Incessant Calling

~Chapter Two: Hiding The Lie~

           I grab onto the door handle as we hit a pothole in the road. The windows are down, and my long side bangs are blowing across my face. We had left the library about ten minutes ago, and I dreaded having to answer the question that was bound to come up any minute now.

Should I tell them the truth?

 "So," Kitty asked, "who did we just rescue you from Brooke?"

She's right, they did just rescue me. I have to tell them, I can't lie now. "Well... No one was stalking me, my family just got kidnapped, and ... and I have no idea why," I answer timidly. Regaining my voice, I tell them everything that has happened in the past two hours. By the end I almost break down and cry.

"Wow," Kitty says. Abruptly, she turns a hard right.

I take a sharp breath. My head slams against her seat from the force of it, and in the back seat Cole's books almost fly out the window. He stops them just in time. Getting up slowly, I look out the windshield to find that a tree blocks half of the road.

 "Sorry," says Kitty, "forgot that was there." We continue down the bumpy, gravel road.

"You would think," Cole says, coughing on some dust. I roll up my window. "You would think she'd remember almost crashing into it on the way out of here, and make sure not to hit it coming back!" He finishes.

 "I didn't hit the tree," Kitty retorts, "just narrowly missed it."

 "Twice," adds Cole.

           "At least it won't happen thrice," Kitty laughs, her strawberry blond hair catches the light. At eighteen, she is much prettier than I am.

"Are you okay Brooke?" She asks.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I say, "that wasn't as bad as having to ride with Zach during his driving lessons!" I fake a smile, and hope they don't notice that really I'm falling to pieces inside. Just mentioning my brother makes me ache.

"Are you..." Cole starts to ask, but hesitates.

"Am I what?" I ask him, turning around.

"Are you the only one who ... escaped," he finishes. I swallow hard and take deep breath.

 "As far as I know. I'm not even sure they're alive," I say slowly.

"Cole, I don't think we should ask her any more questions about the subject," Kitty says, giving him a warning look.

"No, it's okay," I say hurriedly, "I'm glad you know. Talking about it kind of helps me make sense of it all," I add.

"You sure?" she asks me. I nod. "Okay then," Kitty replies, "as long as you don't mind."

"We're here," Cole yells as he opens the door and jumps out, while the truck is still moving!

 "Cole!" Kitty exclaims, "you know I hate it when you do that, you could get hurt!"

 "But I didn't sis," he grins, his blue eyes dancing.

"Mom, Dad, we're home," Cole pants as he stumbles into the driveway. I am a bit nervous to meet their parents for the first time under such circumstances.

"Kids, you're back!" I heard a voice with a slight Southern accent say, "how was the library?"

"Mom, we've brought company," said Kitty. I climb out of the car.

 "Oh, who's your friend?" Mrs. Richardson asks, looking in my direction.

"Mom, this is..." Kitty starts, but I interrupt.