Lessons Unlearned

Chapter 8

I wake up the next morning to sunshine peaking in through my curtains. Groaning I pull myself out of bed. Dreading this day, dreading Jaclyn ruining yet another life. I grab my crutches and decide to stay in my pajamas today. Not really in the mood to try and fight with getting jeans on over my cast. I don't want to go to school. It is Monday so I figured we would be going. Jaclyn had other plans though. Maybe she didn't want us to try to warn Ryan before she could snag him. Maybe she is back to wanting to pull us out of school. Not wanting us to have contact with anyone. I have fallen back into not wanting anything to do with school. Maybe it's the fact that my teacher kidnapped me, or maybe it because I don't want to be looking at innocent kids who could become Jaclyn's next target. It's been rough, no that is under selling it. It's been absolute nightmare!

I head down the stairs on my crutches. Trevor, Jaclyn and Conrad have all gone to work. Janice notices me coming down the stairs. Honestly though who wouldn't notice me with these loud ass crutches.

"Good morning sweetie. How is your foot? Do you need a pain pill?" She greets me in a cheery voice while sipping on her morning coffee.

"No thanks grandma I'm good. It's not too sore today. I really don't want the pain pills. Mom said she was going to get rid of them. Did she not do that?" I question her as I make my way to sit at the table.

"She wanted to keep them in case you changed your mind on needing them." Janice smiles sweetly at me, before taking another sip of her morning coffee.

"Well I'm not going to change my mind. I don't want the pills! Get rid of them please!" The words come out of my mouth in a harsh tone of voice. I try not to take my anger out on Janice. I feel angry that Jaclyn didn't dispose of the pills like she said she would though.

Janice nods her head, but just puts the bottle of pills in the medicine cabinet.

I roll my eyes at her actions. How hard is it to just get rid of them? Get them out of the house!

I shake my head at her before heading to the living room.

Sitting down on the couch I turn on the news.

"Breaking news, we are now entering the third week of this police search for two missing teens who never returned home from school on a Friday evening. They haven't been spotted at school since being reported missing three weeks ago. 17 year old Annalise Richards and 16 year old William Harrison are both described as having an outgoing personality, Annalise being more social. Their social media activity has been nonexistent since they went missing. Their phones are missing or at least appear to be turned off. Annalise's mom did make a statement that her daughter is in love with her social image. She stated that it is unusual for her daughter to go this long without a single post or update. Police are treating this case as if they are still alive until they find evidence to suggest otherwise. If you have any information about either of these teenagers please call the national missing persons hotline at the bottom of the screen, or your local police department. Thank you. Back to you Terry for the weather."  I turn the tv off not wanting to listen to them talk about us anymore. Knowing that soon they will be adding a third name to their list. A third victim, 16 year old Ryan Foster.

I stare at the blank tv, while trying not to hyperventilate. I feel useless with not being able to warn my friend Ryan. We have been friends since having orchestra together. We aren't as close as William and I are obviously, but all three of us are really good friends.

William comes down the stairs in a different set of pajamas. He has on some black sweatpants, and a black T-shirt with a bear paw print on it. Seems to be an old school T-shirt of some sort.

He sits next to me on the couch. Holding my hand we stare at the front door. Dreading Jaclyn bringing another innocent victim through the doors in a mere few hours.