Homesick

3

Emily

Sunday, June 2

I think Abby saw it, too. The way mom was acting. She's never like this. Normally she's beautiful, graceful, always light on her feet. Today she had dark circles under her eyes, and she stumbled around the kitchen. Maybe it was just because she went to bed so late. We ate our pancakes in silence. My dad read the Newspaper. Something was off with him too, he was holding it upside down.
"Dad", I called. He didn't reply. "Dad! Your newspaper is upside down. Can you read it that way now or are you just being funny?" He lowered the paper from his face. I gasped when I saw it. I hadn't really gotten a proper look at him when he came down, but now that I had I thought my mind was playing tricks on me. His face sagged and his normal dirty blonde beard was gray. He looked at me with sad eyes and said, "Oh yes, dear. My eyes must be getting old. I thought I was reading the comics". He was reading the sports column. I looked at my mom to my dad and then to Abby. She shrugged her shoulders and walked to rinse her plate. I did the same, following her upstairs. "What the hell was that!" I asked. I had to keep my voice down so mom and dad wouldn't get suspicious and ask us questions later. "I don't know. Maybe it was just the light. Or maybe this house is haunted", she jumped on my back, almost pulling me to the floor. I caught my self on the hand rail and we continued to our rooms. "Look. There's the scary attic", I teased her. She hated the attic. Dad had told us this scary story of an old man who lives up there. I didn't believe it, but Abby sure did. "Stop. I don't believe anyway", she lied. Her eye twitched like it did when she lied. I smiled to myself and walked into my room, locking it for privacy. Abby banged on my door, "what were you smiling at!". I laughed and texted my friend back in PA. 'Hey', I said. It didn't send and I figured there must be bad service. I went to find mom and tell her, but she was gone. "Mom? Dad?". No answer. "Abby, where's mom gone", I called. "I don't know, they were in the dining room last I knew". I tried to call Mom, but again there was bad service. I walked outside to find service but all I found was a bunch of dead weeds, and mom and dad's car missing! I ran inside to the land line to call 911. They didn't pick up. I screamed in frustration when I heard a loud bang upstairs.