Chasing Bad

Jay

I walked out of school as the the last bell of the day rung. The rush of the day and fulfilling times at school caused me to become an extremely tired kid when it was time to go home. I knew I had a wonderful family to escape to so the thought always made me instantly happy. As I walked home with my friends by my side, I imagined how after school went everyday as soon as I got home.

Mom would have made my after-school lunch like she did everyday. It would wait at the head of the table closest to the door so I can come in, throw my book bag down, and sit at the table and eat. She always came out the kitchen and welcomed me with delighted baby blues and a smile at the dinning room table I sat at. I returned the welcome to her between each stop to chew and digest from eating so fast.

She would then walk to the kitchen to grab the house phone to call my brother. He is 21 now and moved to New York for college. We miss him a lot these days so mom makes sure to call every other day as soon as I get home so everyone can talk to him. Dad would be upstairs getting ready to go back to work after his lunch break so he mostly eats, watches T.V., then comes down to join the rest of us then leaves.

What made me wonder the most was why every time my mom, dad, and brother talk, it always ended in an argument. I asked mom once and she said he's had some "trouble in school but he's getting better." I never understood why my mom had been so straightforward with me. It would have been better to just lie and say everything was okay. I'm only 7-years-old and still confused about life itself so a little lie would have kept me safe.

I waved off to my friends as we reached my house ten minutes later. I was suspicious because my mom always played loud music in the kitchen that you can hear from a mile away from the house. Even if you were standing right at the door, you could heard it from your spot outside. It was a soothing type of music and it made my mom happy and dance around the kitchen everyday. I welcomed the music as it soothed me and reminded me of home.

I twisted the knob to the door that had already been open for my arrival like it did everyday. Mom kept it unlocked only when I returned from school so I didn't have to manage a key at such a young age. I locked the door behind me and found not a scrap of food waiting for me at the table. I threw my bag on the floor and got anxious. But then, I thought about how dad had probably left for work and mom went grocery shopping because she complained last night that we didn't have enough food. I shook the thought and ran to the couch to sit down while clicking on the T.V.

The thoughts in my head were too nerve-wracking and my paranoia continued to kick in. My thoughts kept fighting me saying they were here, I just had to check. Were they playing hide-and-seek with me? Some kind of game? Were they sleeping and tired from being up all night? I trailed up the steps and started to call their names.

"Mommy!" I called but no answer.

"Dad?" I still received no answer.

"Mom?! Dad?! I know you're there, please stop hiding from me." My child-like voice was anxious and desperate for an answer.

I twisted the doorknob and cracked the door a bit to try to see a little inside. To my disappointment, I couldn't see anything from my short figure until I opened it all the way. I quietly called them one last time and still didn't receive and answer. The sight before me changed my entire life forever.

Everywhere, the floor stained with blood as I took my place at the door. All around the walls there were finger prints and smears that lined the entire room. The bed was also covered in the biggest blood stain and there was a lot of broken furniture on the ground but my parents were nowhere to be found. All the blood splatters kept going on and on around the room and I didn't know what to do. I got dizzy but quickly cried out for them.

"MOM! DAD!" Then I fell to my knees. 

I found myself checking under the bed and all through the bathroom until there was no luck. The only place I didn't check was the closet. I rushed over opening it quickly as I saw my parents stacked on each other, stabbed to death. There were cuts and bruises everywhere and their clothes were ripped in certain places. I couldn't help but stare at their withering bodies so I ran downstairs to the kitchen and grabbed the phone to dial 911.

"This is 911. What is your emergency?" An officer replied to the call.

I gasped through sobs and tears. "Hi. My name is Jay. I don't know what happened to my mommy and daddy but there's blood everywhere and they're not moving."

"Okay, buddy. We'll be over immediately. Do you know your address?" The calm but nice police officer said. By the way he spoke to me I felt comfort and I knew he would do anything to hep me. Luckily, mom always made sure to sit down with me and make me memorize the address.

"Yes, it's 528 Clearwater Street." I said.

"Thanks champ. I want you to do something for me, okay? Don't go back upstairs. Sit on the couch and lay there for a little bit or even watch t.v. You can even go to sleep if you want but don't think about what you just saw. We'll be there in no time so keep put." He replied.

"Thank you. Am I going to die too?" I replied, sounding desperate.

"Definitely not, buddy. Now go lay down. We'll be there in no time." He tried to comfort me as well as he could. 

                                                                          ~~~

Not even fifteen minutes later, they were at my house. I was a bit dozed off but up enough to wake and rush to the door when they knocked. They inspected every bit of the house and there were dried, bloody hand prints in places that I passed but didn't take the time to notice. I might have even touched a few. They were all my parents hand prints.

My parents were immediately rushed out the house in stretchers but they were covered. I desperately wanted to see them one last time but I couldn't bring myself to do it. I sat there on the couch with the nice officer I talked on the phone to as he continued to comfort me. I continued to cry and cry like Niagara Falls took it's place in me. The other officers went to my neighbors houses to get reports on if they had seen any suspicious people walk in or hear any loud disturbances. Everyone admitted to have been at work or out shopping and unaware of the entire thing.

"Okay, kiddo. We have to go now and you're going with us. We're going to find you a new home to live in and we're going to get you situated. I know this is a lot to take in but you can handle it right champ?" He smiled at me knowing I could never but getting me to admit that might get my mind off of it.

"Yes... What about my stuff? Will I get to have any of it anymore?" I replied, smiling through tears.

"Of course! We're going to move everything out as soon as we find you a better home." He said.

"Can I get my favorite toy please? I'll feel so much better with it. Mommy and daddy got it for me for Christmas and I never go without it." I said, a sparkle in my eyes.

He smiled at me then nodded me upstairs. I rushed upstairs and grabbed the toy. To my surprise, there was a note on the bed. It read:

"Don't think we forgot you, Jay. You will be next."

There was no name, time, or address. A wave of confusion and worry washed over me and I was terrified for my life. I looked around for anyone waiting for me behind closed doors but there was no one in sight. I stuffed the note in my pocket and hurried downstairs.

"Okay, ready to go." I said to the officer. He smiled at me as we walked out the door.

I had a feeling my life just got more intense than I ever thought it would.