original

Help From Heaven

Author: Luhizisa

Chapter 1: Chapter 1 - The First Encounter

Another frustrated groan echoed in the room followed by the sound of fist slamming against the wooden table. A very annoyed teenager sat in her desk staring angrily at her algebra worksheet cursing everyone related to math – from her teacher to the father of mathematics, Archimedes. Resisting the urge to tear the worksheet into pieces and make up an excuse to her teacher saying her dog ate it, she takes a deep breath and continues solving the problems she has been solving since 5 in the morning. Currently it is 6:30. She actually could've completed this last night and got some extra sleep today if it wasn't for the load of assignments the other subject teachers had assigned. Just because they had ONE day off, all of the teachers collectively thought it would be a great idea to bombard the students with homework.

The room is quiet again, the only sound being from her pencil as she scribbles the answers in the messiest handwriting possible. It is when the clocks strikes seven when her alarm goes off and she finally finishes solving the worksheet of hell – or at least that's what all of her friends call it – finally comes to an end. The pencil is thrown out of her hands in some unknown corner off her room as she plops on the bed with her phone. The screen displays a long list of notifications, most of them being text messages and the rest random offers from the study apps her mom made her download. The texts from her friends clearly described the annoyance she was feeling a moment ago whilst doing the worksheet of hell. Most of them said how they are 'literally dying' just by looking at it and the others said how they aren't even going to turn up for school today.

Being the good friend she is, she texts them saying 'don't worry I'll let you copy my work'. A smile of satisfaction from being able to help her friends slowly creeps on her face which is quick to disappear when a text from her mom pops up.

'Sorry sweetheart, we won't be coming back today either. I promise we'll come back on weekend' – it read. Her eyes stare at it blankly as she thinks of how she hasn't seen her parents for over a month. For a moment she feels an urge to rant at her mother saying how they are always busy with work and never have time for her but she quickly dismisses the thought and texts 'It's okay mom, good luck with work' instead.

She may just be a teenager but has matured enough to know why her parents have to stay away from home and work so hard to run their business so she doesn't whine or complain about it. There have been many times in the past where she ranted about it to her friends but never to her parents. If anything, she felt blessed to have them because no matter how busy they are, they always take out time to text her of face time her or send any source of virtual comfort. Compared to all their hard work the least I can do is be understanding – she says to herself.

Sighing, she gets up and starts her daily morning routine which is just a very long shower and getting dressed. Showering takes about 30 minutes as she utilizes that time to act out her imagination. Today she chooses a scenario where her lover breaks up with her in the middle of nowhere as the rain pours heavily. Currently, she is on her knees with one hand clutched around an imaginary locket that symbolized their love and other clasped against her mouth as she faked her cries but soon realization hits that its getting late and she actually starts showering. The rest of her routine – which is brushing, drying hair and getting dressed – is carried out hurriedly too.

The eighth hour of the morning begins when she's fully ready and seated in the dining area for breakfast. The maid serves her grilled sandwiches and a glass of milk which she barely manages to stuff her in her mouth before she has to rush for school. The driver stands ready outside the gate with the car door open for the girl to hop in.

"Miss Laurel! Your bag!" a voice calls out as soon as the door is shut. It's the maid. She walks as fast as her old legs could with a red bag in her hand. The driver takes it from her halfway through and Laurel yells back a 'thank you' to her before the car vrooms off. Her back finally relaxes against the leather of the seat and she rolls down the window to get some fresh air but ends up coughing because of the polluted gasses from the vehicles around them so she rolls it back up.

The silence in the car is disturbed by the ting from Laurel's phone. She takes it out from her bag to see there's a text in her group chat of friends saying 'Whoever didn't finish the algebra worksheet, don't worry because…Mr. Arnold is on a leave!' Her lips stretch into a silly wide smile upon reading those words as she texts her excitement like everyone else in the group was. The ones who were fearing to turn up today changed their plans and decided to show up. Now they won't have to deal with a grumpy Mr. Arnold and have the first hour free too. What a nice start of the day.

