Chapter Sixteen
Annabel was once again awakened by a dream, or a nightmare which ever you prefer. This time, however, the person in the dream was no one she recognized. Annabel wasn't even sure exactly what the dream meant; in the dream there was a blonde girl that looked a little older then herself. The girl was in a dimly lit area, a garage or a basement Annabel guessed; then there was fire. That was all Annabel remembered, that and the fact that her right side hurt. Annabel had no idea why her side hurt; perhaps she had slept on it the 'wrong way'. That was probably it.
Annabel lay in bed, trying to fall back asleep but she found it impossible.
The next morning, Annabel received calls from both Joshua and Nicolas asking her to meet them later that day. She decided that it would be a good "opportunity" for everyone to meet everyone else. Then maybe someone would have an answer to everything that had been happening. After skipping breakfast, Annabel left her house; on her way out her father told her that Randy's funeral was the next day. Annabel barely acknowledged that she heard him.
Annabel, not wanting to be early again, decided to talk a walk before meeting Joshua and Nicolas. She found herself walking the familiar route to Sara's house. By the time she realized she was doing it, it was too late to turn around because she stood in front of Sara's house. Or, what used to be Sara's house.
Annabel was slightly surprised to see a FOR SALE sign stuck in the lawn of the house. Sara's father's car was parked in the driveway, which signaled that he was home.
Annabel was startled when she saw Mr. Madison exit the house and stand on the porch. Mr. Madison -his first name was Kevin but Annabel hadn't even heard Sara's mother call him by that name- was startled when he saw her as well.
His look of shock quickly disappeared and was replaced by a look of anger -or what Annabel guessed was anger. Mr. Kevin Madison walked up the driveway toward Annabel.
"What are you doing here?" He asked, there was certain edge to his voice; there was no mistaking that.
"You're selling your house?" Annabel said, not bothering to answer his question since she didn't have an answer.
"I can't stay here, not anymore." Mr. Madison said, looking over at the FOR SALE sign.
"Oh." Annabel muttered.
"You found her, didn't you? The police said that someone found Sara and I know it wasn't me. It was you wasn't it." Mr. Madison said, his voice was chipped with an accusing tone.
Annabel swallowed and nodded, trying to push the sickening images of her dead friend from her mind.
"How did you know? If you knew she was going to die you should have warned her." Mr. Madison spat, his eyes welling up with tears of sadness and anger.
"I…" Annabel begun, not believing that Sara's father blamed her for his daughter's death.
"You saw the overhang collapsing too, but you didn't warn Abby about it. You didn't warn either of them." Mr. Madison said, his voice full of anger.
"I tried!" Annabel cried, realizing that tears were falling down her cheeks. "I really did." She added, whispering the words.
Without another word, Annabel turned and left not bothering to look back. Annabel realized that she would probably never see her deceased friend's house again; she wasn't even sure she wanted to.
Annabel was once again awakened by a dream, or a nightmare which ever you prefer. This time, however, the person in the dream was no one she recognized. Annabel wasn't even sure exactly what the dream meant; in the dream there was a blonde girl that looked a little older then herself. The girl was in a dimly lit area, a garage or a basement Annabel guessed; then there was fire. That was all Annabel remembered, that and the fact that her right side hurt. Annabel had no idea why her side hurt; perhaps she had slept on it the 'wrong way'. That was probably it.
Annabel lay in bed, trying to fall back asleep but she found it impossible.
The next morning, Annabel received calls from both Joshua and Nicolas asking her to meet them later that day. She decided that it would be a good "opportunity" for everyone to meet everyone else. Then maybe someone would have an answer to everything that had been happening. After skipping breakfast, Annabel left her house; on her way out her father told her that Randy's funeral was the next day. Annabel barely acknowledged that she heard him.
Annabel, not wanting to be early again, decided to talk a walk before meeting Joshua and Nicolas. She found herself walking the familiar route to Sara's house. By the time she realized she was doing it, it was too late to turn around because she stood in front of Sara's house. Or, what used to be Sara's house.
Annabel was slightly surprised to see a FOR SALE sign stuck in the lawn of the house. Sara's father's car was parked in the driveway, which signaled that he was home.
Annabel was startled when she saw Mr. Madison exit the house and stand on the porch. Mr. Madison -his first name was Kevin but Annabel hadn't even heard Sara's mother call him by that name- was startled when he saw her as well.
His look of shock quickly disappeared and was replaced by a look of anger -or what Annabel guessed was anger. Mr. Kevin Madison walked up the driveway toward Annabel.
"What are you doing here?" He asked, there was certain edge to his voice; there was no mistaking that.
"You're selling your house?" Annabel said, not bothering to answer his question since she didn't have an answer.
"I can't stay here, not anymore." Mr. Madison said, looking over at the FOR SALE sign.
"Oh." Annabel muttered.
"You found her, didn't you? The police said that someone found Sara and I know it wasn't me. It was you wasn't it." Mr. Madison said, his voice was chipped with an accusing tone.
Annabel swallowed and nodded, trying to push the sickening images of her dead friend from her mind.
"How did you know? If you knew she was going to die you should have warned her." Mr. Madison spat, his eyes welling up with tears of sadness and anger.
"I…" Annabel begun, not believing that Sara's father blamed her for his daughter's death.
"You saw the overhang collapsing too, but you didn't warn Abby about it. You didn't warn either of them." Mr. Madison said, his voice full of anger.
"I tried!" Annabel cried, realizing that tears were falling down her cheeks. "I really did." She added, whispering the words.
Without another word, Annabel turned and left not bothering to look back. Annabel realized that she would probably never see her deceased friend's house again; she wasn't even sure she wanted to.
