Returning Reign

Chapter 1

     I close the pages of my pre calculus textbook with a defeated sigh. I am so over that class and it's barely October. Making my way down the stairs I find my way into my kitchen. Some pasta sounds pretty good at the moment. I start taking out all the necessary pots and pans needed for my dinner.

     I always enjoyed cooking for my parents Davis and Ally Reed. They work long hours in our family business that they invested their all into when they had nothing. I make some delicious garlic bread and alfredo pasta with chicken in it for my parents. A Reed favorite and specialty.

     When I'm done setting up the table I check the time on my phone. It's already seven in the evening and my parents usually get here at six. Sometimes they do get here later because something comes up at the store. I decide to eat alone tonight since they probably won't arrive until after I go to sleep. Although it's not the normal thing to happen, it is not rare for them to be gone sometimes.

      I wash my dishes and head back upstairs. After taking a long relaxing shower I head to bed. As I lay there in my pajamas comfortably, I decide to call my parents to tell them good night. I have always been extremely close with them and they probably ended up going on a date night and forgot to tell me.

      I dial my moms phone number and press the call button.

      It went straight to voicemail. "Hi this is Ally Reed! I am not available to talk at the moment, but please leave a message and I will get back to you soon." This is not very normal.

     My mom always answers her phone when I call her. So I try to call my dad.

     Again, the call goes straight to voicemail. "This is Davis! Leave a message and i'll call whenever I have a chance." Why are they not answering me?

     Deciding that it is best that I don't jump to conclusions and I stay calm. Their phone probably died and they went on a date. It's not the first time this has happened. But I can't help but feel like this time it's different.

      With a loud, beating heart, I decide to wait for them to arrive just this once. I go back downstairs so that when my parents arrive I can hear the door open. When I turn to look into the kitchen I see an envelope on the counter.

     The paper is neatly folded inside the envelope with a scarlet stamp holding the envelope shut. I take out the paper and there is neat, cursive handwriting.

   

     Dear Chloe,

Hopefully you never have to receive this letter because if you do, something horrid has occurred to us. Inside this envelope there is also a key. You must use this key to open a door behind a bookcase in the basement.

You need to unlock this door and go to wherever it leads you. You are no longer safe where you are. You must go through the door. There is no time to question us we will explain at a later time. You are in grave danger.

Please try to stay safe wherever you go and blend in! The reason is because your real name is Cartia Laurelli. Do not tell anyone your name as this will have you be discovered. We also have not been completely honest with you. Our real names are Diego and Alice Laurelli, we only ever wanted to protect you. You must go with a different name, Cartia Reed. The 'Cartia' name is common because girls were named after you.

Protect yourself and don't come looking for us. It is too dangerous. Don't make our precautions fail, please stay safe and away.

With much love, Diego and Alice Laurelli.

     How does one process all this information at once? My parents are missing and we all had fake names 'to protect me'? I sit there in shock, the world seems to still around me as if letting me have some peace to think.