Jocelyn.
Everything was peaceful and indulgent; a state of infinite calm. I was back home, sleeping in my own bed, while the familiar sound of the televisions droned on. Then, as real as it seemed, everything vanished in a split second. Like sand in an ocean wave, the sense of comfort washed away. I was left in a foreign room in complete darkness, unlit by the moon hovering outside the window.
And within the second, I knew where I was. As my eyes grew accustomed to the insufficient shadows, I could pick out several antiqued vases and art pieces, standing in solidarity to represent lost cultures. My mind set to work distinguishing what had woken me. A child cried in a room just off of the main room. That must have awoken me, I thought, not that it was loud, just unfamiliar to me.
To confirm my suspicion, the light flickered a few times before jolting on in the child's room. Strange, I thought, I would have heard footsteps if either Dr. Brennan or Agent Booth had gotten up.
A wind chime clanged in the wind on the porch. Even though it was that jangling that caught my attention, it was not that which held it. A shimmering key fastened to a piece of string hung from a branch as it brushed against the double paned window. My first instinct was that perhaps it belonged to a padlock. To my surprise, the window itself was unlocked, and pushed open noticeably easily. I propped it open with my elbow and retrieved the key. What I had earlier perceived as a string, was actually a segment of eggshell yellow ribbon, the kind commonly used in gender-neutral kid's rooms. I stashed the key in the pockets of my sweats and made a mental reminder to discuss it with Dr. Brennan in the morning.
More clatter from the hallway distracted me, but the crying stopped. I picked up the house phone from the end table beside the window and punched in 9-1-1, but didn't hit speak. A peeling label just below the microphone read Line II in perfect capital letters. I tip-toed down the corridor and stood stationary beside the room. The door flew open on its hinges, knocking against the wall. I was intrigued, and followed the noise to the child's room. The neutral slate blue on the walls projected a shadow prowling about. I peaked around the corner, and watched in horror as a young woman furiously tore out the contents of the dresser. Clothes and toys alike littered the floor, the carpet beneath them showing through patchy and uneven from the mess. The drawers slammed shut one last time before the room turned eerily quiet. I tucked myself behind the door, scarcely daring myself to breathe. A bulky male figure stoop guard over by the door, just beside the other side of the door.
"It's not here, just give up!" He growled.
"Not yet. It has to be here." The feminine voice responded in a tone that was unmistakably familiar to me.
The sound of something heavy and fragile smashing against hardwood filled the semi-silent room, and both people stopped. I cancelled out the number on the phone, and hit the redial base¸ in an effort to alert the homeowners.
"Shit. We have to get out now." The man said again.
"If it's the girl on the couch she's not that much of a threat. I know that for a fact." The familiar feminine intruder whispered back.
I turned to leave back to the couch, praying that this was still a dream. My heel slammed into the baseboard, freeing the key from my pocket. It fell to the floor in a metallic bang. I peeked through the two inch gap between the door and the frame. Staring back at me was a face I had seen many times before. The color drained from her face as she stared me in the eye. I opened my mouth to speak but before I could, she turned and ran towards the window, in the process slamming the closet door into the window. Within a few seconds, a piercing squeal filled the air, and the security pad beside the window flashed red. The people turned the light of as they exited, leaving the room bathed in a pale moon glow.
I stepped back into the hallway, and backed into Dr. Brennan. Standing beside her was Agent Booth. Both seemed just as shaken and upset as I was. Booth rushed beside his daughter's crib and lifted her up into his arms. Only now did I notice the state of disrobe shared between him and his wife; but they didn't seem to care.
"What happened in here?" Dr. Brennan referred to the mess on the floor.
"There were people in here looking for something." I stuttered, remembering the key.
"I found this outside the window and I was wondering if you knew what it was."
"She took it from me with shaky hands. "It's the extra key I keep for Angela's place, just in case. Where did you say you found it?"
"Outside. It was just blowing in the tree. Why? Where is it usually?"
"I keep it in the desk beside the front door."
"Did you get a look at the people who were in here?" She changed the subject.
"Yeah." I used a single word reply.
"Enough for Angela to do a sketch?"
"She doesn't have to. I have something better."
I pulled a creased photograph out of my pocket. I remembered when it was taken. On one half was myself, the other girl with her hands around my shoulders, sitting piggy-back style on my back.
Stephanie and Jocelyn, 2011 the writing on the back read.
I reluctantly handed the photo over to Brennan. I sighed deeply.
"It was my sister….."
All four of us sat in silence, even Christine respecting the moment. We moved to the living room and sat on the couch.
"I'm so sorry. I can't even imagine losing your mom, and then finding out your sist-" Booth started
"Just please, let me deal with this alone." I cut him off.
He nodded and looked sympathetic. He changed the subject. Turning to Brennan, his voice was concerned.
"Bones, you're bleeding." He stated, emotionally.
"I am not." Brennan's tone was cold.
"You are. Look." He pointed to the bottoms of her feet. Sure enough, scarlet blood welled up around multiple puncture marks on her heels. Glass shards, stained with the tell-tale blood, jutted out from her feet. Just over to the left was the remnants of a glass lamp, now laying in countless pieces on the floor.
"Well. It doesn't matter right now, does it? She laughed.
Her cell phone rang from the Kitchen counter from across the room. It was a text. She attempted to stand up to retrieve it, but Booth set her back down and I went to grab the phone.
The text was from Dr. Saroyan.
I didn't read it, but I knew enough to know the only reason why she'd text this early in the morning.
"What kind of Goddamn bastard would do this?!" Booth Muttered under his breath.
Brennan, who was still picking glass shards out of her skin, used a much nicer word choice.
"They've got another one."
"I'm coming with you. I'm not staying here alone." I argued.
"It's not safe to bring you into the field."
"It's on my school property. I know it better than you do."
She sighed and stormed away, shaking her head. I turned to Booth.
"Just get changed, get ready or whatever. We're leaving right away."
Booth took Christine over to the neighbors. Surely they'd understand.
Within the hour, we found ourselves at the shoreline of the man-made lagoon on the south east border of the property. Flood lamps illuminated the water level, as a backhoe dragged a damp tarp out of the water and deposited it in front of the Jeffersonian Crew….
