I wince as we come into view of the large, wooden door. I don’t want to interrupt anything between my parents. This was their time. The only time they had away from us kids.
Jake grins at me, reading my thoughts. “Don’t worry, they won’t be too busy…”
I roll my eyes, but have renewed courage. He always knows exactly what to say to lighten me up.
Sighing, I tap lightly on the door. Better now than later.
I hear whispers, then the squealing of bedsprings. Kyle appears in a white fluffy robe, looking somewhat annoyed.
"What do you want?” he asks, rubbing his eyes. “Something wrong?”
Jake and I exchange a glance.
“Spit it out, kids, it’s late!”
“He’s back,” I blurt out. “Dad, the guy in the black sedan is back.”
Kyle looks surprised. Encouraged, I continue. “He was outside my window. He’s been inside the house, Daddy.”
That’s all it takes. Before we know it, Mom and Kyle are ushering us into the living room, prying every detail out of our mouths. When we’ve been drained of information, they’re faces are pale.
“I’m calling the police,” Mom says, getting up. “This has gone way, way too far.”
We all look at her in astonishment. She wasn’t taking this in stride, not worrying, telling us it’ll be over in a flash. Jake and Mom were similar in this way: being serious was not their forte.
“What?” she asks after a moment of stunned silence and unwavering stares. “I’m not just gonna sit here and let some weirdo stalk us.”
“O-kaaaaaay…” I manage, barely suppressing a grin.
“What is going on here? Is there some sort of private joke that I’m not aware of?”
“No Sammie,” Kyle pipes up. “It’s just that you’re never…ah…how should I put it?” he flushes a little bit, then says, “Uh, stern. Strict.” He sighs. “You’re never serious.”
Mom stares at him, color rising in her cheeks. “I am too!”
“No, Mom.” Jake says. “You ain’t never serious. Like me.” he flashes a grin. “But that’s all right. We got Dad to worry for us.”
“I second that,” I agree.
“Hey!” Kyle protests.
Mom laughs, the color deepening in her cheeks. “Kids,” she says. “Such imaginations.”
“All right!” Kyle stands up and starts pacing. “Back to the matter at hand.” He ignores the pointed stares from Jake and me. “Why would some random guy—Rick, he’s called—be following us?”
I rack my brain for answers. Where have I heard that name, Rick? The almost blond guy with the glasses was the dude I’d met at the pharmacy, the dude who helped me pick up the books I dropped. I flush a little at the memory. That guy’s name had been Rick—known by his “Boss” and the name given at the pharmacy. But I’d heard that name somewhere, before all this…
The realization hits me like a punch in the stomach. At school, at the library, he’d been everywhere! I remember the janitor always greeting somebody with a “Hello, Rick. Busy?” or something along those lines, and a blondish-brownish haired man answer in such a low voice I couldn’t hear what he said. At the library, I would overhear our librarian calling a “Hey, Rick. What’s up?” to the same guy, or someone who looked a lot like him.
YOU ARE READING
The Awakening
HumorA mom with a terrible secret. A stalker that will stop at no ends until he gets what he wants. A legacy so powerful, it can destroy everything and everyone 15-year-old Vanessa Holsen holds dear. Can she put an end to it, even if it means sacrificing...
