The Others

Chapter 3: Unknown

Sydney's POV

I didn't wake up until I smelled bacon and eggs. I grabbed my sweat pants I had hanging from the bottom of my bed and put them on. With a yawn I opened my door. Elmo pushed his way through and into my room.

"No no no!," I yell at him as I grabbed his collar and pulled him out my room. My neck had been bugging my all day so as soon as I closed Elmo out of my room I went to the bathroom. I moved my hair over my left shoulder and saw a bruise on the right side of my neck close to my collar bone.

What the hell? That wasn't there when I went to sleep. I sighed and moved my hair to cover it up than went downstairs to eat.

I went down the creaky steps and around the banister to go down the hall and through the arch into the dinning room. Abigail was sitting at the table leaning on her hand. She had bags under her eyes.

"You look horrible," I said and sat across from her. Abby just rolled her eyes. Guess she was more tired than I thought. Emma came in with Lily to set the table. Lily was in her little cooking apron that matched dad's saying 'kiss the cook'.

"Good morning Sydney!" Lily sounded so enthusiastic. I just wanted to go back to bed.

"Mhm morning," I replied and watched her sit her new doll in the chair next to me. Abby was staring at the doll like she expected it to do something.

"Abby why don't you go feed the dogs. They've been watching dad make the food this whole time," Emma said as she placed my plate in front of me.

"Elmo wasn't. He was trying to get into my room. I don't want your oversized rats in my room," I tell Abby but to my surprise she didn't reply. Usually Abby and I would always fight over her dogs but this time she was to tired to bother.

"Whatever," Abby simple said and walked into the kitchen to feed the dogs. As Abby went in Dad came out in his apron. Carrying plates that were stacked with sausages, eggs, and pancakes. He sat them in the middle of the table in front of Lily. Then took his seat at the end of the table.

"Breakfast is served," Dad said with a smile. He was an early bird just like everyone else in this family but me.

"Thanks dad," we all said in unison.

Abby came back in after that and sat down.

"Thanks dad," Abby said sitting down.

"Couldn't get any sleep?" Emma asked her as she reached across the table and used her fork to get Lily her pancakes and eggs.

"Nope," Abby yawned as she said that and filled her plate. At least whatever it was wasn't keeping her from eating. She ate the most and yet she she skinnier than me.

"What kept you up?" Dad asked looking up from his plate. Abby sat there for a bit then put her fork down and looked at dad.

"I heard Lily talking to someone last night.... In her room," Abby said carefully as she glanced at Lily before looking back at dad, "she won't tell me who she was talking to but I swear I heard someone else in Lily's room."

"No one was in my room," Lily said while playing with her food.

"Pumpkin do you think Abby is lying?" Dad asked and held Lily's hand to get her to look at him. Lily had a long pause.

"No one was in my room. I was talking to Rosy," Lily said and went back to playing with her food.

"I also saw someone standing in the hall when I went back to my room, a woman in a vale," Abby said now in a panic, "Lily's lying."

"No I'm not! Abby is lying! No one was in my room you saw! Stop lying!" My eyes widened when I saw how Lily yelled at Abby. It didn't just shock me. Emma and dad were just as shocked. Abby scrunched her eyebrows she looked like she had more to say but she just left it at:

"Don't talk to me again until you tell the truth," Abby then picked up her plate and went into the kitchen to eat.

It was a surprise to see Lily and Abby to ever be in a fight. Lily was always on Abby's side. Those two told each other everything! They were the braid each other's hair type of sisters! They had their own world with each other.

"Lily are you ok?" Dad said carefully. He honestly didn't know what to do. This was a first too but, Lily just ate her food and held back her tears.

"I guess I'll leave too," I picked up my plate and went to my room. If Abby can leave the table than so can I. I sat in my bed and texted my old friends as I ate my breakfast. Then I got a text from a number I didn't know.

[Unknown]
I see you.

This scared me a little. I thought for a minute it was a wrong number.

[Me]
Sorry you got the wrong number.

Five minutes later I got a reply.

[Unknown]
No I don't Sydney. I see you.

A shiver went down my spine and I looked out my window. No one was there.

[Unknown]
I'm not outside. I'm in your closet.

The wardrobe door creaked open a little and I slammed it shut and leaned on it. Who ever inside it banged and pushed. I screamed for my dad and he came running upstairs.

"Sydney!!" He yelled and came into my room he looked at me with a shot gun in his hand.

"Someone's in the closet!!" I yelled and he stood ready for me to open the door so he could shoot them. I opened the door and hid behind it. No one came out. Dad moved closer and checked inside behind the clothes then backed up.

"Sydney no one is there," dad said as he closed the door.

"N-no.. I-I felt them... They were watching me!" I yelled I was shaking. How could someone get in my closet? Could they have been there all night? I felt the tears on my cheek and dad wrapped his arms around me in a hug.

"Shh baby girl, no one is in there," Dad tried to comfort me as he rubbed my back to stop me from shaking. I then pushed him away remembering the text.

"They were texting me!" I grabbed my phone from the floor near the window. When I tried pulling up the text the whole history was gone. I didn't delete it! I was starting to cry again. None of this makes sense. "No no no... They were texting me... I swear!" I screamed through my tears. This isn't right it's not right.

Dad had helped me out of my room and laid me in Emma's room.

"Just sleep it off in here ok? I'll stay right here," dad held my hands until I fell asleep.