Natalie's mother was driving her to school. Natalie lives 45 minutes away from her school, and that's with taking highways. On back roads, it could take over an hour. Her mother and she were stuck in a heavy delay of traffic, on the Thursday morning due to a fatal accident about 2 miles up the road. Natalie and her mother had only been driving for 15 minutes, - the amount of time it takes to get to the highway from her own driveway – but her mother had already began her morning-rant. Natalie's father had died about four months after her birth, due to a heart attack in 1993. Now, it was mid-January, 2009 and Natalie was 15. She was excited. Her birthday was only 3 weeks away. Almost 16 at last.
Anyway, her mother, Genevieve, was on her morning rant. Natalie's mother had re-married after her father, Brian, had passed. She had re-married to a man named Joseph, and he drank. A lot. He would come home from his job, as an administrative assistant for the frequently growing company of Live Large corporation. Live Large was a furniture company, and they had just begun selling furniture to local interior deign stores. Every night, when he got off of his shift at the office, and go to the bar on his way home with his co-workers.
Genevieve couldn't stand how he would come home every night, and just pick fights about little things, such as why Natalie's homework hadn't been finished prior to her playing video games with her older brother, Aaron. Aaron was already in college, majoring in business. Just like his step-father.
Natalie finally grew tired of her mother ranting and raving about little things, like that. So, on that morning, in the traffic jam, she finally told her mother what had been on her mind. "IF YOU ARE GOING TO COMPLAIN, ABOUT EVERY MOVE HE MAKES, WHY DID YOU MARRY HIM?" She yelled at her mother. Her mother, in return, stared at her in awe, that someone so quiet, had finally just busted like a water balloon. "What did you say to me young lady?" Her mother sais as they crept down the highway. "I said, why did you marry him? Not like Aaron or I wanted you to in the first place…" Her voice trailed, in that last sentence, trying to make sure her mother didn't hear her. "I love him. Don't get me wrong, I really do. It's just some things he does really tick—" Natalie cut her mother off right then and there. "SOME? Some is an understatement compared to how much you two fight." Natalie had finally began to feel better about herself, as the tension eased away. "Natalie Greene, if you continue to talk to me in that tone of voice, you might as well walk to school," her mother said, trying to seem calm. She didn't. Natalie could feel her hiding the tension in her voice.
"It would be much faster," Natalie said trying to lighten the mood. Her mother wasn't buying it. Not even for a second. "Well, go then. You don't want to listen to what I have to say, you can walk." Genevieve said with what seemed to be a ton of tension. "You never listen to what Aaron and I have to say!" She said as she fumbled with the lock on the car door. "You think you can walk faster? You go right ahead. You can walk home, too." Her mother said, as she stepped out of the car door, with her back pack around her shoulder. Natalie just slammed the car door, and began to walk.
She was about 20 minutes late, but she explained that she was in a traffic jam with her mom, and decided to walk. Then, the principal called her mom to confirm, and she wasn't punished. She went through the school day like any other, and hid the sorrow behind the mask of her happiness. Was this really how she wanted to live her life? She questioned herself constantly. On her way home from school that day, instead of heading straight home, she went to stay at her friend, Jennifer's house, for a while. Her school let out at 2:30 PM, so she planned to stay at Jennifer's until 5, then ask Jennifer's mom to drive her home. It was the perfect plan, she thought, as she tried to catch up to the bus, and catch a seat next to Jennifer, to confirm her plans.
"Sorry, but my mom is having a party tonight. It's my dad's birthday. The party will be over at five, but my mom wants to make sure she tells all the guests 'Thanks,' and ' Good Night,'" Jennifer said, as they drove down the road. Natalie sighed, there goes her plan, she thought. "Well," Natalie began. "What if I stay during the party? I mean, your dad's a nice guy, and it is his birthday. Do you have something for me to wear, please?" Natalie said, while she was glancing down to see her dirty, white T-shirt and her jeans, which were full of mud. "Sure, what size are you?" Jennifer asked. "Size…." Natalie said as she fumbled to look at the tag in her T-shirt, which fit perfectly. "Let me look, before you break your neck. It says size 6. I'm a size 6, so I'm sure we'll find something. And I can do your hair, too." Jennifer said, after releasing the tag, and looking at Natalie's mid-length blond hair. "Thanks a lot, I appreciate it." Natalie said to Jennifer with a smile.
