner's wall, it was only half past six. Anna said she'll be back around seven, so that gave Quinn ample opportunity to ask around about this woman while her fellow associate was doing her research at the small library half way across town. Quinn sat on the bar stool, aimlessly, spinning side to side on it, wondering about what made this woman the talk of the town. Why didn't they want the mystery unveiled about this woman?

Her dinner appeared suddenly in front of her as the waitress gave the journalist a brief smile and turned around.

"Hey," Quinn piped up, as the waitress turned around and looked a bit confused. "Can I ask you a couple of questions...." Quinn squinted her green eyes to try and read the name of the waitress on the name tag that was pinned against the pink and white uniform. "....Rachel?"

"Sure thing," the waitress named Rachel replied. "What do you want to know?"

"I want to know about the woman that everyone is talking about," answered Quinn. "I've already heard several rumours in fact. Some say that she's here in hiding, that's why she keeps to herself and others say other things."

"I can't help you sorry, I only know what's I've been told and the rumours are just too many to name at once," apologised Rachel. "I can tell you a couple if you wish." Quinn nodded silently as Rachel lowered the volume of her speech. "Some say that she once had a husband, that's why she goes to the cemetery every day and others say that she preaches the Devil, that's why she can't be found between the times of one in the afternoon and two. Others say as well, that she's like a gatekeeper, that's why not many things that are bad in this town, she's keeping us from temptation."

"What do you think personally?" asked Quinn, picking up the fork in front of her and fiddling with the various meats on her plate. "I mean, everyone has to have an opinion on this controversial matter."

"It's more than just controversial, to some it's personal," answered Rachel. "There's another rumour about that Todd, the local county Sherriff, is related to her, that's why he's so sensitive about the topic. Every time me and my girlfriends try to get the latest news outta him about the events surrounding the woman, not that anything much happens with her, but he changes the topic. Now I don't know if you know this, but another rumour says it that Todd and her were in a car accident, she got memory loss and totally didn't recognise Todd by the time that she woke up. All we know about her for real is that she's female and that she lives in the mansion on the highway, you know people don't like digging into matters concerning that woman."

"You didn't answer my question," Quinn responded bluntly to the waitress's rant.

"Personally, well, it's hard to believe some of the rumours that go around," replied Rachel. "Like the one made up from the Hollander's twins, the one about how she got abducted by aliens and whatever they said, I tuned out because all I was hearing was a whole bunch of trollop. Now the rumour about Peter knocking up Sarah, that one I believe."

"Please, back to the question," Quinn firmly requested.

"I don't believe any of them, the elders around here frown upon trouble makers around here, it's just, you know, they're old and they're only trying to do what's best for us," replied Rachel. "My moma always told me not go around and poking my nose into other people's business. I've always lived by that morale and it's gotten me where I am now."

"What? Working as a waitress at a diner?" asked Quinn.

"No, got myself a handsome man and got myself a gorgeous son," answered Rachel. "It was work here or go to some big notch city like New York. Those places don't need a girl like me workin' there. They've got enough bimbos and sluts working in their flashy nightclubs, don't want my morality to be corrupted." Quinn started to eat her dinner. She knew this was going to take a while to get somewhere with this woman. "I was never one for the big cities anyway, too much corruption and too much rush to get the littliest of things done, that's why I've never left this town. Nice, remote, and peaceful little town, and the only disruptions are those Hollander's twins done Georgie Lane who don't know proper manners. And now I hear of that Sarah girl, always too upbeat for her age, got herself knocked up. How the heavens is she ever going to raise a child with a father like that?"

"What's wrong with the father...what was his name Pete?" asked Quinn, enjoying a random gossip moment for a bit then she swore she would get back to her job of snooping around.

"She's a nineteen year old and she's going to be a mother! How do you not see something wrong with that?" asked Rachel. "Bastard child, I tell you." Quinn was tryng to figure out why she had gone off course with her questioning and what purpose this woman's ranting was serving to her own benefit.

"Mmm...okay in that case," Quinn didn't know what to say nor did she want to say anything in reply to what the waitress had just said. What was she thinking when she thought it was okay for a random gossip moment? "So tell me more about this woman. What she looks like, how she acts and stuff."

"Are you a writer by any chance?" asked the waitress frowning a bit. Quinn decided to nod and nod she did. Rachel's expression changed dramatically as Quinn thought to herself that she better start preparing herself for one of those lectures about being snoopy that Todd gave her and Anna. "Oh, we don't get folks like you around often. We were in the news once for something that someone did, not sure what though, we don't watch much television around here and we're not so, how do you folks in the city put it? Ah yeah, keeping up with the Jones'."

