Standing back from the canvas,
Jesse Martinez turned away and kicked the table where he kept
his paint, watching as it tumbled over, splashing bright red,
blue, and green all over the hard wood floors.
"It's not right. I can't
remember. I can't remember your eyes."
He ran into the kitchen and
threw open every drawer until he found a large knife. Returning
to the living room, he stood in front of the painting. As he
lifted the knife above his head, he apologized to Julia Taylor
for what he was about to do, and lunged forward with the knife.
A loud shriek pierced his ears
as the image on the canvas threw herself forward, her hands reaching
for knife. He screamed as he felt her touch, and dropped the
knife. Slipping on the spilled paint, he fell onto his backside.
Glancing at the canvas, Jesse's eyes widened when he realized
that it was blank and Julia Taylor was standing in front of it.
"This can't be,"
Jesse said, "you're dead."
"I don't have much time,"
Julia said to him. "You have to listen to me. Things are
going to change, Jesse."
"I don't understand."
"Someone is coming,"
she whispered as she glanced at the window, "someone that's
going to change everything. He doesn't know it yet," she
added, "so you have to help him."
"Help him do what?"
Julia Taylor stepped closer
to the canvas. "You have to help him find my killer,"
she answered.
"But how will I know who
he is?" Jesse questioned as he stood up from the floor.
"I have to go," Julia
said, glancing at the window. "He's here," she whispered
as she faded back into the canvas.
"Wait!" Jesse pleaded
as he ran to the window, and caught a glimpse of someone stepping
out of a car and shutting the door. "But who is he?"
He questioned as he glanced back at Julia. She was gone.
Sighing, Jesse glanced down
at his hands, they were covered in red paint, and it reminded
him of the blood they had been soaked in when he pulled Julia's
lifeless body from the tub and held her close.
Returning to the canvas, Jesse
sat down and stared at Julia's image in silence. After a moment,
he nodded his head. "I'll help him,"" he promised,
"but who is going to help me?" |
