Can't Outrun The Past {Book 3}

Chapter 11: Stories That'll Haunt Forever

"Funny. Isn't it? The way memory works. The things you can't quite remember. And the things you can never forget." ~ Meredith Grey

A eight-year-old Ellie shook her head. "I understand." She whispered, looking down. She knew he was just looking out for her.
Jasper smirked and pulled her into a hug. "That's my little girl." Jasper, himself was young about ten or so. "Now come I have work to do."
Ellie took her older brother's hand and held it tightly as they entered the apartment building. Jasper was always taking her places with him. Their parents insisted that he did.
Jasper was an evil little boy who sadly Ellie looked up to. "Jas," She pulled on his hand.
"Yes, darling?" Jasper looked cautiously down at the smaller girl.
"How long will this take?"
"Not long." He assured her. "We're just stopping to pay a bully a visit."
The brunette tilted her head to the side thoughtfully. "If he's a bully than why are we visiting him? Shouldn't we be avoiding him?" She pondered.
The boy shook his head with a chuckle. "No, no, my little Eleanor, it's not that kind of visit." Jasper knocked twice on the apartment door and waited.
A rounder fellow a year or so older than her brother opened the door.
Ellie realized at the moment that he boy wasn't Jasper's bully, for no one would dare mess with him, but her bully Kyle Bowers.
"What do you want, Bates?" Bowers questioned. "Oh and look who you've brought with you. How are things, Elephant?" He teased.
Eleanor was a very thin child so he hadn't meant her weight, but her ears and irrational fear of Elephants.
"Leave her alone, Kyle." Jasper snapped.
"Or what, Bates? What will you do hurt me? Kill me?" Bowers taunted.
"That's exactly my plans." Jasper pulled out a gun and before Ellie could even process a shot rang through the air.
That day started something neither had seen coming. The day Kyle Bowers was killed, Jasper changed. He became feared by people even at that age. His life of crime started and so did Ellie's.

*Ellie's POV*

"Okay then." Jerica ran both hands through her hair. "So Jasper is coming to kill us. What else is new?" She said sarcastically. Out of everyone she had taken it the best. "When's he get out of prison?" This was the real question.
"Yesterday" I sighed. "I imagine he'll go find Grace before coming after us."
"So he's already out?" Rafe exclaimed. "And you didn't mention that?"
"I guess it slipped my mind." I said innocently, mocking his earlier statement about Jer.
I glanced down at the watch on his wrist. I'm suppose to be home in a hour. "Listen why don't you two come home with me. Deanna can meet the twins and we can discuss a plan." I suggested.
Jerica's eyes lit up. "You have twins?"
"Yeah a boy and a girl, Connor and Noah." I replied. "I think Deanna might like Noah from the horror posters I saw in her room."
"Then let's do this." Jerica stood and called for Deanna-who sat outside waiting.
The redhead quickly agreed and we set out to the cabin.

*Noah's POV*

My mind was still reeling from the talk with Magnus earlier. I couldn't process it all. Which is why I'm currently in the basement instead of helping Nancy and Connor cook.
They were cooking-of course-because Janna is MIA.
I think somewhere deep down I had always known the girl was my mother because of the way they talked about her. But I didn't want it to be her, not really, for that was a little terrifying but also a little cool.
I finally gave up on the file, and rolled over on the bed to reach for my phone. Upon turning it on, I quickly typed in my mother's first and maiden name. In a minute or so-the basement had rubbish reception-a result popped up. I clicked and began to read.

Eleanor Reyna (Jones) Bates was born July 7th, 1999, to Gregory and Rebekah Bates.
She was last seen June 15th, at 2:35p.m. wearing a light blue top and jean shorts.

It was obviously the amber alert so I clicked out and into the next one. The title read: Two Tennessee Teens Charged with Kidnapping, Theft, and Attempted Murder.

Fourteen-year-old's Eleanor Bates and Jack Grey were caught after stealing a car, kidnapping a mother and her six-year-old son. Video evidence shows Miss Bates hold a gun up to Charles Tyler's, the six-year-old, head, and threaten to kill the child if his father didn't comply.
It's not clear what the demands were, but we are aware she was working for someone else at the time. She and her partner Mister Grey can clearly be seen touching an earpiece from time to time.
Miss Bates only faces a year in juvenile detention for the crimes she was found guilty of.
Her accomplice Jack Grey only faces six months after Bates plea she forced him to do it.
Miss Bates parents and the victim's as well cannot believe this happened. Her parents pawn it off as temporary insanity from a tragic event just months prior to this incident.

There was a picture of Mum and Uncle Jack at the hearing, and even the video of the crime. Which I regret watching.
The girl in the video had none of the kindness my mother has now. It was like this girl was hollow like she didn't care what happened either way. She pulled a gun on a kid barely older than Ellis and didn't even blink.
I wasn't sure if I could ever see her the same again, but the scary thing was in a way I could see myself in the video. In the Ellie that used to be.
With that being watched, I decided to go help them with dinner.
"Hey, Con," I hopped up the stairs and turned toward the kitchen. "Do you still need help with-" I cut myself off before reaching the kitchen.
In the living room stood eight people: Mum, Rafe, the girl I had seen in pictures at Magnus', Aunt Mack, Uncle Alex, a younger girl around my age with almost orange hair, Janna, and Levi.
"What is it, No?" Connor opened the kitchen door and started toward me.
I stared him, trying to tell him to look to his left at the people who were now looking at me; also hoping he'd distract them from me.
He got the message, and stepped closer almost shielding me from them.
"What's going on?" He asked nervously.
"Ye-Yeah, Mum, who are these people?" I questioned, a little quieter than Connor.
Mother took a deep breath and slowly turned to us. "Connor, Noah, we have a few things to talk about." She said.
Boy do we ever have things to discuss. Things you don't even know I know, Mother darling.

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Don't worry it's fixing to get a lot more chaotic.
Little Ellie is, of course, up top. Followed by a favorite quote. - Izzy