More Crap For Them

When we arrived, Elijah looked horrified. "You meant this place? Why are we going here?"

 

"I told you, Elijah. I know the owner well." I told him.

 

Rudy came to great us. "Hi Elizabeth, how are you?" Then he saw Elijah. "Lunch for two?"

 

"Hi Rudy, might I talk to you in private?" I asked nodding towards Elijah and looking around the place. "Please?"

 

"Uh..." he said, and then asked Elijah, "Go ahead and seat yourself in the area. I'll be with you in a minute. Sure, Elizabeth. Let's talk in my office." 

 

"Thanks." When we got to his office, he looked at me.

 

"Now, how may I help you?" he asked.

 

"I need to ask you to lie for me." I said.

 

"Before you tell me what to lie for you, I need to know why," Rudy said in his Mexican-American accent.

 

"Because I- My friends and I- are in danger." I told him.

 

"May I ask you how, why?" he asked me.

 

"Unfortunately, I can't let you know the details.” I said mysteriously.

 

“Are you sure?” he has to ask me.

 

“I’m sure, Rudy. All I can tell you is that I’m running away from a killer and I need some information about them.” I said.

 

“Who’s the killer? I need to know more than you’re telling me if you want me to help you.”

 

“Well, the killer is Gertinald Cretin. You and your family are indeed in danger because you know me. I need you to promise that you’ll carry at least a knife at all times. Gertinald is dangerous, very dangerous. Please, if you’re family asks you why, just say that you don’t want anything bad to happen or something.”

 

He sighed, trying to figure out what I meant, or something. I don’t want to look in to his mind to find out. That, I think, I will leave to Gertinald or Shelby. “Alright. But promise me that you won’t try to kill him or do something drastic.”

 

“I’ll try my best. Now, I must get back to one of my friends. Will you come with me?” I said as I got up and walked towards the door.

 

“Sure,” Rudy finally replied. “Follow me.”  Then he opened the door and held it for me.

 

“Thanks, Rudy, in advance.” I said.

 

“No problem.”  He and I went to the table with Elijah sitting. “What would you like?” he asked me. Mainly me.

 

I nodded at his look. “A Dr. Pepper, please.” I ordered.

 

“Alright.”

 

After he left, Elijah looked at me. “What happened in there? What did you talk about?”

 

I looked away. “Elijah, what you have to know is that Rudy is very kind to my family. He’s one of our best friends. I had to tell him something between us, and only between us.” I said, and then looked up. “You do not need to know what was said behind those closed doors. And I assume that you were trying to listen in on our conversation.”

 

“Alright, alright. I surrender. I did try to listen in on ya’lls conversation, but was pushed away by one of the waitresses, so I didn’t hear anything.” I knew it. I just knew it.

 

“We need to go to the library. I think I forgot something there.” I lied. In truth, there were clues there, leading us to Nathan. Writings, at a bridge. I wanted to see them, but I need backup. In this case, Elijah will just have to do, even if I’d much rather have my friends Ayesha or Haylee be my backup or lookout…. He’ll just have to do.

 

“What?” he sounded surprised. I’m glad, but I don’t know why.

 

“Come on, we’ve got to hurry.” I sipped one more time of my Dr. Pepper, paid the check, and then ran off without waiting for Elijah. I knew I didn’t have to worry, 3 seconds later; he showed up right by my side and ran past me. I laughed. Of course, he always liked to show off how fast he was, and is.

 

He slowed down a bit. “What?”  He looked confused.

 

I smiled. “Nothing.  We have to go to the bridge, below I mean. In the creak.” I said, specifying where to go.

 

“Uh… Why?” He’s sometimes so arrogant. You do not question something like this. Oh, wait. I forgot, I have not told him why…

 

“Just wait, you!” I had to hold myself from saying “idiot” I could not help it. At least I said it under my breath… I think.

 

“What?” he said.

 

“Nothing, just go, Elijah!” I said a little too loudly.

 

“What’s the hurry, Elizabeth?” Elijah asked.

 

“Just go, Elijah. Just go.” I said, trying to calm down more.

 

“Alright, alright. We are almost there, see? I can see The Library,” he announced.

 

Yes, yes. We are close.  Now I have to get down to the bridge.  “Yes, you’re correct. We have to get below the bridge.”

 

When we got there, I looked at the posts. I was right. Someone did place an object there. Presumably for us to find? Someone wanted us to find it. Or maybe this was just a hiding place? So many questions, so little time to answer them.

