Where the Shadows live

CHAPTER II

"Gracey! Markus!" Shannon, their mother shouted. Shannon turned to the sound of a knock on the door. She walked towards the door to find it was a ding dong ditcher. Shannon returned to the back door to find that Gracey and Markus had disappeared. Shannon quickly picked up the receiver of their old rotary phone. She turned the dial to the numbers 9-1-1 and pressed the phone to her ear. Her hands were shaking violently.

"9-1-1 what's your emergency?" Said the operator typing on the computer.

"I need a search party for my kids Gracey and Markus." Said Shannon shaking trying to keep tears away from her eyes.

"Ok, I'll need a description of your kids followed by age and phone number to contact if your kids are found. I also need you to remain calm.

"Markus is shorter younger and he has brown curly messy hair and freckles. Gracey has black straight hair and taller also she has glasses." Shannon said shaking and sniffling.

The operator finished typing then as printer sound went off in the background she said "Ok I'll order a search party to locate your children all I need you to do is try not to find them alone. Understood?"

In a shaky voice, Shannon responded, "I-I understand..." She put the receiver down and fell to the ground crying. She could barely hear the sound of the door being knocked. She stood up as she was shaking she peered through the peephole and saw her ex-husband standing by the door to pick up the kids for the weekend. Shannon threw open the door and hugged her ex; Jayden.

Confused, Jayden pushed her down and in an enraged voice, he yelled "What's your problem?!" while looking down at Shannon, giving her the angry eye.

Shannon, eyes filled with tears started whimpering "They're- They've-" Shannon paused and then looked up with swollen eyes "Gone. Jayden, gone." 

Jayden's expression turned from rage to confusion then sorrow. He crouched down and rested a hand on Shannon's leg then looked into her eyes, without warning, he hugged her and squeezed tightly. When he released her from the hug he stood up and extended his hand so she could be pulled up. 

When Shannon stood up they went inside the house and sat in silence before the old rotary phone rang. Shannon nervously picked up the receiver and listened.

"Hello, Ms. Sallow." Said the operator in a sorrowful voice. 

Jayden could barely hear the operators voice but the only word he could make out was "Sorry" he looked over at Shannon and her face turned pale. Shannon dropped to the ground, receiver in hand, violently shaking. The call had ended and Shannon slowly dropped the phone and pressed her hand over her face and with one quick motion, she wiped her tears and pressed her hand against her mouth and sobbed. 

Jayden rushed over to her and pulled her into an embrace. They both sat on the floor hugging. Jayden held tightly onto her hands and looked into her eyes and calmly asked: "Please don't tell me..." Jayden's eyes started to fill with tears and he shouted in tears "PLEASE GIVE ME GOOD NEWS." Shanon looked down and mumbled, "They found they're bodies, necks slashed and judging by the marks on Gracey's body, she was..." Jayden looked at Shannon waiting for the rest of her words. Shannon looked up "Gracey was brutally abused there were belt slash marks all over."

Jayden and Shannon hugged tightly and cried for about an hour. Later, Shannon and Jayden went outside to where the bodies were found.

"Sorry sir and ma'am, but this area is restricted." said the officer writing down the evidence on a notepad.

"Please officer, those were my children. I must see their faces." Cried Shannon "Please. I want to see them."

The officer looked up and examined Jayden and Shannon. His eyes returned to the note pad and he rested his pen on the notepad. He pushed the "talk" button on his walkie-talkie. " Officer Kelly, we have two individuals who claim to be the children's parents. Were you informed about this earlier?" He asked then waited for a reply.

Officer Kelly tuned in. "Well, Captain Richmond told me about a woman calling in reporting her children being missing..." Said Officer Kelly.

"Should I let these two in?" Asked the officer looking over at Shannon and Jayden.

"Sure, just make sure they don't touch any evidence and they are wearing gloves. Ok?" answered Officer Kelly.

"Ok," said the officer. He lifted up the caution tape and handed Shannon and Jayden two pairs of non-latex gloves.

Shannon and Jayden headed over to where Markus and Gracey's bodies where. On the ground were two bags and a nearby officer unzipped the bags and looked over at Shannon and Jayden.

"You must be the parents." Said the officer removing her hat off her head. "Officer Kelly, and you are?"

"Shannon and Jayden." Mumbled Jayden. 

Officer Kelly walked away and examined Shannon and Jayden.

Shannon kneeled down by Markus and she rubbed his brown locks and circled her index finger through his messy hair. She could barely hold in her tears before ramming her head into Jayden chest. Shannon started sobbing. Jayden kissed two of his gloved fingers and pressed it against his forehead. He stared at the Machete slash on his neck and then pressed Markus's eyes closed.

They moved onto Gracey and they barely recognized her with all of the wounds, bruises, and cuts on her face. Jayden burst into tears at the sight of Gracey, a princess to him. Shannon could barely look at Gracey and slowly zipped the bags shut. They both stood up and held in the tears while leaving the crime scene. 

 After a few months, they visited their gravestones and the sight of all of the flowers and letters to Jayden and Shannon filled their hearts with remorse and happiness. This was only the beginning of a world of fear, pain, and torture for Jayden and Shannon.