TOXIC BLOODLINES 1/4

THREE WISE MEN

ELENORE

An emergency alert on my phone distracted me from my show. "Strong winds, no shit," I tossed my phone aside. The wind's been howling the past four hours. Out of habit, I got out of bed to double-check if my windows were locked. As I climbed back into my bed, my dad barged into my room, frightening me. "Oh my gosh! Knock!" I put my hand on my chest.

"Where is your cousin? Have you seen him today?" My dad questioned me.

How was I supposed to know? "Why?"

"Elenore, have you seen him," he asked again.

"What Ian gets up to is none of my business," I answered. Plus the diner was the only other place he'd be that I could think of. My dad kept asking me the same questions over and over again until he gave up and left. I was about to un-pause my show. HE WALKED IN AGAIN! "Oh my god, Dad."

"Did you see him this morning?" He asked.

"I mean, he was here," I answered.

My dad left the room again. I wanted to lock my door but was already too comfortable in my bed to bother. My dad came back in. OH MY GOD! I angrily paused my show and sat up, kicking in my bed. "Dad!"

"Sorry, sorry. I'm going to ask you again—"

"— I haven't seen him," I answered. "Plus, he's probably hunkered down somewhere. I just got the storm warning. And Ian wouldn't be that careless to get caught in a blizzard, can you relax now?"

"He's not answering; I've called him three times," my dad was stressing. "Where would he be that he can't answer his phone? He knows it's not safe to go out at this time. I told him not to. What is he doing?" My dad paced up and down my bedroom getting his muddy footprints all over my carpet. "Call him, now."

"He is fine, oh my gosh. Stop stressing."

"Elenore stop talking and do what I ask," my dad barked. "Call him."

With a sigh, I picked up my phone and called him. "Look, it's ringing." I put my phone on speaker and showed it to him. "He's not going to pick up, watch." I waited a few more seconds and Ian rejected the call. "See?"

"Try him again!" My dad shouted. He sat down on my white couch and instantly stained it with his greasy hands. It took everything in me not to chase him out; he had been working on that guest house all day.

Should I tell him that Kim stopped by? Maybe he's with her.

"Where is he?" My dad put his face into his palms. "I called the diner; he left four hours ago. What is he doing? He knows better."

"It's Ian. I'm sure he's fine. I mean, he rejected the call," I assured my dad hoping he would leave my room.

My Dad placed his face in his hands and groaned out of frustration. "This boy is not going to kill me before my time."

"Oh my god, it's not that deep, Dad. Ian's probably at Kim's house," I muttered.

My dad looked at me with anger on his face. "Kimberly? Why the hell would he be there? Elenore, are you trying to start shit?" He asked, hoping I was joking. "Why do you think he is with her?" My dad interrogated me.

"I mean, like, she showed up earlier, they looked like they were arguing and then she left. Ian came back inside and went to work after that. Maybe he's with Sara," I doubled down.

"Call her," my dad snapped his fingers and pointed at my phone.

"Which one am I calling?"

"BOTH!" He shouted, losing his patience.