As the bus began to stop, the girls finally realized that they were at the corner which lead to Jennifer's house. "Wait! Stop!" Jennifer said frantically, as the bus' tires slowly began to rotate once again. The bus driver slammed on his breaks, as Jennifer shouted. The bus driver was actually her neighbor. He lived just a few houses down, on the other side of the street. She gave him a hug, and said, "Hey, thanks. I'll see you at my house tonight, right? The party starts at 3!" Jennifer said, as Natalie began down the steps of the bus, to walk on the sidewalk to Jennifer's porch step. "No problem. I should be finished with my rounds by then. I may be late. Just let your mom know I will show up." Natalie struggled to see the bus drivers name tag. It read "Edward." "Thanks, Ed! My dad will be so happy to see you!" Jennifer shouted as she tried to catch up to Natalie, which had already stepped off of the bus. "Ok, see you later, Jen!" Ed shouted as he slowly closed the bus doors and stepped on the gas. Jen looked at Natalie and asked, "What's wrong? You look like you've just seen a ghost! Is everything alright?" Jennifer asked, looking worried as she glared at Natalie. "Uh," Natalie began. She didn't feel well at all. "Yeah, I'm just very hungry. I skipped lunch." Natalie lied. She'd seen that man before. Where? She couldn't remember in the least, but she had. She was sure of it.
"Ok, hey!" Jennifer shouted as she looked at her watch. "It's almost 2:45! We'd better hurry if we plan to be ready in time!" She said as she quickened her pace. Natalie struggled to catch up, but before she knew it, she was standing on the front porch to Jennifer's Victorian house. Jennifer's mother politely made sandwiches for the girls, while Natalie and Jennifer were going through Jen's closet, upstairs. They found an amazing, red dazzle dress. It was knee length, and it was sleeveless. Not the best choice for the middle of January, but Jennifer's house was so warm. It would be fine. They ate, and Natalie changed into the stunning dress. Jennifer took Natalie's filthy clothes downstairs, to the laundry room and put them in the washing machine, so that Natalie would have clean clothes when she arrived home. Jennifer quickly styled her hair into a beautiful, elegant bun, and they went downstairs. It was 3:15, but no guests had arrived, yet. Jennifer's father hadn't been expected until 4, so the guests had time. First, Jennifer's grandparents arrived, then Ed, and more guests. By the time the entire down stairs apartment was full, it consisted of Jennifer's cousins, aunts, uncles, friends, and other family members. The phone rang. Not the household phone, Jennifer's cell phone. Jennifer rushed to her cell phone, which was in her purse in the next room. When she answered it, Natalie was shortly there. "Oh, hi Miss Grey," Jennifer said. "My mom?" Natalie mouthed, to Jennifer while she was waiting for a response. Jennifer nodded. Natalie whispered, "Tell her I'm not here. Tell her you don't know where I am." Jennifer looked puzzled, but followed as she was instructed. She heard her mother curse, slightly, then shortly after, they hung up. "Why didn't you want her to know you were here?" Jennifer asked. "I'll explain later. Right now, it's your dad's birthday and he's expected any minute!" Natalie assured her.
The doorbell rang, and Jennifer's mother stood on her toes and looked through the little peep hole on the front door.
It wasn't Jennifer's father.
Jennifer's mother, Nicole opened the door just about an inch or so, so she could talk to the mysterious man in a long black trench coat and a dark navy blue fedora. "Who are you?" Nicole asked the man. "Is he home?" The man asked. "Who are you referring to, sir?"
He replied with one simple sentence, containing two threatening, fearful words.
"Your husband."
After those words were spoken, Nicole slammed the door, and peered out the hole again. He was gone.
"Jennifer," she shouted. "Call your father right now and ask him is he invited any one over, or if he was expecting company!" She said frantically. "I'm on it!" Jennifer replied as she reached for the cordless, complicated phone on the table in the hallway.
About 5 minutes later, Jennifer found her mother in the living room, socializing with the guests. She politely asked "Mom, may I speak to you in the kitchen?" "Yes, I'll be right back, ok?" She answered her daughter and her guests. "What is it?" Nicole asked. "Dad said he wasn't expecting any one, but he sounded out of breath. I asked him why he was breathing heavily, and he just told me to lock the windows and doors. Then, his cell phone died."
Her mother cursed under her breath. She returned to the living room to alert the guests. They all because frantic with questions. "What's wrong?" "Are we in danger?" And the one that worried them all the most. "Are we going to die tonight?"
Nicole simply stated that she wasn't aware of what was going on and no one was going to die. She swore.
Nicole was wrong.
At about 7 PM, the man appeared again. Only with several other men. Nicole answered the door only opening it about an inch again, to be cautious. She asked them what they wanted.
"One simple thing," one man answered. "Lives."
Once again she slammed the door shut, but one man stopped it, pushed her out of the way, and they all walked in. Nicole remained on the floor, but was reaching for the phone. She reached it, dialed 911, and tried to speak as quietly as she possibly could. However, half way through the emergency call, a man cut the phone wire. She was doomed. He picked her up by her hair, and dragged her up stairs.
He pulled out his knife. Jennifer ran upstairs, to see her mother lying on the floor, awaiting her faith. "You'd better say good bye to your mom, because she knows where Matt is." he said with a half grimace on his face. He leaned over her body and raised his knife. Jennifer kicked the man's arm, and fought him for the knife. Jennifer got the knife from the man and stabbed his abdomen. When she turned around, there was a very tall man behind her with a knife, as well. Jennifer was too small to stab him, and also too late.