Hutchinson, Kansas.
Hutchinson Correctional Facility
C.W POV
Caden held tightly to his little sister's hand, making sure she wasn't going to stray from his side. He kept his head high while walking through the crowd of visitors, eventually getting to the call room. Sure enough, Tyler was there waiting. Caden guided Gabriella to the creaky wooden bench by the door.
"Gabby, wait here," he ordered. She nodded, picking at a stray thread of her faded jeans. A grumpy looking police officer pointed him to his brother, a thin frown on their lips when they noticed Gabby on the bench. With all the officers and criminals in the room, she seemed out of place, so small and innocent. Caden sat down in the booth, picking up the phone.
"Ty," he greeted relieved to see that a week in prison hasn't affected his brother too negatively.
"Hey, Cade," Tyler replied, smiling. "'was hoping you'd come n' see your big bro."
"I wanted to see if you've gotten in a cell fight yet," Caden joked. Tyler chuckled.
"Nah, I keep my distance. And there's only one dude who has a beef with me, and that's the warden. But he's got a beef with everyone, y'see, so s'all good," Tyler grinned, shrugging. Then he grew a bit serious, scratching his chin and cheek before saying, "look, Cade, I'm sorry I've let you and Gabe down. What I did was stupid, and how I got caught was stupid, n' now you kids have to fend for yourselves. I-" Tyler swallowed, then sighed. "I'm real sorry."
"I know, I get it," Caden assured him. Tyler wrinkled his nose and looked away, ashamed. "But, there's another reason that I'm here, other than to check on you."
"Oh?"
"Well, I'm not 18 until June," Caden started.
"Yeah?"
"And since dad died 'bout five years ago, and you're over 21, you're our legal guardian."
"Cade," Ty rolled his eyes. "Stop givin' me fluff, tellin' me what I already know. What's the point you're makin'?" He asked. Caden huffed.
"What I'm saying is that you're the only person who is allowed to take care of us, and now you're in jail," he continued. Then he realized what he pointed out was a bit harsh, and hesitated before continuing a bit more soft. "I can't take care of myself and Gabby legally, so this social services worker came to us yesterday…." he trailed off when Tyler groaned.
"I knew this would happen. They're gonna take you and Gabe to foster care," he said.
"But, not forever, right?" Caden asked hopefully. Tyler eyed him with the same dark brown eyes as Gabby. "How long are you in here?" Caden asked.
"At the least…" Tyler swallowed again, shaking his head. "35 years, Cade." 35 years.
Gabriella would be in her mid forties. Caden would be 52. What did my brother do?
"Wha-" Caden was cut off by the lump in his throat.
"Look, Cade," Tyler leaned forward, as if he was going to whisper. "Those government people are going to try and separate you and Gabby. You can't let them. You're all each other's got, 'kay?"
"Tyler, can I bail you out?" Caden asked hurriedly. His older brother paused.
"That's a lot of money. And you need to focus on providing for you and your sister, and school, and-"
"How long do you think it's take?" Caden interrupted. "I-I'm strong, and you taught me how to mix drinks and stuff, fix cars, I can get a job or two, save up-"
"Dude."
"Maybe volunteer-no, get Gabby to a friend's place and I can focus on work, getting you out of here-"
"Cade."
"It'd be hard, I know," Caden sighed. "But I can do it. I'm older, and-"
"Cade."
"Look, I'm not a little kid anymore, I can help the family! Not just sit aside and watch you rot in here and Gabby grow up without Dad or you-!"
"Caden."
"I don't want her to think I can't do anything, when everyone knows I can! Tyler," Caden felt a hot sensation behind his eyes, the lump in his throat getting bigger. He swallowed and pushed it all away. "Tyler, I need to help. I'm not gonna let you stay in here for over 30 years. Please, tell me what I can do to get you out," Caden pleaded. His brother was quiet, studying him for a moment.
"Caden, I'm gonna tell you something weird, but just go with it, okay?" Tyler said, keeping steady eye contact with him. Caden nodded. "Right now, prison may be the...safest place for me. Although the food sucks, everyone's miserable, and you and Gabe are left defenseless, prison is...secure. Safe."
"Huh?" Caden furrowed his brow, confused. Tyler shook his head, raising a hand as if to dismiss Caden's confusion.
"You'll get that one day. Not now, no, hell no, not the right place or time…" Ty trailed off, then huffed before continuing. "The best thing you two can do while I'm in here is not to go to school, get a job, or any of that crap. And definitely not getting separated into different foster homes. You and Gabby can not be separated, you just can't. That would…"His brother looked upset just at the thought. "You're all each other's got now." Tyler was dead serious, leaning close to the window. His dark skin made him blend into the shadow cast by the dim, flickering, pale light above them. "The best thing you can do is run."
"Run?" Caden repeated in a whisper after a few heartbeats of silence. Tyler nodded almost grimly. "Where? Wha-why?"
"Take my truck, and the emergency cash from the living room. Hutchinson isn't that far...You can drive, right?" Tyler asked him. Caden nodded.
"I'm 17. You're the one who taught me," he reminded.
"Right, right, well, it's probably a day trip from Hutchinson to Lebanon. You can do that, right?"
"Lebanon?" Caden repeated. "Why-?"
"Trust me," Tyler leaned closer, his forehead almost touching the glass. "Run." The last word out of his brother's lips made Caden shiver. Why was his brother so serious about this? Tyler was stupid and got caught robbing some old bloke down the street of their crappy apartment for some cash, and now he was telling Caden to run. He searched his older sibling's face, desperate to find a joke, some hint that he wasn't serious about it. Nothing. "Lebanon, Kansas. Y'hear me?" Caden nodded, mostly confused a bit scared.
