Anonymous

By C. L. Reid

A 16 year old girl receives gifts from ‘her secret admirer’, which leads to phone calls and the feeling she is being followed and hearing footsteps. One fateful day, while Carrie is walking down the street, she is knocked out by a masked man, in a balaclava and voice disguiser, who calls himself ‘Anonymous’. He drags her through the bushes to the clearing, handcuffed her to a pole in the ground and then waits for her to wake up before before he assaults her and then threatens her and her family to keep quiet. As a result, she alienate’s her own friends and acts out at home where her mother and brother notice but she won’t tell them what’s going on. She interacts with the wrong crowd of people at school, drinking, smoking and taking drugs, while Anonymous continues sending her ‘gifts’ and assaulting her.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris AU
• Release date: Sep 8, 2023
• ISBN: 9798369493083

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

Carrie Singer was a sixteen-year-old, skinny school girl with dark brown, straight hair that reached the top of her buttocks. She had blue eyes and was quite pretty. She had an eighteen-year-old brother named Robert, who had light brown, short, clean-cut hair and blue eyes. He was tall and skinny and had been working as a mechanic’s apprentice since leaving school. Carrie’s mother, Peyton, was tall and skinny like Robert, with dirty-blonde hair that fell just below her shoulders, and she had emerald-green eyes.

Carrie’s mother and father had divorced when Carrie was only three, and she didn’t really remember a lot about her father. She hadn’t seen him since he’d left. After the divorce, they moved into a house that Peyton managed to buy at a relatively cheap price. They lived in a little street in a town called Blackwood. Carrie attended the local high school, aptly named Blackwood State High School, which Robert also used to attend.

Carrie had one enemy at school: Sophie Jameson. Sophie had jet-black, frizzy hair halfway down her back, with sparkling aqua eyes. She was a little taller than Carrie. They had been best friends up until they were twelve years old, when Carrie borrowed a dress but accidentally spilt a drink on it, and that was the end of their friendship.

Sophie had a step-brother name Clayton Baxter. Sophie’s mother and Clayton’s father had married when the kids were eight. Clayton was called Clay for short, and he had medium brown hair to his shoulders, worn mostly in a ponytail. He had hazel eyes. He was a little chubby and a little taller than Carrie. Clayton had a rather large crush on Carrie, of which she was totally unaware.

In June 1990, on the morning of her sixteenth birthday, Carrie was already out of bed and had just stepped out of the shower to start her birthday with a home-cooked breakfast of bacon and eggs, a glass of orange juice, and the opening of her presents. Peyton always cooked breakfast for her daughter every year on her birthday ever since Carrie could remember.

After fifteen minutes, Carrie emerged from the bathroom, refreshed from the steaming hot shower that she enjoyed so much. She practically raced down the hallway and into the kitchen to give Peyton a huge hug and kiss on the cheek.

Happy birthday, Carrie, Peyton said with a grin on her face.

Thank you, Mum. Where’s Robert? Carrie asked.

Robert had to go to work. He couldn’t get the day off.

I didn’t think he had to work Saturdays.

He doesn’t. But they’re apparently overloaded with work at the moment, so he has to go to work regardless. But let’s not talk about work. This is your day, sweetie. Happy birthday, my baby girl.

Thanks, Mum.

Okay. So what do you want to do today?

First, I want to open my presents. Second, the lake for a swim. And then I just want to chill out at home until we go out to dinner.

Sounds good. Would you like to open your presents now?

Absolutely!

Peyton handed Carrie her first present, a quaint little red box wrapped in gold-coloured foil. Carrie unwrapped her present as carefully as she could and gasped with excitement when she pulled out the sterling silver chain with a number sixteen pendant in white gold.

All right, turn around, Peyton said as she took the chain from Carrie. Carrie turned around and Peyton undid the clasp, sat the chain around Carrie’s neck, and did the clasp back up. Carrie turned around and hugged her mother.

Mum, I love it!

But wait, there’s more. Here’s Robert’s present for you, Peyton said as she handed Carrie a white envelope containing a birthday card.

