April

Chapter Nine: The Black-Eyed Children

"She's probably playing a prank. Go do something with your life," Hazel's mother groaned, waving her daughter away carelessly. She was lying on her bed, watching a Lifetime movie and eating candy out of a Target bag. 

"But Mom, she's missing. She's been missing for a week," Hazel snapped, losing her calm with her mother and refusing to be dismissed when her sister was possibly kidnapped. "For all you know she's not even in the country anymore!" She exclaimed, waving her arms around wildly to emphasize her words.

Her mother didn't even bat an eye. She continued watching her movie without a word. "Fine." Hazel huffed, turning around and slamming the door. "I'm so done with this." 

"Don't worry...." a high pitched voice sounded from down the hall. Suddenly, the lights flickered off and Hazel felt a presence right next to her. "Don't worry..." the voice repeated, closer this time. A single light turned on, revealing a young girl. Hazel recognized her as one of the children at the picnic table from days earlier. Her eyes were black and looked like just eye sockets rather than eyes. "Do... do you see?" Hazel suddenly asked, staring at the pits where the girl's eyes should be.

"Of course not. But I have a sense. I can't see you, but I can see you!" She giggled, swaying from side to side while she did so. "Who are you? May I ask.." Hazel whispered, locked in her spot in the hall, unsure of what to do.

"I'm Jay! At least, that's what they call me..." The girl said, her voice growing quieter with every word. She almost sounded confused, as if she wasn't sure if that was her name at all. "Jay..." Hazel nodded, looking past the child and staring off in thought.

Jay sat down in the hallway and placed her hands in her lap. "I can help you find your sister, you know. I know where she is, I can let you speak to her," she smiled before narrowing her eye sockets and flashing perfectly white teeth. "Really?!" Hazel exclaimed, looking excited. 

"Don't trust her..." a faint whisper sounded. 

April stood next to her sister, giving her a pleading look before flashing a glare in Jay's direction. Hazel was still staring off, and Jay took that as an opportunity to dangle the silver necklace in front of April's face and stick her tongue out immaturely. 

"Stop it!" April exclaimed, glaring at the younger girl.

"Stop it!" Jay mimicked, giggling. "July! Stop!" April shouted, balling her fists in anger. "April! No!" Jay grinned, enjoying what she was doing.

Trying her hardest to ignore the girl, April waved a hand in front of Hazel's face, but nothing happened. "Don't trust her."

"Don't trust her..." The voice said again. Hazel felt nervous and confused, so she hesitantly stepped around Jay, who still sat on the floor, and walked outside, eager to escape her toxic household. There, she was met by Eric, who was standing with his hand raised to the doorbell.

"Oh! Hazel!" He laughed lightly. "I was just about to knock! I know you don't particularly like me... but I brought someone you do like!" He exclaimed, gesturing toward the garage, where a tired looking Dylan resided. "Yo," he nodded, lifting a hand to his friend.

"What are you guys doing here?" Hazel asked, crossing her arms over her chest and raising at eyebrow. "We want to help find April," Eric explained, walking over to Dylan and sitting in the chair next to him.

"Ooh a search squad!" The voice of a young boy giggled from beside Hazel. When she turned around, Jay was standing behind her, with a dark-haired boy next to her. Like Jay, the boy's eyes weren't there. Instead, there were black sockets, and a dark red liquid was making an appearance from the rims. It was he who spoke.

Speechless, Hazel took a step back and tripped over the step on the ground. Jay giggled, but Eric and Dylan fixed her with concerned looks. "You...okay?" Eric asked. Jay and the boy stared at the boys for a moment before turning back to Hazel.

"I don't like being ignored." The strange boy took a step forward, the crimson around his eyes turning into drips, ones that ran down his cheek as if he was crying. Jay's right eye did the same, but she narrowed her own eye sockets in anger. "Don't ignore him!" She screamed, her voice suddenly high pitched and not sounding human.

Looking from Dylan to Jay, Hazel widened her eyes when she realized it. The boys couldn't see the children. Only she could. 

"We will never go away. Do not ignore us!" The boy said softly, stepping forward and tilting his head to the side, making him look a thousand times more terrifying than he already looked.

"Don't talk to them. They'll never go away..." The voice Hazel heard earlier whispered, disappearing in the breeze just as quickly as it arrived.

"We'll be back." Jay huffed before snapping her fingers and disappearing, as if she'd never been there in the first place, taking the mysterious boy with her. "Did you guys see that?!" Hazel exclaimed, turning towards Dylan and Eric. "See what?" The boys said at the same time. But when Hazel looked at them, they were different. They, too, had no eyes.

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205 reads!! Oh my gosh!! 353 in Mystery/Thriller!!!! OH MY GOSH. Thanks everyone! I'm so happy with the reads and the feedback I've gotten so far! All critiques are highly appreciated, for the spelling/grammar police out there;)

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~A D R I A N A