The Midnight Hunt

Chapter 5

When I finally got home I was starved. I went straight to the mini fridge in my room and got my “grown up punch” as Jeren calls it, he had walked in and asked if he could have some as soon as he saw it. It’s not that human food doesn’t cure my hunger but it will make sick if I eat too much, like candy dose humans. Someone walked in and I thought ‘Oh great Jeren again.’ But when I turned around it was not Jeren, it was Eliza. Carrying a cardboard box full of her junk, she was wearing the same blue jeans skirt and the T-shirt that said ‘Mess with me, you get the whole pack’ she had been wearing before the meet.

“Oh look who decided to come back. You little bit….” I stood so fast she stumbled back.

“Oh My God seriously? I don’t want to deal with you right now Eliza! In case you didn’t notice I just found out my boyfriend is cheating! So if you don’t mind we can pick up on the bickering tomorrow.” And I stood up and walked out.

“Anabel?” Jessica shouted from the kitchen.

“Yah Jessica?” I yelled back following her voice to the kitchen.

“Do you want some of my chicken Alfredo? I was going to give it to Lacy and Gunner but if you want it you can have it.” Lacy and Gunner were our Golden Labrador puppies.

“Thanks Jessica.” I said taking the bowl.

“You could call me mom you know Anabel.” She said hesitantly.

The fork stopped half way to my mouth. “You know I’m not hungry I’ll take it out to Lacy and Gunner.” I said and hurried to the back door. I dropped the food in their dishes then sat on the steps. I didn’t call Jessica mom because I watched my mother die when I was six. After that I stayed with Alice and her older brother until I was eight then the child protective services took me and I was stuck in foster care. I still went to school with Alice and our friend Nick who at that time he lived next door to Alice. Then they put me in an orphanage when I was twelve, I stayed there until Jessica and Michael adopted me six months ago.

Jeren came out and said his mom sent him out to come get me to help with getting Eliza settled in. I helped her then willingly went to sleep.

I ran through the forest “Mommy, Daddy where are you?”

“Midnight sweetie run, get away!” My mother called out.

“Mommy where are you?” I screamed out in need. I just got away from the bad people who took mommy and said that they would ‘deal with me after the adults’ and mommy was sending me away?

“Bella honey go! Run away! Forget us just go!” Daddy called.

“Mommy Daddy I need you! Where are you?” I was desperate for my mommy and daddy.

“Anabel please just go!” Mommy yelled.

“Listen to your mother!” Daddy said over the voices all around me. I heard a scream, was that mommy?

I spun looking for them “Mommy!” I burst into a clearing. I looked around and saw a group of men so I dove into some bushes. I positioned myself to where I could see them through the stinky leaves and listened.

“We are done with your games where are the others?” A scary man voice rumbled in disgust.

I heard a familiar voice say “We’ll never say!” Daddy! I crawled forward so I could see him. And there’s mommy!

“Then you are of no use to us. Kill them.”  A man moved and I saw the stakes as two other men plunged them into mommy and daddy’s hearts.

“No!” I almost screamed in horror.

Then the tall man said “Find the girl.”

I bolted up right in bed tangled in my sheets. Sweat plastering my hair to my face. I looked around and saw Eliza asleep in her bed on the other side of the room. A beeping made me jump but I realized it was the alarm clock Eliza groaned and said “It’s already time to get up?”

“ Don’t want to be late for school.” I said.

She rolled over looked at me and said “Shut up.” I laughed and went to the bathroom to get ready for school.

 When I got down stairs Eliza was eating a bowl of Captain Crunch at the kitchen table listening to Jeren go on and on about how he was out numbered and that he wishes he had a brother.

“If you had a brother,” I said coming into the kitchen, “He would want to use your PSP and DSI and hang out with you, whereas we ignore you.” I took a piece of toast off the plate and took the milk out of the fridge.

“Hey Anabel. Mom said you have to give me a ride to school today.” Jeren said swallowing his cereal.

I groaned “And Eliza.” Jessica said coming into the kitchen from the laundry room.        

Eliza and I both started complaining and moaning and on cue Michael walked in “Girls! Hush! Eliza’s cousin just called she is giving Eliza a ride.”

I gave a sigh of relief. A knock came at the side door. “Come on Jeren! that’s Alice, she has my truck, let’s go!”

“Hey!” Alice said and tossed me the keys. I caught them in one hand and held my toast with the other.

“Bye Jessica! Bye Michael! Let’s go Alice. Did you pick up Sandy and Silvia yet?”

“They’re in the back. Sorry Jeren you have to sit with them.” Alice said opening the door. Jeren groaned in defeat.

 We dropped off Jeren at the elementary, Sandy at the middle school, then headed to the high school.