"Your time is almost up," a grumpy voice said behind him. The police officer overlooking them was getting impatient. "And if you want the minor to speak-"
"Yeah, sorry, okay." Caden stood up, placing the phone back in it's holder. He glanced back down at Tyler one last time, then went to go sit on the bench while Gabby happily skipped to the booth. Caden dropped his head in his hands, frustrated and...sad. If he left, he and Gabby would never have a normal life, or at least a chance of one. They would be runaways, homeless, in a town in the middle of nowhere. If he stayed, he and Gabby would probably have to go somewhere else anyway, thanks to Social Services. They would probably be split up until he came of age to take care of her, which would be a long time. And no matter what he did, Tyler has to serve 35 years in prison. Caden sighed and ran a hand through his wiry brown hair, shutting his eyes as he leaned back. No matter what I do, he reminded himself, keep her safe.
Meridian, Idaho
Meridian Public Library
E.R POV
Evalyn was sore and limping, gripping the metal railing with white knuckles. Never has walking up stairs been so painful. Eventually she made it to the library entrance, ribs sending stinging waves of pain up her arms and her chest burning. Eva glanced around, hoping nobody noticed her struggle. It was a gloomy morning of February, clouds blocking out the sun and threatening rain. Rain would cause slush, since there was already some snow on the ground. In Idaho that year, they barely got snow. Maybe three inches in total, which wasn't nearly enough to go sledding. Instead they got rain, rain, rain, hail, and more rain. Like living in Ireland, Eva smiled to herself, pushing open the large glass doors of the library. Since it was just past 7am, and she lived in a small, stupid town, there was barely anyone inside. There were a few college students at the tables in the center, quietly researching. One or two people were at the computers closest to the doors, and a handful of others browsing books and movies. Most of the people there were older than her. Suddenly, she felt small and out of place. They would ask, shouldn't you be in school little lady? And she would have to lie and say I am homeschooled or I'm on break instead of the truth, which was my bullies are dumb and would never guess I'm hiding from them in the public library. Besides, she could use something new to read.
Ducking her head, focusing on the carpet, she quickly walked past the main desk, straight to the young adult fiction section. Hidden behind the shelves and shelves of books, she went to her favorite section; horror. Evalyn loved ghost stories, or slasher fics. She had a list of her favorite serial killers, real or fictional, written in the back of her math notebook. Her old friend Skylar had once called it "a weird fetish." Thinking of her old friend made her sad, and she was in a peaceful place, so she pushed those thoughts away and focused on the books. Read that one, read that one, Ooh! This one's new! She pulled off a book from the middle shelf, flipped to the inside, then sighed. Read it. After about twenty minutes of browsing, picking up books and either finding them garbage or have already read it, she bumped into someone at the corner. The stranger was bigger than her, and jogging. When they turned, smacking into Eva, she fell back and hit her head on the bottom shelf, causing three or four books above to topple to the ground.
"Sorry! I'm so sorry!" The stranger apologized. Eva grimaced in pain. With the joy of going through books, she had forgotten about her bruised ribs. She opened her eyes, sitting up. The stranger was a young woman, maybe in her early twenties. She had long black hair and soft brown eyes, and was very slender and lean. "Oh, no, honey are you okay? Let me help you."
"No, no that's fine I-" Evalyn gasped in surprise and pain when she struggled to get up. Her ribs were definitely more than bruised. The girl took Eva's hand and pulled her the rest of the way up.
"Are you okay? You hit your head pretty hard there." The stranger stood about half a foot taller than Eva, who rubbed the back of her head, embarrassed. "I am so sorry, I should've been more careful."
"It's fine," Evalyn mumbled. I'm used to this sort of thing, she finished in her head.
"Completely my fault," the girl continued rambling, crouching down to pick up the books that have fallen. "Who runs in a library? I was just in a rush, and I wasn't looking where I was going, and-" the girl stopped talking and looked up at Eva, a goofy smile on her face. "Oh, gosh, all this talking. I might as well introduce myself, right?" She stood up, putting the books back on the shelves. Then she held out a hand, and with a cheery smiled said, "Hi, my names Michelle. Call me Shelly." Eva managed a small smile and shook Shelly's hand.
"I'm Evalyn," she told her. Shelly nodded, smiling. Eva noticed she had a tight grip.
"Pretty name," Shelly grinned and dropped her hand. "But seriously," her smile faltered. "Are you okay? You seem to be a bit bruised up already."
"I'm okay," Evalyn assured her. Shelly raised her eyebrows. "Really."
"If you say so. Hey, kid, how old are you?" Shelly asked.
"Fourteen. Why?" Evalyn avoided eye contact, looking back down to the carpet. Shelly chuckled.
"Well, you're in school uniform," Shelly gestured to Eva's crisp white button up and black jeans, which both had a school mascot stocked onto them. Eva blushed a bit, brushing her light brown hair out of her face while Shelly smirked. "You're a little runaway, aren't you? What, you don't wanna go to school so you hide out in the library?" Shelly guessed, some tease in her voice. At first Eva felt like getting defensive, prepared to use one of those lies. Then she shrugged, still studying one part of the floor.
"Sort of," she replied. Then something weird happened. Shelly leaned forward, using two fingers to tilt Eva's chin up to look at her in the eyes.
"Don't worry kid," Shelly whispered, grinning. "Your secret is safe with me." She winked and let go of Eva, stepping back to examine the books she had previously accidentally knocked over. Eva awkwardly backed away a few steps, shuddering to get rid of random goosebumps, even though the library was comfortably warm. "So, what books do you like?" Shelly asked.
"Uh, horror stuff…" Eva mumbled. She was surprised Shelly picked up on what she said. She cleared her throat and added, "but, I can't find anything I like."