Carrie opened the sealed envelope and removed the birthday card containing a crisp twenty dollar note. Robert had written a message on the birthday card that read:

Happy birthday, Carrie

Have a great day

Love, Robert

xoxoxo

Man of a few words, Carrie said, dropping the card on the breakfast bench, or counter.

Want some breakfast?

Yeah, I’m starving, Carrie said a little excitedly.

Peyton placed the plate in front of Carrie on the bench and said, Enjoy. Then she kissed Carrie on the forehead and said, I’m going in for a shower.

Okay, Mum. Thank you. Love you.

Love you too, sweetheart, Peyton said as she started walking toward the bathroom.

Carrie sat on the stool at the breakfast bench, ate her breakfast, and drank her orange juice. While she continued to eat, she considered what the rest of the day might look like for her, and it didn’t take long for her to clean her plate. When she finished, she got up and walked over to the kitchen sink and placed her dishes inside.

Soon Peyton returned from the bathroom after her shower and asked, Are you ready to head to the lake?

I’ll go get my swimmers, Carrie replied as she hurried toward the hallway.

She walked down the hall, into her bedroom, and closed the door. She got undressed and slipped her pure white bikini on. Then she put her clothes back on and lightly skipped to the lounge room, where her mother was waiting.

I’m ready, Mum! Carrie exclaimed.

Then let’s go, Peyton sung out as she headed toward the door.

As they walked out the door, Peyton flicked the lock on the back of the doorknob of the wooden door and closed it behind her. She let the screen door close by itself as they headed to her old beaten up, light blue Ford Falcon. They stepped into the car; Peyton backed out of the driveway and headed toward the lake.

On the way to the lake, Carrie and Peyton chatted and giggled. This was the one day of the year when Carrie could completely let her hair down, relax, and just have fun. She loved her birthday, and she also enjoyed spending the day with her mum.

Peyton and Carrie were a lot alike, sharing interests, likes, and even hobbies. They enjoyed each other’s company, could have a joke with each other, and just talk about anything and everything. But Peyton also wanted Carrie to have a life of her own. She wanted Carrie to have her own friends and follow her own career path when the time came. At school, Carrie tended to keep to herself. When Sophie teased Carrie, she could give just as good as she got at times.

Carrie also drifted off into her own world sometimes. When she did, she usually ended up staring into the distance and occasionally needed to be snapped back into reality. She was a dreamer, after all. She dreamed of what her future may hold, as well as what she was doing in the present.

After a short trip to the lake in the centre of town, Peyton pulled the car up to the parking lot and parked near the sign that said BLACK LAKE. When they arrived at the decent-sized, almost pristine, sparkling lake with a smallish beach attached, both women exited the car and walked over to the lake’s edge.

Carrie removed her clothes, revealing her swimsuit, and tenderly started to walk into the lake. When she waded out to waist-deep water, she dove under the water and submerged herself. When she breached the surface, she looked over at her mother, who was sitting on a bench seat on the path that headed around the lake. Halfway around the lake was an overgrown hedge that spanned an entire side of the lake.

Carrie was totally unaware that someone was insidiously lurking in those overgrown hedges near the lake. You wouldn’t notice this person unless you intensely stared at the spot where they were and you saw their blue eyes. They were just staring intently at Carrie, their gaze not wavering, their eyes following her everywhere.

Carrie started freestyle swimming, dreaming of one day becoming an Olympic swimmer and possibly even bringing home the gold medal. She had a swim coach who pushed her to her limits, but he had agreed to take a step back and give her a break from swimming so as not to burn her out. That was a decision not made lightly but only after a lengthy meeting with Peyton, who accused him of working Carrie so hard she was about to burn out.

Carrie still felt the need to swim, though. It was a big part of her life, and she missed it. After arguments with her mother on the subject, Carrie had come to agree with Peyton about needing a break here and there. Her coach had also agreed to a two-month break. He figured that two months wouldn’t hurt her chances of competing in the Olympics some day.

