A Mirrors Enigma (Wattys 2015)

Part 4

Elowen watched the car Ivy's car recede into the darkness as she swung open the large front door.

The house was unusually quiet and eerily dark, when Elowen arrived. She slid in past the large fiberglass door glancing around. "Mom!"

Elowen flicked on a light switch and to her dismay it failed to turn on. Elowen huffed under her breath "Why hadn't Mrs. Lopez the cleaning lady replaced it already! If this continued she'd follow the same path as Lucy, Miss Nilov and Janice. Her mother was extremely particular when it came to the people who cleaned the house.

Suddenly from somewhere in the house Max gave 3 loud abrupt barks before the home was silent again.

"Ok that's it, this is too creepy," Elowen muttered tucking a stray strand of pale blonde hair behind her ears before taking up the winding wooden stairs.

Elowen made it up the stairs and turned the corner toward her room ready to tweet about the strange ordeal, she could already imagine it now Mrs. Lopez forgot to change the light bulb again...does anyone want to switch cleaning ladies!!?!?

Elowen's self centered thoughts came to an immeadite halt when her foot hit something strangley soft.

"Huh?" She thought out loud pressing the flashlight option on her phone and shining at her feet.

At her feet layed  Max how he normally would, he didn't look much different other then the growing red spot that seemed to be spreading across his abdomen.

It took moments for Elowen to realize it was blood she opened her mouth to let loose a blood curdling scream or terror but not before a hand flew over her mouth sealing her lips.

Elowen's eyes widened as she made weak attempts in pushing of her attacker.

"Elowen, you need to stop," A voice whispered sharply.

Elowen turned just barely and in the dark made out the shape of her mother.

Her mothers voice continued shakily "You can't make any noise...ok?"

Elowen nodded staring at the silhouette of her mother with frightened eyes.

Mrs. Grace removed her hands from Elowen's mouth "we need to get out of the house right now," she stated.

"M-m-mark..." Began Elowen pointing towards the dead dog only feet away from them.

"Yes, yes I know," Mrs. Grace replied in a hushed tone. She turned her head  searching the room before turning back to Elowen.
"We need to leave," Mrs. Grace announced hurriedly "Go to your room and pack a suit case you're going to your cousins house."

"B-

What was that, or more like who was that?

Kathleen grace grabbed the duffel bags from slower and hastily through them into the trunk of the car.

Elowen clicked her tongue calling for the injured dog "Max," she chided nervously into the dark. She didn't want to leave the injured dog but, her mothers seriousness told her they needed to leave now. Suddenly she heard the familiar padded footsteps clack across the kitchen floor and into the light. The large shaggy haired dog limped down the garage steps as Elowen sighed with relief attempting to lift the large dog into the car, which she did with quite a bit of struggle.

"Elowen get into the car, NOW." Her mother barked "leave the dog, we need to go now!"

Elowen slammed the door behind max as he tumbled into the car and then quickly slid into the passenger seat as the car began to exit the garage.

She casted a sidelong glance at her mother analyzing the woman she thought she knew.
What danger was so great that it had impacted her mother to act in such away? More importantly what had just happened? Broken lights, and injured max and the mysterious form she had just barely noticed on the ground.

Elowen squeezed her eyes shut as she tried to reign in her thoughts, just wait until ivy heard about this!

Or could she tell her? She could tell Ivy and Ivy wouldn't tell anyone...or would she?

And then what would people say, would anyone care? With thoughts wondering dangerous places to fates worse than Natalie's she decided it was best if she didn't tell. Anyone, for a matter of fact. The large SUV drove down the dimly lit street with alarming speed.

Mrs. Grace hunched over the steering wheel her ashen gray hands gripped tightly around the wheel. Large dark rings had suddenly become apparent under her dull blue eyes that obsessively darted back and forth between the windows. What was left of her makeup clung to her paled face in spotted worn patches of concealer.

The car jerked to the left and came to a slow crawl on Duvernay, the street that belonged to the home of her eccentric Aunt Celia her father's half sister. She owned a tall brick town home squished between two other pale colored townhouses.  Which at one time used to be part of an old factory. Although the home gave the allusion it lacked space the ample amount of floors (4) allowed for a large amount of spare bedrooms. Her home was rather hard to ignore even in the dim light shed by the silver colored street lamps. Elowen could still still make out the over grown garden filled with various species of .... Littered amongst the plants  sloppily decorated terra cotta  pots remnants of class projects undoubltly belonging to her two cousins.

Elowens mother pulled the car up the mismatched stone driveway until the car came to a stand still infront of closed garage.

Elowen exited the car gripping the trunk and lifting it open then dragging out the two practically bursting duffel bags.

"Can you grab the other one," Elowen asked motioning toward the third duffel.

"Elowen, you don't need all of this," her mother stated irratibly reaching for the bag then with command of her key electrically closing the trunk. Pink duffel bag in hand Kathleen grace quickly began walking up the driveway.

Elowen clutched her bags in either had glancing up at the ancient home. All the windows were closed and not a single light shoned from inside the house.

"What if they aren't even home," Elowen wondered out loud.

Her mother sighed taking a step up the stairs to the front door, "hopefully they will be."