"Have you looked on more than just the middle shelves?" Shelly asked her, glancing up and down the shelves.
"Yeah," Eva replied, squinting at the carpet again. I'm not an amateur reader. Everyone knows the best books are at the top or bottom shelves, the diamonds in the rough.
"Hmm," Shelly tapped her lip with her thumb, then crouched down near Eva and took two books from the bottom shelf. The covers had two men who were posing in front of a black car, all serious and dramatic like. But on the second one, they were shirtless.
"Uh, no thanks," Eva declined. "I'm not into-"
"Ever heard the saying, 'Don't judge a book by its cover?'" Shelly thrust the books into Eva's arms with a smile. "Give them a try, kid. I think you might like it," she offered.
"Um, thanks," Eva politely accepted the books.
"Now I gotta run, see ya! And stay out of trouble," Shelly saluted with two fingers, then dashed around the corner, this time looking both ways. Eva adjusted her grip so she could see the books. Supernatural, written by Carver Edlund. After reading the backside and the inside page of the first book, Evalyn scoffed and put them back.
Lame.
Even more sore after the collision, Eva was dying to sit down and rest, kick her feet up with a book. Well, maybe refrain from kicking her feet anywhere, just relaxing. She eventually picked a serial killer story, one she read a while ago, and sat down at the farthest table from the door. She groaned and winced when she sat down, her ribs were hurting even more. They'll heal, I'll be fine. Just need to rest. Eva flipped to the first page and started to read, tuning out the rest of the world in an oblivious, well deserved bliss.
Meanwhile…
Norfolk, Nebraska
K.R
Somebody drove by and splashed the dark and cold alleyway with a dirty puddle, drenching Kate. She jumped, fully awake, disgusted and surprised.
"Come on, man!" She shouted angrily. Her long blonde hair fell in her face, darkened when wet. Late picked up her damp bag she was just sleeping on and hoisted it on her shoulder. Droplets fell on her face as she walked out on the sidewalk and she rubbed them off. The chilly morning air mixed with the water was a terrible mix, and by the time she got to the gym she was shivering. Up and over, she thought as she tossed her backpack over the back fence, watching satisfied as it bounced on the dumpster and safely on the group. Then she ran and climbed over the fence, dropping after her bag. Of course, like always, the back door was open, leading to the staff lounge. Carefully, quietly, Kate leaned her back on the wall beside the door and waited for a moment, listening to figure out if anyone was in there. It was silent except for the hum of the air conditioner and distant music from the weight room. She ducked inside the lounge and snuck out in the empty hallway, jogging to the women's locker room.
Only a few girls were in there, a group of friends who were happily chatting as they got changed into workout clothes. Kate went by some lockers near them, studying the women as she took off her torn, wet jacket and shoes. All the clothes in her bag were either dirty, ripped, or too small. Kate glanced at the friends again. They were all middle aged, but one of them had a similar body structure as Kate, just a bit taller. She waited until they all left and tiptoed over to their lockers. They were all locked. Crouching down by the one locker she chose, she turned the lock over in her hands and saw the serial number, then put her ear against it while she turned the lock, figuring out the code. After years of this business, it didn't take her long to get the numbers right. Click.
Kate jerked open the locker and took out the clean, slightly worn clothes. They were a bit baggy, but the t-shirt had blue, green, and grey camouflage and the jeans weren't that bad. Kate took out the woman's purse and damaged through it, taking about fifty dollars in cash. Cha-Ching! The lady also had a snack, a fiber bar. Might as well. She tossed her own soaked clothes into the locker and locked it, smirking at the wish to see the woman's face when she figures out her clothes when she figures out she'd been robbed.
Kate walked out of the gym happily, even waving at the check in person at the front desk as she left. Don't really feel like walking. Kate went over to the bike rack and, sure enough, one of the unlucky fellows decided that they didn't want to waste time to lock up their bike. Pedaling out of the parking lot, Kate caught glimpse of a security camera pointed at the front entrance and at the parking lot, and one right near the bike rack. "Can't come to this gym again I guess," Kate mumbled to herself, speeding out of the vicinity of the gym as fast as she could.
The fifty dollars were used to buy her a new jacket, a nice black leather one that had pockets! Kate was so excited about her purchase, it was the first nice thing she had bought in a long time, and this should last a long time. The cost rang up $42.99, just short of what she had in cash. She used the rest of the money to buy a water bottle and biked over to the public part near the high school. Such a busy morning, and it's only eight! Kate took a bite out of her fiber bar and a swig of water. The park was empty except for a few kids who didn't care if they were late to their first class. She could tell they were students because they had the school uniform, a white polo t-shirt and navy blue pants or jeans. One of them had a navy blue jacket with the school mascot, a blue and silver tiger. Lame, Kate thought, scoffing and taking another bite of her bar. A bitter wind cut at her cheeks and she ducked her head, her hair whipping past her head. She grumbled and set down her food to tie her hair in a sloppy ponytail as the other kids slowly walked away to their school. Even though she's heard about school being a bullying central, with crappy lunch food and teachers, pointless lessons and homework, Kate still felt a lonely pang as she watched the kids go. At least at school, you can have friends, she thought. She sighed and picked up her water bottle, chugging the rest of it and tossing it in the trash can with her fiber bar while walking away.
Earlier…
South Hutchinson, Kansas
S.K POV
"Skylar, please, wake up!" His mom yelled from the doorway. Sky shot out of bed half awake, hitting his head on the low ceiling. "Thank you," she sighed.
"Oww…" Sky rubbed his head, then looked at the clock. 7:01.
"Did you set your alarm?" His mom asked. Oops.
"Uh," he chuckled. "Yeah!" His mom obviously wasn't buying it. "Yeah...no I didn't."