After Carrie had swum out toward the centre of the lake, she just stopped swimming, lay back, and started floating on her back, slightly moving her arms to stay afloat and move slightly through the still water. She looked up at the nice blue sky without a cloud in sight. The person inside the hedges continued to intently stare at her, looking over to see her mother still sitting on the seat, reading her book, occasionally looking up to see if Carrie was okay. The eyes turned back to Carrie and continued watching her.

Carrie put her legs down and went under the water and started swimming back to the shore. She came up for air close to the shore and stepped up onto the sand bank and then walked up onto the shore. Peyton closed her book, put it away, stood up, and swung her bag over her shoulder. She picked up the towel, walked over to Carrie, and placed it around her shoulders.

Carrie turned around a little, looking at the edges of the lake, and her eyes found the overgrown hedge. She looked over that way for a few seconds but couldn’t see anything. Peyton looked over at the hedge and then looked at Carrie and asked, Is everything okay?

I’m not sure. I feel like I’m being watched or something, Carrie replied, looking back to her mother.

How about we just head home? Peyton asked in a worried voice, glancing around the outskirts of the lake.

Sounds really good.

Carrie and Peyton headed back to the car, and when they entered the car, Carrie immediately popped the door lock down.

Wow. You really are worried, aren’t you? Peyton asked.

I feel a bit uneasy. It’ll pass, I’m sure, Carrie said while scouring the sights outside the car window.

I hope so, Peyton said, sounding worried.

Peyton put the key in and started the car. She backed out of the park and started to head home. The person inside the overgrown hedge watched as the car drove off. When the car disappeared into the distance, they started to stand up and turned around to walk out of the hedge.

The drive home was comforting for Carrie as she dozed off in the passenger seat. Peyton let Carrie sleep on the way home—after all, the swim in the lake would have been tiring.

While Carrie slept, she dreamt that she was walking through a field of yellow daisies that came up to her waist. She was dressed in a long, flowing white dress with her arms out to the side and her palms brushing through the tops of the daisies. She was just walking straight ahead and had a slight smile on her lips.

After it seemed like she’d been walking for hours, she finally came to the end of the field of daisies and walked straight out onto a thick bed of sand that led into the ocean. But this wasn’t just any old beach. The sand was an unblemished pale brown colour without a stain in sight, no rubbish or little bits of grass poking through. In fact, it had a few wavy ups and downs through it. The ocean was a stunning light-blue colour, and you could see all the way to the bottom. It was the most beautiful thing Carrie had ever seen.

She walked into the water, still dressed in the long, flowing white dress. She waded out until she was waist-deep and then she knelt down until she was fully submerged in the beautiful light-blue, see-through ocean. After a few moments, she stood up and let her wet hair fall to her backside. She opened her eyes and just stared straight ahead.

After a minute or two, she turned around and saw her mother standing at the water’s edge, staring at her. She heard her mother call out her name, but it sounded faint and in the distance. She saw Peyton’s mouth move as she called out again. With each call of Carrie’s name, Peyton’s voice got a little bit louder.

Carrie! Carrie! Carrie!

Carrie started to wade back to the shore, not taking her eyes off her mother, watching as her mother continually repeated her name. As she walked up to the sand on the beach, the water fell away behind her. She stepped onto the sand, stopping directly in front of her mother. Both women stared at each other momentarily before Peyton said, Carrie, it’s time to wake up, baby girl.

Carrie opened her eyes and was sitting in the passenger seat of Peyton’s car. Peyton had parked up the car and turned it off. It had taken a few minutes to wake Carrie up. She rubbed her eyes and blinked several times before she opened the door and exited the car.

You okay? Peyton asked as she also exited the car.

Yeah. I think I needed that sleep.

As long you’re okay, Peyton said, heading toward the front door. She unlocked it and then both of them walked inside.

A few moments after they went inside the house, there was a knock on the front door. Peyton opened the door to see a man standing on the front doorstep in a khaki-coloured delivery uniform, holding a bouquet of red and white roses.

I have a delivery for Carrie Singer, he said.

