Afterlife by Isabella Kruger Read Free Book Online Page B

could sense he was trying to keep up with me. He complicated my life more than anyone had ever done before.
     
    Then he spoke up behind me. “Look I'm sorry.  I didn't mean what I said yesterday. I was mad, because you got yourself into a dangerous situation.” He said trying to stop me.
     
    “Okay, look you had your say yesterday.” I was annoyed, why was he always around. As if embarrassing myself yesterday wasn’t enough drama for one week.
     
    “You are a difficult case to crack” he said out of breath still trying to keep up with me.
     
     I rolled my eyes.  “Hmm, and you are qualified to say that?
     

    He sighed. “I have a name you know.”

    “Yes, I know.”
     

    “And yours is Miss Grumpy this morning it seems.” He said mockingly walking away.
     
    “No, it's Fleur.” I said automatically.
     
    “It's beautiful”, he said turning around with warmth in his eyes that made me feel uncomfortable.
     
    I stopped and looked at him. “Yea, whatever.” I was trying to shrug it off. “I have to go.” I turned away as he grabbed my arm.

     
    “Look let me make it up to you.” He stared at me with his eyes glistening. It was silly and childish but I felt compelled to listen to him.

     
     “I'm listening ...” I said staring into his eyes.

     
    “There's a great place in town called Cafe Rousse. Pick you up at seven.” Before I could protest and make up an excuse he walked off. I had no idea how I was going to explain this one to Oscar and Martha. “Food Fleur, food - focus Fleur.” I said to myself, but the more I thought about food the more his face filled my head. I was convinced it was the same face that I had been dreaming about for months. The million dollar question was why?  
       
    Town was eerily quiet and the usual occupants weren’t around.  It was strange because the few times I had been there on a Thursday it was always overly busy. It seemed as if everyone had suddenly disappeared.
     
     I walked towards the grocery store and saw the grocer standing in the doorway. He had been watching me and Daniel having a conversation.  Relief wiped away the strange foreboding that had suddenly dawned on me. At least the town wasn’t completely deserted, “It must’ve been my imagination going in overdrive after yesterday’s unusual event” I thought as I greeted the town grocer, but he closed the door in my face.  I was so shocked that I banged my fists on the door and called out “What is going on Gary” I knocked on the door again and he signaled to the closed sign.
     
    “How rude!” I thought, “This was great, another weird event.  Could it get any worse?” I had lost my appetite for shopping and walked back to the candy store.
     
    Martha and Oscar’s car was already gone. I looked for the back door key under a garden pot and opened the door. I had the entire day all to myself again. I walked to the sink and poured myself a glass of water and stared outside.
     
    The post man had just delivered the mail. I might as well take a look at it and help Oscar with the last few bills. The post box was overly full of newspapers and account notices. I dropped the mail on the kitchen table and worked through it systematically, sorting it out according to urgency. When I completed my task, I picked up a copy of The New York Times. What would a pair of old British people do with a New York Times?  “That’s a first.” I thought. I picked up the newspaper and read the articles one by one, not really paying attention, just trying to kill time. I opened page three and surveyed an article about Marilyn Monroe’s new movie and then a photo caught my eye,  a face way too familiar for me not recognize, stared back at me.  I felt goose bumps cover my arms and neck and a hot flush of shock spread over my face. I looked at the photo of the girl in the newspaper. It could only be her. I stared at the newspaper in my hands. My head was spinning uncontrollably and my hands