Mysterious adventures in the shadow of trees

Chapter 16: Another Call

-Scarlett-

"Hello, yeah, um, sure!" Father randomly said on the telephone with Mrs Smith, Amanda's mum.

It was just another normal Saturday with no sign of Sofia. Mother was at another interview. Father put the telephone down with a soft ding and he turned towards me slowly.

"Scarlett, I am going with your mum and Mrs Smith to the outskirts of the forest and stay there to try and spot Sofia or Amanda," he explained.

I blinked hard and asked, "So I have to take care of Thomas?"

Father sighed and replied, "Yes Scarlett, you do. I know that you are busy, but finding Sofia is important."

I nodded doubtfully and called for Thomas.

"Thomas! I have to babysit you while mum and dad are out!" I shouted up the stairs.

There was a moment's silence when suddenly the sound of video games filled the house.

It seemed as if Thomas hated the fact that he had to be stuck with me the whole day.

I mean, I did try my best to make my voice disappointed to try to make father get the hint but he doesn't know that.

Know-it-all: just deal with it, ok? It's not that bad.

Me: Come on! I have to do everything! I wanted to just relax!

Know-it-all: he's busy playing video games, come on, go and make lunch.

I breathed in deeply and placed a pan on the cooker and turned the fire on. I sighed and heavily sat down at the kitchen table before springing up again, almost immediately.

I realized that I had just sat on Ace, who was sleeping peacefully like a furry cushion on the seat.

"Oh Ace, why are you dozing off so much more after Sofia went?" I muttered, while stroking Ace to comfort him.

Finally, when he went back to sleep, I gently tiptoed out of the kitchen and walked up to my room and got out my diary.

Dear diary, I started, tapping the pen lid on the book. Dad has gone out with Mrs Smith to try and find Sofia and Amanda on the outskirts of the forest and Thomas is mad at dad for asking me to babysit him.

I nodded to myself and shut my book sharply as my door opened and Thomas stepped cautiously in.

"What? I've always told you to knock before you enter!" I cried angrily, thrusting my diary into the open drawer.

Thomas looked away, as if ashamed but pulled himself together after I'd stopped shouting.

"Look, I'm sorry Scarlett, but daddy just phoned from the house phone and said that he was coming home," Thomas reported politely, though I saw his eyes dart back and forth from my half shut drawer, which had opened again, due to the force I used when I had shut it harshly.

Know-it-all: not his fault for being curious, why, if I was your sibling I would wonder what you are hiding from me.

Me: Suppose you're right, like always.

Know-it-all: Scarlett, I don't want to take sides, I just say what is just a fact.

I shook my head and pulled Thomas with me as I went downstairs to add the things to the pan for our lunch.

Plop! sizzle! Went the eggs as I tipped them into the pan, along with the bacon.

    Bang! The front door shut with a slam as Father trudged in, boots caked in mud.

"Nowhere to be seen," he answered gruffly, seeing our questioning faces, " I am going to check with the police."

"Sorry sir, but the police station is busy at the moment, please call back later," a voice answered after father had reminded the lady that he was the man looking for a lost Sofia.

"No Sofia today, I'm afraid kids," father sighed, turning around. I could almost sense that he actually missed Sofia spending all of his money.