 

__~*@*~__

 

Gone. That is what they were. I could not find them anywhere. I ran back inside to grab a photo and put on some better running shoes. Then I took my bike out, wheeled it out of the garage, hoped on, and rode out of the lot and on to the street.

 

I saw some people turn onto Jefferson St. and decided to follow them there. It may be them, it may not be them.  It took me half an hour to get to Jefferson St. but I was walking my bike. I did not feel like riding it yet. (I got off at Central St.)  I got there, saw a restaurant, and remembered that Elizabeth once told me that her grandparents were friends with the owner, so I went inside.

 

“Hello, how may I help you?” Accented a deep male voice. I turned to my left and saw a shorter Mexican dude with a heavy accent.

 

“You’re Rudy, right?”I asked. He nodded.

 

“Yes.” He said it more like a question…

 

“Can you help me? I’m looking for Elizabeth Jacks, Jo and Wes Stephens’ granddaughter?”

 

“I do not know of any Jo and Wes Stephens, or any Elizabeth Jacks'. Now, if you don’t mind, I have work to attend to.” Rudy said rather rudely.

 

“Thanks for not helping. She’s missing, you know. If you have seen her today, now would be a great time to say it.” I said.

 

“Alright. What do you want?”

 

“So you have seen her? I want to know where I can find them. A killer’s after them, and I need to find them before the killer does.”

 

“I saw them, okay? They went that a way. Go, go find them. Meanwhile, I need to work.”

 

“Thanks for your help, Mr. Rudy!” I said as I opened the door and got back on my bike. I’ve wasted half an hour. I can’t waste anymore time.

 

We got up to the house and saw new silver Chevy Impala pull into the driveway of the house that we were watching. A man, in his early twenties, opened the driver’s door and got out. This man was my cousin. I’m sure of it.

 

“Look, Elijah,” I said, after a while of debating whether it was him with Elijah, “I would know if it’s my own cousin, alright?”

 

“You haven’t seen him in almost a decade!” he protested. “How can you be sure it’s him?”

 

“When you’re family,” I told him, “You just know.” That was the end of the conversation.

 

“But-“he started to protest, but I shushed him by covering his mouth with my hand.  He licked me.

 

“Ew!” I groaned, wiping my hand on his shirt. “Don’t you ever do that again?” I screeched quietly.

 

“I, uh,” he started, “I "I yes. I understand. Look, he- your cousin, is going inside!” I turned around, and sure enough, Alex was going inside. First he rang the bell. A girl, early twenties like Alex, answered the door. She gave him a hug and a couple of kisses. Great, I have to watch my cousin’s romance. Just perfect.

 

“I didn’t know that they were going out!” I blandly announced a bit surprised.

 

“Does it really matter?” the annoyed Elijah asked.

 

“Yes, Elijah, of course it matters.” I glared at him.

 

“Oh, alright. Fine, it matters,” he gave in, “I just don’t see how it matters.” He replied, a bit louder.

 

He went inside, Tana, the girl, closed the front door. Great. “Just great!” I stepped outside of our hiding place; he starts to follow me. “No, no. You stay here.” I stopped him. I knew he was annoyed, but he stayed.

 

I walk up to his car and sit on the trunk while I wait for him to come out. Thirty seconds later, he came storming at me and pushes me off his car. The nest thing he does is tell me to go over to a series of trees. In his hand, he holds a pocketknife. Scared, that he will try to use it on me, I follow him. Looking back, I saw Elijah move.  Don’t! Stay there for now! I hissed in my mind and sent to him.

 

“What are you doing here?” Alex asks me, after he shoves me against a tree. I don’t answer, which angers him more. “I repeat what the heck do you think you’re doing here?” he yells.

 

“I can ask you the same thing, George Alexander Paine!” I sneer at him, calling him by his full name. He hated the George part.

 

“Don’t you call me by that ugly, old name! He yelled at me, applying more pressure to my neck.

 

“Ah, but you’re my cousin. I have the privilege to call you whatever I want, Pooter!” I scoffed at him, calling him by my mother’s nickname, which he hated even more.

 

“I told you once, don’t ever call me Pooter!”

 

“Well,  seeing as you’re the one who abandoned me, my mother, my father, my grandparents, and my ninety-nine year old great-grandmother, I think you are in no place to complain!” I yelled at him. “Besides, I’m getting tired of your little chit-chat.” I said a little more calmly. That’s when I kneed him where it counts, and kicked his face. “You’re not the only black belt in the family anymore. I sneered at him.

 

Go inside; see what you can find out! I’ll stay with Mr. Troubly- Paine here. Just go, I’ll be fine! I sent to Elijah. And hurry! I added. I knew I would not have much time.