Okay. One second, Peyton said and called out, Carrie! Someone’s here to see you!

A second or two later, Carrie emerged from the hallway and walked over to the front door. Carrie Singer? he asked.

Yes, Carrie replied.

I have a delivery for you, he said as he handed her the roses.

Thank you, Carrie said as she took the flowers from him.

Peyton closed the door and looked at Carrie while asking, Who are they from?

I have no idea, Carrie replied, looking puzzled. There’s a card.

She removed the card and handed the flowers to her mother. The type-written card read: Happy birthday, Carrie. See you soon. Your secret admirer. She handed the card to her mother.

Any idea who they could be from? Peyton asked as she read the card.

No.

Just then the front door opened and in walked Robert, dressed in a blue mechanic’s uniform.

Cool flowers, Robert said. Who sent them?

I don’t know, Carrie said as Peyton handed him the card that had come with the flowers.

Weird, Robert said as he looked at the card.

You have to go have a shower, Robert, or we’ll be late, Peyton said.

Right on. Hey, sorry I missed your birthday this morning, Robert said.

You had to go to work. I understand, Carrie said.

Well, happy birthday, sis, Robert said as he started to give Carrie a hug.

Thanks, bro. Carrie hugged him back before pushing him away, screwing up her nose, and saying, You stink. Go have a shower.

The joys of working on cars, huh? Robert asked as he started walking toward the bathroom down the hallway.

* * *

The three of them arrived at Chi Min Restaurant and Take Away, a nicely decorated and inviting Chinese restaurant. Being a Saturday night, Chi Min Restaurant was packed full of customers, various conversations, and a positive atmosphere.

They walked through the front door and approached the counter, patiently waiting for an attendant to serve them. A few moments later, a small Chinese lady walked up and asked, Can I help you?

Yes. We have a reservation at six-thirty for Singer, Peyton said.

The lady looked at the reservation notepad on the top of the counter, found the section with Singer penned in, and said, Here you are. Follow me, please. She picked up three A4-sized menu books and three lots of cutlery wrapped in white napkins.

Thank you, Peyton replied.

Peyton, Carrie, and Robert followed the server to a table sitting near the window on the opposite side of the restaurant. After they sat down in their respective seats, she sat the menu books and cutlery on the table for them and said, I’ll be back in a few minutes to take your order.

Thank you, Peyton said as the server turned and started to walk away.

The three of them opened their menus and started to peruse the options listed. Peyton asked Carrie, You just want a family pack?

Sounds good, Carrie replied.

I second that, Robert said, putting the menu down.

The server returned and asked, Ready to order yet?

Yes, thank you. We’ll just order the family pack for three, please, Peyton replied.

Sure, she said as she picked up the menus and walked away. A few moments later, the same server returned with three glasses and a water jug. She placed them on the table and said, Your order will be out soon.

Thank you, Peyton said.

While we’re waiting, I have another present for you, Carrie, Robert said, reaching into the right-hand-side pocket of his slacks. He presented her with a smallish, cream-coloured box, which Carrie excitedly took from him.

Robert, you didn’t have to. You already gave me the card and money.

I know. But I had to go to work. I just wanted to make it up to you somehow. This is your main present. I couldn’t have you waking up without a present from your brother on your birthday, now, could I?

Carrie pulled the top of the box off and sat it on the table. She pulled the tissue paper out of the box and sat it next to the lid. Next she pulled out a white-gold bracelet with five charms dangling off it.

Robert, it’s beautiful! Carrie exclaimed.

It’s supposed to be for different kinds of luck, Robert said, moving his chair closer to Carrie. He lightly grabbed each charm between his thumb and index finger as he said, This one is for prosperity, wealth, friendship, fertility, and travel.

Robert plucked the bracelet out of Carrie’s hand and put it around her right wrist. She looked at the bracelet, leaned over, and gave him a hug and said, I love it, Robert,

Robert hugged her back and said, Only the best for my sister.

When they released each other, Robert pulled his seat back to its original position. He picked up the water jug and poured a glass of water for everyone.

