Silenced by the Night

When you're Gone

My eyes were tearing up as I listened to Nathan’s explanation about them leaving for the rest of the school year. They weren’t moving but they were only taking care of his grandfather. But that would be a long time. They were coming back at the end of summer; the start of another school year, the start of high school. We were then both fifteen year olds, it would also be hard for me to keep up on school without him.

“I also hate the idea of us taking care of my grandfather. But I promise to call you every night I go to sleep”

“It’s only in Ireland Nate, you’ll see her soon”

He embraced me in a hug before being pulled by Jessica in the car.

“I’m gonna miss you Nate”

I told myself and walked inside the house.

The video of Jessica and Nathan was the only thing I’ve been watching for the past weeks. It has already been a month since they left. Paige and Caylah were trying to make me forget about him but I couldn’t believe what was actually happening to me when he’s gone. The seashell bracelet on my wrist was the last thing a Sykes has given to me before they left. I walked towards the bed Nathan used to sleep on; there was still a small amount of his scent.

“Ellie, can you open the door?”

I wiped the tears off my face and let Caylah inside.

“Still crying about Nathan”

“Yes. How are you and Logan?”

“We broke up”

They broke up? How did they break up?

“Why did you break up?”

“He was cheating on me. I caught him yesterday kissing another girl”

“Do I know this girl?”

“We’re now similar. Maybe Melody tried getting Nathan by going to Logan and when I see them she might make a deed with me about her letting him go if I make you hate Nathan”

I looked at her surprisingly. It was jaw-dropping.

“What a bitch”

The telephone rang in the living room. Caroline answered it and passed it to me.

“It’s for you Eleanor”

I took the phone and answered the call.

“Hello”

“Hey Ellie, how are you?”

“I’m fine. How are you Nathan?”

“I’m alright. So how’s school without me? Is it a right feeling or a wrong event?”

“It’s a wrong event. Everything’s a mess without you. I miss you Nathan”

“Oh Ellie, I miss you too”

“How’s Ireland by the way?”

“Incomplete. I met friends but they weren’t like you. Hey I need to go, we still have school tomorrow”

“Bye Nate. And greet Jessica a good night for me”

“I will. Bye Ellie”

He hung up before I could say anything else. This was our usual routine. He would call every nine in the evening and hung up after a short conversation. Evening was the only time we could talk to each other. It was pathetic but it was our conversation.

“Who was that?”

“NJS”

“Who’s NJS?”

“Nathan James Sykes”

“Oh. What a short conversation you had there”

Caylah passed me a magazine and turned back to the book she was reading. The phone rang again, it was a bit disturbing.

“Eleanor, answer it”

I answered the phone and put the magazine down.

“Collins’ residence, this is Ellie speaking who are you looking for?”

“Eleanor Collins”

“I’m sorry but this is her”

“Your father just told us to call you and tell you about the company that he was handing down to you and your sister”

“I’m absolutely sorry. But I think you got me mixed up with somebody else. My father is dead”

“No he’s not darling, he’s still alive”

I hung up and ran to my room. My dad couldn’t be alive? How can that be possible? How could someone just call me for a prank call and tell me that my father’s still alive. This might start bothering me until I realize the truth about his death or living. I didn’t wanna tell Caroline about his assistant all of a sudden calling me.

“Who was it?”

“An unknown number; she dialed the wrong number. She was looking for Jessica Cross, and there are no JC in this house”

It was four o’clock in the morning. My head was still spinning because of last night’s incident. These questions were all running in my head:

Was my father really alive?

Is it even possible Ellie?”

How did she know my name? Her voice wasn’t familiar.

How did she know our phone number?

Why did she even call me?

Or is it really a wrong numbered phone call?

Did she call for an important reason? 

Was everything she said serious?

Why didn’t she wanna talk to Caroline?

Why did my father even leave his company to me and Hanna?

They all had answers. I was positive and slightly negative. Every question has an answer right? But these questions were all hard to find.

Why do nightmares happen whilst he’s gone?

What are those strange things happening to me? 

Would this all happen whilst he’s gone?