Fading Pasts

Chapter 1

(Above is a picture of Ann)

I woke up and this time there was no screaming, no grabbing of a gun, and she was still curled up next to me. I slipped out of bed and like the prior night snuck down the steps into the kitchen. I decided today was going to be an amazing day, so I cooked breakfast to the best of my ability. I heard paws charging down the steps whenever I put the bacon on the stove. Not soon after I heard more footsteps coming down in a similar manner.

"You're cooking!"

She inched closer and looked at all the food I was making.

"Or should I say burning?"

"You know what?"

I grabbed her, put her over my shoulder and took her to the living room sitting her down on the couch. She grabbed my face as I sat her down and kissed me.

"Now you wait here while I finish breakfast, no back-seat cooking!"

...

After breakfast we got ready for work. She teaches at a local school, and I run a mechanic shop. I kissed her goodbye as she left for work, and I could tell something was off, not with her but with the day. I hadn't felt this feeling in a long time, and I shook it off thinking nothing more of it.

The day was a blur. It was another good day at the shop, but by the time I left the feeling in the pit of my stomach resurfaced. I grabbed my phone out of my pocket and texted her. I waited there for a reply that would never come. But in that moment, I again shook it off as nothing. I mean she was probably just cooking dinner and not checking her phone. I arrived home shortly after, but as I turned onto our street, I realized her car wasn't in the driveway. I sped up. As I pulled into the driveway, I grabbed my phone and dialed her number.

Ring

Ring

Ring

"Hi. I can't come to the phone right now, but I will call you back very soon."

Beep

"Honey call me back. I'm worried."

I dialed her sister's number. Maybe it was a family emergency, and she didn't have the chance to call yet.

Ring

Ring

"Hi John, how are you doing?"

"I'm doing well, Trix. Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, what's wrong?"

"It's probably nothing, but she hasn't returned any of my calls or texts. I was wondering if you heard from her or if something happened?"

"I'm sorry. I haven't heard or seen her today. I can try and call her if you'd like, or at least let me know when you get a hold of her."

"I'm going to drive past the school and see if she just got held up, but I'll let you know when I hear from her."

"Alright, be safe."

"I will."

Click

I backed out of the driveway and started toward the school which was only a few blocks away. I told myself that something had to have come up at work. I pulled up to the school and went to the parking lot to see if her car was still there. There was only one car, and it wasn't hers. I called her again...

Ring

Ring

Ring

"Hi. I can't come to the phone right now, but I will call you back very soon."