Emma stared at the opened window. She barely slept through the night, but she couldn't help but think, where are the others? Where could they have run to? Was Bailey safe? Was her uncle safe? He had promised to find her as soon as he sorted things out. He would find her; he always did.
What was her purpose in this new world? And all these questions remained unanswered as she continued to stare at the opened window. A girl came out of the house she had been staring at, she was carrying a backpack and she walked as if she was reluctant to get to where she
was going. Emma immediately thought of talking to her. She approached the window to jump out but she stopped, that wouldn't be necessary. She ran downstairs, relieved that her parents weren't in the sitting room to ask where she was going, she needed more compelling to do. She exited the house and ran towards the girl
"Hi, I'm your neighbor, I live with-" shit, she doesn't know her parent's name, the girl raised
her face to her and Emma was shocked
at how swollen her eyes were, it looked like she had been crying throughout the night
"I'm so sorry, maybe this is not a good time," Emma said about to leave
"No it's okay, I lost a friend yesterday, it was
terrible" the girl said and Emma immediately
felt sorry for her
"I'm so sorry that happened, I'm Emma, I live
next to you"
"It's okay, I'm Cynthia, you're like their niece or?" the girl asked
"I'm their daughter" Emma responded
"We didn't know they had children"
"Yeah, it's just me anyway. I see you are going to school and I've been looking for a school that I can enroll in
"Oh Newoaks is fine, it's not far from here though, you'll do just fine" Cynthia managed to say
"Thanks, what grade are you?"
"Tenth grade" Cynthia replied
"Oh same, thanks, I hope you have a great day"
"And you too" and with that Cynthia left
Emma stood there momentarily, the thought of going to school just made her happy. She felt someone watching her and she quickly held the hand that was about to hit her
"Not so fast, you need better training"
"Nah, I just wanted to take it easy on you," Mia said and Emma gave her a mocking look.
"I missed you" Mia hugged her best friend
"I do too, but didn't we see each other yesterday night and I clearly remembered that we texted throughout the night. How did you find me?" Emma asked as she pulled away from the hug
"I'll always find you, so when will you tell me about school?" Emma asked
"Oh you were eavesdropping"
"Nah, my ear just happens to pick up conversations. But whatever because we are resuming together" Mia gave her friend a tight smile
"I was going to tell you, there's no way I'll go to school without you"
"I know and who is she? She looks horrible. They both entered Emma's house
I
"She lost her- " They met Emma's parents in the sitting room
"We've been looking all over for you," her dad said
"Mum and Dad, this is my friend, Mia"
"Nice to meet you, Mia," her parents said
"Nice to meet you too," Mia said with a smile
"And I found a great school to enroll in, I should resume this Monday," Emma said
"Okay, love. Your dad will do the necessary" her mum replied
"Great!, thank you," Emma said with a huge smile as she grabbed her friend's hand and they approached upstairs
"Emma said as she grabbed Mia's hand and they approached the stairs "We'll be upstairs" she shouted
"We are off to work, your breakfast is ready all you need is in your room"
"Okay," Emma said and they both ran inside Emma's room quickly, Emma locked the door behind her
"Are we going to start from like seventh grade ?" Mia asked
"Are you crazy?, so you how old you are?, bitch imagine us in seventh grade" she laughed unbelievably "We are smarter than all of them
put together besides imagine grown-ups like us in seventh grade"
"okay, tenth grade, or nothing. Are we going to go to college?" Mia asked
"Of course my love," Emma said as she looked at herself in the dressing mirror
"They don't know what's coming for them," Mia said with a devilish smile
Austin looked weakly at the man in black standing in front of him who called himself
Frank, he hadn't gone to school the day before and he wasn't sure he was going any soon. He had suspected they'd come for him, the police.
"Did you see Alison at all during the party?" Frank asked but Austin just looked at him, big purple bags under his eyes, he looked miserable
Frank was tired of interrogating Austin who he wasn't sure was going to talk anytime soon
"Austin are you there?" He asked again
"He's still grieving, Alison was very close to him, we'll get back to you when he is ready to talk," Austin's dad said
Frank stood up disappointedly, he touched Austin on his shoulder as if to reassure him everything was going to be fine
"Please get back to us soon," he said and went out with his crew while Austin's dad escorted them out. He came back in after some seconds. Austin was said there, sitting on the chair, unshaken, his father locked the door and so silently sat in front of him, the same place Frank was sitting
"If you know anything about Alison's death, it's a safe space, you can tell me," he said softly but Austin didn't move a bit
An aggressive knocking on the door startled Austin's dad and we stood up and walked to the door
"Who's there?" He asked
"Conrad, open the door"
It was his wife, he knew immediately. He opened the door and she rushed past him like he wasn't visible, the scent of her cologne filled the air
"Austin are you alright?" she said as she knelt in front of her son touching him like she was trying to search his body, she looked back at her husband
"You are just coming after I called and told you that your son tried to take his own life," he said disappointedly
"It isn't my fault, I had flight issues and I started coming immediately it was resolved "
"Well someone has to monitor him closely," he said and his wife silent
"Oh, you can't?"
"I didn't say I won't"
"But you can't?" he paused and then continued after receiving no response from his wife
"Common Ruth, be for real, I've been the one taking care of this house for all these months while your son is being cold and reserved, he wouldn't talk to me. One minute he wanted to hang himself, the next minute Alison is dead and he wouldn't say a word to me. I'm also
frustrated, I'm going through a lot mentally and physically, and just for you to look after your son, you can't because your work needs you all the time. You have to pick one, your job or your son's life and keeping your family" With that Conrad walked out
Ruth looked at her son who was just staring at God knows what, she hugged him tightly as tears dropped from her eyes.