The Shadow's Hunger: Unveiling the True Demise

Chapter 6

When Ellie wakes up, Thomas is gone. She frantically looks around the room until she spots a note on the bedside table.

Ellie,

Kara and I had to go. It's an emergency. Marie has been hurt somehow. I'll be back as soon as I can. Please don't worry too much. I'll try and get Blake or Ms. Garcia to come and stay with you. Please don't be angry with me. I wouldn't leave you if it weren't an emergency. I love you.

Thomas

"Oh no!" she whispers, "I hope Marie's okay!"

"She's fine," someone answers, "I just got a call from Thomas, they're on their way here."

Ellie looks up and sees Matt and Marie's mother. "Ms. Garcia! I'm sorry, I didn't see you."

"It's okay and please call me Tina. Ms. Garcia makes me feel old. I'm not that old."

"Oh, okay. Sorry..."

"Don't apologize. I'm not offended in any way."

"Um, may I call you Miss Tina instead? I'm not comfortable..."

Tina smiles at her. "Yes, of course, whatever you're comfortable with." She sighs and softly says, "You really are her daughter, aren't you?"

"What? What do you mean?"

"Jenny...you really are her daughter..."

"Y...yeah..."

"She was my best friend. She was the friend that stuck with me, even when I didn't want anything to do with her. Although, admittedly that might be because she didn't have many other friends. That doesn't matter to me though. Your mother was the sweetest, kindest, person I have ever met and I will never forget what she's done for me."

"Is that the reason you like Thomas and me?"

"What? No, well, it might be part of it, but it's mostly because you two are just like them. You're always willing to help someone, even if it means putting yourselves in danger."

"When did you meet mama and daddy?"

'Well, your father and I were childhood friends. We met your mother when we were a bit older."

"Really? How?"

"She was arrested. The sheriff took her in and she started to go to school. She met your father and me at school."

"Mama was arrested?"

"Yes, not for anything bad. She was stealing food, so she could eat."

"Oh...what about her parents? Where were they?"

"I don't know. She didn't know either. She was abandoned at an adoption agency as a baby."

"Her parents didn't want her?"

"I don't know. She didn't really talk about it much. She didn't assume that they didn't want her, but she didn't really like to think about it, if you know what I mean."

"Where'd she live then? Before staying with the sheriff?"

"Well, from what I understand she went through a series of foster homes and then she ran away. Her foster parents weren't kind to her. She lived on the street for several years before she was arrested by some police officer.

"Why didn't she go to jail?"

"Jail? Sweetheart, she wouldn't have gone to jail for stealing, maybe juvie. Most likely, she would be sent back to foster care."

"Then why'd she stay?"

"I don't know. I guess the sheriff saw something in her."

"Like Mila and Thomas and me?"