The Tape

Chapter 2

Three Years Later

Josie's POV: I always knew what I wanted to be growing up. My biological mom, Josette, used to be one of the best doctors in Virginia, but mom said that she died giving birth to me and Lizzie. Our dad quickly turned to drinking and practically disowned us after she died. He stayed in a small town working as some high school history teacher.

At the age of two, Lizzie and I was adopted by Caroline and Stefan, who couldn't have children of their own, and was later moved to Europe. I honestly don't really remember Stefan really well. I just remember him leaving for work one day and not coming back. Mom was working as a lawyer at the time, and didn't get to spend that much time with us, but I could tell that whatever happened hurt her. Our grandmother, Liz, used to babysit us when our mother was away, and tell us stories about some Demon in a waterfall, but that all changed when she stopped coming over.

We didn't understand what was happening at the time. All we knew was that our mom was spending more time at the house, so when our grandmother walked into the door and Lizzie jumped into her arms excitedly, mom started yelling. Lizzie ended up locking herself away, thinking she somehow hurt our grandmother, but I couldn't really tell who it actually hurt more.

She died when we were only six, but I could still remember Lizzie asking mom when grandma was coming home, and waiting by our bedroom door as if she would walk in at any minute to tell us goodnight. When it finally became clear that she wasn't coming back, Lizzie fell apart.

Mom took over grandma's job as the sheriff and promised never to abandon us, and everything finally started to get good again.

Until the day that Lizzie left.

She's tried calling over the years to check up on us from time to time, but I could never work up the nerve to talk to her. I focused more on my school work, and even managed to graduated college early at the top of my class before going back to school to focus on getting my doctorate degree.

For the first time in a long time, I was happy.

That should've been my first clue that something like this would happen.

That something would come along and destroy everything that I aimed to build.

Walking through the front door, I smiled as I spotted mom sitting on the couch watching 'Criminal Minds'. "You have mail on the table", she told me absentmindedly.

"Do you seriously not get tired of that", I asked her curiously. "I mean, you're the sheriff", I pointed out. "You literally see this every day. Even live some of it", I said.

"I'm doing my homework", she defended. "In order to catch the criminal, you have to think like one", she told me as I smiled in amusement.

"I guess you do have a good point", I nodded, before joining her on the couch as she paused the episode, causing me to send her a confused look.

"How did the job interview go", she asked me eagerly.

"It was good", I hummed.

"Why do I sense a but", she asked, narrowing her eyes.

"I don't know", I groaned. "I just don't think it's the right place for me", I sighed.

"Josie, that's the sixth job that you've turned down this month", she pointed out. "What's wrong", she questioned, causing me to look down at my lap.

"It's just...", I started, playing with my hands anxiously. "What if I'm never gonna be half as good as a doctor as my mom was", I asked her quietly.

"Sweetie, you're never gonna be like any of those other doctors", she told me, causing me to look up at her tearfully. "And that's okay", she reassured, taking my hand in hers. "You don't have to work to be better than them", she said. "The only thing that truly matters is that you thrive to be better than yourself", she smiled, causing me to smile thankfully.

"Thanks, mom", I sniffed, throwing my arms around her as she pulled me into a hug.

"Anytime, my little hermit crab", she said, causing me to wince as I pulled away from her.

"Mom, I told you not to call me that", I whined, causing her to chuckle.

"Have you spoken to Lizzie", she questioned, causing my shoulders to tense.

"I don't really want to talk about it tonight. I just really tired", I smiled, trying to gently sway the conversation off topic.

"Josie, she's your sister-"

"Mom", I interrupted, looking into her eyes almost pleadingly. "Can we please talk about something else. Anything else", I pleaded.

"She cares about you", she said as I got to my feet.

"Does she", I scoffed. "Did she care enough to say goodbye the day she left", I challenged. "I mean, she didn't even tell me that she was leaving", I pointed out.

"Josie, she's really trying-"

"Oh, is she", I laughed bitterly. "If she cares so damn much, then why hasn't she visited", I asked, crossing my arms across my chest. "Why haven't I gotten one single letter in the mail? Why hasn't she bothered to fly her ass over here herself if she cares so much about us", I questioned.

"Honey", she whispered, getting up from the couch to pull me into a hug.

"Don't", I said quietly, taking a step back as her expression fell. "It's always the same thing. You sit on that couch, waiting for me to come home, and you shove my sister's absence in my face, lecturing me for hours about how perfect her new life is and how she's really trying to make up for what she did", I pointed out. "You talk to me as if I'm the one responsible for driving her away, and I'm sick of it", I retorted. "It makes me feel like your upset that Lizzie left instead of me. That you don't want me here", I said, my voice cracking.

"Josie-"

"No, I get it. When we were little, people always thought that Lizzie was yours and I was just some girl that you took pity for", I said, hugging myself tighter. "I tried so hard to get your attention, but all Lizzie had to do was blink and you would forget I existed", I exclaimed.

"Josie, sweetie, you know that's not true", she frowned. "Lizzie just-"

"Just stop", I gritted out. "God, don't you see what's happening? She left us, mom", I exclaimed. "She left because she would rather live in a shitty small town with our sorry excuse for a father than be with us", I choked out, wiping at my eyes. Noticing the hurt expression on mom's face, I felt my heart ache as I covered my mouth tearfully. "Mommy...", I cried, shaking my head. "I...I didn't...", I trailed off.

"I know", she whispered, pulling me into a hug as I finally allowed myself to cry for the first time in three years.

"I miss her, mom. I just want to see her", I mumbled into her chest before I felt her muscles tense as I heard something shatter, causing me to pull away from her in alarm.

"What was that", I asked, wiping at my eyes.

"Go upstairs", she commanded.

"Mom, what's going o-"

"Now", she shouted, causing me to jump as she glanced toward the kitchen. "Josie, just do what you're told. Please", she exclaimed tearfully as the sound of someone arguing reached my ears.

Nodding obediently, I quickly took off running before pausing half-way up the stairs as a loud noise reached my ears.

What was that?

Was that a gunshot?

Did mom shoot someone?

"Mom", I called. "M-mom", I breathed, straining my neck to see around the corner as I spotted someone walking toward me, causing me to sigh in relief. "Mom, you scared-"