Chapter one: The Change
I was sitting at the kitchen table doing my homework, and absentmindedly chewing on a pencil when my mother's phone started ringing. She was in the other room, so I quickly ran into her bedroom and threw her the phone before the second ring. She was a little wary because the number was blocked and that normally meant a solicitor or a prank call, but decided to pick it up anyways.
“Hello?” My mother spoke softly into the phone's speaker.
The other line was muffled but a voice stated “Henry Hollins is dead. You will never know who or why, but he was killed in cold blood".
I scoffed, because this was obviously a prank call from an angry teenager. My dad was a big guy and intimidated many people, including teenagers to do the right thing.
My mother hung up the phone, and searched through her contact list for my dad’s best friend Matt. My father had left yesterday for a week long fishing trip with Matt up in Michigan. He had left his charger, and called my mom yesterday to tell her he was fine, but wouldn't be able to talk much through out the week.
The phone rang three times before Matt picked up the phone and sounded bemused “Long time no talk Mary!” he said.
My mother quickly exclaimed “Matt, I received a strange phone call and I am sure that it was just a prank call, but in any case I am a bit rattled... and well, I need to speak with Henry at once.”
Matt chucked “Mary, you worry way too much! You know it’s probably a kid from the edge of town with an attitude problem. Henry went out a couple hours ago on one of his excursions, but he will be back in a couple of hours. I will call you back the minute he gets home.”
He hung up the phone before my mother could mutter a sullen good bye.
She sighed and then said to me, "Hailey you are probably right. Matt didn't sound the least bit concerned, and I am sure your father will call me this evening.
As the hours ticked by, you could see the worry slowly spread across my mother’s face. I was slightly concerned, but I knew that my father loved his excursions and he probably decided to camp out till the morning.
I decided to call it a night around ten o'clock, when I suddenly heard the doorbell ring. This was very unusual for us, because we didn't get many visitors in the daytime let alone in the dead of the night.
My mother had rushed to the door as i was climbing out of my bed. “Yes?” She spoke hurriedly while looking through the peephole.
The voice on the other side said “M’am I am Detective Evans, and I have an urgent message to get across to you.”
Already fearing the worst, she opened the door and began to cry. Her fears were affirmed as the gruff detective slowly spoke.
“M’am, I am sorry to be the one to tell you this, but Henry Hollins is dead. We have reports that he was mauled by a large animal, presumably a large bear.” The police officer solemnly looked down at the floor trying to avoid my mothers grief stricken eyes.
My mother was inconsolable in those next few minutes. She was wailing and screaming and thrashing about. The police officer stepped inside the house in an attempt to calm her down. He put his hand on her shoulder, but she threw it off and ran across the hall into her bedroom. Both the police officer and I could hear my mother breaking furniture and glass while sobbing about how she would rather take her own life than live a day without her sweet Henry.
The officer looked at me with pity in his eyes “Do you have anywhere else you could be tonight? Your mother is going through a tough time, and I feel it's best that she be admitted for a 24 hour watch. This is to protect both you and your mother.”
The officer didn’t know how cruel his words sounded. Just a couple hours ago, I had a perfectly normal life, and now he was treating me like I was an Orphan. Not wanting to be home alone, I called my friend Jenna tears rolling down my face “Can I stay at yours tonight, something happened to my dad and I am very scared and feel very lonely.”
As I gathered my stuff in a small duffel, I noticed a hand written letter by the front porch.
"My dear Hailey,
Not everything you hear is the truth.
You have many gifts that you have yet to discover.
Those gifts will reveal the truth, but you have to be careful.
Trust no one, be safe, and the journey wlll reveal itself to you.
Love always,
HH
