Chap #3
I was putting my last couple of shirts in my loft dresser, when suddenly Linda called for us to come down and help with dinner.
Ace told her we'd be right there, while we both changed out of our old clothes and slipped on some sweat pants and a plain T-shirt.
We ran down the stairs just in time to have Linda give us orders.
"Liesl, grate the cheese, Ace, peel the potatoes, Chris get your hand out of the cookie jar and stir the stew!"
Ace and I both gave a short nod then went to go wash our hands.
I sat down at the table with a cheese grater in one hand and a block of cheddar in the other.
Ace, was sitting next to me with a peeler in one hand, while peeling a potato, that was held firmly in the other.
After we helped with that, we started mashing the potatoes and then cooking it. When it was cooked I slowly added cheese to them making both of our stomachs groan, while Linda just laughed and showed us some other cooking tricks.
Soon after we set the table, Mr. Johnston stepped through the front door in business suit and a warm smile on his face.
Apparently he owned a very wealthy high end company, that would soon be handed down to his son, who was supposed to be here any minute.
Dinner wasn't quite ready yet, so after saying a hello and he was glad to have Ace and I here, he went to go take a shower and get into more comfortable clothes. Linda then told us to go out and look around the property while dinner was cooking. We agreed then went upstairs to get some cheap UGG boots that we got from Walmart on. We then ran downstairs and out the door.
Racing to the property line which was probably three miles or so away, Ace and I tied in our race, then decided to walk back instead of run. We walked the line in a peaceful silence. Just thinking to ourselves. But soon it wasn't as peaceful as we hoped it to be. The thoughts of our past started running through our heads and the tears threatened to spill. But I wouldn't let them, I knew Ace felt the same way. Because we both stopped at a fence that kept some horses encased so they wouldn't run away.
"How long do you think they'll keep the questions in?" She asked quietly, not explaining what she was thinking, yet I we exactly what she was worrying about.
"I don't know, hopefully a long time." I spoke. I didn't talk to anyone but Ace. She was the only one I could trust with my words. It probably sounds stupid, but after what happened, trusting wasn't an option.
She nodded thinking back to that horrible night.
(flashback)
"Ace! Get back here! I know you stole my gum!!!" I yelled playfully as I looked up at Ace who was in a tree chewing MY gum!
"Psh, I don't know what you're talking about!" She exclaimed.
"Well anyways, we should get back to the party, I doubt our parents will be happy with us if they found out going to get some fresh air, meant climbing in trees with these stupid dresses on..." I said with a scared expression.
"Yeah..." Ace replied with the same look I was giving.
We raced to the house when suddenly, we saw the most horrific thing in our lives.
The house was on fire.
I screamed, running straight to the door busting it open, only to have the fire roar in my face and fly towards me, but Ace pushed me to the ground so we wouldn't get burnt.
Just from outside we could hear the blood curdling screams of our loved ones while they were consumed in the blazing fire. We scream for them to come out but they couldn't, the fire was guarding the escapes too well for them to leave.
We yelled and scream and cried for help, only to have the fire trucks and police to come too late. The cries had already faded into the breeze of the smoke infested wind, and the house was already a pile of ashes and the burnt, dead, rotting bodies of our families. The air was thick with the scent of raw flesh and burnt grass.
We sat on the dirty ground with tears streaming down our faces to the forest floor. Letting the traumatic experience sink deep into our brains. Leaving a scar that covered our hearts.
We didn't have any other relatives, and we wouldn't let them separate us. So they told us my mom's old friend who lived up in a small town in New York, offered for us to come live with her till it was time for us to get a place of our own. So we did. We drove, and drove, and drove, from Texas to the Catskills of New York.
But no matter how far we went, the memory stayed written deep in our minds, and hearts.
As soon as we got the results of the fire back from the police, we were so shocked it hurt. They said it was from the outside of the structure. There were gasoline tanks and blow torches littered around the scene. The fire was so bad, they couldn't get finger prints.
That night, Ace and I promised each other, we'd find the person who ruined our lives.
We'd find the person who took everything away from us.
(End of flashback)
