A Hidden World

Chapter 9: Stolen

Crash! Bang! I sat up in bed, surprised. What was that noise? Grabbing for my robe, I got out of bed and crept quietly across the hall to my parents room.  Pressing my head softly against their closed door, I strained my ears to see if there was any more sounds. Nothing. Confused, I made my way back to my bedroom. I froze when I entered. My desk drawer was open. I was sure that I had closen it before I went to sleep. I guess not. I climbed back into bed and fell asleep again.

                                                       The Next Morning

" Mom?" I called skipping down the stairs to kitchen. " Whats for breakfast?"

No answer. When I reached the kitchen it was empty. Nobody was there. It was clean and spotless. I looked at the calendar hung up on our wall. Saturday which meant my parents weren't working so they could make me breakfast. Guess they must've had to go run some errands.

To make sure, I went up and knocked on their bedroom door. No answer. Yeah, they probably went out early. I watched tv for a couple of hours and read a book. I microwaved some pizza for lunch and waited for them to come home. When they still didn't arrive by 4:00 I was a bit worried. This really wasn't like them to run off. Its no use waiting around I thought, might as well tidy up the house. 

I went up to their room to make their bed and stopped. Their room was perfect. The desk was organised, nothing was on the floor, the bed was neat, even the sheets had been smoothed out so carefully that there was not one wrinkle. When I saw the pillows, I froze and dropped the basket of laundry I was holding. There were two pillows on the bed and on one pillow was the orange flower that had been in the hankerchief and on the other was the night lock berry. The strangest thing about it was that the place where the berry ahd been was the place where my mother slept and the pillow that had the flower was the pillow that my father always slept on. 

I backed away, scared. This was definetly no coincidence. But it sent a message to me. Loud and clear. They took my parents and they're either warning me or ... threatening me. 

Rushing back to my room I grabbed my phone and was about to dial a number when I paused. I didn't know who to call. I would've called Michael but... after out little " tiff" in the library I was guessing that he wouldn't be too enthusiastic to speak to me. I slid down to the floor, distraught. I felt completely and utterly alone. Somewhere inside of me I wished Scott was here to help me but I had no way of contacting him. I sat there for long time, just thinking about things. Like how did my life became so messed up?

In the end, I decided to call Michael. After a couple of rings he picked up.

" Hello?" He asked, his voice tired and a bit hoarse.

" Uh...hey" I whispered hestitantly 

" Oh," He said. " Its you. What do you need?" 

I swallowed nervously, clearing my throat. But I was so scared that suddenly I felt myself confessing to everything. " - and then my parents disappeared and I have no one to call and no idea what to do and I just need you. " I trailed off sobbing quietly. 

" Whoa" Michael said, sounding truly concerned. " Ok, slow down. Don't worry, I'm coming over right  now! Just stay there." 

" Ok" I whimpered. After a couple of moments he said good bye and we both hung up. I tossed the phone onto my bed and waited for Michael to come. I awoke to a hand that was gently shaking my shoulders. Sitting up and rubbing my eyes groggily, I looked up to see Michael's caring gaze.

" Hey, there sleepy head!" He said, trying to sound cheerful and failing miserably. 

" Hey." I groaned, taking Michaels outstretched hand and pulling myself up from the floor. " Do you have any ideas as to what I should do?"