Found #2

Chapter Nine

It was worse than I even imagined. Worse than I expected. Kiersten almost stumbled against the counter in pure shock, staring at the wall.

It had information on us. From birth certificates to that one certificate that I had received in sixth grade for collecting the most cans for Earth day. I had lost it and somehow it had gotten here.

"Sienna, he knows everything about you." Kiersten breathed. I bit my lip, staring in shock at this wall. Secretly snapped pictures of me over the years... And this was all going on without my knowledge.

Bile rose in my throat as I hurried away and down the hallway. I couldn't keep staring at that wall. All my privacy; gone. Kiersten followed close behind me but stopped dead in her tracks next to a door slightly ajar.

The next wall was Kiersten's wall. "Shit," she hissed. "I don't even remember some of this stuff." Her voice was quiet, weak. It showed her in the arms of a blonde woman, staring down at her lovingly. "That was my mom." Kiersten's voice cracked. "She-she died three years ago and I've been living with my step dad since." She looked slightly disgusted at the sound of her step dad. I stood behind her, giving her time to see what else was up there.

I couldn't help but notice that her mother looked almost exactly like her. They both had long blonde hair, thin frames, and rosy cheeks. But that's where the comparisons stopped. She probably got everything else from her father. I wondered who he was and where he was at this moment.

"L-let's go." Kiesten muttered. I nodded and we closed the door behind us, just the way it was when we had come in. "I think that's his room." I pointed to a wooden door at the end of the hallway, a cool, eery feeling washing over me. "Sienna, I'm scared."

I looked at her. No, really looked at her. "We're gonna do something really brave, Kiersten. And you're the only person in the world I'd do it with." I said truthfully.

I had a weird feeling in the pit of my stomach. That feeling where you're swimming and you want to put your feet down on something solid but the water's deeper than you think so you can't.

We stepped forward, the worn floorboards creaking and groaning under our weight. All I could hear was the loud thud of my heart in my ears and the ragged breathing of Kiersten right beside me. I opened the door, letting go of her hand and biting my lip until I tasted blood.

It was a simple bedroom. Nothing spectacular. Kiersten suddenly growled and ran over to the nightstand, yanking them open and searching inside. "Stop!"

She didn't respond, rushing over to the dresser and doing the same thing over. "Kiersten! Stop!" I screamed, hurrying to her and taking her wrists in my hands and holding them together.

"I can't, Sienna! This is too much. It's too much." A lone tear ran down her cheek as she crumpled into my arms. I wrapped my arms around her and held her small form. We moved away from the dresser and as we did, it was one floorboard that didn't creak right.

There was a certain metallic sound to it, like a nail that didn't want to stay in place. I bent down as examined the board, hoping maybe there would be answers. My fingers grasped the gap between the loose board and a stiff board. "Help me." I ordered.

Kiersten sniffed and got down on the floor with me, prying and pulling at the wood. Finally, it gave way and flew off. There under it was a plastic bag covered in a little dirt and inside of that was a letter. On the front, said "S and K" in familiar loopy handwriting.

My father's handwriting.

"Kiersten, I think we have something." I whispered.