Plans

Chapter 3

The whole way home we didn't say a word to each other. Fern didn't even look at me until we got home but the only reason she did look at me was because of mom.

"Where have you two been?" Mom screamed as soon as I shut the door behind me. "I thought I told you not to leave your room other than for school and to eat!"

"But I was eating, Mom. We went to the pizza parlor after school so I wasn't even breaking the rules." I said, knowing that it would probably just get me in even more trouble.

"That's it Rose! You are to go up to your room at this very instant! You will not be allowed to leave other than to go to school! I will be picking you up from school at exactly 3 and you better not be a minute late! This will be happening for the next 6 months!" Mom shouted at me.

I went upstairs then decided to just wait at the top of the stairs for Fern. Then I heard mom yelling at her too.

"Why did you agree to go to the pizza parlor with your sister? You knew she was grounded!"

"It was important mom. She needed to talk to me." Fern muttered.

"What did she talk to you about? Why couldn't she talk to you at lunch?" Mom demanded.

"We talked about Lily. She killed herself Mom. Lily killed herself so it would be easier for her to kill us." Fern said.

"Why do you believe that? Why do you and Rose keep insisting that Lily was so evil? She couldn't have known that it would be easier for her to kill us if she was dead? How is that even possible?"

"I believe it because Lily told me that she wanted to do it. She told me when she was only eight. We keep insisting that she did it because she was found on her bedroom floor with a slit throat and a knife in her stomach. I have no idea why she thought it would be easier but I guess she had enough proof that it would be because she killed herself so if it didn't work, she kind of has no way to kill us anymore and I know she would never give that up. She would do anything to kill us, even if it meant killing herself." Fern explained.

"How could you remember that if she told you when she was eight? You were only three!" Mom questioned, obviously trying to find some excuse to make the fact that Lily killed herself not true. "Never mind. Just go to your room. You are grounded just like Rose."

"But Mom-" Fern started to say but was quickly cut off.

"I said go to your room!" Mom screeched and the I heard Fern quickly running to the stairs where I was at.

When Fern saw me, she immediately stopped in her tracks and tilted her head to the side, looking at me. Then, she motioned for me to follow her into her room and once we were there, she shut the door and locked it behind us.

"That's why we're not bringing Mom and Dad, isn't it." She whispered. "Because they never believed you and now they won't ever believe me again either."

"Yes. We need to start packing." I whispered back, grabbing her travel bag out of her closet. "Pack 3 shirts, a pair of jeans, a pair of shorts, a sweatshirt and some leggings or something you can wear under your jeans in case it gets cold."

Fern started grabbing each clothing item as I listed them off. Then I grabbed her backpack and dumped all of its contents on the floor.

"What are you doing?" Fern whisper-screamed.

"You need someplace to keep your money and some food and a blanket. You might as well put anything you think you will really miss in here too. Put all of your money in this. Do not forget a penny, we will end up needing it all." I told her, shoving the backpack into her and unlocking her bedroom door. "I'm going to pack my stuff. Lock your door behind me. I will be back at midnight so we can leave. We will pack some food then. Have everything ready to go just in case I come earlier. I need a key to your door so I can get in when it is time to go."

Fern went to her desk and opened a drawer, quickly pushing papers out of the way until she found the small bronze key that went with her door. As soon as she handed it to me, I left and waited outside her door until I heard the click from the lock and then I went to my room to pack.