"That's what I thought. Wake up in your own tomorrow, or you're walking to school, young man!" She frowned and walked out of his room. Skylar groaned and flopped on the bed, tired. He had stayed up late the night before, staying at the school until 11 then doing homework and other stuff until 2am. What a schedule. Skylar quickly got dressed and ran a hand through his hair half heartedly before dashing downstairs and grabbing a granola bar. 7:14.
"Bye mom!" He called out.
"Wait! Skylar," she grabbed him by the hood of his jacket, yanking him back. Where did she come from?! His mom fixed his wispy blonde hair that definitely had a mind of its own, smoothing it down the best she could. She sighed again.
"Thanksmomloveyoubye!" He ran out the door and bolted to the bus stop. The three other kids were already there, talking among themselves. He checked his watch. 7:20. New record!
"Late again, Kimber, I see," one of the boys, Ricky, observed. Sky shrugged.
"Actually, I'm early in my own sense," he said. The kids laughed and he grinned. They were all younger than him, maybe around 12 or 13, so he had the same sense of humor as him. Which was good, he liked making people laugh...But he knew from experience that 13 year olds could be ruthless. And extremely annoying.
"Where your girlfriend Sky?" One of the girls taunted. The two others giggled. Sky frowned, tapping his chin.
"I have a girlfriend? This is news! Good news," he added. The kids laughed again. He knew who they were talking about, though. He ran a hand through his neat hair to fix it his way. "She was never my girlfriend," he corrected. The kids giggled. Skylar frowned and glanced to the now empty little house down the block, where his old friend used to live.
"Bus!" One of the kids shouted, as the big yellow bus rumbled onto the street. Skylar shook his head like a dog to clear his thoughts and stepped onto the smelly prison vehicle that would take him to his 8 hour doom.
La clase de español es...aburrido. Malo, y horrible. Hey, at least he thought the truth in Spanish. Skylar slumped into his seat, not listening to the lesson. Just this class, then lunch, he told himself. Sighing, he looked at the clock. 23 minutes left. 23 minutes?! An hour ago it was 24 minutes left! Skylar glanced to his right, at the empty seat. It's been empty for four months. His friend used to sit there. It was her seat. Every time Señora Acuña allowed the class to re-pick their seats, he said the seat next to him was taken. It was Eva's. Nobody else's.
"Skylar?" The teacher's voice jerked him out of his thoughts. He looked up, seeing she was scowling at him.
"¿Qué?" He asked innocently. The class snickered. She pursed her lips.
"Do you think you're being funny, Mr. Kimber?" She asked. Skylar hesitated.
"Sí, ¡muy gracioso!" He replied. The class erupted into laughter. Señora Acuña shook her head and gave Sky a warning, then class returned to normal. Sky felt victorious and beamed proudly to his classmates around him.
Eventually, it was time for lunch. After Spanish, Skylar was in a good mood, making the whole class laugh. It was quite an accomplishment in his book. Since Evalyn moved schools, going to some Catholic School for Girls crap, he's been more secluded and quiet. A lot more awkward than usual, especially with his random growth spurt that left him tall and lanky. And Eva was his only friend since 2nd grade. Her moving sucked. When the bell rang and class was dismissed, he grabbed his stuff and dashed for the door.
"Skylar, wait please," the teacher called after him. He stopped, cringing. Mom's gonna kill me. He turned around and slowly walked to the teacher's desk.
"I'm sorry for-" he started. She smiled and shook her head.
"You're the least of my problems. I was just worried you weren't paying attention and getting the best out of your lesson," she interrupted. Sure, Sky suppressed an eye roll. "You're not in trouble, Skylar."
"Then why-"
"I'm also worried about your old friend, Evalyn Rosewater. She was your friend, right?" Señora Acuña asked. Worried? About Eva? Usually she's the one who would worry, Skylar smirked at his thought.
"Yeah, best friends," he replied.
"Well, she's been...gone," the teacher said, looking at her roster.
"She moved," Sky told her. Duh.
"Yes, I figured. But according to the school, she should still go here."
"Huh?"
"Apparently her parent or guardian didn't tell the school she moved," Señora Acuña explained.
"That's…" Skylar refrained from swearing and cleared his theory, pulling at his polo collar. "That's really weird. Her mom was all PTA and stuff." The teacher laughed.
"Yes, Ms. Rosewater was always up to date with the school activities and especially her daughter's grades. So that's why I'm worried about Evalyn, and her sudden…" Señora Acuña trailed off, looking at Skylar through the sides of her eyes while facing her computer. "Disappearance," she finished.
"What?!" Skylar almost shouted, completely taken aback. Señora Acuña frowned at the raise in his voice.
"The school hasn't had any reply from Ms. Rosewater, and no attendance from Evalyn," she said.
"But she didn't disappear, she just moved and went to a Catholic school. She told me herself!" Skylar exclaimed.
"Have you talked to Evalyn or Ms. Rosewater in the past four months?" Señora Acuña asked. Skylar opened his mouth to say of course! but then stopped. He hadn't.
"Well…" he scowled at the floor. "Every message she hasn't replied…" he mumbled, thinking of all his unread texts he's sent to her phone. Did she change numbers when she moved? Why didn't she tell me? "And I don't really talk to Ms. Rosewater, I don't have her number," he continued. Señora Acuña purses her lips.
"Hmm," the teacher closed out of her class roster and folded her dainty hands in her lap. Skylar scratched his head, all ounce of a good day gone. "You can go to lunch now, Mr. Kimber. Thanks for your help." She raised her eyebrow at him, a cue for him to leave. He nodded and trudged to lunch, concerned for his friend. She didn't disappear. She's fine, Skylar told himself. But something in his gut told him otherwise.
