The Changed

Josie

Chapter 32

She woke with a start. Something was wrong. No, everything was wrong. She looked around and took in her surroundings. She was back home, in Texas. She fell asleep on her couch, which she never does. It was brown leather, and would stick to her skin at night. Their old box TV was turned off, and her father always had the TV on. He liked to listen to it, and it was never off.

Josie stood up immediately. The hardwood floors were... sticky. Her mom was always cleaning or cooking, never taking a break. It was one thing that had always worried Josie. The feeling that her mother would work herself to death. But at least the house would always smell incredible. The thought made her smile. But only for a second. It didn't smell good. In fact, it smelled like smoke.

Josie started to freak out. She ran around the house, looking for her mother or father, but no one was there. She ran into her room, where she always kept a phone in case of emergencies. Her parents didn't know about it. They always hated the idea of her having a phone. Josie began to type in her mothers number.

The phone rang as it searched for her Mom's phone. But it went straight to voicemail. A designated user voicemail. "Josie Robbins. Yes, we took your parents. And if you want them back, you are going to listen to every word we say. If you look in your closet, you will find a briefcase. In that briefcase the are two sheathed knives. You are going to take those knives, but leave the briefcase. Then, you are going to leave the house. Never come back. Not even with your parents. Goodbye."

That was the end of the voicemail. It cut off sharply and Josie was left to sit there. Her parents were gone. Why would anyone want her. She was a ballet dancer from texas. Her parents retired when her grandfather died. She guessed it was something she would have to find out.

Josie stood up from where she sat and walked over to the closet. She opened the sticky sliding door and picked up the briefcase. It was heavier than expected, so knives weren't the only thing in there. She had an idea of what was in there though,

Josie put the briefcase down on her bed and left the room. The one thing her father did have was a vault. That vault was filled with emergency supplies. Her father had never let her near the vault, but he did tell her how to get in. She walked into her parents room where the vault was kept. It was about a foot large, nothing big. But she typed in the numbers on the keypad. There were ten of them, so know one would never be able to guess the code before her father found out.

She was satisfied when the safe clicked, and opened. It wasn't what she expected.Her father had said the safe held everything she would ever need if she got into trouble like this. But the only thing in there was a key. Her father was smart, a genius even, but this? This was stupid.

She took the key out of the safe, looking at it, wondering. Then something clicked. The kitchen always had a strange hole in the wall. If you put your hand over the hole, it would seem to blow on your hand, as if there was something on the other side of the wall.

Josie left her parents room and started to walk into the kitchen, The house felt so empty. It felt so dark. Her parents were always by her side, and now they were gone. Whoever these people were, they were going to regret it. Even if she was just a ballet dancer. And she couldn't wait.

When Josie walked into the kitchen, she found the hole in the wall. It was by the fridge, hidden by the backsplash. She put the key in the hole and turned. The paint around the hole began to fall of as the key turned. There was a hiss as the wall began to fold back. It was like in the Harry Potter movie, when the brick wall folded in on itself. But this was no movie.

But it wasn't the door that surprised Josie. It was what was behind it. An entire room was lit up with bright lights. There was an entire wall of guns and knives. In the center of the room was a black sports car. Josie didn't know much about cars, but even she could tell this one wasn't your average floor model. She recognized the symbol on the back of the car. Acura NSX.

"Josie." She jumped as she heard her father's voice. "If you are in hear, than we are in trouble. They will be coming after you. Wanting to control you. Don't let that happen. Listen to them at the beginning. Take the knives. I need you to do something for me. I need you to find Rose. I need you to find your sister. It's a long story, but she is 2 years older than you. She should be in Georgia. Go find her. There Is a last known address in the car, start there. Josie, one more thing." He said stopping for the first time. She heard her father's voice crack. "Josie, I love you. Never forget that. Get the knives, get the car, never come back."

Josie listened to her father and went back into her room. She opened the briefcase and grabbed the two sheathed knives. They were too light in her hand. But she didn't have time to think about that. Especially if what she thinks is about to happen... happens.

Josie ran back to the car, trying to keep it together. She had just gotten her driver's permit, but she was already pretty great at it. When she got in the car, she found the keys in the ignition. She grabbed the keys and started the engine. It seemed to growl. As the car started, the house began to open up. Like the other door, the house seemed to fold on itself.

Josie gunned the car out of the house, getting out of there as fast as she can. But she only drove a quarter mile away from her house. It was isolated, no one else lived within the mile. So it was only her, looking at her house for the last time. The last time it would ever stand.

The bomb 'hidden' in the briefcase went off and took Josie's home with it. She couldn't handle it anymore. She broke down and cut the engine as the tears rolled off her face.