Welcoming Weirdos

Chapter 4

Eventually, we break up from the hallway and head to our rooms for the night. I keep thinking about the neighbor's daughter that went missing. Hopefully, they do find her. After a while, I drift off into a turbulent slumber.

I wake up to the sound of my alarm clock radio going off. A stupid corny radio commercial plays, sighing I bat the dang thing till it shuts off. Groaning I roll out of bed and stretch my leg doing that shaky thing. I make my way down the hall to use the restroom and brush my teeth.

As I walk back to my room to get ready for the day, I hear Matt consoling Emmie. Wondering what was wrong I rush down the hallway to her room.

"Oh my God, what's wrong!?" I ask worried, sliding along the hardwood floors cause of my socks. I see the t.v. on the local news and her face in her hands.

Matt was rubbing her back trying to get her to calm down. Finally, he answers the question I asked earlier before. "The little girl is still missing, they've put out an amber alert for her." He finishes turning his attention back to his little sister.

That's when I then register what's being said on the local news station. "Our daughter Lillian has now been missing for twenty-seven hours. She's seven years old and was last seen wearing a red and white ladybug dress. She has red hair, green eyes, and freckles all over her face, legs, and arms. She's about 4" 5, very shy and responds to Lilly. She was also carrying around a book, her favorite blanket, and her backpack. We have the backpack in our custody. If you have any information at all please, please don't hesitate to contact the GAPD at 1-800-lost-kid. Thank you and now we return to Mrs. Knight."

I then crashed to my knees flabbergasted the kid was so young. I was so afraid that this happened in my very own backyard. Quite literally too. The forest and my secret paradise was my sanctuary, my home away from home. And now I'm just learning that it's potentially dangerous. I was so upset I couldn't lose this too.

"Annabel, I know that look on your face,"  Emmie says finally looking up and wiping her tears away.

"Em you know I can't!" I practically spit at her in anger because she knows partially why I'm so upset. I know that sounds wrong, but I knew that Emmie would forbid me from entering the forest until they found the missing little girl.

"Woah, Woah, Woah! What are you two talking about? You didn't have anything to do with this did you?" Matt asks looking at me with a scowl.

"God no!" Both Emmie and I yell out at the same time.

"No, gosh, no. She just has a hideout deep in the woods that she won't tell anyone the location of." Emmie says with discernment. Like I said she's upset because after we've been friends for so long I won't let her come with me to my safe haven. But it looks like now I won't have much of a choice to prove my innocence to Matt.

"Oh well, that's just even creepier," Matt says looking skeptically at me.

"No, I'm not a serial killer nor am I a kidnapper, your sister can vouch for me," I say looking at him wondering if I really do come off that way.

Looking at him exasperated I ask, "Do I really come off that way?"

"No, no I was just curious as to what my sister was talking about and the kind of person she's been living with," he says innocently enough.

That's when I turn my gaze over to Emmie. Sighing I realize I might just actually have to show Emmie my most cherished place in this whole world. "I need to speak with you privately." I grit out not liking this one bit.

"Why?!?" she says while whining. Ugh is she really going to whine about this?

"Fine you know what, then you won't find out what I need to tell you. It's something you've been dying to see for years now." I say turning around and walking out her bedroom door.

Next thing I hear is the pitter-patter of her bare feet against the hardwood floors chasing after me. Before I can say anything or turn around  I hear her yelling out to me.

"Wait! Wait! Annabel, please wait!" she yells coming closer and tackling me to the floor.

"Ow, what was that for?" I say gasping out after having the wind knocked out of me.

"Tell me you're not talking about what I think you are?" she asks excitedly getting up clapping her hands together.

"Yes, but you can't ever come here unless its an absolute dire emergency," I say looking at her and rolling my eyes.

"But why now?" She asks confused.

"So you'll stop worrying and continue to let me go since what's all going on with the missing little girl. I'm gonna go change be ready by the time I'm done. Oh and bring your brother." I say getting up and entering my room closing the door and locking it.

In hindsight, I was completely nervous. It was one thing to agree to take Emmie but to invite a complete stranger made me uneasy. It was okay I guess I could trust Matt since he's Emmies brother but  I don't I was hesitant with him.

Heading out of the room after changing I hear Emmie yelling at Matt. I guess she was trying to convince him to come with us maybe he thought I was taking them out there to kill them but I knew I was harmless. Shoot I can't even kill a tiny bug instead I catch it and release it back outside.

"She's really going out of her comfort zone to prove to you and us that she's not dangerous!" Emmie said yelling at Matt.

"Fine, fine but I'll be on guard the whole time. You can never truly fully know anyone." He said getting off her bed.

"You guys ready?" I say knocking on Emmie's bedroom door.

"Yeah," Emmie says matt following out after her.

Walking down the stairs quietly I can hear them bickering back and forth between each other. I sigh and just keep making my way out the door. I can't believe I'm actually doing this.