Hours later…
Hutchinson, Kansas
C.W
The house was silent. Caden sat in the living room, listening to the quiet house. Gabriella was asleep on the couch, curled up with an old quilt. The dim streetlight outside near their apartment shone through the window, barely illuminating the room. Caden was sitting on the loveseat besides the couch, watching his little sister. The folder of documents the social services agent had given him laid untouched on the coffee table. He glanced at Gabby and slowly, quietly took the folder, openings to the first page. After an hour or so, skimming through pages and rereading important parts, he sighed and tossed the folder back on the table upside down. In short, he would be sent to a foster home somewhere in Iowa and Gabby would go to a Girl's Home still in Hutchinson. He wasn't allowed to be her legal guardian until he was an adult, 21. Which was in four years. Caden dropped his head in his hands, taking deep breaths. His eyes and throat burned again, and his shoulders were starting to shake. Don't cry, he ordered himself, forcing himself to sit up and push away the sensation. He glanced at the small digital clock on the lamp stand. 2:18 am. In about eight hours or less, people from social services would take them away. And if they refused, police would take them away instead.
Caden remembered his brother's words; "You're all each other's got now...trust me. Run." Caden looked at the bookshelf next to the television, mind whirring. Almost automatically, his feet dragged him up and tiptoed him over to the bookcase where he was eye to eye with the second shelf down. All the books were collecting dust, and were either stories Gabby would read or manuals his dad or Tyler had to read. But one book in particular, the dark maroon one with the title: Destinatus est filius, nosse secreta. The book that only stood out to those who knew the secret. Caden pulled back the book and heard the distant click! Then, making sure he still kept quiet so not to wake up Gabby, put his shoulder to the side of the bookcase and pushed it to the side, revealing a safe behind it.
The maroon book was actually hiding a lever that...did something. All Caden knew was that one time he was picking out a book for Gabby to read and picked the maroon one, and Tyler told him that it was a secret, not a book. Also, Tyler openly told him to take the cash from the secret place in the living room, this had to be it. The safe looked modern, sleek and clean. It was all black and had three combo slots. Crap. He didn't know the code.
Maybe, dad and mom's anniversary? Caden entered the three numbers. He jiggled the handle. No luck. He stepped back, going through guesses in his head. He tried his mom's birthday, the day she died, his dad's birthday, Tyler's birthday, the day his dad met his mom, and finally his own birthday. Nothing. Before he tried banging on the safe, Gabby made a little noise and turned over in her sleep. Caden glanced back, frozen, checking if she had woken up. Wait. The one birthday he didn't try. 07/16/21. Click.
"Of course," he muttered. Gabby's birthday. Caden jerked open the safe soundlessly and a little light inside it turned on. With the light, he could see a gun pointing straight at him. He gasped, backing away and bumping into the bookcase. The gun didn't shoot. Caden let out a breath of air, then stepped to the side. Carefully, he grabbed it and placed it on its side, pointing it at the wall. His dad was a cop, it'd make sense that he'd put a gun in a safe. But why would it be pointing at the person opening it?
Caden noticed a maroon latch on the bottom that was previously holding the gun. A similar color to…Ooohh. Behind the latch and the gun was a small wooden box, about the size of an average shoebox. Caden carefully picked up the box and took it out of the safe, then clicked the little metal latch up to open it. Inside were gigantic wads of cash. Jackpot! He sat down and counted the money, which added up to around sixty grand. Now Caden understood how Tyler believed he and Gabby could run off alone. Sixty grand could last them a long time without their older brother providing for them. But, not for 35 years, Caden added. He shook his head. We'll cross that bridge when we get there.
He turned one of the tied wads of cash in his hands. "Where did this come from?" He wondered to himself aloud. Then he quickly looked up to make sure Gabby was still asleep. She had barely stirred since he opened the safe. Underneath where the cash was at the bottom of the box was a little matchbox. A box inside a box! It had a weird design on it, some sort of religious symbol, like a strange pentagram. Not a star, though. He frowned and picked it up, running his fingertips over the design. It almost seemed familiar...Caden shook it in his hands. It wasn't hollow, and was slightly heavy. The box had a sliding lid, which he took off easily. Inside was a key, with a design on the center similar to the outside of the box. Weird. Caden put the box back together and set it aside, putting all the cash back inside of the main box. He put the key box in his pocket and went back to the now empty safe. Well, not all the way empty.
At first, Caden was tempted to just slam the safe door shut and lock it, leaving the gun. But he hesitated, his hand on the sleek metallic door. When Tyler got arrested, his accomplices ran away. The police even questioned Caden, seeing if he or someone he knew would be working with his older brother. Caden didn't know, obviously. But what if whoever was working with Tyler came back? Caden got chills. What if they were angry at his brother for some reason, and came after him? He looked back at his little sleeping sister. Keep her safe.
Caden took the gun and checked the bullets. Fully loaded. Casual Glock 17. He checked the bullets back in and cautiously put it on the table next to the wooden box. After a few minutes of mental planning, worrying, and standing, Caden went to his and Tyler's room and packed a duffel bag of all necessities. He took Tyler's duffel bag and packed a similar bag for Gabby. Caden glanced at the clock. It was a little past three am, he still had about six hours, but he felt like time was running out. He stuffed the gun at the bottom of his bag, hoisted both duffels over his shoulder and snatched the keys from the counter, slipping out of the front door quietly and going to the dark apartment parking place.
Tyler's big blue truck-Dad's old prized possession-sat untouched. Tossing both bags in the backseat, Caden made room for a sleeping 11 year old and dashed back up to his apartment. Gabby was grumpy and a bit dazed when he woke her up. "Hey, Gabby, c'mon," he coaxed. She grumbled and flopped back down on the couch. Caden sighed and tenderly picked her up, chilling his left arm under her knees and the other carefully supporting her neck. It was slow getting down the stairs, but at least he didn't trip and drop her. He laid her in the backseat of the truck and drove off, leaving the front door of his old apartment open but he didn't care. He was going to Lebanon, Kansas and taking his sister with him. And nobody could stop him.
