Twin Reflection

Chapter 21 - Willow

Willow woke up and she could sense that something was wrong. She looked across at Ella who was still fast asleep, should she wake her?

She jumped as she heard a noise downstairs, was that the door or just her mind playing tricks on her?

She glanced at the alarm clock, it read 2:34am, why would anybody be downstairs at this time?

"Ella," she hissed, "Wake up!"

Her sister groaned and sat up, rubbing her eyes, "Why, what's wrong?" she mumbled squinting down at Willow.

"I don't know," Willow replied, who felt wide awake, "But I swear I heard a door slam downstairs."

Ella sighed, "Look, it's probably nothing to worry about, Ollie probably just knocked something over or Mum or Dad needed to get something. Willow, please go back to sleep."

Suddenly, Ollie let out a furious bark and started growling.

"What's he saying?" Ella asked, staring at her intently.

Willow motioned for Ella to be quiet, "It doesn't really make sense, he is just saying lots of jumbled up words. It sounds as if he's scared."

"We should go downstairs and have a look, I have my telekinesis and nobody will see us in the pitch black. I bet it's nothing, but I think we'd feel more at ease if we checked. Plus, we have Ollie."

Willow nodded, she could tell that Ella was as scared as she was but they were both putting on a brave face, she didn't even want to think about the possibility of someone being in their house.

Ella led the way and Willow followed, she paused at the top of the stairs, was this a good idea? What if it really was that man downstairs and he tried to hurt them again, she didn't want to think about what he may do to them this time.

A deathly silence surrounded them, only broken by the sound of ticking from the clock downstairs. Willow's hand was shaking as she grasped onto the banister and started to make her way down. With her oversensitive hearing she could just about hear Ollie's unsteady breathing coming from his basket at the foot of the stairs. No other sound could be heard.

Creak...

The sound of the squeaky floorboard echoed through Willow's ears as she had been listening hard for sound from beneath them. Ella had apparently made the floorboard creak because she mouthed a silent apology, but Willow was more on edge than ever now.

They reached the bottom of the stairs. Willow realised that she didn't need to turn on the light, she could see well enough in the dark with her strangely powerful vision and from the way Ella was looking around she guessed she could too. She looked down the hallway to the front door. It was still firmly shut. So what had made that bang?

"I'll check the kitchen," she whispered to Ella as quietly as she could.

"I'm coming with you," Ella replied, in the same hushed tone, "I don't think that we should be alone down here."

Willow nodded and together they crept into the kitchen, her heart was pounding, but she couldn't spot anybody in the kitchen. Everything was the same as it had been before they went up to bed. All the work surfaces were clean and none of the draws had been left open.

From the kitchen they went straight through to the living room, to which the door was partly open.

She followed Ella into the living room, pushing the door open as they went before exchanging relieved glances, there was nobody there. They were safe.

Willow looked around, it must have been Ollie that had made the bang, there was nothing to worry about.

Without warning, the living room door groaned loudly behind them and slammed shut. A floorboard upstairs creaked.

Willow turned just in time to see Ella's body go rigid and fall to the ground. Willow nearly screamed, but stopped herself. She couldn't wake her parents and their grandma and put them in danger too. A dark shadow appeared in the doorway. He must have been stood behind the living door, waiting for them...

"Scream and I'll shoot her with a proper bullet." A menacing voice whispered. She shivered as she looked at the figure in the doorway. He was holding what was unmistakably a gun.

"What have you done to her?" Willow whispered hoarsely, her voice shaking with terror as she looked at Ella's slumped body.

"I've stunned her," he replied calmly, "And if you don't come quietly, I'll do the same to you."

Willow was too scared to speak so she just nodded. She knew this was the same man who had been in the black car, watching them. Who had followed them into the restaurant and the shop. Who they had barely escaped from during his last kidnapping attempt just hours before. He had come after them again. Clearly, he was not going to rest until his mission was completed...

"If you dare to attempt any of your little tricks like you did last time, your sister will pay the price. Follow me."

Willow glanced around, there were no weapons, nothing she could use against him. Even if there were, she couldn't risk angering him, she knew that his threat was serious and she couldn't put Ella in danger.

Silently, she followed him back through the kitchen and into the porch, where she suddenly felt as if she was being watched. She paused and looked round quickly. Barely visible in the darkness she saw a figure at the top of the stairs, which were opposite the front door. The small, round figure was unmistakably her grandma, she had seen everything.

A small flicker of hope rose in Willow's mind as she followed the man to the car without looking back; scared of giving away the fact that she knew her grandma was there...

If they were lucky their parents would be able to find them before any harm came to her sister.

"Will you hurry up?" The man hissed, "This is your final warning. Now, get into the car."

Willowobeyed, but her mind was working hard, trying desperately to find a way out ofthis mess.