All Roads Lead Home (Book #1)

Prologue

August 2008

"Come get me Jenn!" I call as we're all playing tag in the back yard. Jenn is it and we're all teasing her, pretending we want to get caught and then we run away just as she gets close to us.

"I'm tired of being it! Someone just let me tag them," Jenn complains as she slumps to the ground exhausted. She removes the blindfold in a huff.

"It doesn't work like that," Josh calls from his hiding place in the tree house.

"You were in the tree house this whole time! That's not fair," Jenn cries out. "That's cheating Josh."

"No, it's not," Josh says as he climbs back down.

"Yeah it is Josh," Jayden says as he sits down beside Jenn. "We had to be on the ground."

"We never..." Josh began, but his mom interrupted.

"Lunch is ready kids. Come on inside!"

"Coming mom!" Jenn calls as she jumps up and runs to the kitchen. We all follow in behind her.

"Yum! Pizza," Josh says as he sits at the table. "Thanks mom!"

"Yeah thanks Ava," Jayden says as he sits down beside me.

We all thank her as we pick up our pizza slices.

"You're welcome. When you're done you guys can go down to the rec room and watch a movie or play some games. It looks like that storm your dad was talking about is coming this way," Ava says as she looks out the kitchen window.

As she mentions the storm a loud crack of thunder shakes the house, quickly followed by a bright flash of lightning. Jenn lets out a small squeak at the thunder and I jump at the flash of lightning.

Even at eight I still get scared during thunder storms. "When is my dad coming to get me again Ava?" I ask as I set my pizza crust down on my plate.

"I thought you were sleeping over," Jenn asks as she looks at me, a sad look in her eyes.

"She's afraid of the thunder storm Jenn," Josh says as he lets out a small laugh.

"I am not! I just want to go home to my mom and dad!" I say as I cross my arms.

"Josh that's enough," Ava scolds. "I'll call your dad and see when he can come and get you Krystah," Ava says as she grabs the phone and walks into the living room.

"That wasn't very nice Josh," Jayden says.

"Yeah," Jenn agrees with him. "You're a big meanie," Jenn says adding to the conversation. "Say sorry to my friend Josh."

Josh looks down at his lap. "Sorry Krys. I didn't mean it," he says as he looks at me.

I look at him and smile, then stick my tongue out at him and laugh. "Race you down stairs!" I say as I jump up from my chair and run towards the basement stairs.

"Hey," he calls. I hear his chair tip over and Jenn starts to laugh at him.

"Hahaha Josh you fell out of your chair! You aren't going to catch us now!" she says as she runs down the stairs behind me, followed by Jayden.