 

The Paine in my a*s stood up. “Very good, Nora, very good.  Who’s been teaching you Tai Kwon Doe, Nora?” I loathed that name that my mother gave me. Why would she give me the name Nora?

 

“For that, Pooter Paine, you’ve just earned yourself another kick.”Then I kicked him where three times: first on the foot, then the knee, then the thighs. The last was on accident. I meant to kick him a bit higher, but he jumped.  He failed to keep his balance, and I punched his chest, which made him fall to the ground hard.  I merely laughed at him. “You’ve no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that to you!” I laughed an evil scientist laugh, which surprised me. I didn’t know I could do that. “I forgot to ask you, is that a*****e you call your father, Joel, back as well?”  Joel is my rude uncle. I’ve hated him longer than I’ve hated my cousin.  Since I was born, I’ve hated him. Wish good reason. He bellied my pregnant mother. You just don’t do that to a pregnant woman.

 

“No. It’s just me.” He cringed in pain. “Why do you want to know?”

 

“Oh, I’ve been wanting to do the same thing to him, but more so.  I’ve been waiting for revenge since I was seven. Too bad it won’t be on him.” Then a thought came to me: maybe I can make Alex pay for him!  “Well, since he’s not here, I guess I can just take it out on you!” With that, I kicked him in the chest, causing him to fall backwards, in cringing pain. I looked over him carefully. “You can just take that to him.” I said, and then left my thorny cousin on the freshly mowed lawn, in pain.  I started towards the front door.

 

“Elizabeth! ELIZABETH!” I turned around.

 

“And what would my rude, careless Paine in the a*s want now?” I yelled at him over the long stretches of lawn between us.  He didn’t replied, so I turned back to the door, leaving him there, still, alone.

 

“He’s dead!” he cried. “He died two years ago!” this time he yelled it.

 

“Oh, good. I’ve always wanted him gone!” I shot back at him. Joel, I do not wish you to Rest in Peace. I want you to look at what you’ve done. See the PAINE you’ve caused.

 

“Elizabeth! Wait up!” he still calls after me.

 

“And why, poor George Alexander Paine, would I do that?” he still didn’t answer. I turned around, and started, again, towards the door.

 

“I heard a friend of yours died recently!” he called out at me. He’d gotten up, and was coming after me.

 

“You’ve heard wrongly, then. I don’t know who you’re talking about.” I replied.

 

“Don’t you? Nathan, your friends’ brother. Nathan Hawks. I’ve heard he’s died.” He said.

 

“That hasn’t been proven yet,” I replied, “Besides, what difference does it make to you?”

 

“I, uh, I-I “he cringes in extreme pain again.  “I, uh, I don’t know. Maybe because you’re my little cousin!” Then, I kicked him one more time. He tried to punch me, but I blocked him then flipped him in the air, and landed him on his back.

 

“I’m really getting tired of my own family underestimating me.” I said as I kicked him again on the knee and then the feet. “Really annoying.”

 

I walked towards the house, but again, he tried to stop me. “Elizabeth, “ he pleaded. No, please!”

 

“Oh, what?” I replied sarcastically, “Not go in? Leave you like this? No, Alex.  I intend to make you suffer for a while, and that includes going inside now.” I said then turned my back and again, headed to the front door. Will I ever be able to go inside?

“Elizabeth,” he croaked cringing in pain. “Elizabeth, I’m so sorry.” He said blandly. I doubt he felt sorry.

 

I, of course, was outraged. “You DARE say ‘I’m sorry’ to me now? Alex, you have no idea of the pain, the agony, the fights and self control you’ve made me experience as a child! Don’t you even think about saying I’m sorry to me now, you cowardly moron! I can’t believe we even share the same blood!” I screeched at the devil’s spawn.

 

Then, he reached into his pocket, as I turned away, taking his hand out, and threw a dagger at me saying, “I know what you are. You can’t deny it.”

 

And I fell, stabbed in the back by my own cousin. I blanked out.

 

__~*@*~__

 

Right after Elizabeth punched Alex, I knew that was my clue. Get inside! Floated into my head. All right, it’s now or never.

 

I reached the porch and looked behind me to check on Elizabeth. GO!  She sent. So I ran inside and quietly listened for people. There was a TV blaring and a couple of people fighting upstairs. I looked around the mansion- on the first floor. There weren’t any chains, any bathrooms locked. No rooms locked either.

There was not anything of interest on the first floor. I then decided to go up the beautifully designed marble staircase with cast iron railings.

