Liars Garden

Chapter 16

Mom locked me back in my room after our fight in the kitchen. The trunk from the hallway was put back in front of my door. I heard Chris promise not to let me out but as soon as mom's car left the driveway I heard the scrape of the trunk across the wood.

"Annie...I..." his eyes went to the floor.

For the first time I told someone what had happened. It felt wonderful and horrible all at once. It made it all so much more real in my head and I nearly threw up. I was telling the story of my dads death in the very room I had seen it happen in. There were still strains on the floor if you looked close enough. There was the chunk out of the banister and the raised flower bed in the garden.

There was the dark spot in my mind where all this lived.

"I...I knew some of that," Chris finally said after I finished.

"What?"

Chris swallowed hard and picked at a tear in my bed spread. "Leslie told me dad had died. She told me before she left. And she said 'don't trust mom'. I just...I didn't....He's still in the garden?"I nodded, feeling a lump in my throat as I did so.

"What do we do?"

I froze.

What did we do?

"What do you think mom will do with you?" Chris started crying harder.

What...

I didn't know.

Only we knew the truth. Mom was gone. We could tell the police.But....

I looked down at my bed, not sure if I could go as far as call thepolice on my own mother. What if they didn't believe me? What if she pinned it all on me? What if I went to jail instead?

As I thought my eyes flickered to my laptop.

Hanna.

I quickly flipped the thing back on.

I had messages.

Annie! Tell me you are okay!

Answer me!

If you don't answer me in an hour I am calling the police.

Annie please!

I'm telling my parents.

They called the cops. I'm sorry but I'm scared.

My heart kicked into overdrive as I read the messages. I checked the times. The last two were sent less then twenty minutes ago. I pushed the computer aside and ran to the window. I didn't see anyone out there. Mom's car was still gone. But for how long? Were the cops still coming?

"Is...is she serious?" Chris asked. I turned. He was looking at my laptop screen. His face was illuminated in the fading light.

"I don't know," I answer. "I hope not."

"Why not?" Chris squared his shoulders. "We need help. We need out of this, Annie."

As he spoke blue and red lights flashed outside. I glanced out the window, my heart in my throat. Twocars had parked outside our house. I saw movement in those cars. Ifelt like I was going to faint.

"We can't fight her, Chris," I whispered. "If I tell she will make it my fault. And I don't want to go to jail."

"It's okay," Chris said standing up.

There was a banging on the door.

  "It's okay, I'll tell the truth. Dad deserves better."