"Amanda!" My little brother Crimson called through the house. "Amanda! Where are you, Mandy?"
'Crap!' is the first word I think as I downsize the internet explorer. My door opens, and there stands Crimson. At six years old, he stands just over three feet high, and reminds me a little bit of a ninja. He bounds across the room and hops onto my hastily made bed.
Then he sees my computer. Hopping down, he clicks on the internet explorer button at the bottom of my screen, and pulls up the article entitled "Concordia to go ahead on schedule".
While I'm quick to bolt in front of it, he's already giving me an innocent yet devious kind of look.
"Don't tell mom." I beg.
"Mommy says not to look at the news about the Visitors." He said. "Why don't you listen to her?"
"Cause I don't see why." I said. "There remarkable creatures, more intelligent then we'll ever be."
"Mommy says they don't really want to live in peace. They're here to take over the planet."
"That's B.S. and we both know it."
"It's true!" Crimson stomps his foot, a habit, I regret to say, he's learned from me. He starts to leave the room. "I'm telling on you!"
I jump on him. "No you don't!"
"Owww! Get off me, Mandy!" He punches me, hard, right in the stomach, using a well taught Karate move. We've all done some form of martial arts since we around three years old, and he's much stronger than your average six year old.
But then, I'm not exactly your average 16 year old either. The second he's squirmed away, I have my fists raised, and so does he, and then we're at it like there's no tomorrow.
That's pretty much the last day everything was normal at home. By normal, I mean just me, Mom and Crimson living together in our two bedroom house in the middle of Coffeeville, Kansas. It's a small town, only on a couple of maps, and there isn't much here.
We were all in the house when a voice rang out over the entire planet.
You feel only peace.
That was all we heard before my mother practically threw us into the basement, which is cramped and dark with no source of light in it. Looking back on it, I realize it was built to withstand bliss.
We stayed down there for almost 2 hours before my mother made us go upstairs, gather our things, and move down to the basement. It was maybe two AM (I know because I was half asleep, having been up reading by candlelight) when we heard a subtle knock on the door, then, a moment letter, someone entering the house.
"Jane?" Someone called.
My mother must have been awake because she was up in a flash, something glistening in her hand. A knife, I realize, and then everything has clicked into place. She's expecting this visitor, and planning to kill him. Whether it's to protect us, or whether she's suddenly become a mass murderer (you never can tell with my mother), this is how she's reacting. And as her first born, it's my job to protect Crimson. I get to my knees, then to my feet.
"Jane?" The voice calls again. A male, I decide, with light footsteps over my head.
There's a creak on the stairs. He's coming down. I take a battle stance in front of Crimson. My mother glances at us, and gestures for me it get back. I do not heed her.
"Jane, it's me, Joshua. It's alright. You and your family are safe."
I sense my mother blinking in the dark. This is not who she's expected. She lowers the blade. "Joshua?" Her voice is frightened, something I have never heard in my mother before.
"Where is she?" The man called Joshua asks. "Where's my daughter?"
Muhhaha! Evil cliffhanger for the win! Okay guys… I know I'm a bit of an ass for the cliffhanger, and I apologize if it seems like this chapter was rushed. I really cannot wait until next chapter though. So we've met Joshua and he's Amanda's father. Wait, doesn't that mean she's part Visitor, like Amy? Eh, not quiet. I have a plan for the next chapter, as well as the chapters after this. Next chapter, Joshua and Mandy head to New York! One review and I'll update!