Rise (Colton Dixon)

Prologue

Alexis

It's very late, but I'm still awake.

I have to be in bed anyway, though, because Nana is strict about bedtime.

I don't like going to bed before Mommy and Daddy are home. But I have to anyway.

I don't go to sleep, though. I make myself stay awake until they're home, because then they'll come in, and kiss me goodnight, and then I sleep better. Everything is better when you have a goodnight kiss.

I hear people on the porch downstairs, and I feel excitement run through me. They're home! I wiggle in bed, trying to let out my excited energy.

There's loud pounding on the door. Daddy must have left his key here again. He sometimes does that, cause he's silly. But Nana will let him in. She always does.

I hear her pass my room and go downstairs. They're almost here!

The door squeaks when you open it, really, really loudly. I hear it from up here. I hear voices. They don't sound like Mommy and Daddy.

I just want to see them. When Mommy's here, Nana doesn't scold me anyway, so I can get up. They'll like it if I come to see them.

I slip out of bed and place my feet in my warm slippers. I grab my little ladybug robe on the way out of my room, just so I don't get chills. Nana says it'll make me sick if I get chills.

I try to be quiet while I go downstairs. I want to surprise Mommy and Daddy.

"What are you doing here in the middle of the night?" Nana sounds alarmed.

"This is the home of Margaret and Jared Greggors, correct?" says a voice I don't know.

I pad down the hall and peek around the corner as Nana affirms the question.

She's standing in her own robe, just inside the door, which is closed now. Three men in blue uniforms are there. The one she's talking to looks about Daddy's age, with nice eyes and a kind face. The other two are young men, handsome and nice-looking. I think they're police. I've always wanted to meet a police.

"And who are you?" the oldest man asks.

"I'm their child's nanny, now what is this about?"

The oldest man sighs. "I'm sorry to tell you this, Ma'am, but Jared Greggors is in jail. We took him in earlier tonight. He was caught with large amounts of illegal drugs in his car, and he was selling it to a minor. He and Margaret were both intoxicated... We're waiting on the results of what exactly they wete intoxicated with."

"What?" Nana's voice comes out a whisper. "Why would he do that?"

Who are Jared and Margret? There's not one named that that lives here. It's just me, Mommy, Daddy, and Nana. Jared must be a bad man, if he's in jail. We don't have any bad men here.

"Upon interrogation, he told us he lost his job six months ago and has been selling drugs as his source of income," one of the younger policemen explains.

"That's not possible!" I can see Nana shaking. "It can't be!"

"I'm sorry, Ma'am," the leader policeman says.

He's a nice man. But I still don't know why he's at my house. And I don't know where Mommy and Daddy are.

I step out of my hiding place and cross the room to tug on Nana's robe.

"Where are Mommy and Daddy, Nana?"

She looks down at me sharply, and for a second I'm afraid she'll yell at me. But she doesn't look mad. She looks alarmed.