The Visitor

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Justine – Hello.

The message turned on the screen, illuminating the room. Jake rolled to his side and looked at the screen.

Jake – Hey, what’s up?

Justine – What are you doing?

Jake looked at the time on the phone, 2:56 AM.

Jake – Nothing. Is everything okay?

Justine – I need to see you…

Jake felt Delilah shift behind him and snuggle into his back.

Jake – I can’t right now…

Justine – But I NEED you… Now…

Jake – I have a wife, Justine. I have moved on. You should do the same. I can’t keep doing this. I love you, and will always love you, but I can’t keep talking to you…

Jake waited, his heart beating loudly in his ears as the bubbles showed she was typing. A few moments went by, and the bubbles vanished. No reply was sent from her. He felt a wave of relief wash over him as he set his phone back on the table and turned to embrace Delilah.

“You won’t send me away, Jake,” Justine said as his face turned away from the phone.

Where Delilah had been, Justine now laid, facing him. The skin on the left side of her face was torn open, a dead eye staring at him from behind wet hair. He backpedaled out of bed, falling hard to the floor.

“Wh-Why are you here? You can’t be here…” Jake stumbled, still pushing himself away from the bed.

“Because you haven’t let me go, Jake,” she said as she dragged herself off the edge of the bed, “You still love me, Jake. You still want me, Jake.”

“I moved on, Justine,” he whispered, looking away from her, “I need you-”

“LIAR!” she boomed, vibrating the glass in the windows. “You hold me in your heart, and I will keep you in mine!”

Jake’s heart raced in his chest as she pulled herself across the floor into his lap. Where he thought he would feel cold, dead flesh, he instead felt soft, warm skin. He looked down to see the girl he had loved so many years ago lying with her head in his lap. Her green eyes looking up at him.

“I’ll love you forever, Jake,” she whispered, “I’ll never leave you…”

Jake felt a tear roll down his cheek as his hand instinctually began petting her hair, “I know…”