Back to Meridian, Idaho
Still in the library…?
E.R
Evalyn didn't realize she had fallen asleep at the library. She jolted awake, wide eyed and looking around. Nobody was sitting at the tables, and there were no librarians walking around or sitting at the main desk. What the...Eva rubbed her eyes and yawned, stretching and standing up. What time is it? She wondered. Eva turned around on her heel to face the large clock above the even larger window. It was almost 3 am. 4 am!? Eva gasped, stepping back and accidentally bumping into the table. Aw winced a bit, rubbing her back. That's gonna leave a bruise. Eva grabbed her book, which she was only half way through, and went back to the shelf she got it from.
At around half past noon, Eva was feeling drowsy, and set her head down to rest. But she didn't actually know she'd fall asleep, and she had no idea she'd sleep until almost 3 am! Mom's gonna freak! Eva felt a sense of dread creep down her back at the thought. She jogged past the librarian's' desk and out the door, ignoring the distant soreness in her ribs. It had snowed a bit while she was in the library, and everything was slick and cold. Evalyn didn't hesitate for the slippery steps, though.
Since it was so late in the night it was morning, everything was black. The only lights she had were the flickering yellow street lamps further down the road and the lights from inside the library. Eva took a deep breath to calm herself, pushing away the fear of what or who could be lurking in the shadows, and started walking home.
Her house wasn't that far from the library, three blocks at the most, but the walk home was eerie. Every once in awhile a car would drive by on the street and Eva would veer closer to the buildings on the sidewalk, away from the road. She didn't meet anyone on the sidewalk, which was good because she didn't feel like talking to anyone. But as she turned into her neighborhood, Eva wished she had someone to accompany her. There were no cars, no lights except the small bulbs illuminating the speed bumps. Everything was quiet, which would be peaceful except for the fact that Eva was extremely on edge.
Snow lay still on the ground and trees, and a cold breeze made her realize she had left her green jacket at the library. Her footsteps echoed in the neighborhood, and footprints in the light snow followed her down the path. Eva was completely alone on the dark and silent sidewalk. But as she turned the corner to her street, someone snatched her arm and pulled her into a garbage alley. She screamed and tried to pry her attacker off of her.
"Evalyn, where have you been?!" Her mother cried. Eva stopped, realizing who it was. Her mom had the same hair as her, but it was more ash brown than the sleek light brown of Eva's, and was in a messy bun. Her mom's dark blue eyes were wide in concern.
"Mom? How did you-" Eva started.
"Do you realize how late it is? What if someone else found you instead of me?" Her mom tightened her grip on her arm and Eva winced.
"I-I fell asleep, a-and-" Eva felt like she was going to cry and swallowed the lump in her throat. Her mom sighed.
"Did anyone follow you from the library?" She asked.
"What? N-no, I don't...wait what?" Eva looked up at her mom in confusion. How did she know I was at the library? And why would someone follow me? She opened her mouth to ask but someone talked before she got a chance to.
"Evalyn!" Another voice called from the sidewalk. Eva turned to see a familiar figure facing her and her mom.
"Shelly?" Eva's mind whirred. Shelly stormed into the alley, and Eva noticed that the stranger she had met in the library was a completely different person with her and her mom. Shelly's eyes were sharp and focused, narrow and angry. Her posture was fixed and confident, not relaxed or rushed.
"I have a problem with you, Mara," Shelly practically growled. Her tone of voice had changed, as well. It went from sweet and sympathetic to harsh and...something Eva couldn't quite put her finger on.
"Get away from my daughter," Evalyn's mom shoved Eva behind her, balling her fist. What is happening?
"Eva listen to me," Shelly faced Eva the best she could. "That isn't your mom. Your mom's been gone for four months."
"Wh-what?" Eva stammered, feeling completely lost and terrified.
"Shut up!" Her mom growled. Eva took a step back, away from her mom and Shelly.
"Evalyn! Run!" Shelly ordered. Her mom spun around to grab Eva.
"Stay," her mom ordered. Eva gasped. Something was wrong. Her mom's eyes were pitch black.
"Mom?" Eva backed away, wide eyed in terror. Suddenly her mom was thrust forward, slammed into the brick wall. Eva yelped and stumbled back, falling down. She watched in fear as Shelly walked forward, hand out in front of her. Eva's mom growled in frustration, getting herself back up from the ground. Her eyes were definitely black. What happened to my mom?!
"Get out of her, Mara!" Shelly demanded. That's not my mom's name...Her mom laughed, a cold, almost demonic laugh.
"And let you have all the fun with little Eva?" Her mom-not her mom-taunted. Evalyn's breathing almost stopped.
"Don't say I didn't give you a chance," Shelly warned, then clenched her raised fist. Eva's mom coughed and choked, falling to her knees.
"Mom…?" Eva whispered. Her mom screamed, raising her head back as a cloud of thick, black, charred smoke flew out of her mouth. Evalyn gasped and watched horrified as the smoke escaped, disappearing into the gutter. Her mom collapsed limply onto the pavement.
"What the hell did you do to my mom?!" Evalyn cried at Shelly, who merely watched as Eva crouched next to her mother. Michelle took a deep breath and let it out as a tired, annoyed sigh.
"Okay, first of all, my name isn't Shelly," she told her.
"What? What is going on?" Eva demanded. She lightly tapped her mom's cheek. "Mom?"
