by J. E Hanson
“You will be okay, and so will I. Nobody wants to kill us. You are perfectly fine, and I promise you that. Everything will be alright, sis.”
My meltdown starts. Ava again grips me tightly to her chest. She softly reassures me, but this is what everything boils down to now. This is major anxiety that I’m experiencing. I should stop living this way.
She manages to distract me, by holding up a piece of paper. “I found this acceptance letter from Harvard. When were you going to tell me?”
Inhaling deeply, I nervously start biting my bottom lip. “I know I should have told you sooner, but I honestly didn’t know how. I love you, sis, and I’m sorry for not telling you. I applied right before our parents’ deaths, but I never want to leave you. I’m afraid, if I’m not here, I will lose you too.”
“You have to stop living your life this way. You will make me extremely upset if you refuse to take this scholarship. I’m urging you never to give up on your dreams. Please stop worrying about me so much. If something should happen, then you will have to move on with your own life. There are no guarantees for tomorrow. I want you to live your life without constant fear. Mom and dad would never have wanted us to live that way either. So please take the scholarship, and understand that I will always have you back.”
“I’m so thankful that we still have each other.”
“I’m making spaghetti. Go wash up, and we will have a few laughs to ease your fears. I will activate the house security alarm. Will that give you comfort?”
Ava puts me at ease with her calm demeanor, when we soon sit at our tiny table for two. We can do some things right. We can both cook equally well.
“How was school today?” Ava asks.
I slurp the noodles into my mouth, and reply through them. “Humph… okay I guess. Why are you asking?”
“You need to empty your mouth before you talk. It is exceptionally rude otherwise.” She looks at me for a moment, and then continues, “I’m curious, because Principal Jefferson called me about an hour ago. He informs me that James dumped fake blood all over you. Is that true?”
“It really isn’t a big deal. I still made it to work on time.”
“I think I need to call the cops this time, and press charges against him. I’m sick of his childish games.”
I block her from making the call. “If you involve the cops, it will only make things worse. Please leave it alone, Ava. School is almost over. I probably deserved it anyway.”
“You are my little sister. I’m supposed to be looking out for you. We should put a stop to his antics. You have got to let me press charges against him.”
“James has a lot of friends. Please let it go, Ava. I can deal with this on my own.”
“I really hate that asshole, but I suppose I’m satisfied that Principal Jefferson took care of him.”
“I think Principal Jefferson still carries a torch for you.”
Ava laughs. “He is a pile of fun. I made sure to tease the poor man into submission. Does he still ask about me?”
“He talks about you every single freaking day. What did you do to him?”
“We had our own little party after my high school graduation. He isn’t as hung as the girls seem to believe. His moves don’t even impress me. However, I did make sure I left him with a smile on his face.”
“You’re such a slut! I thought he would be bigger than that, though.”
“I had much bigger. Mr. Peter Jefferson leaves nothing to the imagination; for example; especially when he wears his cheetah thong!”
“Oh shit! I always pictured him to be more of a boxer type of guy.”
“To my disappointment, he stuffs his package. I’m so glad that I have other lovers. Principal Jefferson has a man problem. J. pleases me a whole lot better in the sack. He hits every single nerve.”
“I will have to meet your boyfriend. He sounds completely dreamy. Maybe he can teach Mr. Jefferson some lessons.”
“Oh, you will meet J. soon enough. He’s a little shy, though. Mom and dad met him before their deaths. J. is simply charming.”
“He has nothing to worry about. I promise to keep my fangs hidden from him. J. should come over for my graduation.”
“He might. I will have to ask him. He’s simply to die for.”
I laugh with her as I get up and place my plate in the dishwasher.
“I will hold you to that, Ava.”
~~~***~~~
The rest of the night remains calm. We laugh and carry on about things that have happened over the years. We remember our parents for their absentmindedness at times, but more importantly, for the joy that they brought us. I always want my own children to be able to reminisce about their childhood as being peaceful and prosperous. I want them always to have happiness and laughter, like these precious moments right now.
My sister and I clean up after what turned to be another long day, and then we head to our separate bedrooms. Working drains me both mentally and physically.
I stop long enough to gaze at my computer screen, to gawk at the man who haunts my dreams. He has starred in them, ever since I turned sixteen. The tip of my index finger traces the outline of his perfect chin, and then I gently kiss the screen. I have never even had a date with a man, not even a first kiss yet. I dream of my mysterious lover quite often. He always wants me in the same way I want him.
I shout a plea at the screensaver, loudly begging it, “If you’re out there somewhere, please let me find you.”
This has to be pathetic, and I feel incredibly lonely. I should start dating, but it’s hard, since all I do is stock eggs at “Bob's Big Save-A-Bunch” here in Berry, Kentucky. I will remain constantly on the lookout for my mysterious dream lover, in the hope he will rescue me. My white knight never comes, though.
~~~***~~~
Our high school graduation is today. I chose to hang out with Mesa and Arizona at their house. My ivory dress is already there. After playing video games all day, we dress for our graduation. I’m not a huge fan of pantyhose, but wear it anyway. Even though it is dark out, I still lather my skin with the doctor’s prescription of suntan lotion. I’m so wary of another bad burn. Tonight, it is a short ivory dress with long sleeves. If you want to compare me to anything right now, it would be a giant ivory cotton ball. My sister will be meeting me at the high school.
