Ring of Fire (Completed) Book 1 Vanelzing Series

Alexis Journal Entry 16

I was worried about talking to Cal last night. I hovered at his office door for a long time before he opened it.

"Are you going to stand there all night or come in and tell me what's bothering you?" he asked. 

I eventually went in and sat down on his couch that he has against the wall for when he's bad and Emily kicks him out of the bedroom.

We sat in silence for a moment. Cal typed on his computer and did some paper work. Cal never made me talk unless I wanted to. He would wait and until I was ready. Come to think of it, Cal always let me start the conversations between us. When I was ready, I told Cal about what had happened that day.

I had gone to see Shawn but I saw more than Shawn that day. I knew something was wrong when I head Angel screaming and Mrs. Watts yelling at Shawn. Shawn was yelling back at her how she was a B word and a lot of things I don't want to repeat.

The argument grew as I got closer to the Watt's home. Baby Angel was restrained in Mrs. Watts arms. She thrashed, kicked and screamed within her grasps. Her little arms reaching for Shawn as she screamed his name, but it only made her mother hold her tighter. I couldn't do anything but watch when Mrs. Watts popped her hard.

"Get your crap (she didn't say crap but I'm not writing the other word) and go!" she yelled. She threw Angel back in the house. Yes, I mean she threw her back in the house. Then she shut the screen door and locked it. She grabbed some stuff off the porch and threw it directly at Shawn. Shawn ducked.

I could tell Shawn was getting angry. I couldn't let him fight her not with Angel in the house. She would call the cops and he would be given a one way ticket to juvie.

Shawn jerked away from me. He grabbed his bag that I just now noticed was on the ground.

"I'll be back!" he yelled turning around to watch Mrs. Watts as he walked away. "I'll be back for her! Mark my words! I'll be back!"

Angel's screaming pierces my heart like a knife. I could feel the tears welling in my eyes. Angel screams for Shawn over and over until we could no longer hear her. We quicken our pace along the dirt road. Our feet kicking up the dust along the trail. Shawn keeps looking back to get a glimpse of his crying sister. His efforts to get one last look is in vain. We are too far to see or even hear her.

Shawn stops at the pasture gate to catch his breath. He takes his bag from around his shoulder and places it gently on the ground. He places his hands on his knees and bends down slowly. He begins to gradually catch his breath. I stand still too and take deep breaths.

"You promise me you'll watch her," Shawn asks between breaths. He looks up from the ground into my eyes. "You promise me."

He didn't have to ask. He knew I would never let anything happen to her. I loved her as much as I loved him. Angel didn't have an ounce of my blood but she was family and nobody would ever change that.

I nodded. Shawn takes this as the yes he's looking for. He kisses me on the forehead, grabs his bag and takes off. I watched him run alongside the road until he was out of sight.

School was unbearable today. I had to sit next to an empty desk and listen to the teachers call his name. Some of them even asked me where he was but I just shook my head.

I can't tell them anything. I can't tell anyone anything. The last thing Shawn would want is DHR or DCS snooping around the house. They might take Angel away, then I couldn't protect her.

I told them I didn't know where he was. Which was kind of the truth. The last time I had seen or heard anything from him was yesterday. That is what frightened me the most.

I didn't know where he was. If he was safe, hurt or even in trouble. 

All these things worried me. I have never really been apart from Shawn especially with no contact. He always texted me after we got cell phones. Before that we talked on the land line. But today there were no texts, calls, or voicemails. No anything.

All I can do is pray that he is okay. That God will protect him and guide him somewhere safe.