Hunted

Chapter 6: Unanswered Questions

Picture of Ryan

*****

I woke to the sunrise of the next morning. As I got up, I walked over to my bedroom window. It was late September and the sun was scorching the pavement. The heat seemed to be radiating off the ground in waves as the sun rose above the world.

I had decided last night that I was imagining something wrong about this house. I just needed to see something new for a change, so I grabbed my bag and snuck down the stairs. It didn't sound like anyone was awake yet, so I easily snuck out the front door.

I shut the door, silently hearing the click.

"Morning," I immediately spun around to the voice that had caused me to jump.

A goofy looking boy stood right behind me, grinning from ear to ear. His dimples swallowed his freckly face. He was much taller than my short stature and had a mop of golden hair on his head.

"Hi," I said, unsure of whom he was and why he was standing on the doormat, "um... who are you?"

"I'm Ryan, your neighbor," he replies, still smiling with all his pearly white teeth, "The moving vans were here last week, and I saw you pull up yesterday morning. Since it was so early when you got here, I figured you for a morning person. So I made sure to get up early so I could meet my new neighbor and introduce myself. What's your name?" Ryan rambled. He seemed to be a bit nervous talking to me, but hid it well with that smile and lots of words.

He mentioned that the moving vans just came last week, so Ben was lying when he said two weeks ago. Why would the time matter?

"I'm Silver," I replied, trying my best to come across as friendly. It wasn't really my best subject, "Um... you are right I am a morning person and we did just move in," I said, covering everything that was previously in question.

"Well Silver, it is very nice to meet you. I hope your family likes the house. It was built only a few months ago, so it should be fairly nice. Are you going to school tomorrow?"

The question through me off guard. I knew I would have to start school soon, I just didn't realize that it was so close, "I think so. I would have to check with my uncle," I guessed at the answer.

"Well that's good. If you are going, just stop by in the morning and I'll give you a ride," Ryan offered.

"That sounds great, thank you," I told him, "I should probably go back inside and finish unpacking. Bye Ryan." I turned around and left him standing there. He tried to say bye but I was way past gone.

Always moving around and changing identities made it hard for me to make friends, and I usually pushed away anyone who tried. It was easier to stay invisible if no one knew your name or who you were. Ryan was trying to be friends and I just didn't know if I could let myself be normal. So I ran and shut him out, then went to my room. There was nothing more I could do at the moment anyway, so I crawled back into bed.

There were still many questioned I had after Ryan told me about the vans. Why had the Jones's moved? Were they running too? Why were they being secretive at dinner? The biggest question of all was why did everyone try to come off as normal, when there was obviously something being swept under the rug?

*****
When I woke up again, my clock said 11:20. I didn't even realize it had gotten so late. I slipped out of bed again-still in the clothes I had put on this morning- and walked out of my room. The house was still strangely quiet. If a pin dropped, I have no doubt that I would hear it.

I walked into the kitchen and it was empty.

"Hello? Anyone home?" I called out. No answer came, no reply other than silence.