The House

Chapter Four-Finding Maddie

I ended the call quickly. I felt awful lying to him like that, he was always so honest to me but I didn't want to ruin the rest of his day. It had been a lovely morning, he'd made it all so special, well he always does. I knew if he knew the real reason why my mum texted me clearly in a mad panic he wouldn't leave me alone. I just needed time to sort myself out and get used to the fact that my baby sister was missing. I know she's six but she'll always be my 'baby' sister.

"Think Cara. Think." I muttered to myself in frustration, "Where could she possibly be?"

The park. Its so obvious now. Where would you go if you was a six year old? Your favourite place of couse. The park is only a five minute walk away, ten if you're Maddie. Its the only place she knows how to get to so well. She always gets lost or confused when going anywhere else even when its to the little corner shop that is in our street, I don't know why since its closer than the park. Its probably because she's obsessed with the park and gets really annoyed when mum says no to letting her go.

I pulled out my phone and texted Brogan "Could you please meet me at the park xx" Thirty seconds later it beeped with a reply "Anything for you babe x"

I quickly grabbed my coat and begun to put it on as I walked down the stairs. I still had my shoes on because I had forgotten to take them off since the news was kind of sudden. Plus converse are comfy.

"Mum, I'm just going to the park, I'll be back in about half an hour." I yelled as I headed for the door. She mumbled back something that sounded like she said okay.

As I stepped outside the icy snow crunched under my feet. Considering it had recently snowed it was quite warm out. Too warm for snow, even so it didn't seem to be melting. The door slammed behind me. That's funny, there's not wind to make it slam. Shrugging the thought off, seeing as finding Maddie was far more important, I hurried to the end of my drive.

It took me about two minutes to get to the park because I was in such a hurry to find Maddie, it caused me to almost slip over more than once but right now I couldn't care. My mind was set on finding her.

"Cara! What's so urgent?!" Brogan called over to me as I ran over to him. Just before I'd reached him I slipped over on some ice. As fast as lightening Brogan reacted catching me before I had a nasty fall. "Oh my god are you okay?" He panicked.

"Yes, thanks to you." I smiled. "But..." I snapped back to reality. Its amazing how a single thought can completely change your mood and wipe a smile from your face. "Its Maddie, she's gone missing. That's the real reason I had to go home. I don't know what to do. I'm sorry I lied-" He kissed me softly as a cold tear ran down my face. He pulled away and stared at me.

"Cara, calm down. I know, your mum phoned my mum to ask her to keep an eye out and if she knows anything. We'll find her okay?" He reassured me wiping my tears away.

I took a deep breath, "That's why I asked you to come here...I think she might be here or nearby, but I need help finding her."

Brogan smiled kindly, "Anything for you babe."

I glanced around the park. Where was her favourite place? There was the swings, the slide, the monkey bars...All of which were out in the open no where you could hide. "Brogan, I know where she is!" I exclaimed as I grabbed his hand and pulled him over to the mini playhouse. It had foam all over the walls and floor, in large shapes making a cool pattern. The foam was for safety but the kids enjoyed using it as a trampoline. Maddie loved it. When I reached the door I stopped. Frozen. What if she wasn't in here? Fear ran through me. By the time I went to stop Brogan from opening the door it was too late. he swung the door open and called my sisters name. His voice was full of worry. It was really sweet how much he cared about my sister. He treated her like she was his sister. Being an only child and adopted I guess she's the closes thing to a sibling he has. I was happy to share her, she could be a right brat at times, but then a split second later she'd be lovely and I'd forget she could ever be a brat.

"Cara, I'm sorry but she's not in here," Brogan whispered.

"No!" I cried pushing past him into the room. I stared into the empty room taking in everything. There must be something.

I gasped. The foam circle on the floor was slightly raised up. Memories of stories she had told me years ago about this same room came floading back to me.

"If you lift up the spongey floor there's a secret room. Its where me and Alice go and play." Alice is one of her made up friends. She goes everywhere with Alice. She'll have really long conversations with her sometimes, its cute but she doesn't make any other friends because "Alice" told her she only needed one friend.

Dropping to the floor I pushed the foam down around the circle trying to get hold of it. "Babe, what are you doing? There's nothing there."

"Don't you remember all those stories about Maddie and Alice and their secret place under the spongey floor in the mini house? Those stories we refused to believe because of her crazy imagination? They were all true. There is a room under here." Just as I said that I managed to pull the circle out of the floor. It revealed a dark room. Pulling my iPhone out of my pocket I clicked a random button and shone it down the gap. "Oh my god!"

I hit the ground with a thump, Brogan following shortly behind me not letting me out of his sight. It was really dark down here, I guess its understandable considering we were now underground. Flashing my phone round the room I saw it was pretty much empty. Apart from something stretched out in the far corner. "Brogan...What's that?" I whispered shaking with fear. He put an arm round me pulling me closer to him. "Rose..I think its-" He began, his voice shaking.

"Maddie." I finished for him half whispering too stunned to make any type of movement. Even too stunned to cry. She was motionless. Her body looked icy. I watched her lay there as Brogan hugged me tightly. The most I could do was whisper "No" into his shoulder.

She couldn't be dead.

A/N

Hello hope you like it. Please leave feedback. Every read, comment and vote means loads to me. Thank you!