"Your mom is fine," Shelly-not Shelly-said, walking closer. "Although, she's going to have a rough headache when she wakes up." The stranger stood next to Eva and her mom. "Evalyn, do you have a computer?" She asked her. Eva glared up at her.
"Why? Why should I even trust you? You lied to me and you hurt my mom!" She shouted.
"Alright, we're gonna do this the hard way, then," the stranger frowned and tapped Eva's forehead and everything went
k…
South Hutchinson, Kansas
S.A
Skylar leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling of his room. It was really really late and he had to wake up early the next day for school but Eva wasn't answering her freaking phone. Or online message. Either she really doesn't like me anymore or she has a different phone and computer now. Sky sighed, rubbing his face and facing his monitor again. Ever since she'd moved, he'd sent her over two hundred messages. They were mostly like:
Evaaaaaaa
:(
Eva plz
Friendo
Hey
Heyyyyy
Hey Eva guess what ;)
I miss u…
Plz answer your phone
Eva
Evalyn Carissa Rosewater I swear to God if you don't reply to this message I'll throw myself under a train!
Earth to Eva!
Hello?
Skylar scrolled through the messages one last time, then typed a new one.
I'm starting to get worried…
He deleted it and retyped:
I'm sorry.
Loading, loading, sent. Skylar dropped his head on his arms, his forehead slamming into the desk.
"Ow!" He picked his head back up, too fast because he leaned back in his chair too far, falling backwards onto the floor. "Ow…"
Brring-ding ding! The computer made a little jingle, the sound that he got a reply. Sky scrambled up to the monitor, seeing Eva's message.
Don't be.
Eva!
Skylar jumped up to type, not even bothering to set up his chair again.
Wtf?!
He left the keyboard and grabbed his phone. He dialed her number and waited for her to pick up. It went straight to voicemail.
I can't call right now.
"Damnit Eva," Skylar mumbled.
Why? He asked. Waiting…
Where are you?
"What kinda question is that?" Skylar said out loud. Evalyn was his friend, but his was ridiculous. She doesn't call him back or text him for four freaking months and now she does and she is all just-
Skylar where are you? Another message asked. Sky frowned.
I'm at home. South Hutchinson Kansas. USA. Continent of North America. Planet Earth. Milky Way Galaxy. You get the picture, I'm where I've always been!
Okay, okay, I get it.
Wait. Sky stepped back from his computer, running a hand through his already messy hair.
Where have you been? The school thinks you're like dead or something.
Yeah, it's been complicated lately. Skylar chuckled bitterly to himself.
Complicated?! How?! Too complicated to even explain to your best friend? Skylar angrily hit send, then immediately regretted his words. Maybe she was going through a tough time, and he just made it worse.
Ok I'm sorry. Eva I'm worried about you. Can u tell me what's going on? He waited for a reply. One minute. Two minutes. Five minutes. Hello? Crap, what if he scared her off? Ten minutes went by, and there was nothing. Skylar put his chair back and watched the screen, waiting for her message again. Twenty minutes. 30...33...40...his eyes started to droop...45...47...Skylar yawned and leaned forward in his chair, his head propped on his arms to still look at the screen. 50 minutes….54…
Eva R. has left the chat room.
Somewhere on Route 36, near Benoit Angus, Kansas
C.W
Caden couldn't take it anymore. He needed to sleep. But according to his map, he was just a few miles away from Lebanon. But...so tired...The truck swerved on the road and he slapped himself, keeping himself awake. He looked behind him. No cars. And there was nothing but cars in front of him, too. Caden glanced in the mirror in front of him, that was reflecting Gabby in the back seat. He longed to slow down on the side of the road to a stop and curl up back there with her. But he was so close to Lebanon, just a little further.
Screw it.
Caden pulled over on the side of the road, leaning his head on the steering wheel when he stopped. Gabby looked peaceful and comfortable in her sleep, and he didn't want to risk waking her up if he climbed back there to sleep. Instead he stepped out of the truck, closing the driver door as quietly as he could. Outside, stretching his legs, Caden went to the truck bed and climbed in, using the duffel bags as a pillow. The cold, frigid air left him shivering, and he pulled out a spare jacket from his bag to bundle up. Finally comfortable, Caden looked up at the sky. In the middle of nowhere, with no city lights or smog, he could easily see the hundreds of thousands of stars above him. A nice place to sleep…
AND WE'RE BACK TO...
E.R
'Shelly' monitored Eva on the computer, watching her online conversation with Skylar. It's been so long...Her mother-but not her mother-had hijacked her computer, taking it from her, saying it was broken. And also, the 'demon' 'possessing' her mother had hacked her phone, filtering calls to and from certain people. According to 'Shelly,' Eva has been living with a demon for a mother frou four months, ever since they moved. Which actually would explain some things, like how her mom was a lot more distant and bitter, locking herself away in her room more often and gone a lot.
But demons don't exist. Nothing was making logical sense in Eva's head, which still had a distant, dull ache from when she was in the alley. The last thing she remembers is being booped by 'Shelly' and suddenly waking up in her mom's room.
"So, Skylar is still in your hometown," 'Shelly' observed. Eva reread the message her friend had sent. She felt a pang of guilt, reading all the missed chats. He seemed so worried and confused.
"Yeah," Evalyn confirmed, scrolling back down to the most recent chat.
Where have you been? The school thinks you're like dead or something.
"Should I tell him?" Eva asked the stranger hovering next to her shoulder. Tell him what, though? 'Hey, Mom's been possessed by a demon for some freakin' reason for four months and I'm in a crappy town in the potato state, not a Catholic school! What have you been up to this winter?
"I believe it's best if you tell him everything face to face," 'Shelly' said.
"So…" Eva's fingers hesitated over the computer. The girl shrugged. Eva sighed.
