Diaries

The drive home was not anything like the drive to Bayleth manor. After the absurd quantities of adrenaline were filtered out of my blood, I realized I was soaked in sweat, breathing like an asthmatic, and my vision swam as I drove. The calm night and wind no longer gave me comfort. They brought dread.

I tried to focus on driving and ignoring what I saw, but it replayed in my mind constantly. The behemoth in the entrance of a ruined Bayleth Manor. I drove, faster now. I snuck a glance at the time, 1 am. I would be a bitch to get up tomorrow, but my apartment was all I could think about for now. That locked door and the air of familiarity called to me. I pushed the tiny car to go faster. I wanted to be surrounded by that comfort as soon as possible.

I peeled into the parking lot of my apartment complex. I slammed into the parking guard that prevented your car from rolling to far, almost pushing past it. I didn't care too much. I unlocked the door and walked around, gathering the diaries. After shutting the doors of the car, I took a cursory glance around the lot. Nothing moved. It was dead, as 1 am should be. I took a deep breath and walked to my apartment.

Shutting the door and locking it, I collapsed to the ground, my back to the door. The comforts of home brought my senses back to me. It was just a person, so what? Why was I so viscerally terrified when I saw that person. They worst they would have done is call the cops for trespassing, if that was even the owner. If it wasn't, then we were both trespassing. I laughed at my own paranoia. I had nearly given myself a panic attack over what was just a really tall person.

I finally calmed down. The thrill of the night escaped me and I crawled to my bed, passing out.

The blaring alarm disturbed my sleep. I groggily reached around for my phone and finally found it. I was convinced last night was some fever dream. Like clockwork I prepared for work that day. I showered, got dressed, brushed my teeth and went to make coffee when I tripped.

Rolling on the floor I looked back at all the diaries that were sprawled on the floor.

It wasn't a dream. It was real. The same fear from last night tightened in my chest then faded just as fast. That meant the man from the manor was most likely also real.

I pushed the books into the corner, determined to read them when I got home. I made my coffee and went to work. The entire time I was preoccupied with the idea of those diaries. Someone so rich to afford that manor locked themselves inside for decades and faded away.

The only thing left was a stack of diaries. The idea of a long kept secret distracted me from my work. I got scolded a few times but the day finally came to an end.

I stepped into my car in the parking lot, waving goodbye to a few coworkers I got along with well. I started the drive home. My drive home was a short ten minute commute. It was easy and normally the roads were fairly empty. The occasional car would show up though. When they did I would always have to double check I was still in my lane. The combination of a long work day on my mental state and lack of sleep.

Halfway home I spotted a black car approaching. Like normal I checked to make sure I was in my lane and passed them, only this time I recognized the car. A black SUV, the same make and model as the one I had seen at the manor.

The hair on my arms raised quickly and I watched in the rear view mirror as the black SUV pulled into the closest driveway and turned around, following me. I stepped on the gas, begging the raggedy old car to suddenly be far faster than I ever hoped it could be.

At first I managed to pull away and I took the first turn I could once I had a bit of distance. It still followed me. I proceeded to start taking turns at random, trying to lose the car. It started to gain on me and my terror grew as I realized my car was far slower than that SUV.

I continued to take turns, trying to use my smaller size to make a gap. I eventually ended up downtown. The roads narrowed significantly and traffic became much heavier. Up ahead I saw the traffic light flicker from green to yellow. It was a stretch but I gave it all the gas I could.

I made it through just as the light changed. I watched as my pursuer stopped at the light. I made another few turns, constantly checking behind me for it to appear again. I finally took a breath, realizing it was gone.

"Fuck, that thing knows what car I drive and it probably knows what I look like." I spoke to myself, realizing I knew next to nothing of what was seeking me.

I began my drive back home, not fully aware I was being hunted. I made sure to check my surroundings constantly as I drove. I made it back to the apartment without spotting that car again.

When I got back I pulled the car into a spot. I sat there for a moment, regaining my composure. I gave pep talks to myself, trying to get my morale back up to my golden standard of neutral. It wasn't working and I decided to take a look at myself in the mirror.

My eyes looked sunken. Far more than normal. The party on the 4th and my following late night escapades had made sleep a neglected hobby. I looked like shit and I felt that way too.

I reached to turn the car off, but stopped. If that thing knew my car I needed to hide it. I looked at my apartment building. I lived in a four story complex that backed up to a thick set of tall woods.

I hesitantly put the car in reverse and then drove it around the building on the grass. It was now parked in the grass, sandwiched between the ass of the building and the line where the woods overtook the perfectly manicured lawn.

It would have to do for now. It wasn't a perfect hiding spot, but it prevented the car from being spotted unless you walked around the building on foot. I would definitely be getting an email from my landlord about it, but he could fuck off to hell right now. If I had to choose between paying a fine and whatever that man would do I'm choosing the fine.

I entered my apartment again and let myself slide down the wall to a seated position. I felt pathetic. I had always prided myself as being a man's man, but after today and that night I felt like a coward. I sighed at my failure to live up to my own moral code and nabbed a diary that was spilled out on the floor. I picked it up and looked at the cover.

The book had no obvious markers on the exterior. It was a plain, leather bound journal with a small tie that would allow one to keep the book closed at all times if they were traveling with it a lot. There was an etched pattern in the leather though. Fairies, flowers and vines, the same pattern and design as the half of the door I had seen last night.

I propped my knees up and flicked open the book, thumbing through the pages. Every page had writing one it, nearly zero pictures. The entire journal was nearly filled out. Satisfied with the initial combing I flipped open to a random page.

'Dear Diary,

Today was an exceptional day. I have finally surpassed my teacher on the harpsichord. The instrument is determined to fall out of favor with the public soon in preference to other instruments, but I do declare I love the unique sounds it makes.

In other news Lord Dandrake arrived again today with yet another marriage proposal to me. I grow tired of his pestering. I am considering alleviating his soul from this plane.'

It was a strange entry. The writing style seemed older based on the diction used. The thinly veiled death threat at this Lord Dandrake was also something I couldn't help noticing. I shrugged though, tons of people threatened death, but few would actually do it. I skimmed another few pages.

'Dear Diary,

Today is a wonderful day indeed. I found out through my neighbors gossiping tongue that Lord Dandrake has found a different bride. Finally I can be rid of his pesky attempts.

I have also found yet another simple minded man for my to control. I do hate the current age's disposition towards women. I hope that will change soon.'

The entries, while full of gossip, contained little about the authors identity. So far I know it's a woman and that's about it. She seemed to care little for men or love, but she could also just be brooding the week she wrote these. I placed the diary down. The timeline of this diary didn't line up with what should be the current owner of the manor. I dug around in the stack I had, searching for the newest one.

Finding it, I leaned back against the wall once again and opened it up.