G.U.A.R.D. Book #2: Aberrations

-2-

    Crickets croaked in the short grass, filling the atmosphere with their strange songs. The sky above was dark, but bright at the same time. White stars illuminated what would have been black otherwise. Mosquitoes swooped down from the deep blue and relentlessly tried to bite me. As I continued slapping them, though, I kept my eyes fixed on the one thing that actually concerned me: my house.

Police caution tape wound around the scene. After taking Winter's statement a few hours ago, the FBI stepped in. We talked with a few detectives. They said that normally, an investigation wouldn't start until a person was missing for twenty-four hours, but considering there were two eyewitness accounts of what happened, they were ruling it as a kidnapping.

They took all our statements. We gave them pictures of Ally, described her personality to them, told them there was absolutely no way anyone would want to kidnap her. Upon asking us about Mom and Dad, it got a bit awkward. Truth was, they had never even told the Hunters where their business trips were, nor what they were about. So the FBI were trying to find my kidnapped sister, the kidnappers, and my missing parents. They had their work cut out for them.

I felt my stomach knot when thinking about the blood splattered on the Light sidewalk and steps. Split by the kidnappers, right from Al's and Winter's heads. There was even a splotch on the wall.

My sister had been kidnapped. Man. I had read and watched mysteries, ones where someone dies, or ones where someone goes missing. But to actually have it happen to me? "My sister had been kidnapped." Those words gave me chills. Not only that, though; those men might've gotten their grubby hands on her in a much more intimate way. And if I ever got mine on them...

"Dustin?"

Setting my jaw, I looked up. My eyes landed on Max, who stared down at me. He gave me a sympathetic look and sat down on the porch step.

"Yeah?" I asked, a little harsher than I meant.

He shrugged. "Just wondering if you were okay. It's been a long day... I knew you'd be struggling."

"Really?" I responded drlyly.

"I'm sure Ally's okay, Dustin. She's a smart kid. Maybe she ran away from the scene before the woman could actually take her."

"But Miss Sanderson-"

"I know what she said." Max looked to me. "But you can't let the fact go that she's still seriously old. I don't even remember when she wasn't living in that house."

I sighed and shrugged my shoulders, elbows on my knees. I tried to think of something to answer with, but my mind was blank, and my voice felt too tired to do anything.

"Hey, Max?" Bess called from inside. "Can you do the dishes tonight?"

"Sure, Mom!" he answered, then looked to me with a little concern in his eyes. "Don't stay out too long."

I snorted as my friend stood. However, before he went back inside, he looked back to me.

"Can I pray for you?"

After a small moment of hesitation, I jerked a nod. Max settled next to me again and threw an arm around my shoulder. I wasn't really concentrating on his words, but I could feel something, I guess. Maybe God. I wasn't sure it if made me feel better or not. When he left again, I sighed and dropped my head to my hands. I felt so... useless. I couldn't do anything. When would Al get back? What were the police doing to find her? And more importantly, where were my parents?

Snap!

My head jerked up, and I looked to my right with curiosity. Probably just a squirrel. Then I proceeded to get back to my anxiety and anger.