Yeah, it's been complicated lately.
"That's so bad," Eva muttered. Sky's gonna be pissed.
"Evalyn," 'Shelly' turned Eva's chair so that they faced each other. Eva scooted back a bit, not liking the lack of personal space. "I'm sure you have lots of questions."
"Yeah. No sh-"
"Hey," 'Shelly' interrupted her. Eva crossed her arms, looking at the ground. "I get it. You're a kid, you're scared, you're confused. But here's some basics you should know," the stranger started. Brring-ding ding! The computer jingled. Eva turned away from the stranger to read the new messages.
Complicated?! How?! Too complicated to even explain to your best friend?
Ouch.
Ok I'm sorry. Eva I'm worried about you. Can u tell me what's going on?
Sky, I wish I could tell myself what's going on.
"Hey, I'm talking to you," 'Shelly' swiveled Eva's chair back again before Eva could have a chance to start replying. "The demon that possessed your mom, Mara, she was using you. Lying to you."
"And you aren't?!" Eva pointed out a bit more frantic than she meant to. "And wh-what was that with the smoke and the-"
"Eva," 'Shelly' cut her off again. Eva shut up. "Evalyn, your mom will be okay. But...She isn't allowed to remember you for the time being."
"What the hell are you talking about?! Remember me?" Eva stood up, ignoring the new message jingle behind her. "I don't even know who you are! And what, are you going to kidnap me and wipe my mom's mind?!" She felt her pulse rising, fists balling. 'Shelly' raised her eyebrows, folding her hands neatly in her lap. It infuriated and terrified Eva how calm this stranger was.
"Who I am," 'Shelly' started, "doesn't really matter. Just be glad that I'm helping you in the first place, Eva. I saved you in that library. Mara and her little pack of demons were going to swarm in and take you, and I had to set everything up so that you didn't see the fight and nobody hurt you. Unfortunately," 'Shelly' rolled her eyes. "That lead to me having to...interrogate one of the demons to find Mara, forgetting all about you left alone at the library. Which lead to this mess. But hey, everything doesn't always work out as planned. That's just life," 'Shelly' shrugged. Eva squinted at her, trying her best to follow along.
"So...demons.." she started, sitting down again. 'Shelly' nodded.
"They exist. And they're the worst."
"Are you a...an angel then?" Eva guessed, feeling stupid as soon as the words came out. 'Shelly' laughed.
"No, I'm not an angel or a demon. Angels are dicks, I'll tell you that," she winked, and Eva felt a little more comfortable with the original, cheery version of this stranger. Which reminded her…
"If your name isn't...Michelle," Eva began, raising her gaze to look at the stranger in the eyes, "then what should I call you?" She asked. The stranger wet her lips, not breaking eye contact with Eva. Her brown eyes seemed to darken, the pupils dilating. The girl smiled, something eerie and...again, something Eva couldn't put her finger on. All sense of being comfortable were gone, Eva felt small and afraid.
"Call me whatever you'd like, as long as you watch your profanity," She said. Eva frowned and looked away, back at the ground. Brring-ding ding! Eva turned around to see the new message.
Hello?
"What should I do now? What should my mom do?" Eva asked Shelly, who stood up to stand next to the computer again.
"You need to get to your friend. Skylar Kimber, right?"
"Yes."
"I'll get you to South Hutchinson by tomorrow," Shelly told her.
"Technically it is tomorrow," Eva said. Shelly looked at her watch, which was shiny and obviously pricey, strapped on her right wrist.
"Damn, it's so late," Shelly muttered. "Well, I'll get you to Kansas by mid-afternoon of today, I guess."
"What about my mom? You said she 'isn't allowed' to remember me, what does that mean?" Evalyn asked her. Shelly bit her cherry red lip, glancing down at Eva and back to her mom's bed, where Eva's mother was resting, unconscious.
"You mother has been possessed by a demon for four months. She's been trapped in her own body, soul, spirit and mind for a while. She's going to be very tired when she wakes up, since she's never had such a supernatural experience before," Shelly explained. Eva looked at her sleeping parent sympathetically. "Also, you're going to be gone. In Kansas. And we don't want your mother frantically telling the police about her demon experience and that her daughter is missing."
"Wait, wait," Eva looked back at Shelly. "So I'm going to Kansas alone? Just to be with Sky?"
"It's complicated, but yeah. All the fun stuff happens in Kansas. But you aren't staying in South Hutchinson, no…" Shelly tapped her chin, closing her eyes to think. "You need to go to Lebanon."
"Where's that?" Eva asked.
"It's the exact center of the U.S.A., a small town in Kansas. Not far from your friend's town. I'm sure you two can figure out a way to get there," Shelly assured her. Eva frowned at the ground, confused.
"But, why there? And why do I need to be separated from my mom?" She asked timidly.
"All of your questions will be answered as soon as you all are together," Shelly said. You all? Now, do me a favor and leave that chat room with your friend. In fact, leave all electronics you own here, it's safer that way."
"Why, are demon hackers going to follow us?" Eva sneered mockingly. Shelly was completely serious and nodded.
"Pretty much," she confirmed. Eva didn't know whether to laugh, roll her eyes, or nod along seriously with her, so instead she just followed her first instructions and went to her room to get what she needed.
"How long will I be gone?" Eva asked her. Shelly crossed her arms, not really focusing on Eva.
"Depends," she said.
"On what?"
"How long it takes for you to reach your goal," Shelly glanced up at Eva. "Now hurry, if we want to get to your friend fast we have to leave soon!" She waved her off. Eva turned to her room, pondering everything that's happened to her in the past twenty four hours. Less than that, twelve maybe. She was still very confused, but relieved that soon, by that afternoon, she's going to see her best friend.