Identifying Sara

Chapter Sixteen

I bolt up the stairs clutching the letter in my hand so tight that my knuckles are a odd shade of white. Kristy's heels click against the floor loudly echoing throughout the small house, as she tries to catch up to me. I get to my room knowing that I don't have much time in here until Kristy somehow gets in; I need to get away in order to get information about this Alan dude, and it sure won't be from anyone under the roof of this house. My plans are to run to the library, search this guy on the internet, and show up at his house. Scratch that, that is too dangerous and makes me sound like some insane creep. I shake my head forgetting about my unfinished plan and grab my jacket putting it on as fast as I can and stuffing the letter inside to protect it from the snow. I'm adjusting the beanie on my head when the knocking on the door suddenly becomes louder, sharper, more high pitched in a way. I've heard that sound before where have- is she hitting the door with her six-inch high heel shoe?!

"Open the door right now Sara!" Kristy screams from the other side. I ignore the comment and open my window, struggling to get away faster. The cold burns my dry, slightly cracked fingers, but I ignore the stinging on my fingers and the fact that my door is going to be in pieces when I get back; focusing my eyes on the tree just outside my window. Icicles hang from some of the branches twinkling in the sunlight. I try not to imagine falling from this high above the ground which takes a lot of effort. My foot meets the first closest branch to my window, it creaks not soothing any of the nerves already building up as I very stupidly exit the house from using a tree once again; I take a deep breathe. You can do this, I think, do it for dad. That thought ticks me off, but at the same time It sends adrenaline through my veins and I use my muscles to their full ability. The burning in my arms begins to come too much for me to take. I grab onto a branch just above my head to keep me steady. I set my second foot onto the branch giving it all of my body weight. I carefully make my way towards the trunk of the tree where the branches get thicker, so there's a less chance I will hurt myself. Clutching the letter inside of my jacket, I descend down a few branches. Just as my foot meets the snow covering the ground, a crash sounds in the air, I know immediately that my door is no longer on the hinges.

I take off sprinting, going as fast as my legs will allow me. I have to hurry and make it into town before Kristy can begin a mission similar to my father's. To find me.

                                                                                +++

The wind blows on my face sending chills down my spine. I adjust the beanie on my head just before it falls from my head onto the ground. I can remembering seeing a library not too far from my house just days ago, but now it seems like it's states away as I pass shop after shop getting frustrated when nothing shows any signs of a library. I trace my finger over the corner of the letter, still between my jacket and the material of my shirt just assuring myself that it's still in my possession. If I can't find a library or a computer of some fort, then I don't know what I will do; I can't return home because the piece of evidence I hold in my hands will sure 'disappear.' My only good option is to keep walking no matter how lost or far I get from home because at this point it doesn't matter what happens to me, I just know that I need to do this. The skies are gray, and few cars fill the streets of this nearly empty miniature city. What I need is access to a computer, if Kristy isn't going to tell me who this "Alan Hollins" is, than I will have to figure this out for myself. I walk along the sidewalks which are covered in ice, occasionally almost tripping me.

The same bookstore I visited just weeks ago comes into view. There is a possibility of there being access to a computer in there, so I get a hold of the ice cold, brass, doorknob. The coffee smell inside is stronger then I have ever smelled it before, and to be honest, it burns my lungs a little making want to throw up, but I manage to keep my breakfast where it belongs. My eyes scan the room before me, shelves tower over people as they look for books, or lean against a wall in the corner with their eyes glued to the words on the pages; no sign of a computer though.

I walk up to a large desk, where a woman with gray hair, sits fumbling with a pile of books. Glasses hang on a chain from her neck and with the cream cardigan she wears, the job of working at a book store suits her very well.

"Can I help you?" she says with annoyance in her voice. She doesn't make eye contact with me as she speaks. I wonder how she even saw me. Instead of trying to give me a glance of any sort, she continues to open and close books, stamping some, ripping the cover's off of others rather violently.

"Um," I look around the store nervously, "are there computers here?"

"Upstairs." She replies with no emotion at all. She turns to walk away and making me feel like a pest, like I'm interrupting the most important event of her life, but I have to ask this next question or I'll never see the end of this. "Wait! How do I get there?"

She turns so fast that a book goes flying, crashing into a book shelf. I jump back with wide eyes expecting her to lunge at me, but she doesn't. The question clearly infuriated her more than she already was before I came into the small shop. "Take the stairs!" She hisses at me while pointing her finger in the direction of the stairs. I turn slowly and see the stairs she mentioned, narrow, wooden, looking beat up and on the verge of breaking. When I turn back expecting to see the grumpy lady, she isn't there, shocking, yeah?

I allow a sigh to escape my mouth, and pull the wrinkled paper out of my jacket. This is why I am here, I have climbed out my window, jumped down a tree, and ran into town for this. This letter right here is something I can't just let go of now; it's not that easy and I refuse to give up now. Every wrong choice I have made in life has brought me to a right place. And I am currently standing in it.

I need to brace myself for whatever I am about to find on the internet. I need to be ready for what could either crush my heart, or could build me up to be stronger than before. Taking a deep breathe, I carefully force myself up the stairs, a few creak as I put my weight onto them, but it doesn't seem scare me like I myself would have expected. It seems like my mind is occupied of the images of Alan Hollins. The top floor is not as scary as I would've thought, considering the stairs I had just climbed were like the stairs you only see in the horror movies. Books shelves are lined in rows duplicating the first floor, fewer people are scanning the shelves than downstairs, and few computers line the window that replaces what could have been a wall, all empty. I have to admit the view is pretty cool, you can see most of the small city from here which is something I haven't seen before. After moments of staring at the view of the window from the top of the staircase, I remember what I came to do and  walk past people reading, some lying on their backs on the floor, some in chairs, some standing.

I sit at a computer and shake the mouse which illuminates the screen almost immediately. Computers are something I don't have the most experience with either, but I have learned the basics from school a few years back. I put my hand on the mouse like I was taught, and click the blue E icon that's supposed to represent the internet. As it loads, I set the paper beside the keyboard and try to flatten it to get rid of the wrinkles, but it doesn't work very well. My fingers find their places on the keyboard, as if they know exactly what to do without even a second thought.

I type "Alan Hollins" into the search bar at the top of the screen biting my lip when it takes it's time to come up with results. My fingers freeze, my heart stops, my brain goes ballistic, and my stomach drops, when a picture comes up on the screen. A man wearing orange, paired with some handcuffs.

 

HELLLOOOOO :) I was supposed to update yesterday but things got in the way and I wasn unable to but they cancled school today so I thought i would update! Also, yes I did change the cover because I thought it matched the story more which may not make sense at the moment but I promise once we get deeper into the story it will make more sense! I hope you guys like it, and I also hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! Have a good day :)

instagram: @tracinconstellations

twitter: @hannah_alv