I follow close on Gwen's heels as she rounds the corner of the block. When we get to Emma's house I see the door fly open, Emma running out with tears on her face.
She stops quickly as she notices us, keeping as much distance from us as she can.
"I know what you did! I told them and they're already coming. It's too late to hurt me!" She yells as she begins to run forward again.
She's fast, but my sister is faster and on her in an instant. My sister's panicked grab comes just as the sirens reach our ears and causes her to drop the knife in the attack. She's got her arms wrapped tightly around Emma as she kicks and punches Gwen but Gwen doesn't let go.
As Gwen goes to reach for the knife the sirens are right behind me and I can hear the police telling Gwen to let go but I don't turn around, not yet.
"Go! Run!" Gwen shouts as she finally reaches the knife on the pavement.
The backpack on my shoulders feels heavy as I start running towards the woods with no idea where I'm going or what to do once I get there. My sister has always been the plan maker and now I'm left unprepared. I hear Emma's parents come rushing out just as Gwen slides the knife into Emma's chest but I've already rounded the corner.
I reach the edge of the woods just as I hear a gun shot go off. My ears ring loudly but I don't stop, all I can do is keep going.
After a while I need to catch my breath but I'm afraid to stop. Instead I climb the tallest tree I can find and sit on the branch tucking my legs tightly to my chest and holding on with my feet.
It takes me a while to be ready to move again but when I go to leave the tree I hear it. Foot steps. Not just footsteps, dogs. They're looking for me. I tuck in close praying they can't see me.
The dogs sniff the ground under my tree and I start to think they know I'm here but when the policemen don't see anything they instruct the dogs to keep searching.
I hold my breath tightly until they leave my line of sight and then exhale deeply. It was close, too close. But I can't keep moving yet.
I wait a while longer to make sure the search party keeps their distance and then climb down, hitting the ground harder than I meant to, and run in the opposite direction.
I don't know how long I run, or how far away from home I get but it's dark now and I'm tired. So tired. I sit down on the cold leaves and close my eyes, finally letting out tears for my sister. Tears for my grief.
YOU ARE READING
Blood Bond
Mystery / ThrillerA story based on a story my niece wrote, used as a writing prompt. ----- 14 year old Gwen and 13 year old Alex are as close as siblings can be, despite not sharing the same father. Or at least they were until one heavy secret threatens to pull them...