"Sean, let's go to the graveyard we still have some time" Laurel says leaning forward to make herself audible. The driver raises an eyebrow, questioning the sudden change in plans but doesn't say anything and changes the route. The car stops at the black gates of the graveyard where an old man in his loose watchman's uniform sits looking at every car that passes by instead of guarding. Sean gets off to open the passenger's door for Laurel to get off.

"Morning Mr. Ivor!" she greets the familiar man in a purposefully loud voice for him to hear. Upon receiving no response, she walks closer and repeats her words, louder. The man finally notices her. His crooked yellow teeth full on display as his wrinkled face curve into a bright smile. He struggles to stand up from his seat even with the support of his stick.

"Oh good morning, young lady!" he greets in his husky voice as he finally stands up to dig in his pocket for something "early today, eh?"

"Yeah, I've got some free time on my hands today"

"Geez, you kids should have free time more often. They give you too much work to do"

"Well, couldn't agree more"

Both of them chuckle as Mr. Ivor finally pulls out a key from his pocket and unlocks the gate. Laurel thanks him and walks in through the flower path which led to a vast space of graves. The land is mostly empty as there are not many bodies buried here. From the outside, if you don't notice the 'Sunford Cemetery' sign, you'd think it's a public park. There are not many visitors either, especially not at this hour of the day but today seems different. Laurel stops on her way when she spots a man in an emerald trench coat which she recognizes to be of the brand Lorazzo – the clothing brand of which her parents are the CEO and COO of. The man had his hands in the pockets as he took a stroll around the place like he was investigating something very important. But his face held a look of mockery. He let out a low laugh for every grave that he passed by and shook his head.

What a strange man – laurel thinks and goes on her way to the leftmost corner of the land where her grandmother is buried. She visits her grave on daily basis, sometimes in the morning on the way to school and sometime in the noon on her way back home.

"Hey nana" she says setting on her knees beside the grey tombstone. The tiny rock particles rub against her knees through the thin material of her stockings but it doesn't bother her. "I'm early today"

As if waiting for a respond she stays quiet for a while, using the sleeves of her uniform to clean the letters 'IRIS WOODS' engraved on the stone. She looks at the grey solid material as adoringly as she used to look at her grandmother when she was alive. When Iris Woods had passed away, Laurel not only lost a grandparent but also a friend. A companion. She was basically raised by her grandmother since her parents were never around to do so. Because of her Laurel never really felt the absence of her parents and now that she's gone, her heart aches with pain of loneliness she never thought she'd experience. Of course, she has many friends. In her school and in her neighborhood as well but none of their company compare to her grandmother's. The times she spent with here were the only times she ever felt like herself. A part of Laurel died on the day Iris Woods did.

"Interesting" a low voice comes from behind Laurel, making her jump forward in shock. If it weren't for her hands that landed on the ground at the right time, she would have fell on her face. "oh, did I scare you? Sorry"

She looks up to see a tall man hovering her. Standing a little too close. The trench coat makes her realize that he is the weird man she saw taking a stroll. The man himself realizes that he's standing too close and takes a step back. Placing his both of his on his thighs, he squats down to meet Laurel's level. She stays frozen in her position as she looks at the man with wide eyes, still unable to process his appearance out of thin air.

"There are lot bugs here" the man says looking around "better close that mouth before one gets in". She finally gets a grasp and lets out a loud yelp. Loud enough to alert anyone in the cemetery, if there is anyone that is. Her eyes wander up and down, taking in his features. He had strangely bright yellow eyes that seemed to glow more than they normally should because of the contrast with his dark brown skin.

I've seen him somewhere – she thinks, staring at his strangely familiar face. The man doesn't tear away his gaze either. No words are exchanged as Laurel digs deep into her mind, trying to recall where she saw him.

Her eyes get filled with fear and she visibly starts shaking when she finally recognizes the man. Instinctively, her arms raise above her head to form a shield. Deep inside aware of the fact that it'll do nothing to shield her. It might take only one swing of the man's buffed arms to send her flying to another universe.

