The Vacant Truth

Annabelle

I stare at the blank paper at my computer screen wondering what to write next. I have been so busy trying to figure out who killed Molly that I almost forgot to do my homework assignments. I have an essay due in Language Arts and a worksheet to do for Math and Science. For some reason even though I used to be able to write essays at the snap of a finger my mind goes blank at what I should write for this one. My Language Arts teacher wants me to write an essay on what point the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet was trying to pull across. I shut my computer and run downstairs and try to see if maybe getting my mind off of it will help. I open the cabinet and take out the box with the stored junk food in it. I take out a couple of bags of lays chips knowing that I will regret eating these later. I am about to open it when my phone beeps. I put the bag of chips down on the kitchen counter and look at it.

Eve- Can you come over to my house?

I stare at it surprised, even though I've seen her house dozens of times I've never been inside.

Annabelle- Sure

I get car keys from my kitchen draw and make my way over to Eve's house. It was a familiar short route to get to her house. I picked Eve up many times for different reasons. Sometimes I was driving her to school when Wyatt couldn't, other times it was driving her to times when all of us would hang out. Most of the time we would hang out at one of our houses, except for Eve's and Melody's, or Rosa's diner. Rosa's diner was a diner run by Wyatt's family and they had the best roast beef sandwiches and hot chocolate.

I pull into Eve's driveway and I watch her run out the door covered in some sort of red sauce with panic on her face.

"Thank god you're here," She says grabbing my arm and beginning to drag me into her house. The minute I walk in my jaw drops in shock, a mess covers the floor and there is that red stuff that is on Eve covering all of the walls.

"There is something I have never told you." Eve says starting to search through her house.

"I figured," I said looking around even though I didn't know what I was looking for.

"My dad is always on business trips, he hasn't been the same since my mom died and he uses work as an excuse to get away from us. I have been taking care of my four younger siblings since I was thirteen years old. He's gone right now and I'm losing it. I can't handle them all on my own right now and Wyatt isn't picking up so I thought of you. You have always been good with kids I thought you could help." She walks into one last room before turning to me. "They must be in the basement."

She takes off towards what must be the basement and I follow her. The closer I get to the door to the basement the louder the voices in the basement and I am surprised that I couldn't hear the yelling before. We open the door that opens up into the basement and immediately I get hit in the face with a nerf dart. Sorry I hear a little boy say before I hear a war cry and get tackled.

"So you're one of Eve's friends." Says what looks to be a thirteen year old boy.

"Yes, I'm Annabelle and I would really appreciate if you were to get off of me."

"Oh yeah." he says rolling off of me.

"Everybody freeze." I yell at the scene in front of me Eve's siblings going to war on each other.

Her younger sister and youngest brother stop but one of them continues and shoots a paintball at Eve. And then he drops the gun with his only explanation being a shrug and an "opps".

"Okay everyone I am Annabelle and if you listen to me I might make you a cake." I say and they all straighten up. Works everytime.

"Now I need you to get cleaning and when you are done i will start on that cake. Go!" I yell and they all scramble to clean up the huge mess they made.

An hour and a half the kids are sitting in the living room watching a disney movie and Eve and I are putting the red velvet cake into the oven.

"Where did you learn to bake cake, I thought your mom was a health freak."

Eve says eating a chocolate bar.

"My dad's a cook." I say.

"Oh yeah." she says walking into the now clean living room to watch the Disney movie Aladin.

Eve's thirteen year old brother, who I learned was named Mike, was watching a video on his phone. I looked over his shoulder to see a video that seemed to have been taking by a phone at a party. There are drunk teens acting like idiots and loud music.

"What you watching?" I ask him.

"Just this video of a party that my friend sent me." Mike says and I continue watching.

My eyes widen when I think I see something, "Is that Molly Ramsey over there."

"Hmmm, yeah I guess it is." I keep my eyes trained on her and what looks like Brooke laughing with some people.

I watch as Molly kisses Noah, I watch as someone brushes past her and puts something in her drink, and I watch as she leans onto Brooke clumsy and pale and tells her that they need to leave. I pale and I turn over to Mike and give him a smile.

"Is there anyway you could send me that video?" I ask him coming to the realization of what's on that video and what it could be.

"Yeah sure what's your phone number." I type my phone number into his phone and then watch him send that video to me.

I think I know what happened to Molly.