Two Faces

Chapter 14

   A few nights had passed since the day in the woods. Tori, Scarlet, and I were sitting at recess together on Friday. "Maybe I'll get to hear the bangs for myself since I'm coming to y'alls house tonight," Tori said. "Well, actually, this has been planned since Tuesday, and Scarlet doesn't know this yet, but a group of us friends are going out for dinner. I'm driving us," I replied.

   "Wait. Really?!" Scarlet exclaimed. "Yeah," I answered. "Where are we going?" Scarlet asked. "Santa Fe, I think," I replied. "Tori, you can come too." I added.

   "Sure, I'd love to," Tori answered. Suddenly, Scarlet got up, looked around, and then at the road. "What is it?" I asked, looking at the road too. "I thought I heard the bangs again." Scarlet answered.

   "I didn't hear anything," I said. "Oh," Scarlet replied. "I thought you were only hearing the bangs at your house," Tori said, looking around too. "I did, but now I'm hearing them here too," Scarlet answered, looking around nervously. "Scarlet, you're safe, I promise. Would I ever let anything or anyone hurt you?" I asked Scarlet, pulling her back to the ground. "Besides, we have to go home to get ready for your parent's and brother's funeral after the bell rings after recess. You've got enough to worry about." I added.

   Then, I heard Scarlet say something, but I didn't know what she had said. "What is it, Scarlet?" I asked. "I said the others didn't have funerals because their bodies were never found," Scarlet answered. My breath caught in my throat. Their bodies were never found...

   "And I didn't think my parents and brothers were having a funeral, I never knew they were having one until now," Scarlet answered. I froze. "Mom didn't text you about it?" I asked, now shocked. "No..." Scarlet said slowly. Did she text you?" she added. "Yeah, this morning," I replied. I was very surprised. Why hadn't Mom texted Scarlet about the funeral?

   That didn't make any sense. Why would Mom text me about the funeral and not Scarlet? When the bell rang to go inside, Scarlet and I walked to the office. "Is my mom here to pick us up?" I asked the secretary. "Um, no," the secretary answered. 

   "She has to be." I disagreed. "She was supposed to pick us up for a funeral." I finished. "Well, I'm sorry, Jetta. She hasn't showed up. I will call you down if she does." the secretary told me. While Scarlet and I were walking to fifth hour, I took my phone out to see if my mom really had texted me.

   When I opened up my messages, I saw Mom's text that said 'Scarlet's parents and brother's funeral is today in the afternoon.' So, she really did text me. But then a thought came to me. What if Mom wasn't the one who had texted me?