Everything Has Changed (An R5 Mystery Fanfiction)

Chapter 10

          What I found when I opened the door was definitely not what I was expecting. The house looked like a tornado had blown through it. The windows were all smashed in on the side of the house and our furniture was turned over on the floor. I stepped on a piece of broken glass and winced. I looked down to see my mom’s favorite lamp smashed into pieces on the floor. What the heck happened in here? I began to get nervous because it seemed like a robbery had happened. I immediately went up the stairs as fast as I could to see the same thing on the upper floor. My mother was nowhere to be seen. I checked her drawers quickly to see if the robber had taken her jewelry but it was all still there.

            “What…?” I muttered, confused.

            Then, I saw something that scared me the most. A big jagged red swirl shape was carved onto her bedroom wall, going from one side of the room to the other. Red spray paint was splattered around the edges for an even creepier effect. The Red Revenge had been here. And, they didn’t want my mom. They were looking for me. Though, I still don’t know why. What did I do that I counted as being a victim of a criminal gang known for revenge on people who wronged them? I didn’t do anything! I was just 16 year old Aspen. Not anything special. All of a sudden, I heard a quiet and muffled voice call my name.

              “Aspen?”

            I whipped my head around and followed the voice to our guest bedroom closet. The doors were bolted shut with some kind of electric lock that shocked you when you touched it.  Not knowing what to do, I called out to the person.

                  “Who’s there?” I said cautiously.

            “It’s me, honey. Whatever you do, don’t touch the door. It’s charged with thousands of volts of electricity!” my mother’s voice rang out, tinged with a sad desperation.

              “But I have to get you out!” I told her.

            “No! I can’t let you get hurt again. Please, Aspen. I know I’ve been such a bad mother to you these past few years and I only blame myself. Just leave me here to die. I deserve it.” She told me through the door, almost breaking down.

            “This is no time for a family meeting, Mom. I’m not letting you die! Now, how do you open this thing? You have to have heard something!” I asked, desperately.

            “Well, the guy said you needed a special pair of pliers but I’m pretty sure he took them with him.” She said.

            “Who did this to you, Mom? What did he look like?” I asked.

            “There were three of them. One was older and I heard them call him Jace.” She said, then paused.

              Jace. The guy at the grocery store with Ross.

            “Then, there was another older man and the last one…well, that’s the weird part.” She paused again.

               “Yeah?” I said, my heart beating quickly.

            “He was a teenage boy. Probably the same age as you! Blonde, tall, very cute. He was different than the rest of them…more sympathetic. But, the others forced him to tie me up. He did look at me funny like he recognized me or something. I think he also took the pliers.” She recalled.

            Ross took the pliers. I had to go and get them back no matter the cost.

            “Mom, stay here! I can get those pliers for you, ok? Just hold on. I promise I’ll be right back and get you out of here.” I tell her and then rush out the room.

            I hear her call: “Honey, wait! How do you know how to get those pliers!? Do you know the boy?”

            Oh, I knew him alright. All too well.