Horror in the House

Eleven

Ariana

Time Unknown

I sigh, watching Justin and Frankie walk around the room for about the millionth time. Seriously, if they haven't found anything already, then they should just stop trying.

"Mommy, when are they gonna come back?" I ask.

"I don't know sweetheart. Let's just hope it's soon." She pulls me into her arms and strokes my head.

Jazmyn and Jaxon were sitting a couple feet away playing a game that Jax made up, and my dad was standing by the door listening for footsteps or voices.

Apparently, he would stand there when they came in, hoping that they wouldn't see him. He would attack whoever was closest to him, then Justin and Frankie would join him.

The rest of us were supposed to run out of the room immediately and follow my directions to get out of this warehouse. Daddy, Frankie, and Justin said they would find their way out, but I wasn't sure that was gonna happen, so I made my own plan.

Once I got mommy, Jax, and Jazmyn out, I would leave them and go to find the boys so I could help them out. Nobody else knew my plan, because they probably wouldn't let me do it.

"I think I hear them coming." Dad says.

Everyone immediately stops moving and we all listen for footsteps or voices.

Sure enough, the door unlocks and its pushed open. Justin and Frankie start making their way to the door, slowly, so the men don't notice.

"Where's Edward Butera?"

There's a moment of silence in the room, then I watch my dad punch one of the guys in the back of his head.

Justin and Frankie go to help and I cover my eyes.

"Come on, kids. We have to go." Mom says.

She lifts me up off the ground and runs all of us out of the room.

"Okay, Ariana. Which way first?"

"Well, we took seven turns, and in order, they were right, left, left, left, right, left, right. So to go back, we have to go left first."

We take a left, right, left, right, right, right, then a final left turn and I see the door.

"There it is. We made it!" Mom says.

She pushes the door open and we walk outside. It's pitch black so it'll be easier for me to go back inside.

Luckily for me, Jaxon starts asking my mom questions, so I take that as my cue to slip back inside the warehouse.

I take my own directions back to the room and see the three men laying on the ground in a pool of blood. I cover my mouth and start to turn around, but someone picks me up and throws me over their shoulder.

"Ari, you're supposed to be outside."

It's my dad's voice. I breathe a sigh of relief, burying my head in his neck.

"Why aren't you with your mother?" He asks.

"I came back to find you. I knew you would get lost." I explain.

"Baby girl, we're fine. See?"

I lift my head up and see Justin and Frankie standing right next to us.

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay, princess. Now you can tell us which way to go."

Joan

Time Unknown

"Where did Ariana go?" Jazmyn says.

I look around and see my daughter was nowhere to be found.

"I should've known." I sigh.

"Did she go back inside?" Jaxon asks.

"Probably." I put my hand on my head.

I'm a horrible mother.

Pattie

Saturday, 8:57 pm

"Jeremy, Justin hasn't answered my calls. He hasn't read my texts. I'm worried about them." I say.

"I'm sure they're fine. They're probably just having a good time being kids."

"You're probably right. I'll just call Joan and make sure everything's alright."

"You don't have to do that."

"I'm a worried mother. I'm going to do it whether you like it or not."

I dial Joan's number and its immediately sent to voicemail. After leaving a voicemail, I try Edward's number. It's also sent straight to voicemail.

"Joan and Edward didn't answer either. I think something's wrong." I say.

"Would you stop worrying if we went to their house?" Jeremy asks.

"Much better. As long as they're okay."

"Alright then. Let's go."

We go to the car and I make Jeremy let me drive because he's not worried like me.

It only takes a couple minutes to get to their house. Four cars are in the driveway, and one is Justin's, meaning they should all be here.

I don't see any lights on in the house, but I still go and ring the doorbell. As soon as I walk on the porch, it's obvious to me that the door is open.

I walk in and see no one in the living room or the kitchen. There's no one in the basement, but the door is open when it's usually kept close.

When I walk upstairs, all the doors are open and the lights are turned off. There's no one here.

"Jeremy!" I yell, rushing down the stairs.

"Call the police. Something's happened!"