My Greatest Suffering

By Carlos Ortiz

My Greatest Suffering sounds morbid is a science fiction love drama of two seemingly highschool kids who are more than what they seem and fall in love and together they find that their love will come at a price. One that will effect all of humankind...and others.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Jun 21, 2019
• ISBN: 9781728313030

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© 2019 Carlos Ortiz. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse  05/18/2019

ISBN: 978-1-7283-1304-7 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-7283-1303-0 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2019906319

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Contents

Preface

Chapter 1 Try To Fit In

Chapter 2 Witness

Chapter 3 Curiosity Killed The Cat

Chapter 4 Misunderstood

Chapter 5 Trouble

Chapter 6 Unexpected Visitors

Chapter 7 The Decision Is Yours

Chapter 8 The Hunters

Chapter 9 A New Beginning

Chapter 10 Preparation

Chapter 11 The End of the World

Chapter 12 Judgement

Chapter 13 Back Home

Chapter 14 Revelations

Preface

I t started like any other day. I mean, as any normal day should occur, but lately mine were all blurred together. Since that day, everything seemed to mean less. I wasn’t complete anymore. Just alone, again. I quickly found some laundry to do. My mind had too much free time and the washer did not take as long as I hoped. As I started to put the clothes in the dryer, I came to a very sudden realization. That was exactly how I felt, like my head was being heated and thrown around in a tumble. All of my thoughts covering me like a violent crowd you can’t escape. I could feel my chest still hurting from yesterday. I didn’t think I could break down so literally like I had. I tried to breathe but it still hurt. I felt so alone in my head, even to me. Clearly things were not getting better for me.

Chapter 1

Try To Fit In

T he air stood still. Birds were singing as the sun beat down from the sky on another summer day. It was hot on my dark hair and I had considered going indoors for the day.

Can you hand me the wrench? Asked the voice from under the car. I grabbed it and knelt down to meet my step father’s eyes.

You can head in, I just have to put the alternator back on and I’ll be done. Richard said.

Even though he was my step dad Richard took care of me most of my life. But I never called him my father. From what I could remember I only met my real father once. He was constantly moving and when my mom had me she wanted to stay in Florida, which she did.

I walked inside where it was cool, but was a total mess of boxes, bubble wrap, and other moving supplies. We were new to Cassadaga moving from Ft. Lauderdale where I grew up. So finishing my last year of highschool at a new school was a complete drag. I walked to my mostly empty room and lay down on the bed. Apart from leaving my friends and school I was happy. Linda, my mother, was excited about Cassadaga and the new house. I wasn’t. Even though I was eighteen my mother was adament about seeing me graduate, and she could not miss a beat. School wasn’t going to be hard, but making friends was. I lay there staring at the ceiling when I heard a loud roar coming from outside. The 1984 Wagoneer that Richard was working on came awake. I walked to the window where I could see Richard standing there in admiration. He got a glance of me and waved thumbs up. Unfortunately for me I would be driving it, and just in time too. School starts tomorrow and so does my life in Cassadaga.

I woke up several times that night. I might have been more nervous than I thought. I finally gave up at 5:30 A.M and got out of bed. The sun was starting to rise by the time I got out of the shower. I stared at myself in the mirror for a while to inspect my first impression. My skin was somewhat tan but looked pale, even to me. My hair was matted down in a wet mess and my muscles looked a little bigger. At least I felt that way. I was never really as tall as the other guys my age so maybe I was trying to encourage this day in the right direction. I grabbed the safest clothes to wear and my backpack and headed towards the kitchen, where Linda was already awake and making eggs.

I was still nervous so I ate little and decided to head out. Linda walked over and stoped me at the doorway, Honey, I want you to try very hard to make friends. Just because you don’t have your old ones, doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy this year. I’m so proud of you. She said with a tear in her eye.

Mom, I still have this whole year to go through, cry when it’s over. I said.

She laughed and wiped the wet from her eyes. Linda was always concerned. Besides, I liked being alone and the few kids at my old school I did talk to, I never saw outside of school. Richard walked in with the keys to the Wagoneer in hand. School was not that far away and I had considered walking but he stoped me as I made it to the door, Here ya go kiddo. Richard said tossing me the keys.

