Trapped In The Rabbit Hole

Chapter 1: A Normal Day

My dark brown hair spilled on the white pillows. Pale eyelids shaded my eyes as the bedcovers reach over my shoulders.

Suddenly, my cheeks felt something warm and soft. I check to see my parents hovering over me, their grins had never left their faces.

"Hello, Ben." my father greeted in a British accent. "Did you have a nice sleep?"

My father is a handsome man, almost like me. He has brown hair, green eyes, and wears a black business suit. He also has pale skin, almost as if he is a vampire.

Around his right index finger is a silver wedding ring.

"Hi Dad," I greeted. "Hi Mom."

My mother kissed my cheek and strokes my hair.

She has long red hair, brown eyes, and wore a dark gray blouse, a black pencil skirt, and matching black heels.

"Where's Seth?" I ask. "Is he eating breakfast?"

My parents shook their heads sadly.

Behind them are white prison walls. To my right is a very high window, but to my left are thick metal bars, forming into a door.

Immediately, I sprang out of bed and race to the bar doors.

"Hello?" I called, looking left and right. "Is someone there?"

I banged the cylinders with my fists, which bled out from my knuckles.

"Where am I?" I screamed.

"You're in prison," someone answered.

I look to see a tiny, dark-haired policewoman standing in front of me, looking smug.

"Why?" I ask. "I didn't do anything. 

"You killed your parents," she sighs. "Such a shame, they were good people."

As soon as she says that, my gray shoes are covered in blood.

It took me three seconds to realize that I am wearing a prison orange uniform.  

Slowly but quietly, I swerve my head to see my parents lying dead on the gray concrete floor, with blood smeared all over their clothing.

"Mom!" I wailed. "Dad!"

Automatically, my green eyes open to the image of my girlfriend Cole, sleeping peacefully under the periwinkle blue covers.

Her ombre hair rested on the purple pillows as I place my hand on her light brown cheek and kiss her forehead.

She wears a gray shirt and black woolen pants. Cole's eyes are closed, but her lips are pink, her nose is tiny, and her cheek feels warm.

"Hey Irene Adler," I whispered.

"Hi," she whispers softly, her eyes are still closed.

"Bad dream again?"

"Yeah," I nodded. "Don't worry, I'll be fine."

That's when her head rested against my black t-shirt.

"Last time you said that," Cole began.

"You almost woke my mom up, because you were screaming so loud."

I let out a sigh then stared at the ceiling.

"I love you, but don't think that-"

"You're having bad nightmares again?" she guessed, looking up at me.

"Seriously, Ben. If you can't be open about it, I'm taking you to a therapist."

I moaned at this while Cole leaps out of bed and brushes her hair with her fingers.

Even though it was four o'clock in the morning, I felt awake, alarmed even.

I watch Cole as she stretches her arms like a cat and disappear downstairs. 

Although, she's the same age as me, Cole treats me as if I am her teenage son. Other than her ombre hair, she has pretty brown eyes, light brown skin, and a curvy figure. 

Oddly, if Cole wasn't too fond of boy clothes and reading crime novels, she could be a perfect candidate for a modeling career. 

Except, she isn't like other girls: Cole is the smartest person in the world, even smarter than me, I think.

She knows police laws, able to tell if someone is lying, and she even knows how to use a gun  courtesy of her police father.

Just then Cole return to her bedroom, carrying two waterbottles.

"Here," she winked, tossing me a bottle. I smiled as I caught it in mid-air, unscrew the cap, and drank the cool liquid.

"Thanks," I replied.

She placed the bottle on the top of the drawer and kiss me gently on the cheek.

In response, I gave her a surprised look.

"Why are you so cheery?" I ask.

"We just solved another case," Cole reminded.

"Why shouldn't I be happy about it?"

On our last case, a Mexican American couple hired us to find their missing son, who vanished from their household when he was three years old.

With my 'Sherlock Holmes' abilities and Cole's criminal knowledge, we managed to find the boy, shoved in the back of the truck by two human traffickers.

"It can be exciting, Cole." I began. "But just because we solved one case, doesn't mean that -"
"We are amazing detectives," she interrupted.

"And thanks to our brains, we saved more lives."

She reach under her bed, pulled out a wad of written letters, and place them inbetween us.

They are scribbled in different colored pens, markers, and a variety of pencils.

I politely took one from the pile and read it aloud.

"Dear Detectives, I read.

"I am writing this because I need you guys to help me find my mother. She disappeared two days ago, and I am worried about her.

Sincerely,

Bill"

Attach to the letter is a photo of a beautiful blond woman with green eyes, a red dress, and pretty makeup.

Although she looks young in the photo, the bags under her eyes and the hidden purple bruise across cheek tell a different story.

I gave her a look before placing it on top of the pillow behind me.

"His mother didn't disappear." I sighed. "She ran away, because her husband beats her constantly."

Cole didn't ask how I know, she only shrug her shoulders and nodded.

"Okay," she sighed. "But where is she?"

"Somewhere in Italy," I answered. "Kissing some Italian guy."

Cole raise her eyebrow at me.

"No really, she is." I replied. "Check her Facebook account."

"You went into her Facebook account?" Cole ask.

I shrug as I removed the letters from their spot and put them on the floor.

"I also went into her Twitter account," I admitted, "and her Instagram."

Cole wraps her arms around my neck and looked straight into my eyes.

"I love you," she said. "You know that, right?"

I bobbed my head slowly.

"I love you too." I responded.

I stroke her hair gently and kiss her mouth passionately.

For a moment, I could feel my perfect life piecing together.