Can You Keep A Secret?

Chapter 3

    When I stepped inside, it was complete silence. It was almost deafening. If you listened, you could hear a pin drop. There were a million questions racing through my mind, but I was unable to voice a single one. I was contemplating what to do, when I heard muffled voices coming from the living room. It sounded like everybody was home, plus two people who's voices I did not recognize. I was ready to take a step forward, but stopped dead in my tracks. I heard a man's voice - and not my dad's.  

    "Don't worry sir, we'll do everything we can to find Abigail." My mom sprang in. "She prefers to be called Abbie." I smirked in the kitchen, still frozen to the spot. The strange male muttered "My apologies." I then regained sense and I took a few steps forward. I reached the doorway, but nobody looked. My parents were hugging each other, and the two other people - a female and male police officer - had their backs to us all, whispering quietly. I cleared my throat. 

    "Umm..." I said. The cops spun around. My mom and dad looked up. My mom screamed. Yeah, she screamed. Probably from relief. It's just what she does. 

    "Abbie we were worried sick about you!" I received a million hugs and kisses at once. I stood there and let it happen. I looked at the officers, tears forming in my eyes. My gaze settled on my older sister Mariah, who I now noticed was sitting in an armchair in the corner. All emotion was wiped from her face. She just stared back at me, like she was a statue. I noticed my parents just finished asking me a bunch of questions. I didn't catch any of them, so I said one simple statement, four words. "I have to pee." 

    Mom and dad smirked, but they let me go. I walked down the hall, slightly limping, into the bathroom. I shut the door, resting my back against it. I stared up at the ceiling for a few moments, thoughts skimming through my mind. That was when I broke down. I slid down to the floor, and started crying. I mean, really crying. I was sobbing so hard, I started to choke. I couldn't control myself. I was terrified of what happened to me. Then, there was a knock at the door. 

    "Abbie? Can I come in?" It was Mariah. I quickly stood up, wiped my eyes and stuttered, "Uhh, c-come i-in." Mariah let the door drift open, then shut herself inside with me. I had to admit, I was a little nervousness being in a small room with my sister. Where it held items that could really hurt me. Razors, a hair straightener... 

    Mariah and I stared at each other for a few seconds when she got up in my face and hissed "What is wrong with you?! You were supposed to have disappeared!" I must have looked shocked and confused, because Mariah continued. "You weren't supposed to make it home alive you idiot!" "Mariah, what are you talking about?" "You know what happened!" I looked anywhere but into Mariah's piercing blue eyes. I had no clue what was going on. 

    "Whatever," Mariah sneered. "Just don't walk to the store anymore. Or things won't end well for you." And with that she left the bathroom, quietly locking herself away into her room. I'm not sure what Mariah really meant when she said "Or things wouldn't end well for me" but I did know one thing. For once in my life, I was truly scared of my older sister.