Mesa holds his van door open for me. “Are you ready to get this night over with?”
My face contorts, and I glance at my watch. “It is time to get this show on the road.”
~~~***~~~
We chose to eat at an all-you-can-eat buffet. My friends aid me in my mistreatment of my body. They are my enablers, and watch me stuff the junk into my puffy face. They never complain about my poor eating habits.
We arrive at graduation on time. Arizona and Mesa's last names are Jones, so they are ahead, but Mesa sits right next to me. You have to love the traditional alphabetical order. This is the one time that I’m thankful my last name doesn’t begin with Z. I scan the crowd for my sister, and start to become agitated. My class only has a hundred graduating seniors this year, and is quite minuscule compared to the other high school classes in our state. As the Superintendent gives his boring and snooze-worthy speech, I realize Ava isn’t in the crowd.
Mesa notices the fear, and he grabs my hand. “Don’t worry, Jeannie. I’m sure she’s somewhere in the audience—watching.”
They start to announce the names. Mesa and Arizona reassure me once again that Ava will be there somewhere, waiting for me. My row is next to receive diplomas, but there’s no warm reception when I get mine. A few distant cameras flash. My guess is that they are Arizona and Mesa's parents. I search for Ava yet again, but still am unable to spot her. Principal Peter Jefferson smiles at me warmly, with his short blonde locks over his face.
Mr. Jefferson has a fan club of teenyboppers, who follow him around like lost puppy dogs. I’m not one of those. I must admit, he does look close to the man of my dreams, but he’s not exactly
the one, who I’m searching. Mr. Jefferson has hazel eyes. My dream lover has bright ultramarine, with long hair, and is tall with muscles. Mr. Jefferson definitely isn’t my cup of tea. I still wonder how my sister ever slept with him.
Arizona and Mesa hug me in unison. The roll of names seems never-ending. I make another prompt scan through the crowd for Ava, but still can’t find her. I’m not enjoying my graduation at all.
The graduating class of 2011 finishes its roll call, and then we all stand up to throw our caps high into the air. I’m so glad that I remembered to take my tassel off beforehand. I manage to pick up one of the fallen caps, and rapidly depart through the back doors. Mesa and Arizona realize I’m panicking and chase right after me. It is not as if they couldn’t keep up. My running skills are hideously atrocious, since I have to pause every few seconds to catch my breath.
Arizona reaches me first, “I’m sure there is a logical explanation to why she isn’t here, Jeannie.”
We pile into Mesa’s sixties-looking van. He drives like a maniac, weaving through the traffic in perfect synchronization, and we get to the two-lane country road to my house fifteen minutes later. Mesa soon speeds down the deep, winding gravel of our driveway, taking us way off the main road. It is another few minutes, before we are able to see my white-frame house in the distance. The house is pitch-black with no front porch lights on. Panic seeps in.
Mesa recognizes it. “I’m sure she must still be at the graduation.”
The van comes to a complete stop. I dart out in a dead heat, to the point where I feel my lungs collapsing. I’m such an ignorant fool. We should have made a quick sweep around the house, to see if anyone is scoping me. I jerk open the front door to find the house is still completely dark.
Chapter 2
My heart sinks, when I flip the light switch, revealing the house is in complete disarray. This is exactly how it appeared, when I discovered the mangled bodies of my parents. There are lamps turned over, furniture broken, pictures off the walls, glass everywhere, and various items strewn all over the living room floor.
I’m about to call out Ava’s name, when Mesa stops me, and we can hear voices at the end of the hallway. Without a second thought, I pick up a knife from the mess on the floor. Like a cat, I cautiously creep through the hallway, to catch who is in Ava’s bedroom, and peek through the crack in the door. There are two outlandish men conversing with each other. A third paces in her room, while talking on a cell phone.
“Yeah, man, they snagged her before we could get here. I’m sorry, man.”
I gasp in horror, and they hear me. One of them catches me, before I can escape, and he quickly knocks the knife from my hand.
He pins my hands firmly against the wall. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”
Mesa and Arizona try to escape too, but they are also pinned. I start screaming, but the strange man puts his gloved hand over my mouth.
He wears a pair of dark sunglasses, and he has piercings all over his face. I notice he also has tattoos covering the back of his neck, and he’s wearing a charcoal leather trench coat, a pair of leather gloves, and pants of the same material, with slate leather boots finishing off his wardrobe. For some reason, I also notice that his boots have silver tips that flash in the stark electric light.
He’s not the only one wearing this unique attire, although one of the others also wears a charcoal beanie over his head, monogramed at the front with “BIB,” a set of pearl fangs around it, dripping red blood.
My focus shifts back to the one pinning my hands, who appears oddly different. All their hairstyles are exceptionally out-of-this-world, but my captor’s is a neon-blue Mohawk, which is a strange color for a Mohawk. They are all definitely out of place here in Kentucky, though.
“You need to seriously calm the fuck down! We arrived here too late, and we found the place exactly like this.”
