Finding My Way

3

It's been a month since I have seen Mat. Everyone is at school, and I am home alone. I keep my phone on me at all times, because I don't want to repeat the past.

I just finished my math work for today and I looked out the window. I saw our dogs playing, it's a nice day, so I decided to go outside too. That was a bad choice. I make sure my tank is secure on my back. I was going to play with the dogs, but then I was stopped by all the dust, pollen, and other stuff floating around. So, I just sat on the back steps.

I had been sitting outside for about twenty minutes when I started to doze off. I leaned my head against the railing. After a few minutes, the dogs started barking, facing the back woods. I jump up, Martin, Jack, and Tammy we're all trained so they didn't bark unless there was danger. Martin ran into the woods. I can hear a person screaming. I can see their shadow. I can't tell if they are a male or female. After a few moments, the three dogs came to me, wagging their tails and licking my face. Feeling unnerved, I went inside and locked the doors, and shut the windows. I normally keep them open in case I need help. But I was too scared. I bring Tammy inside, because she is my dog, I leave the other two outside so I can hear them bark if anything is wrong. I take Tammy upstairs to my room, and shut the door. I send a quick text to Mom.

"Hey, I was sitting outside on the back porch with the dogs. They started freaking out, and I saw someone in the woods. They chased them off, so I locked myself in my room with Tam. I'm trying not to freak out."

It takes a few minutes, but she responds. "Stay inside, I'll send Dad over in a minute."

"Do I need to call Dad? So you can get back to work?"

"Yeah, you go ahead. I'll talk to you when I get home." When that came through, I dialed Dad's number.

"Trayton? Are you okay? What's wrong?" I could hear the panic in his voice.

"Um, I'm okay, but there's someone in the woods. Mom told me to call you." I am pacing my room. Tammy is sleeping on my bed.

"Where are you? Get inside and lock the doors and windows. Just don't freak out, I'm on my way. Stay away from windows. Okay?"

"Yeah, okay." I try to stabilize my voice so he doesn't hear that I am already panicking. I heed his warning and sit on my bed, in the deafening silence, alone. After about ten minutes I hear Dad's truck pull into the driveway and I hear him jump out. As quickly as possible, I make my way down stairs, still afraid to make noise, and let him inside. He pulls me into a big hug, making sure I am still okay.

We go outside, and I point to the woods, in the same place I saw the shape of the person. He tells me to got back inside while he searches the woods. After an hour or so, I started to get worried. I called his phone, but he didn't pick up. Mom, Josiah, Sloan, and Emerson should be home soon. I try Dad's number again. Still a dead line. I can't call Mom because she is driving home. I try Josiah's phone, but he hangs up. I try Mat. He picks up instantly, like he was waiting for me to call.

"Hey Tray. What's up?" I start crying, and I try to explain what's going on. "Hey? Calm down, I can't understand you. What's wrong?"

I take a deep breath and try to stop the flow of tears, "There was someone in the woods, watching me. I called Dad and he came home to look in the woods. But it's been almost two hours and he's not back and he hasn't picked up his phone. And Mom isn't home yet."

I hear him take in a sharp breath, "Stay calm, stay inside, and stop crying. We don't need you back in the hospital. I am on my way, I am going to try and find Dad." I can hear him putting on his jacket, grabbing his car keys, then starting the car.

"Okay," I wipe my eyes and blow my nose. "Please hurry, I'm scared." I try not to start crying again.

"I'm going as fast as I can, I have to go, I need to concentrate on the road. I'll be there as fast as I can, bye."

"Bye," I whisper into the silent house. I sit on the couch. It's a warm spring day, and Dad made me open the back door, I start to feel my eyelids close, I lay over and put my head on a pillow, leaned against the arm rest. I don't know how long I was asleep, but soon I felt Mom shaking me awake, asking where Dad was.

Groggily I sit up and say, "He came home to see if anyone was still outside, but he disappeared, and he hasn't come back for about three hours."

She brings her hand up to her mouth as a scared look crosses her face. "Why is Mat's car outside?"

"I didn't want to bother you again, so I called him. And he came over while I was asleep, but I don't know where he is. He said he was going to try and find Dad." I can feel the tears coming, but I can't let them come. It's too dangerous. Mom grabs her phone off the kitchen table and dials a number. I can hear Dad's voice box after a few seconds. She tries again with Mat. She starts panicking. She dials a quick three digit number. 911. I don't know why I didn't think about calling the police.

"Hello."... "This is Saedi Daniels, my husband and my son went outside, to our back woods about three hours ago to see who was out there. And neither of them will answer their phone."... "Okay, thank you." She told the person on the other end of the call our address and Dad and Mat's phone numbers. After about fifteen minutes, we can hear the sirens. Mom rushes outside to greet them. She brings the two officers through the house and out the back door. Mom makes us all stay inside.