Just be careful! Yelled my mom as I walked out the front door.

It took twenty minutes to get to school so maybe walking was out of the question. I parked in one of the student parking lots and right away felt out of place next to a black Range Rover. I thought about what Linda had said, about making friends as I started to walk to the front office. Cassadaga High was a pretty big school but I made it to the office and a woman greeted me warmly, Good morning. She said. I told her my name and that I was new to Cassadaga as she looked through a stack of papers for my schedule, along with a map of the school. She directed me towards my first class and said if I needed anything else to see Ms. Hanson. I felt like a tourist with my school map and face clearly new on campus, but I made it to History class and met my first teacher, Mrs. Padget. She introduced me and showed me where to sit. She also had the girl next to me share her book and walk me to my next class. She was nice, her name was Chelsea. She had long blonde hair and was a cheerleader. Class went by quickly and Chelsea walked me to my second period Goverment class and she mentioned we had the same lunch.

First half of the day went fast and at lunch I found Chelsea along with a couple other people that I had seen in classes. She introduced me to the table and they welcomed me like old friends. Maybe Linda had no reason to be concerned. I made friends and I barely had to speak. When the bell rang for class was finishing my apple hoping Chelsea was leading me the right was to my next class. I saw a trash can and was not more than three feet away when I tossed the apple core, and completely missed the trash. It slowly rolled down the hallway where it stoped, right at their feet.

I was too embarrassed to even look, but too scared to pretend it wasn’t me. There were three girls standing near their lockers talking, and the apple core was just at their feet. At first glance I thought they might be teachers but they were all very pretty and intimidating. As I approached I could see they were my age, I thought about saying excuse me but decided on getting the stupid apple and getting out of there. I made my move and turned to make my escape when I froze by the voice from behind me. You can say excuse me. Said the blonde. She had blue eyes and pale skin. Her friends were also pale but not as prominent as her. All three looked at me intensely and I stood there silent until the shortest one spoke. Forgive him sister, he seems new to this school. She said, her voice was calm but I couldn’t help but feel she was making fun of me. I caught her dark eyes and looked away. Kids these days. The blonde mumbled under her breath. The third girl was silent and only stared at me. Her eyes were a beautiful green and were not hostile at all. She seemed to be the nice one of the three and to me, the prettiest.

I apologize. I managed, my voice unsteady.

You see sister. He apologized. The short one chimed. At the very least.

Retorted the blonde. I turned and walked towards Chelsea as fast as I could without looking like I was in fear for my life. She was in the middle of the halstanding next to my Statistics class, I assumed. I was thankful she had waited.

Do you know the Keller sisters? Chelsea asked.

No. I said, I didn’t feel like going into details.

Oh well, don’t you think they’re a little weird? She asked.

No. Maybe not that nice but… I started but Chelsea interupted.

I know! The blonde, right. That’s Elizabeth Keller. She’s the more outspoken one. Chelsea mused. The shorter one is Gweneth and the other sister is Caroline. Their family is one of the first to settle in Cassadaga. She said looking up at me, waiting for my response. When I didn’t say anything she knew I wasn’t getting it. What are you doing after school? Chelsea asked smiling.

I rest of the day was fine. I recognized some faces and names now. Chelsea met me in the parking lot and the traffic was chaotic, we made it to my truck without getting hurt luckily. Nice ride. Chelsea joked as I reached in my pocket for my keys. She smiled at me and I couldn’t help but get nervous and dropped my keys trying to open the door. I almost dropped them again when I realized who was getting into the Range Rover next to me. I could tell it was Caroline Keller even through the tint, I could see her smile as she brushed her hair from her face.

Hey Derrick, where’d ya go? Chelsea said waiting at the passenger door. I got in and let her in.

So where are we going? I asked her.

The public library, it’s not too far from here. Chelsea said.

It was nice of her to befriend me and I was also curious what she wanted me to see at the library. We talked on the way there and she asked if I liked Cassadaga. We finally got to the library and Chelsea immediately started her search. She found old newspaper articles and I sat there and read them all with her until she found the one she looking for. The headline was in bold and large letters, WITCHHUNT.

