In Memory

Chapter 2: The Unmarked Ones

Aubrey tried to call her mom before getting on the plane to Florida. No answer. "Don't worry, she's probably just asleep, it is still early" Her dad reassured her as they waited for her plane to board. As the intercom ring's through the airport, its time for Aubrey to leave. "I love you pumpkin" Her father said, trying not to choke up. He wraps his arms around her and smothers her into a big bear hug. She pats squeezes him back before waving him off. Aubrey sat on a plane going from Virginia to Florida. 

She sat there for an hour flight, just watching movies on her tiny screen and snacking on peanuts the entire time. Once she arrived she tried to call her mom again, no answer. She was tired of waiting around, plus she knew the area pretty well, so she ran home. Which took longer than just getting a ride from her mom but there was no use in waiting around. Aubrey made it home to her mom's tiny apartment, she was out of breath and very sweaty. 

She smiled being back home, she grabs her camera from inside her satchel and takes a picture of the tall apartment building. An idea popped into her mind, she was going to surprise her sleeping beauty of a mother with getting her picture taken in her drooling state. She snickered to herself as she ran up the stairs with her camera at the ready. As Aubrey was about to put her key in the lock, the door slowly creaked open from her touch.

 Her heart started pounding as she gazed inside her home. She dropped her suitcase to the side of the door as she looked around. Everything was trashed, picture frames on the walls were shattered, their furniture was torn up like someone dragged a knife on it. "Mom?!" She yelled out when she saw a bloody hand print on the wall.

 Aubrey ran around the house trying to find her mother, till she noticed a trail of blood leading to the bedroom. She opens the door and looks around frantically, trying to control her breathing. The blood stopped in front of the closet door. 

Aubrey reached out a shaky hand as she slid the door open. She drops her camera to the hardwood floor, cracking the lens in the process. She falls to her knees when she sees her mother, beaten and stabbed repeatedly. "Mom! Mom, please wake up" Her voice shook uncontrollably. A loud cough erupted from her mother as she gasped for air. 

"Mom!" She quickly tried to stop the bleeding using one of her old cardigans that was hanging above her. "Don't, please, I want to go out talking to you and I don't want you distracted..." Her frail voice said as she pushed Aubrey's hand away from her wounds.

 "Who did this to you?" Aubrey held her blood covered hand tightly in her own. "The Unmarked Ones" She scoffed at their name. "They thought they could find it, but those bastards never thought to look behind the wall" She smiled as she opened the wood panel next to her revealing a tiny and dirty crawl space. Her mom winces as she sits up and retrieve's what looks like a decorative gift box. She hands it to Aubrey as she rests her head against the cold wall of the closet.

 "What's this?" Aubrey takes it into her blood covered hands, getting the pristine box all dirty. "Take it and use it... I made it out of something very special, so special that some people might want it for themselves, but don't let them take it from you darling, because it will be the last piece of memory you will get from me." She watched as Aubrey burst into tears. She quickly wrapped her arms around her mother, holding her closely to her heart.

 "Now go! Before they... come... back..." Her words got slower and softer till she finally went limp from the blood loss. "I think someone's here, man!" She heard voices coming from the other side of the door. Aubrey quickly put the box in her bag and climbed onto the fire escape. She completely forgot about her camera, though it didn't seem as important as getting the hell out of there. Aubrey ran to the nearest police station with tears in her eyes. "Please! You have to help me, my mom was killed by some kind of gang, their in my house right now, please, you have to help me, please!" Aubrey sobbed hysterically, grabbing ahold of the officers shirt.