It definitely is beautiful, Robert, Peyton said, holding Carrie’s arm across the table while looking at the bracelet.

Thanks, Mum, Robert said with a slight smile on his face.

A few minutes later, a waiter brought out the family pack they had ordered with several meals and three fortune cookies, one for each of them. The meals were placed in the centre of the table, and the waiter also placed a white plate with gold trim about an inch from the edge of the plate in front of each of them.

Thank you, Carrie said to the waiter.

The waiter just nodded his head and turned around and walked away.

What are we waiting for? Let’s dig in, Robert said as he reached for the bowl of fried rice in the middle of the table. All three of them grabbed some food and scooped it onto their respective plates with the spoons supplied. Robert asked Carrie, So what did you do today?

After breakfast I went for a swim at Black Lake. Mum read a book while I was in the water, Carrie said, taking a mouthful of water from her glass.

Sounds like fun, Robert said as he put some food into his mouth.

It was. But then something weird happened, Carrie said in a smaller voice.

Something weird? Robert asked as he swallowed. Like what?

Carrie looked straight at Robert as she timidly said, When I got out of the lake, I felt like I was being watched or something.

Was someone else there? Watching you, I mean? Robert asked, sounding worried.

I don’t think so. I had a look around and I couldn’t see anyone else, Carrie replied.

I had a look around too. There was no one else there. Just Carrie and me, Peyton added.

Well, I’m glad no one else was there. Watching you. That would be creepy, Robert said.

It was just a feeling I had, that’s all. I know no one else was there.

Okay. Well, let’s eat up, hey, Robert said shakily.

They ate the rest of their meals in silence, having a mouthful of water occasionally. A few moments later, when they had completed their meals, the waiter from earlier came over to clear their empty plates from the table and asked, How were the meals?

Good, thank you, Carrie replied.

A few moments later, two of the waiters brought out a chocolate birthday cake with sixteen lit candles on the top. They all sang Happy Birthday to Carrie, and Robert led them in three cheers of Hip Hip Hooray! She blew out the candles on the top of the cake. A waiter placed three smaller white plates with gold trim about an inch from the edge of the plate in front of them, along with a cake knife.

Carrie cut out slices of the cake and placed a piece on each plate. They were chatting through mouthfuls of cake and giggling. They seemed to be having a good time and enjoying themselves, but Carrie still couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling she had of being watched at the lake. What if she really was being watched? What if someone was watching her all the time? Who could it be? And why pick her?

And what about those flowers that were delivered to her house? This person knew where she lived. They knew it was her birthday. They knew that roses were her favourite flower, particularly red and white roses mixed together. But how? How does this person know so much about her? If she really had a secret admirer, wouldn’t they want her to know who liked her? Why be so secretive? What do they really have to hide?

The waiter arrived at the table with a box for the rest of the cake. As he put the cake in the box, he asked, Is there anything else you might like?

No, thank you, Peyton replied.

Let’s open our fortune cookies, Robert said as the waiter walked away.

The three of them picked up their fortune cookies and unwrapped them. They broke them in half, pulled out the little pieces of paper, put the cookies in their mouths, and then started to read their fortunes.

Good fortune is ahead for you, Peyton said.

Don’t look back; look to the future, Robert said.

Someone is watching you, Carrie said shakily.

What? Robert asked, taking the fortune from Carrie.

What’s that supposed to mean? Peyton asked.

I have no idea. I’m getting worried, though. First I feel like someone’s watching me at the lake. Now I get a fortune saying someone is watching me, Carrie said nervously. I just want to go home.

Okay, Peyton said, understanding.

All three of them rose from the table and headed toward the cash register near the doorway. When they arrived, the cashier entered their order details into the cash register and charged them. Peyton reached into her purse and handed over some cash; the cashier put it into the register and handed back a little bit of change.

Where do you get the fortune cookies from? Robert asked the cashier.

We get them delivered in bulk with the rest of our stock. Why do you ask? she replied.

My sister just got one that says someone is watching her. What’s that supposed to mean?