 

Tiptoeing up the stairs, I turned right, into the master bedroom. I looked for anything that could help me point to Nathan or Gertinald and Shelby, but no pointers. I opened the closet, which is a huge walk in closet the size of my room. It had all women’s clothing in it. A couple of clothing racks, pinks and purples everywhere, and many dark brown wigs. That’s all I could see. I closed the door and went to the next door, this time a bathroom with a jocose tub with bubbly water filled to the top. I looked to the sinks; granite covered the surface, with a blue drop in sink. The faucets were brushed chrome and handmade.

 

The toilet was a push button porcelain pot, and the shower was a glass mosaic spot. I decided nothing was there, so I tried the door to the master room. There were people in the master room. I quickly shut the door and listened in on their conversation.

 

“Alex should be back sometime soon.” Said a deep, low voice; a man, early to mid twenties, perhaps?

 

“I don’t know,” said a younger female voice. “He’s a bit upset about his cousin being in town.”

 

“Oh, Elizabeth Jacks? What’s she got to do with anything?” said another male voice, lower this time.

 

“Elizabeth hates his guts.” Said the first male.

 

“With good reason,” the woman said, “He abandoned her family, his family. I’d hate him too if he were my cousin.”

 

“Tana, this isn’t the time, nor the place to-“the second guy said, but was cut off by this Tana person.

 

“Elizabeth and Alex are fighting,” she said, “I think it is the time and place to debate about their relationship, Don.”

 

“Tana, we both know that Elizabeth often spoke her hatred towards her own cousin. She certainly spoke out against me when she was asked about me.”  I wondered who these Tana and Don people were. They both seem to hate Elizabeth.

 

“Don, nearly everyone in Siloam hates you, and again, I say with good reason.” Tana spoke out, aggravated.

 

“And? Your point?”  Don asked. No answer came. “Look, Tana, I run the only museum in Siloam Springs. Of course people will hate me. It’s part of the job.” Now even I can understand why Elizabeth may hate his guts.

 

__~*@*~__

 

I went to check the library to see if they had a book. I know, I know. I set out to find my brother and our friend, but go to the library for a stupid thing like a book.

 

As it turns out, it was a good place to be. Right as I exited the library, I heard a scream up the road. It sounded a lot like Elizabeth’s so I went up the road to see what happened.

 

I saw Lizzie; she was bleeding heavily, and had a silver dagger stuck in her back. I looked around and saw a guy go inside the mansion. I looked around Elizabeth’s clothes for her phone. I don’t care what she’ll say, she needs help. I’m going to call the paramedics and get her to the hospital. 

 

I dialed 9-1-1 and waited. “Hello, this is 9-1-1 emergencies. State your emergency.”  Said an automatic voice system.

 

“Girl stabbed.” I replied shakily.

 

“Paramedics will be notified said the automatic voice, then a human picked up. “Is she conscious, ma’am?”

 

“No, I think she’s not. She’s been stabbed by a silver knife right outside her heart in the back. She’s bleeding heavily. Please send help.” I said, on the verge of panic. My blond hair scraping her phone. She’d be so mad if she saw the scratch that my fingernails placed on her new phone.

 

“Ma’am, we need to know where you are.” The operator said.

 

“I don’t know the address. Go to the city library, and then you’ll see the mansion house on the hill and go there.” I said, mixing up my words with shock.  “We’re in the front yard.”

 

“Alright. Stay with her, and don’t hang up, okay, Ma’am?”

“Okay, but please make sure you, they come quickly. Hurry.”

 

“We will, ma’am.” I looked at Lizzie. I hated this.

 

I shook her. “Elizabeth! Elizabeth! Please no. Oh no. Elizabeth! Don’t you dare go anywhere?” I yelled.

 

“Ma’am, the ENS should be there any second now.”

 

“I know.” I said into the receiver.  “I hear the sirens.” Then I shook her again. “Don’t,” I pleaded. “Don’t leave us like this, Elizabeth!”

 

Then they showed up, took her away in the ambulance. Hopefully they could save her. It was all a blur. They drove off, barely speaking a word to me. I asked what hospital they were going to take her to.  “Siloam Springs Memorial Hospital, of course.” They replied.  At least it was close.

 

Then I dialed Elizabeth’s grandmother’s number and told her what happened. 

“Come back and I’ll take you to the hospital.” Said her grandmother.

 

“I’m sorry; Mrs. Stephens, but I must find my brother first. I’ll call you on this number when I find him, Okay?” She said yes, then we hung up and I went to knock on the front door.