They instill a sense of horror when the other two men take off their own shades and glare directly at Mesa and Arizona, in a strange sort of a way, getting the full attention of my friends. They both slump over, their bodies are no longer in fight or flight mode, and I see them relax, their screams turning into goofy-looking smiles.
The two men stand in front of them and speak in a quiet but authoritative voice.
“You have never seen this house before, and you don’t remember why you came here. Both of you will drive home, enjoying the rest of your evening. Do you understand?”
Mesa and Arizona appear to be in some sort of trance, and they nod their heads in perfect harmony. The man wearing the charcoal beanie appears to be at least six feet tall, and he has long, dirty blonde hair. He replaces his shades and allows my friends to leave, which they do without even acknowledging me.
The other man also has to be about six feet tall but, unlike the one still holding me, his hair is neon-green. Like all of them, he is very muscular, but he has an amused look as he stares at me.
“You need to run along home too, and pretend you never seen anything.”
I think he’s trying to hypnotize me, which is maybe why my captor then slowly releases his hold, but I stare back defiantly. “I AM home! Who in the hell are you guys anyway, and what are you doing in my house? Where is my sister, Ava? What have you done to her?”
Neon-green hair staggers back, apparently upset. “I can safely say that is the first time for me, Leo. Did I just run out of glam magic or something?”
Charcoal beanie walks over, and he takes his shades off again. “You never seen this house before, and you will not remember who you are,” he commands. “Nothing has happened here and you have no sister.”
They are freaking me out. “I have no idea what games you’re trying to play. I have no idea who the fuck you are, but tell me where my sister is right now!” I demand.
Leo scratches his head; appears lost; and then says to the others, “I think we need to call Erik back, and fill him in on the new status quo. I firmly believe that the girl is still alive.”
Mohawk man speaks up. “Wait a fucking minute. She says she has a sister,” and he points at me. “I was under the impression that there is only the one girl, and that she has blonde hair. Do we even know if she has a sister, Zane?”
“The only one that they told us who needed protection was the blonde. They never mentioned any red-haired chick! Someone needs to call Erik, and see if the girl has a sister.”
“Who the hell are you?” I demand, “And what have you done with my sister?”
“First of all, we are here to find a blonde by the name of Jeannie, so we can take her into hiding. If she’s your sister then we can assure you that we haven’t taken her! We would like to know what happened to her as well. So, who the fuck are you? Maybe you can start by giving us your full name.”
I’m panicking, feeling ill. “I’m Jeannie Justice. I have no idea who you are, or what you all want from us.”
The man with the Mohawk blocks my sudden attempt to escape through the front door.
“We already told you that you’re not going anywhere, not until we make sure we have the right chick. Do you have any identification?”
My gaze zeroes in on my purse and Zane notices, and he quickly pulls my wallet from it. He takes out my driver’s license, handing it to Leo, who tilts his head at the two men.
“Dudes, this is the chick we were told to take back.”
They hand me my wallet, and I take a picture of my sister from it to show them. “This is my older sister, Ava. Where is she? Is she dead?”
“We don’t know. We are here on special orders. By the time we arrived, the house was already in a shambles. We smelled rogues about the place, and so we chose to investigate, to see if any of them were inside. We have scanned every place in the house, and there was nobody here. We guess that someone kidnapped your sister before we arrived.”
“What exactly are rogues?”
Zane answers abruptly, “We are the only ones asking the questions!”
“I’m sorry
, but I just want to find my sister.”
Mohawk man speaks with the others, clearly trying to put the pieces together, but then a very loud crash marks the front door bursting open. Four screaming, greasy-looking men rush in, but Mohawk man jumps right in front of me.
“Whatever you do, stay behind me, chick!”
The man with the beanie wastes no time. To my horror, he rips two of my assailants in half while neon-green hair takes on the other two, destroying them instantly. The blood splatters all over the place, and my heart jolts in fear. My ivory dress is now covered in dark-red blood and an obsidian tarry substance.
Mohawk man cocks his head at the mess as he turns to stand before me. “I’m sorry you had to witness that. By the way, my name is Ian. You can call us all your special guardians. He chuckles, and then he helps neon-green hair carry the body parts out to the front yard. My shock continues when they casually remove cans of gasoline from a vehicle that I have never noticed before, hidden in the trees, and pour the gas all over the carcasses. I watch in horror as Leo takes his lighter out, and sets fire to the pile of flesh.
He shakes his head. “I will call Erik to see what he wants us to do next.”
They exchange a few more words shortly after which two other men arrive at the house. One has long wavy auburn hair and bright sapphire eyes, while the other freaks me out even more by looking like a Viking. He strides up to us in an intimidating manner.
The Viking says to Leo, “Alexander informs me that there are two sisters, but one is adopted. The other one is Saber's granddaughter,” he points directly at me continuing, “since you’re unable to hypnotize this one, I’m a hundred percent sure that she’s the right one.”
The other newcomer is also tall and almost gorgeous, except for his mass of facial and body hair. He mulls me over, intensely, and then he steps closer. “You will bark like a dog at my bloody command,” he says, and then he tries to find out what happened to my sister.