That of course was the first thing to catch my eye, then Chelsea started reading the article. Several families charged with witchcraft. The more known is the Kellers. Abigail Keller was found guilty of witchcraft, along with Charlette Kinsler. Chelsea read. The article was dated 1755. There were more articles she showed me but that one really bothered me. "Rumor has it they never found Abigail or Charlette, and that the Keller family are all witches. I could see in her face that she believed it and I didn’t want to hurt her feelings.

Look if you are trying to scare the new kid it’s not going to work. I said.

This was our first day of knowing each other, what if this was a dumb prankl they play on the new kid. Chelsea only stared at me, convinced with her story. I didn’t know what to say. My fear of witches, zombies, and vampires faded away early in elementary school. Witches didn’t seem that scary anyway. We left the library and I took Chelsea home and drove to my house.

Along the way, I could see a cloud of smoke. The field to my right was wide open but smoke was coming from deeper in the forest. It started to rain shortly after so I wasn’t concern with a wildfire. I pulled into the driveway and parked the truck and using my backpack as an umbrella, ran inside. Richard was home, and Linda already had diner ready.

Hey honey, how was your first day? She asked.

It was good. I made a few friends and went to the library. I said enthused.

That’s great. Are you hungry? She asked.

I thought about it but my head was full of so much already, I think I’ll go to my room and rest first. I said heading towards the stairs. I didn’t realize how tired I was until I laid down. I feel asleep and was having a dream that there was a fire at the school. It felt so real and strange. I went to the kitchen, realizing how late it was now, and had a glass of water. It was very hot in my room but I lay back down and eventually fell back asleep, and had another dream, but this was more like a nightmare. I was being chased by a witch. I was in a forest, very dark and foggy. All I could was run, the witch seeming to catch me at times. When she caught me the last thing I saw before I woke up was her face, wrinkled with her skin folding deeply in her eyes. Her eyes completely black and her mouth frozen.

I woke up grasping for breath in a pool of sweat. The clock next to my bed read 3:45 A.M. I was trying to understand why I couldn’t rest. Tomorrow at school I would tell Chelsea not to mention anything about the library. As I lay there, fighting for what little sleep that remained, I thought of the first day of school. I thought of names, and faces to them. One name I could not help get out of my head, which frustrated me. It was Caroline Keller.

Chapter 2

Witness

I t was still raining when I woke up for school. My body did not want to cooperate. The lack of sleep made me feel groggy and it took forever to get dressed. When I got downstairs to the kitchen, Richard was leaving for work,

Morning kiddo. He said putting on his jacket.

Your mom left early this morning, she wanted to make a good impression at the hospital. He continued. I had him sign some contact information for school before he left and I sat down for a few minutes, I was still feeling groggy and restless. I drove to school and parked and still felt tired and slowly made my way on campus where I saw Chelsea talking to some friends.

So you decided to come back? Chelsea teased as I walked up. Three of them laughed together, one of the girls I recognized from lunch yesterday but the other I did not know.

Who’s he Chelsea? The second girl asked. Chelsea looked a little awkward as she introduced me, Derrick, this is Helen and Melissa, my best friends. Chelsea said, as the bell rung starting the school day.

It was nice to meet you. I said politely trying to walk to class, Chelsea was following me as the girls walked in the opposite direction.

I’m sorry about Helen. Chelsea said. She sort of thinks you’re cute. She added. I looked at her not knowing what to say, Oh…that’s nice of her. I said. Chelsea laughed and started to talk about being mad at her mom for something, I barely noticed we got to class.

School went by fast. At lunch I sat with Chelsea and recognized Melissa, she kept looking at me smiling like she had a secret. Chelsea invited me to her house after school, she said she wanted to show me more stuff about the Kellers. I wanted to say no but when now that she mentioned them, I noticed they were not in school today, all three of them. I said o.k and after school I met Chelsea in the parking lot. We got in the Wagonner and drove towards her house, which wasn’t too far from school.

"So should we be freaking out because the Kellers weren’t in school? I joked.

No, not really. They are big on school. Before Cassadaga they attended these super exclusive schools. Like, I’ve never even heard of some of them. She said making them sound snotty with her tone.

I mean, what kind of highschool kid skips school, to go to another school. They take like, special classes and miss school for them, I don’t know. Chelsea said confused. "Oh yeah my mom is home, you