Hey people!
So this is the two new chapters!
I like the way that this is set up, so I think it's going to continue.
At least with this story.
The 4th chapter is really important.
Enjoy!
Chapter 3
The ride home was long and hard, being as full with as many questions as possibly from both of my parents.
" What exactly happened to the pier?"
" What were you thinking?"
" How did you survive?"
" What happened to Max?"
I know they just found out that one of their children had died, but even if they did think I was dead, how could they be so insensitive?
Next, they're going to ask how she died or better yet if I killed her.
I know if Ella was here right now she would have her hands covering her face and shaking her head.
That was one thing that we both agreed on. Our parents were bat shit crazy.
Upon arriving at the house, I noticed that the sunny yellow paint was diving off the walls.
As if to say that there was no point in being here without Ella. I couldn't say I disagreed.
On the inside, our house was in disarray. There were papers flung in every direction and somehow a coffee cup ended up on our dining room chandler.
A picture of Ella and I was placed lovingly near our window seat. Ella was wearing a sky blue tee shirt from Camp Ever star and black jeans.
She also had her hair placed up in a nice, neat, pristine high ponytail. Her face was covered in a mask of makeup that made her jade green eyes sparkle.
I was the total opposite. I wore a plain black tee shirt, cargo pants and a brown leather jacket. My hair was placed down in loose, messy blonde curls.
I wore no makeup at all and my green eyes looked like mint chocolate chip ice cream. We were both hugging each other half-heartedly around the shoulders
and smiling in a big, fake way.
That was the summer at the lake. Our parents had forced us to go to summer camp at the end of eighth grade and we hated it with every fiber of our beings.
The campers were way to cheery for me and too much of a challenge for Ella to covert them into fashonistas. The meals were mediocre at best and the activities
were just plain insulting. I mean playing duck-duck goose? Weren't we a little too old for that? The worst of it all was when our parents wrote us the letter.
It was basically just a bunch of junk asking if we were having a good time and that they were so proud of us for being team players like they knew we would be.
They even asked us for a picture to remember our times at Camp Ever Star.
In response, my sister and I sent this really cheesy picture of us smiling with our teeth clenched tightly and our eyes popping out of our heads.
Yet, they photo shopped it into looking amazing.
Our staircase at home was cracked and brittle from some kind of heavy burden and the wood was split in between. I danced around the steps, avoiding the damp, rotten wood.
How long have I been gone?
" Ella! Ella!" My mother called.
" Ella, get down from there!" My father hollered.
" What? Why?" I asked, running straight down the stairs.
As soon as I got on the main level, my parents embraced me in a gigantic hug.
" Ella, we were so worried about you! Don't you dare scare us like that again!" My mother looked at me, tears streaming down her cheeks.
" I was just going upstairs. Why did I miss something? What happened upstairs?" I wondered.
" Ella, it's not safe up there. You see there was a fire in our bedroom that burnt the whole upper part of the house.
It's not safe to be up there. There's still ash on the ground and smoke in the air. You'll die up there!" My father exclaimed.
" A fire? Upstairs? What about our stuff?" I asked.
My mother looked down at the ground. She wasn't meeting my gaze.
" Well, there is nothing for you to worry about. All of your belongings are okay. It's just Max's things that are gone." My mother whispered.
" What? How can you say that's okay! She's dead mom! My sister is dead! How can you be so mean! She was your child. How can you not care that she's gone!" I screamed.
" Ella! That's enough! Your mother and I loved Max dearly. And for you to think anything else is just plain horrid.
You are an insensitive child! With no regard for anyone but yourself! I am very ashamed to have a child like you! Now leave your mother alone!" My father screamed.
" No, Jeb. Let her be. She's right, I didn't care about Max enough. Maybe if I had tried harder she'd still be alive. Oh, it's all my fault Jeb! All my fault!"
My mother cried.
" Valencia! Stop this nonsense! You didn't kill M ax. She's in a better place now. Tell her Ella." My father nudged me.
" Mom, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to make you feel responsible for Max's death. It's the pier's fault, not yours." I whispered.
" It's okay, Ella. I know your upset, you just can't say those things to me or anyone. It shattered my heart to hear you say something like that.
I loved your sister. I miss your sister and will continue to miss her for the rest of my life. However, I am thankful that your okay. I'm happy that your still here.
I also know that wallowing in my own self-pity won't bring Max back or make the pain any less. But I love you and I need to be brave for you. I hope you understand."
My mother smiled.
" I do mom and I'm sorry for what I said. Your right, I'm just upset that she's gone. I'm sorry, mom." I sighed.
" It's okay Ella. Now, since the fire burnt the upstairs and it's unsafe for you to be up there. I moved all your stuff down the hall, where the walk-in closet used to be. Why don't you go get settled in? Dinner will be ready in about an hour."
My mother smiled weakly.
" Okay, see you in an hour." I said as I headed down the hallway and went through the door marked "Ella's Room".
Ella's bed was placed with the headboard facing the back wall. A small 14in flat screen sat on the opposite wall,
a colossal book shelf was placed to the right of her bed and a bright pink blanket took over the role as the comforter.
I sighed and flopped down on the bed, closing my eyes. A nice, warm, fuzzy lump was placed up against my cheek.
I opened my eyes to see a wave of pink overloading my sense of sight. It's big blue eyes stared back at me.
It's mouth was stitched shut with a black thread.
Tina.
Tina, the elephant.
Chapter 4
I placed the elephant in my hands.
Look after Tina for me, will you?
Just remember to look after Tina.
Ella? What were you doing?
Look after Tina for me, will you?
Just remember to look after Tina.
What were you thinking when you said this to me?
Look after Tina for me, will you?
Just remember to look after Tina.
What were you thinking?
Tina.
Tina.
Tina.
Tina.
" Damn it!" I said as I threw the stuff animal across the room.
As it hit the wall, a piece of stationary fell out of it's lining.
I moved over towards the piece of paper and peered over it.
It had my name centered in the middle of the yellow parchment .
Max
I ran my thumb over the back of the opening to the envelope. My finger, slowly picked at the opening until it fell forwards.
I unwrinkled the piece of stationary from the envelope and began to read.
Dear, Max
By the time your reading this I'm already gone.
I've made sure of that.
So, for the past few years I've been hunted by this group of people called the Genetic Code Foundation or GCF for short.
They said they've been looking for me since the day I was born. If you can believe it. They're nice, smart and they made me feel welcome.
Remember that summer that I spent abroad in the Islands?
It didn't happen.
Those people are bad, Max
They're the type of people that will kill you if they find out who you are.
Now your probably wondering why I'm bothering to tell you any of this.
It's because your apart of it too.
Something about us is special. Something about us is so unique that people would kill us for it.
What is it?
I have no idea.
But I will and by the time I leave you, I'll most likely know everything about who they are and what they want from us.
Sadly, I can't share.
If and when I do find out the knowledge I'm looking for, I will be dead.
They will know.
The only person that can help you is my one and only contact.
The thing is, he likes to remain anonymous and if I wrote his name down in this letter or mom and dad happen to find this letter, nothing good will come of it.
Much less if the GCF found it.
So sister dear, this is where I leave you.
I love you with all my heart.
Keep pretending to be me.
Don't drawn attention to yourself.
Do everything as I would do.
Do not change a single aspect of my routine.
And remember you can only trust him.
Love, Ella
P.s. If I'm not dead, I'll see you later.
That was a pretty eventful chapter, wouldn't you say?
Thanks you for reading
See you in the stars
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