Spy School: Beware

Chapter 16 - Chaos Unfolds... Again

Jackie's POV

Mom always had a coil of rope handy at the front door, for safety precautions and stuff. But mainly my siblings and I used it to practice knot tying, bind each other up and try to escape. Once we even tried to scale the side of our house, but it didn't go as exactly planned.

In the end, we got a lecture from a mainly disappointed Dad, but Uncle Mike seemed kinda proud of us. So, I deemed it a pretty worth it experience, even if we had to pay for the damage done to our house...

My eyes wander back to Lucas as I realize he's watching my hands move swiftly, trying to get the knot done. I hide a small smile as I tighten it one more time and hand it over to him. 

"Seems pretty solid to me," Lucas says as he pulls at a random part of the rope and it comes undone, "Although I could see it un-doing." He grins, "Does this mean I win?" 

I groan, immediately thinking of all the time when Louie won at all the mini knot tying contests we had, "Tell me your knot tying secrets please, oh wise one. What am I even doing wrong at this point?"

Lucas lets out a laugh, "I am truly flattered, thank you very much for the compliment." 

His freaking laugh. 

Curse these stupid hormones.

My thoughts get interrupted as Ava's voice rings out from the staircase

"JAZZYY! Where's grandma? Have you seen her? I can't find her." I glance up, seeing my little sister's wide eyes.

Something is wrong. 

What's wrong? 

"I thought you were outside with her?" Lucas asks.

"Yeah, for a bit. She went back inside, said she was going to grab something from the garage." Ava bites her lip a gesture she always does when she's nervous. 

"Did you check the garage yet?"  

"Mhm, wasn't there. She said she'd only be gone for a few minutes, so I'm a little worried."

I share a look with Lucas, nothing could've gone wrong, right?

"Maybe Brandon saw her somewhere?"

"I asked, he was busy listening to music and didn't really pay much attention to me."

"Did you check her room? Wait-- GRANDMA?" I yell, hoping that she'll turn up any second.

After a few minutes of silence, "She's sleeping maybe?"

"Well, she would've heard me, um," 

"Let's go check her room just in case," Lucas stands up, extending a hand out to help me up from the couch.

I stand and we walk up the stairs to the guest room. 

His hand feels warm.

Grandma's door is closed and there's a weird air of eeriness that makes me think twice before I knock at the door. "Grandma?"

No response. I glance back at Louie and Ava. 

"Uh, I'm going to come in, alright?" Uncertainty grips my voice before I grasp the doorknob and turn.

The first thing I notice is an open window. 

I could feel the cold breeze creeping into the room, making me shiver slightly. The sheer curtains flap in the wind. 

Then the mess.

No blood, but there was a sign of struggle. Grandma's once pristine sheets were ruffled, slightly dirty with grime and ripped in some places.  Many objects were strewn across the room and I could see Grandma tried to fight back, but it looked like whoever was the attacker came prepared. 

I blink in disbelief and it takes a few moments until everything finally registers in my brain. 

I swallow hard, "Ava, can you.. get Brandon please?" I hear my sister run out of the room.  

Please don't freak out.

"Should I call our parents Jackie- ?" Louie's voice is calm, but I can hear the worry. 

"I don't know? Maybe? We should, yeah do that,"

He pulls out his phone and dials just as Ava re-enters the room with Brandon in tow. 

"What happened?!"

Brandon takes a tentattive step into the room, observing the chaos. 

I look outside. Everything appears to be normal. It isn't. 

I shut the windows, cutting off the chill. 

"Grandma is gone."

hiya, blocks here :> 

if ya couldn't tell, i had no idea what i was going on abt for the knots part of the chapter djkjkfs 

i hope this is an okay-ish chapter and you somewhat enjoyed it!

also, let me just say one thing, writing's so hard for what 😭

respect to other writers out there fr

- Spy Society