"So ah, okay then in that case," Quinn strugled to find the words, ironically, as her profession required using sophisticated words and phrases.

"And by the way, the woman you're after, she ain't very sociable, I gather you already knew that," Rachel seemed like she was repeating herself and Quinn was a bit unsure of why she was starting to repeat herself in an indirect way. Quinn nodded. "Anywho, how she acts you ask? One word, strange."

"What way?" asked Quinn.

"It's the same old daily routine over and over again," answered Rachel. "She always has to have the timing correct or I don't know what happens if she's thrown off timing, I've never seen her off time in her routine."

"What's her routine?" asked Quinn.

"Gets out of the house of nine, ten, she comes in here and orders the same thing, in fact I think that's the only time I've heard her speak, it's a sweet pitch sort of, I know the order off by heart, no sugar and no milk, it's like an automatic reaction to her presence to me, I know what she wants by the time she steps in," answered Rachel. "Eleven, she gets up and folks say that she goes to the cemetery to mourn someone, we're not quite sure who it is, all the bets are on her dead husband. She disappears for an hour, no one knows where she goes, then she comes back in at two does her usual shop and then at three goes back home. I know where she lives, my shift ends usually when she goes home and I walk behind her most of the time and I've seen her walk straight past her mailbox and into her house. I think it's just me or something, but people usually check their mail first before they go in, right?"

"Has anyone bothered to check out her name through the peices of mail that she recieves?" asked Quinn.

"That's the thing there, everytime one of the kids do that, there's no pieces of mail to collect," answered Rachel. "We've seen the mailman drive straight past her box. Now, I don't think a man like Nick is afraid of a mansion like that."

"Is it haunted?" asked Quinn.

"A place like this has no haunted houses, we're in the middle of nowhere, not in the middle of Ripley's Believe It or Not," Rachel kindly retorted. "Now, I hate to part from our discussion.....wait, what was your name again?"

"Quinn," introduced Quinn. "I don't think I told you before."

"Yeah, I don't think you told me before as well," replied Rachel, slowly. "Well, Quinn, have some fun while you can in this town and I have to get back to work, before the boss comes back from out the back and finds me bludging off my job. I can't afford to lose my job, really, I can't."

Quinn saw in the corner of her eye, her associate walk through the front door. Quinn spun around on her bar stool and got off her seat. She stood up as the waitress disappeared out of sight, and crossed her arms, as Anna come up to Quinn and sighed.

"Find anything?" asked Quinn.

"Yes and no," answered Anna, as Anna showed the way to a spare table next to the front window. They each took a seat on either side of the table and both reporters crossed their arms, looking at each other. "Ran into Todd several times, so I had restart my investigations several times. What is it with tradition in this town?"

"I guess from what I've heard, tradition is a big thing in this town, and a lot of things have to remain a certain way for the locals to comprehend on what's happening," answered Quinn. "And from I've also heard, religion plays a big role. Talk about being technologically deprived."

"But the question that I come down to every time that I talk to someone, is why are people so determined not to tell us what they really know about this woman?" asked Anna. "We can't base an article on rumours and you know as much as I do that we need to uncover the truth."

"But how can we do that without upsetting the locals around here?" asked Quinn. "I spoke to one of the waitresses here and I bet she was determined not to tell me what she really knew."

"And when was that? Before or after she knew you were a journalist?" asked Anna.

"Both," answered Quinn. "Something's not right and hell, this is a kick ass article, imagine the publicity and media attention this town could benefit from. This article could put this town on the map."

"I just don't want to upset the local elders, that's all," Anna firmly stated. "They have some sort of weird power over decisions made in this town."

"It's just because they've lived here longer and they think they know what's best for the town," Quinn pointed out to her fellow associate. "Or so I assume."

"We've got to get that address of that woman's house off someone," suggested Anna. "I bet no one has ever knocked that front door to even speak to that woman."

"We've got to be here at ten tomorrow, it's when she comes for her daily coffee," said Quinn. "Then after that, it's said that she disappears for a two good hours or so and returns into town to get the same groceries and then she returns home. Imagine doing this, day in and day out, wouldn't that be a bit dull?"

"By the sounds of it, it sounds like it's all in the head for her," Anna couldn't help but to mumble to herself, but Quinn managed to hear it as well. "By the sounds of it, she's got to be under the influence of some weird cult or sect. No one who's normal would do the things that she does, because if she was normal as well, there wouldn't be rumours of her dealing with werewolves and other freaks of nature. There's just something that doesn't sit right."