 

t was Spring Break, 2006. It was cold, with wind rustling through the nearby tree branches. The ground was wet; it rained the night before. Elizabeth comes running out the door with a leash tied to her hand, Tiberius’ leash. Elizabeth and the Papillion run across the street and knock on the door, answered by Nathan. He calls Haylee and Elijah, and the four of them walk to the dirt hill. The four children start digging in the dirt and play various games. Someone yells from across the field, and the four of them go back to their houses.

 

 

The scene shifts.  Its summer, 2006. They are now sitting in the Hawks’ backyard along with their old friend, Angelica. Angelica pulls out a bottle, and Haylee, Elizabeth, Angelica, and Elijah are playing Spin the Bottle. A few minutes into the game, Haylee stands up abruptly and leaves. Angelica spins the bottle once more, and lands on Elizabeth. “Truth,” requests Elizabeth.

 

 

The scene shifts again.  Its summer 2007. Elijah and Nathan are playing on their Nintendo Wii, playing baseball while Elizabeth and Haylee are talking in the other room.  Elizabeth stands up, followed by Haylee, and the girls walk into the TV room where the boys were playing videogames. The boys ignore the girls.

 

 

The scene shifts once more.  Summer 2008. The kids are in the family room once again, talking. Elizabeth suggests the idea to build forts, and the kids split into teams: Boys vs. Girls. The girls go to work hard, making the fort last the whole width of the room. After checking and finishing, the girls win, and the boys tear down their fort and extend and help the girls’ fort. Their mother, who was doing laundry, announces that she’s going to Wal-Mart. To keep them at bay, she pops in a movie for the kids to watch. During the movie, every time the killer is sighted, the kids would act like meercats, and whimper and hide in their fort. The game lasted for hours, until it was 10 minutes before five. They quickly tore down the forts and went outside.

 

 

Winter 2008, with snow barely scratching the ground. Chilly breezes freeze the earth more. The kids are in the field beside Elizabeth’s grandfather’s studio, trying to keep warm. They lay in the frozen grass and talk. Angelica comes out. Elizabeth, seeing Angelica, gets up and runs home.

 

 

Summer, 2009. Elizabeth sees a new car in the Hawks’ driveway, so she goes to knock on their door to get them out. A friendly older guy, with grey hair and bottle cap glasses, answers the door and introduces himself as Elijah’s grandfather. Soon after they introduce each other, Haylee, followed closely by Elijah and Nathan, run outside, forgetting their shoes.

 

 

She wakes up.

 

 

__~*@*~__

 

 

“She’s unconscious. Stabbed in the back by a silver knife. Tons of blood loss.” This was the worst possible time to gain consciousness. The worst possible time.

 

 

“Wha-“ I start, but I get cut off by a doctor.

 

 

“Never mind about being unconscious,” the doctor says to the others as the reel me into the hospital ER. “Don’t try to talk, Elizabeth. I’m Doctor Fred Tonks. You’re safe now.”

 

 

Oh, yeah. I’m safe in the hands of some really badly trained doctors in Arkansas. Really, when can I take a plane to Houston and deal with their medicine, closer to home? Besides, the MD center in Houston is the top in the country, not some little hospital placed in a small town.

 

 

“Elizabeth, I’m going ask you questions. For yes, blink once. For no, blink twice. Okay?” I blinked.

 

“Are you allergic to any medicine?”

Twice.

 

“Do you know who stabbed you?”

 

Once.

 

“I’m going to start spelling the alphabet. Blink when it’s the letter. A” I blink. “Okay, good. A. B. C. D. E. F. G. H. I. J. K. L.” I blinked again.

 

 “Okay, so it’s AL so far, correct?” I blink. “A. B. C. D. E.” I blinked again.

 

The doctor writes down Ale, then looks up at me. “Is it Alex?” I blinked again.

 

“Okay. Blink once if it’s a boy. Twice if a girl.” I blinked once.

 

“Good, you’re doing good.” The not-very-well-educated doctor told me. “Now, I’m going to start it again. This time, his last name, please. A. B. C.” he starts his count off until I had spelled out PAINE.

 

The doctor left as soon as I gave him Alex’s name. Soon after, another doctor came in and gave me some painkillers, and I fell fast asleep.

 

__~*@*~__

 

They finally left when the doorbell rang. Once they were out of earshot, I cracked open the bathroom door to make sure that no one was staying. I checked the whole room for Nathan, under the bed, inside the nightstand, (even though he’d probably never be able to fit in) the closet, everything. There wasn’t any sign of Nathan so I searched the room across the hall, but still found no sign of him, nor his kidnappers.