I have no idea. The fortunes aren’t regulated, nor do we get to choose what’s written on them. They come like that to us. We don’t even know what’s on the messages.

Whatever, Robert said sarcastically. You know, maybe you should be more careful of where you get your fortune cookies from.

I’m sorry, the cashier said.

It’s okay, Carrie said, a little impatiently. Let’s just go.

The three of them walked outside and headed to the car, stepped inside, and Peyton drove toward their house.

CHAPTER TWO

Monday morning, Carrie was half-excited to be going to school. Although she had a problem with a certain bully, she excelled in school. She was very smart and continually received above-average grades. Although she only really had one friend, she had the biggest crush on the most popular boy at school—Jason Pearce. Jason had very short and spiky black hair with blue eyes, and he was Sophie’s boyfriend.

After Carrie showered, she dressed in her Blackwood State High School uniform: a red skirt to the knees, a white blouse with a red peacock on the left side of the chest (the school emblem), and a red tie with two gold strips around it near the tip. Her white socks were folded down, and she wore black school shoes.

While Carrie was blow-drying her hair at the vanity cabinet, she couldn’t help but slip into dreamland and stare into space as she thought of Jason. She pictured him in her mind and imagined what life could be like with him if he’d take a chance. But Carrie knew that wasn’t likely, considering they were both on opposite sides of school status; Jason was popular and Carrie wasn’t. She brushed her hair back and tied it in a neat ponytail.

She stood up off the fluffy stool at the cabinet, turned around, skipped toward her bedroom door, and practically bounced into the kitchen, where Peyton was pouring a cup of coffee from the percolator situated on the bench near the stove. Carrie picked up the bowl of cereal her mother had poured and started to stir it.

Ready for school? Peyton asked, taking a sip of coffee.

Yep, Carrie said, putting a spoonful of cereal into her mouth.

Good. Did you want a lift in today or would you like to walk? Peyton asked, sitting the cup of coffee on the breakfast bench.

I think I’d like to walk.

Okay. I’ll see you after school. Peyton walked around to where Carrie sat and gave her a kiss on the forehead.

See you later, Mum.

Once Carrie had finished eating, she sat the bowl in the kitchen sink and then walked into the lounge room. She picked up her black and purple school bag, threw it over her shoulder, and walked out the front door, ensuring it was locked before walking away. She then walked toward the end of the driveway and started heading in the direction of the school.

As she walked, she sometimes looked down at the path and then up again. She was also humming a series of tunes to herself. She seemed to be happy as she continued to walk and hum, with a smile on her face. She was looking forward to going to school today; she loved school and did extremely well in all her subjects. The holidays were coming up soon, and Carrie wanted to make the most of school that she could before they arrived.

She started to tap her toes on the concrete every couple of steps and hummed a little bit louder. She heard a rustling in the bushes on her left and stopped in her tracks for a moment. She looked over and scoured the bushes but couldn’t see anything. She thought it must be an animal or lizard or something, so she just shook her head slightly and continued on her way. She heard a louder rustling in the bushes, and this time she started walking faster while scouring the bushes again, still unable to see anything.

A few minutes later, Carrie heard footsteps on the path behind her and she stopped walking. As she stopped, the sound of footsteps behind her stopped as well. She spun around on the spot but there was no one there. Carrie realised she was the only one there and thought it must be her imagination.

Come on, get it together, Carrie said quietly to herself.

She turned around and started to walk toward the school again. She continued to walk faster and was still feeling uneasy. She felt that someone was watching her again. She could feel someone’s gaze intently staring at her, but she also knew that no one else was there. She was all alone. This knowledge didn’t make her feel any better; it made her feel even more nervous.

As she continued walking ahead, she heard hurried footsteps on the path behind her again, and she spun around on the spot almost immediately. She couldn’t see anyone, but she did hear a thumping noise in the bushes next to her. She took a couple of steps backwards and heard a couple of sticks breaking in the bushes. She spun around on the spot and started to run away from the bushes toward the school.

As she turned a corner, she was still too busy running and focused on getting to