"Whoa there miss" the man laughs "I'm not here to fight"

She doesn't budge. Every scenario she had ever made up about a situation like this begins to play in her mind but finds herself unable to muster the courage to put any of it into action. For a moment she considers pressing the button of her safety alarm that hangs on the skirt's belt loop but the fear freezes her.

The man looks at her for a good while before he gets tired and stands up with a sigh. He fixes his trench coat before shoving his hands back into the pockets and walking away. Laurel hears his footsteps but doesn't dare to look up.

What if he's just pretending to walk away but actually standing right behind me? – she thinks. Despite that thought she slowly peeps through the gap between her forearms to see that the man had disappeared. Her hands drop down as she slowly turns back. Upon seeing no sign of him she gathers more courage and stands up to confirm her doubt. There was no one. The only sounds that could be heard were of the rustling leaves and her own heavy breathing. She quickly dusts off her uniform's skirt and cautiously walks towards where she came from. Her eyes keep scanning the area, afraid the man would pop up from no where.

Her ears pick up on some strange noise from behind but she doesn't pay attention to it, too focused on looking around. The sound becomes louder and louder with every step she took. Something in her tells her to stop and look back around. Her feet come to a halt and so does the sound behind her.

Footsteps. That is the sound of someone's footsteps. Her legs are back in action, this time faster and more frantic as she runs without looking back and the person behind her does the same. Inching closer and closer by every second that passes.

I don't want to. I don't want to die. I don't want to die – she repeatedly chants as her feet move faster. Not a great timing but her mind suddenly starts recalling all the movies she had seen in which the protagonist had been trapped in such situations and she desperately hopes for a hero to land in front of her from the sky so she can hide behind him.

Oh god, has this route always been this long? – she asks herself. The gates finally come in sight and she feels a wave relief, thinking she'll finally be safe.

"MR. IVOR!" she yells as loud as her drying throat allowed her to "OPEN THE GATES! FAST!" Ivor jumps up from his seat and hurriedly pushes the gate open with his weak shaky arms. Sean jumps out of the car too and rushes towards the gate. Laurel runs straight into his Sean's arms and starts babbling about what she saw. The only thing both men could make out from her muffled words was that there is someone following her.

"Miss, calm down you're fine. No one followed you" Sean says resting his hands on her trembling shoulders. At this Laurel stops babbling and slowly turns around.

"Yeah, no one entered before or after you" Ivor adds. Laurel refuses to believe her eyes, how could there be no one when she clearly heard those footsteps? Just to be sure that there really isn't anyone in there she asks Sean to go inside and check thoroughly. He walks in and checks every corner of the land for fifteen minutes before concluding that there really isn't anyone in there. He walks outside and gives Laurel the same answer at which she gives him a shocked and confused look.

"B-but how-" she starts stuttering, trying to find words to describe who she saw in there and why is she so scared of him but nothing comes out of her mouth.

"Who exactly did you see in there, dear?" Ivor asks walking closer to the trembling girl. She opens and closes her mouths several times in an attempt to form words but ends up choking on air. Sean is quick to grab her water from the car.

"Marsh Ferguson" she gasps after emptying half of the bottle "there's Marsh Ferguson in there!" the adults look at each other, confused.

"You mean the serial killer Marsh?" Sean asks raising an eyebrow. Laurel frantically nods "but miss, how's that possible?"

"I don't know! J-just call the cops!" she yells, almost on the verge of crying. She holds back her tears by gulping down the other half of the bottle. The silence of other two makes her confused. How could they not be panicking when she just witnessed a serial killer on loose?

"What are you waiting for? Call the cops, hurry!" her eyebrows knitted together in confusion and legs struggling to stand up properly. The two men stay quiet for a while feeling as shocked and confused as the girl in front of them.

"Miss, have you not seen the news about him?" Sean finally speaks "he was hung to death two weeks ago. It was live on national television"