 

I then went down the stairs to see who had come, and saw my own sister at the door. She saw me. Afraid that she’d say something, I shook my head, then ran away to find some way out. That’s when I’d spotted the backyard door. I slowly, afraid that it would creek, opened the door and snuck out. Thankfully, their backyard isn’t fenced. I ran down the hill, nearly tripping on dozens of leaves, branches, and holes along the way. As soon as I got down the hill, I ran around to the front yard of the mansion to pick up Haylee and leave to find Elizabeth. At least, that’s what I hoped to do.

 

When Haylee saw me, she left hurriedly and ran towards me. “Come on!” She yelled at me. “We have to go to the hospital!”

 

“What? Why?” I asked.

 

“Because your crush is there, you daft idiot!” she yelled.

 

“My-what? Who’s at the hospital?” I yelled over the car noise around us. She was riding her bike and I was running. “Tell me, Haylee, NOW!”

 

“Elizabeth, you dumb idiot!” she yelled.

 

“Elizabeth?” I repeated. Shock overflowed me. “You’ve got to be kidding me. She can’t have been at the hospital. There’s no way.”

 

“Sorry, but face it. She’s there. Now, come on!” she yelled, again. “Let’s go! Hurry up!”

 

“Alright! What hospital are we talking about, now?” I asked.

 

“The only one in town, Siloam Springs Memorial Hospital.”

 

“Oh, right.”

 

When we got there, we rushed towards the desk. “We’re here to see a patient, if she’s ready, that is.” I said to the desk woman.

 

“I’m sorry, but you’ll have to tell me her name.”

 

“Elizabeth Jacks.”

 

“She’s in surgery. May I ask your relationship with this patient?”

 

Then Elizabeth’s Grandmother saw us. “They’re with me, ma’am.”

 

“Okay then. You may sit in the waiting room over there.” The lady motioned us towards this closed room with large bay windows and navy seats.

 

“Finally you two get here.” Mrs. Stephens said. “What took you so long?”

 

“We had…” Haylee started off, and then looked at me, “Difficulties to deal with.”

 

“May I ask you a couple of questions?” I asked her.

 

“Uh…” she looked around the room. “Sure. Shoot.”

 

I looked at Haylee, then, getting it, she got up and walked away. “Do you know anyone named Tana or Don?” I asked.

 

“Well there’s Patti Island’s daughter, Tana. Don or Dawn?” she said.

 

“Don, a man?” I replied.

 

“Ah, yes, there’s Don who runs the town’s museum. Not a friendly man.” She informed me.

 

“I see. Do you know of any reason why Elizabeth may dislike or hate either of them?”
 

“Tana, no. In fact, Tana and Elizabeth were almost best friends last year. Don, on the other hand, yes. Don is a greedy b*****d who’s got nothing but trash in his mind.”

 

“Thanks, that helps a lot.” I told her, then motioned for Haylee to come back in.

 

After half an hour passed, the doctor came out and said it was okay for us to visit Elizabeth. We let her grandmother to go first, alone. Then, after she left her room, we went.

 

“Hey. Did you find him?” she asked immediately after us closing the doors.

 

“Not yet. Who did this to you?”

 

“My deranged cousin, of course. Haylee found me quickly, thank God.”

 

“I was looking for you two. It was a good thing I decided to go to the library first before checking the Café.” Haylee rebounded.

 

“Now that Alex’s done this to me, he’s on the run. He’ll not be returning to Siloam as long as he lives. He’ll probably be going to Jail for life, at least.”

 

“I need to talk to you alone.” I said blandly.

 

“No you don’t,” Haylee said, “There’s no reason for you to. Remember? Use your minds!”

 

“Oh, yeah. I forgot we had that connection.” I exaggerated.

 

“She’s right, you know.” Elizabeth stated the obvious.

 

Fine!

 

What do you want to ask me?

 

Do you know anyone named Tana or Don?

 

Yes. Don is an evil prick. Do Not, under any circumstances, go talk to him. Tana is a sweet girl, about a year older than I, we’re good friends.

 

Okay, thanks.

 

Why do you want to know? Did something bad happen to them?

 

Not exactly. I was in the house, and those were two of the people inside it. The other was"

 

Alex. I know. He went inside after he did this to me.

 

Okay. Thanks, you’ve no idea what help this is.

 

Actually, Elijah, I do. Besides, we are off the case now, okay? The feds are looking for Alex, Gertinald, Shelby, and Nathan. Apparently, Nathan is one of them.

