The 11th Floor: Awakening (8 page)
Read The 11th Floor: Awakening Online
Authors: Charles Culver
He found her, but would she remember him too? As luck would have it, she lived in a small town in a neighboring state, less than an hour’s drive for Luke. He was able to find her address online now that he knew her name and town. He washed up, got dressed, and went for a ride.
The GPS on his phone got him straight to her home without an issue. He parked across the street and sat nervously in the car, trying to think of something to say that wouldn’t come off as him being a creepy stalker. What if she didn’t remember him?
“Sure she will. She has to,” he thought.
He stepped out of the car and gently closed the door behind him. He turned and looked at the house for a bit, then crossed the street. Standing on her doorstep, he rang the bell.
“Coming!” a voice yelled from inside.
Luke could hear hurried footsteps coming down wooden stairs. The footsteps approached the door, then silence. Presumably, she was looking out the peephole. Luke smiled at the door.
“It’s Luke. Do you remember me?”
Rattling sounds could be heard from the opposite side of the door. The door flew open and there she stood. The girl from the dream was real and was standing in front of him. Before he could say another word, she rushed through the doorway and wrapped her arms around him.
“You’re real. I can’t believe it. You’re real,” she said with tears flowing down her cheeks.
“Yes, I’m real, and so are you,” said Luke.
She pulled back and looked him in the eyes, “Then that means—”
“Yes. It was real too.”
“You saved my life. I don’t know how to thank you.”
“This whole situation is awkward for me,” Luke said looking down at the ground.
“How about we go get some lunch and talk about the, umm, events?”
“Sure. Just let me get changed. Come in.”
Luke followed Amanda into her house.
“You can sit here and watch some television. I’ll be down in a bit.”
She ran upstairs. Luke sat down on the couch and turned on the television.
From upstairs, Amanda called down, “When you jumped off the building, you disappeared just like you predicted.”
“It was more of a guess really, as to what would actually happen.”
“Well, you were spot on,” she said.
Her voice was a lot closer this time. He turned around and she was already standing right behind him. He didn’t even hear her come down the stairs.
“
Wow, that
was fast.”
“I was basically already done. I just had to go change.”
“Shall we?” Luke asked, holding out his hand.
“Let’s,” she replied.
They went out to Luke’s car and got in.
“I saw a pizza place on the way here. How’s that sound?” asked Luke.
“Gino’s?
Terrific.”
Luke smiled. This day was not turning out like he expected.
“Luke? I remembered something about the … dream. Something I think you should know.”
“What’s that?”
“After you jumped and disappeared, I followed. I ran across the rooftop and jumped when I came to the edge. As soon as my feet left the ground, I heard a voice yell out to me from behind. I looked back, and those two guys you killed were standing there, grinning at me.”
“No way.
They burned up, I saw it.”
“Me too.
Apparently they faked it. Remember how they said they can make you see things?”
“Motherfucker!”
Luke yelled. “Sorry.
Frustr
ated.”
“Please, it’s not the worst thing I’ve heard this week,” Amanda said, dismissing his foul language.
“Man, I thought I had them. I thought it was over.”
“Well that’s not all. Do you want to know what they said?”
Luke nodded.
“They said ‘We’ll see you again real soon’ and waved to me.”
They both sat in silence as Luke continued to drive to the restaurant. Upon arrival, they went inside and sat quietly for a few moments longer until Luke finally said something to comfort her.
“I’ve been up against them three times now. I know what I am capable of. I can teach you how to fight them. I will protect you. I promise.”
