Fade To White - Sequel to Fade To Black

The World Is A Dangerous Place

         Annabelle stared at Jackson's back , watching his eyes constantly return to Sara's. She sulked, staying well behind the group. She thought of how Jackson only thought of her as his little sister. Was it because she was younger? Or maybe he really wasn't interested? She didn't know what to do. She idolized him, he had been there for her and her brother whenever they needed him. Now, as if out of the blue, some runaway had stolen everything from her. At least it felt that way. 

        Jackson looked back when he couldn't hear Annabelle's little footsteps behind him. "C'mon Anna! Catch up!"  

        The three of them all stopped and waited for her but she grew irritated, looking at the new gang that had transpired and she grew blind with anger. "No." She pouted.

        "What? Why?" Sara insisted, concerned. Annabelle glared and turned and stalked off back onto their own beaten path, back to the house. 

        "Anna! Come back now!" Wes yelled after her. As she dissapeared in the brush Wes just pushed forward, continuing thier journey. "Don't worry about her. She's just throwing another one of her tantrums." 

        Sara followed after Wes, brushing Jackson's hand, telling him to come. He stared into the arch of trees where she dissapeared, worried. But he followed after them, his eyes locked on Sara's back. 

        Annabelle had made it back to the house just fine, feeling foolish for being so childish. She let a few stray tears fall down her cheeks but she went upstairs to go to her room when she looked across the bannister to the locked room. She knew nobody was home to stop her from her curiosity. She quietly approached the door. She ran her fingers where the butt of her father's gun had frayed the wood, splintered and chipping. She tried the golden doorknob, twisting it as far left and as far right as she could. It was locked tight. She pressed hard on the door, but she didn't weigh much. Still, she noticed when she put pressure on the door that the hinges sqeaked. She noticed how loose they were.

        Annabelle was never given credit for how clever she really was. She stood on her tippy-toes and nudged the loose pins from the hinges, one by one. She couldn't reach the top one but it was just enough that with a few swift kicks the door fell open. She wasn't prepared for the horror scene she was about to witness as she climbed through the little space into the room. She would discover one of the dark secrets her family had tried to keep hidden. 

        The room was covered with dust, cobwebs were home to the corners of the ceilings and the thick, musty smell made Anna cough, covering her mouth from breathing it in. But all of the dust couldn't hide the splatter of blood that speckled the wardrobe. The puddles of blood that lay at the bottom of the far wall, one big splatter just above it, dried to a dark brown but still having that drippy effect. She didn't know what she was looking at. She saw the sratched on the floor of a struggle. Fingernails had scratched at the wood, feet had scraped along, under the bed. It was spooky to say the least. The room looked so normal, as if someone had just made the bed that morning but never made it that night to sleep in it. It all looked so normal except for the blood that was everywhere. She looked down to see a small, dried trail of blood that ended just by the entrance. 

        Annabelle screamed. It was all she could think of doing. She screamed again and again, tripping back through the small entrance, rushing down the stairs, out into the open. She screamed so loud she felt as if her eardrums had popped. 

        In the bayou they heard Annabelle's scream. All three stoppped and turned towards her voice. Panic was their only emotion and Jackson began to run as fast as he could to her. 

        "Jackson! Wait!" Wes yelled, trying to come along. 

        "Stay here!" Jackson replied, his response echoed off the trees but was gone just as fast as he raced to see what had gone wrong. He made it to the clearing and saw Annabelle's small body from a distance. Curled up and sobbing heavily.