 

‘One of them?’ What are you talking about?

 

They’re part of a group called Secret Ridders Club. They hunt down people like us. They’re the worst of our enemies, even worse than Gertinald. Alex and Nathan are part of this group anyways. Gertinald and Shelby are trying to kill every last member and their families off. That’s why they came after me, because Alex is my cousin, and he’s part of the group.

 

I don’t get it. How do you know all this stuff?

 

Because they told me this, you daft idiot!

 

Oh.

 

Oh, indeed.

 

The nurse came in and asked Elijah and Haylee to leave once I replied ‘Oh, indeed’ to Elijah. She then gave me some medications and I fell fast asleep.

__~*@*~__

 

In the dreams, Elizabeth saw many more of her memories, mostly the embarrassing ones for her.

 

July 5th, 2010. Elizabeth and her grandmother went to Wal-Mart Mrs. Stephens’ medicine. On the way into the store, someone spots Elizabeth and yells, “Hi, Elizabeth.” She turns around and says hi back, barely getting a glance at who said it.

“Who was that?” Mrs. Stephens’ asked.

 

“Elijah, you know from across the street.” Elizabeth replied.

 

“Oh.”

 

--

 

The scene shifts. It is now the day before Elizabeth leaves to go back to Houston. She grabs her two dogs’ leashes and puts three dogs on the leash: Tiger Eye, the dog that Elizabeth’s family rescued, Ruby, the Australian Shepherd that Elizabeth’s mother owned since Elizabeth was in the 5^th grade, and Tiberius, Elizabeth’s grandmother’s pup. She then opened the gate and walked over to Haylee and Elijah’s house across the street and knocks on the door. The scene freezes, and she wakes up.

 

__~*@*~__

 

I wake up sweating after seeing that last embarrassing moment. I look around the room and see a nurse come hurrying into my room.

 

“What’s going on?” I ask the nurse.

 

“You need to sleep, ma’am,” was her only reply.

 

“But I don’t want to sleep,” I requested.

 

“No. Ms. Jacks, you must sleep,” she replies. I hate it when people call me by my last name. Jacks just seem like a male name, not a person like me.

 

“Don’t. Call. Me. That.” I say, pronouncing every word as slowly as I could to maximize the annoyance she causes by calling me by my last name.

 

“Okay, okay. Elizabeth, you must sleep.” She punched the Morphine button, and I fell asleep again. Annoyingly.

__~*@*~__

 

Spring Break 2011, Elizabeth and her friends are on Central St. They’re watching these two figures at a fair distance. Their goal is to smash whatever they have planed, or so they thought.

 

Summer 2011, Elizabeth is at her home in Houston, looking at her computer and staring at a picture of her grandparents house. She’s doing nothing but staring at the picture, thinking of her memories over the years in Arkansas. She’s sad that she’s not there now, but knows that she’s going to be there in a couple of weeks.

 

She wakes up once more.

 

__~*@*~__

 

Thanks to Elizabeth’s information, I knew it would only be a matter of time before we found Nathan. I went over to the local police station and asked what they had on her case.

 

“I’m Detective Emma Harding. I’m heading Elizabeth Jacks’ case. They said you had questions?” the Detective said.

 

“Yes,” I replied, unsure what would happen next, “I do.”

 

“Then shoot. Anything to help us get her avenged will help.”

 

“Actually, I have a long story to tell you. The story of why we were at the place we were at when she was stabbed.” I looked at her, and she nodded her head expectantly. “We were trying to find my brother Nathan Hawks. We went to the library to think, it was her favorite place to think, around books, and quiet.” She looked annoyed, and I realized that I was rambling. “Sorry.” I said quickly, “She said we should look around the neighborhood, and she pointed up the hill, so we ran up the hill and hid behind a tree when a car pulled up in front of a mansion, the mansion she was stabbed at. We watched as the man got out of the car, and she said it looked like her cousin. He went in, so she went to his car. A minute later, he came back out, grabbed her, and pushed her against a tree. They stood there for a few minutes, with their voices rising higher and higher as they were obviously in a fight, when she suddenly kicks him, and he falls over. I took that as my clue, and ran hurriedly inside. I know it’s wrong, but I thought I might find a clue to my brother.”

 

“Yes, that was a bad thing to do. They could file Trespassing charges against you.” Detective Emma Harding said.

 

“I know, I was just trying to find my brother. I searched the house for any sign, just chains or my brother. I swear I didn’t open anything. I swear I didn’t take anything. But they nearly caught me. I was peaking in their master bathroom when they came into their master bedroom. Some people named Don and Tana. Do you know them?”

