Changing the Leaves

Its Only Begun

Marissa ran to the door and Christy, Alicia, and I cowered behind the corner as Marissa opened her house to the person.

"Jenna, whats wrong?!", Marissa practically screamed. Christy, Alicia, and I rushed to meet Jenna and Marissa.

When Jenna came into view, I noticed her puffy red eyes and tear stained cheeks. She was short of breathe. Her pale round face held a disturbed expression. Her long black hair stood up in every direction.

"Jenna, what happened to you?", I demanded.

"My parents... They're gone! Please you have to help me!" She cried.

"Wait, wait!," Christy was saying,"What are you talking about?! What happened?!"

"I was upstairs drawing a picture and I heard someone break in! Then, I heard my mom scream and my dad was yelling my name. I rushed downstairs but all I saw was my dad's hat laying before the door. They're gone, you guys!", Jenna's eyes were holding back even more tears, but a couple of tears managed to escape.

"Did you call the cops?", Alicia questioned.

"They didn't answer!", Jenna replied.

"Shouldn't that be illegal?", I asked.

"Here, Jenna, you need to drink some water and catch your breathe.", Marissa urged.

As Jenna sat at the counter in the kitchen, she shook uncontrollably. I have never seen her like this. She is always smiling and laughing and finding the good in everything. "Wait! If there is some nutcase out there breaking into people's homes. Then, he or she has probably been to my house! I mean I live right behind you Jenna.", Christy pondered. Before we could even deny Christy's hypothesis, she was sprinting towards the door.

"No, Christy! It's too dangerous!", Alicia yelled eagerly. Right when we heard the doorknob turn, we heard Christy take in a wild gasp. "Oh what now?", Marissa grumbled as we all ran to the door.

Standing before Christy was wild chaos! Cars were upside down, trees were uprooted, the sky was gray and eery. No words could describe the way anyone felt right now, so we kept silent. All of our mouths made a perfect O. "It was just fine out here a minute ago," Jenna whispered, more to herself than to us.

I was confused more than beyond words could even describe. The first thought that entered my mind was my family. I only pray that they are okay.

I jolted upstairs to get to my phone and dial my mom's number... No answer. I dial my dad's number... No answer. Then, my brother's... No answer. This was unlike them! They always answered their phones! "Ugh! No one is answering their stupid phone! You guys I'm scared!", I exclaimed. They all checked their cell phones to reach their family, but no one answered! We all wore the same frantic expression. "Follow me.", Alicia said. We obeyed her command as she went downstairs to the garage.

Alicia climbed into the driver's seat of the Toyota Highlander and demanded for the keys.

"What? Are you crazy, Alicia?!", I said.

"Seriously, you don't even know how to drive!", Jenna urged.

"My dad has shown me a couple of times. I'm pretty sure I got the hang of it. Listen, obviously there is something out there that is demanding something. I'm not just going to sit here and hide behind these walls. I have a terrible feeling that our families are in trouble,"Alicia protested.

We all shared a look of insanity. But, Alicia is right! There is something out there, all of this crap didn't happen because Mother Nature is hormonal.

Is it everyday that you get knocked out by a monster, or have your family kidnapped, or even look outside to complete destruction? Defiantly not!

I didn't stand there a second longer, because I knew that if I would have then I would have been able to talk myself out of my decision. I climbed in the passenger seat and buckled up. "Brooklyn!", Marissa exclaimed. I looked around Alicia to make eye contact with Marissa. She had a wild expression on her face. I braced myself for her protest. "I get shotgun.", she said with a smirk. Oh ok, I'll take that.

When everyone was in the car, we left the garage. By the way, Alicia couldn't see over the steering wheel, because she is so short! So note to self, the second I get a bad feeling, I'm going to hop out of this car and drive myself!

Marissa was in the passenger seat, I was sitting in the seat behind Alicia, while Christy sat in between Jenna and me. I don't know if Christy is second guessing her decision, but she hasn't said a word.

"Where are we even going?", Jenna said.

"We are going to check our homes to see what is there.", Alicia stated, stretching her neck to see over the steering wheel.

"Ok but-", Marissa got interrupted by Alicia driving off the road and into a ditch.

That didn't take long. I unbuckled my seat belt and got out of the car. I opened Alicia's door, without even arguing, she got out and sat where I was sitting. When Alicia buckled her seatbelt, she held a pout on her lips as she crossed her arms like a three year old. "I'm sorry, Alicia. But we have been driving for two seconds and you already drove us off the road.", I looked back at her through the rear view mirror. She just sighed in agreement. We all laughed.

I backed out of the ditch and drove the necessary fifteen seconds to Christy's house.

Christy eagerly pushed tiny Alicia out of her seat to get out of the car. "Oh oh, ok," Alicia said as she stumbled out of the car. Christy just painted a smile on her face.

The inside of Christy's house was demolished. Mirrors were broken, the cushion from her couch was torn out, and everything was strewn all across the floor. My heart skipped too many beats, I can't even imagine how Christy is feeling. I notice tears weld up in her eyes and her shaking hand is just hovering over her mouth.

"Mom? Dad? Cory?", she barely screamed. There was no answer.

We checked every room in the house, but all they contained were torn pieces. "Guys, come quick!" Christy screamed from upstairs. We all bolted upstairs to her playroom. All four of us released a sharp gasp.

Inside the playroom were dirty footprints and handprints. They were trailing everywhere, even the ceiling! They apparently exited through the window.

"What is happening?!", I cried. I thought over everything that had happened, while Alicia took a snapshot of the evidence with her phone.

Of course! I know exactly what is happening! Oh my gosh, it's all my fault! I ran outside the house to the creek, not caring that a monster could kill me. I rushed to reach the stone Marissa showed us earlier, it was still hidden in its spot. When I got the rock in my grasp, I felt major relief. But that relief was erased with pain, because my left temple started to pound and pound and pound!

I tried to control my rapid breathing, but the pain was excruciating! I dropped the stone and the pain ceased.

I didn't know that my friends were following me, but they were. "Brooklyn, are you okay?", Marissa called after me.

I dropped down to my knees and studied the stone, not daring to touch it.