Falling to Pieces

Chapter Six

When we eventually arrive at Nicki's house, I notice something... different. It just feels different. I can't describe it. All I know is that I don't like it.

We ring the doorbell and wait.

No answer.

The door isn't being answered, just like her phone. "I told you," I say. "No one's here." I look around, studying the details of her house, finding things I didn't notice before.

The house is painted a creamy white color. There's a bay window on the left side of the home, which is something I've always loved. It has a wrap-around porch, too. A stone walkway leads up to it.

Christian hasn't spoken. He's staring at the ground.

"Nice view?" I ask. He shakes his head slightly and raises it.

"I don't like this," he responds. "Something's wrong."

"I know," I tell him. "I noticed that a while ago."

I go to turn the doorknob and end up opening the door.

"Why is it unlocked?"

I shrug my shoulders, not knowing either. I take the first step in and realize someone has been here.

"Wow, they trashed this place," Christian states. "Either Sophie and Nicki or the police."

"Yeah." I look at the pillows and blankets scattered across the room. "I'd say it was the police."

We look through the whole house, occasionally calling Nicki's name. When we come across the bedrooms, I walk into her room. Bedsheets and shorts lay on the floor. I don't really know how to feel about that.

Her pink backpack sits on the dark hardwood floor at the foot of her bed. Pictures are taped to the white walls, some from years ago and some from more recently. I walk across the fuzzy blue rug, remembering being obsessed with it when I was younger. I spot some folded papers on her white dresser. I'm hesitant to touch them, at first, because I feel like they're personal. But then there's the fact that these papers could help me figure out what's going on.  I pick up the one closest to me, a lined piece of paper with three holes punched in it on the left side and red margins, neatly folded in half. I slowly open it, which reveals a message in her handwriting. With a date on top of it. Yesterday.

Christian walks into the room and looks at me. I don't read it aloud, though. Just in my head.

If you find this. Mom, Dad, whoever... you probably have noticed I'm not here. Well, Sophie and I left. We couldn't bear the fact that you guys (Mom & Dad)... abused Dan. And you're gone. We don't feel safe anymore. We never did, really, but now it's just... scary. Of course, I'm not going to say where we are. But that's why we left.

-Nicki

"No," I say softly.

"What?" Christian asks. "What is that?"

"It's... a note. From Nicki. They're gone. And left no sign of where they are." I let out a sigh and hand him the paper.

He reads it and then looks at me worriedly. "I..." He stops.

I know how he feels about Nicki. He knows how I feel. "What should we do?"

He stares at the paper, his hands slightly shaking. "I don't know."

"Let's look for them," I suggest.

"They could be anywhere. They could have gone as far as taking a plane somewhere," Christian brings up.

We both sigh.

Eventually, I get tired of doing nothing. "You try calling her."

He gulps.

"What?"

"I don't have her number," he replies glumly.

"Oh." I pull out my phone. "I'll tell you the number. You dial it. Maybe she'll answer you." I read her number to him, and he adds it to his contacts. Then calls her.

No answer.

"Alright. I'll call... again." I call her eagerly, desperate for an answer.

And I get one.

She picks up only seconds before I'm about to cancel the call.

"Don't call again... you have him, don't you?" It's Sophie's voice.

"No, no, Sophie it's me. Dan. What are you talking about?" I reply.

"Dan?" Her voice is less tense. "Dan, we--  they're there, aren't they? Did they make you call us? So you can get our location and tell them, and then they won't hurt you as bad?"

"No!" I don't want them to hang up. I need to find them. "I promise, they're not here. I wouldn't do that."

My mom was wrong. They couldn't have 'teamed up' with their parents.

"I don't know," she sighs. "Some random number with the same area code called like a minute ago." Christian coughs. "Who's with you?"

"That was Christian. He's with me. You wouldn't pick up before, so I gave him Nicki's number and he called," I explain. Christian speaks into the phone, "Hey."

Sophie brightens up. "Kay. I'll add his number in for Nicki. Anyways, I wasn't answering because I thought it was... them. Not you."

"Where's Nicki? What do you mean, you weren't answering? It's her phone," I say.

"Uhh.." She stutters. But then she steadies herself. "I'm in charge of the phones."

This bothers me. "Please let me talk to Nicki."

"I-- I can't let you do that," Sophie informs me.

"Yes, you can let me do that. You just don't want to. Why? Where is she?" I question sharply.

Sophie gulps. "I'll call you back later."

"No," I say firmly. "Where are you guys? I want to help you."

"Can't tell you," she replies. "Maybe when I call you later. It depends." She hangs up, and the call ends, just like that.

I eye up the other papers on her dresser, reaching for the next one.

"The other ones might be personal," Christian articulates. His voice momentarily stops me.

"What if the others are important, too?" I mention.

However, the other papers are different from the letter we just read. The letter was closer to the edge of the dresser, on display, like she wanted someone to find it and read it. But the others are pushed back and are located underneath a little box full of hair ties and headbands.

I open it anyways. Because curiosity gets the best of me.

I raise an eyebrow at its contents. A list of exercises.

Christian steps closer to me and scans the paper, with almost the same reaction as me. Confused.

"Whatever. It's just exercises," he states, shrugging his shoulders.

I nod my head in agreement, reaching for the next paper. I unfold it. It's a list of foods. Healthy foods.

"What about this?" I question, showing Christian the paper.

"So?" He responds, refolding the papers and putting them back. "Stop going through her stuff. Let's go."