 

“Yes, Don Monte runs the museum in town. Tana Island’s mother works at the Chamber.”  Now I have even more information about these mysterious Don and Tana people.

 

“Do you know why they would hate Elizabeth Jacks?” I asked.

 

“No idea. Do you know?” Detective Harding asked. I shook my head. “Continue with your story.

 

“Well they were having a heated conversation about why Elizabeth would hate Don. I was only wondering why she would hate either of them. I didn’t even know them. Anyways, after debating Elizabeth’s relationship with Alex Paine, her cousin that she hated, the doorbell rang, and they left. The person who rang the doorbell was my sister, Haylee Hawks. She’s the one who found Lizzie down at the hospital.”

 

“Okay, thanks for your story. Is there anything else?” Yes, Detective, but I’ll get back to you later about them.

 

“No, Detective Harding. But I do have to say something. Have you ever traveled down on Beethoven’s Avenue? If not, don’t ever go there. Although, it could use some officers stationed there.” I dropped by her. Maybe she’ll get the clue, maybe she won’t.

 

“I’ll think on that.” She replied, then released me on to the streets. Now, I go get Haylee.

 

Right as I left the Police Station, I decided to look at the Café. Who knows what would happen. Maybe I might run into Shelby and Gertinald, maybe I won’t. I turned right onto Mount Olive, and then turned onto Sheri Whitlock when it came. I then went home, deciding it was too risky to go there by myself. I knew that I should go home and check on my sister. When I opened the door, she came rushing onto me, saying so many words that they stuck together. “WHEREHAVEYOUBEEN?ELIZABETHISGETTINGSICKERANDYOUWEREGONEDOINGWHOKNOWSWHAT!TELLMEWHEREYOUWERENOWELIJAH!TELLMENOW!” Dang, that girl can scream.

 

“Hold on a minute, would ya?” I replied hushed, then whispered under my breath, “Crazy woman.”

 

“WHAT?WHAT WAS THAT?” she has to scream at me? What the heck happened to her to make her yell this much?

 

“Slow down, silly girl. You’re rushing your words all together. I can’t understand you.”

 

She calmed down a little, but not enough. “I. Said. Where. Were. You.”

 

“I was at the hospital with you, then I went to the PD downtown. Then I came here,” I replied, “Why do you want to know?”

 

“She. Is. Getting. Worse.”

 

“Why don’t we go back then?”

 

“Great idea,” she said sarcastically, “Can you sway Mom to take us?”

 

“Well, don’t you have a bike?”

 

“Yes. Do you know how to get there?”

“Yes.  Of course I do.”

 

“Are you sure?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Then let’s go.” So we went, hurriedly. I ran, of course. It wasn’t too far, just a couple of stops, turns, and we were there.

 

“Elizabeth Jacks.” I said before the front desk personnel could ask.

 

“Room 124,” she said, waving her hand towards the direction.

 

“Thanks,” I said quickly before leaving her alone. “Come on, Haylee!”

 

“I knew you’d be worried,” she replied.

 

“What are you talking about?”

 

“She’s right there, you moron,” she said, pointing towards the front desk. She was the front desk lady I was talking to. How could I miss that?

 

“Hang on,” I said hurriedly. “You were trying to get me worried?”

 

“Yes. It was so fun to do that,” Elizabeth replied.

 

“Wait a second, how did Haylee know you were ‘getting worse’?” I asked.

 

“Because I called your mother’s phone and asked her to help me pull this prank on you. Your mother and Haylee were both in on it.”

 

“So you’re not getting worse?” I asked.

 

“No. In fact, I healed quicker than they thought I would.” Werewolf blood. “Is that enough talk for now. I think I want to go home, but the doctor said I shouldn’t run for a while.”

 

“Fine with me. We could all go a little slower,” I responded. Where’s Haylee?

 

“Haylee went to the girl’s room, remember?”

 

“No, she never announced anything.”

“Yes I did.” Haylee appeared behind me, nearly scaring me half to death.

 

“Oh. Well, then I didn’t hear you.”

 

“Yes you did,” Haylee said.

 

“No I didn’t.”

 

“Yes you did.”

 

“Please, don’t fight right now, people! We need to get home now, don’t we?” Elizabeth interjected.

 

“Yeah, I guess we should go home now. Come on, Haylee,” I replied. Then we went home slowly, so that Elizabeth could walk. Haylee spend up a couple of times, but got tired, so she slowed down a bit.