A Murder in North Wood//Book One

Skye POV:

“Skye sweetie, come down for dinner!” My mom yells from the kitchen. “Okay, I’m coming! Let me finish up!” I yell back from my room. I then type the last few words of my short story and shut down my laptop. I then leave my room, close the door, and run downstairs. “We have guests coming over tonight.” My twin brother Shawn says as I get to the bottom of the stairs. “What do you mean guests?” I ask. Mom didn’t tell me people were coming over. “The new people in town are coming over for a ‘welcoming’ dinner.” He says. “Oh.” I say just as the doorbell rings.

  “Shawn can you get the door.” Dad yells from the kitchen. Shawn then walked over to the door and opened it revealing a man, women, and a boy and girl who both looked my age. “Hello. I am Mrs. Ryder and this is my husband Mr. Ryder.” She says. “Hello.” I say in return. “These are our children Kylie and Brett.” Mr. Ryder said. “I’m not your daughter and I never will be.” Kylie says. “Kylie!” Her mom scolds. “What? You know it’s true!” Kylie screams back before welcoming herself inside. Her parents then walk in after her and her brother stays at the door. “I’m sorry about her.” He says to us. “It’s okay. But what did she mean?” Shawn asks.

  “Well, it’s a long story.” Brett says. “Well, we have the time.” I say back. “Okay. Well, 10 years ago, when we were 6 we woke up to find our dad murdered in the living room. I called the cops while Kylie ran upstairs and told our mom. When they came back downstairs our mom screamed and went outside and waited for the cops. Kylie had a strong bond with our father so she cried and cried on my shoulder and when the cops came they kicked us out.” Brett stopped to take a breath and then continued.

  “We had to go to a hotel for a few days and when they couldn’t find out who the murderer was they said we should move because we could be next or something like that. We were assigned a cop to come with us and we left. 4 years later our mom married the cop. Kylie never liked him and she has hated basically the whole family, except me, ever since.” He finished. “I’m so sorry.” Shawn and I say in sync. “Kids are you coming?” Mrs. Ryder asks as she walks into the doorway. “We were just about to come.” Brett says.

  For dinner I ended up sitting between Kylie and my brother. Dinner was quiet except for the parents talking. One of the only things I heard was “Welcome to North Wood.” I feel a tap on my arm coming from my brother’s side so I look over at him with questioning eyes. “Has Kylie said anything to you since she stormed in here?” But before I could answer him Kylie jumped in. “She is sitting right here and no she has not.”  When she finishes her sentence she stands up and walks away. “Sorry about that.” Brett says as he takes his sister’s seat. “She isn’t good with new people.” He adds on.

  “Will she ever grow to like us?” Shawn asks. “She should, it will just take some time that’s all.” Brett says. I feel like he keeps looking at me but I could be wrong, who would look at me anyways. Especially someone that looked like Brett. “Skye?” Brett asks snapping me out of my thoughts. “Oh, sorry. Just thinking about some things that’s all.” What if he knows I was thinking about him? Wait, he isn’t telepathic so how could he know? “Skye, you are doing it again.” Shawn says. “Sorry, sorry.”