Chapter 12

71 23 228
                                    


I'm sitting on my bed, replaying the newfound memories inside my head. My heart still races wildly as I try to make some sense of them.

They're from that night. Well, at least the first two. I even saw Chris in the old park. We were hanging out there when they kidnapped us.

I think about the memory fragment I got after that one. There were footsteps, but there was also the sound of water nearby. I remember there's an old cottage not too far from the river, and it's been abandoned for years. It could be a perfect place to leave two teenagers, considering how isolated it is. That must be the place.

I'm not sure if they're still keeping him there, but it's the only clue I have so far, so I have to get there somehow and investigate. However, I know how dangerous this is, which means I cannot do it alone. My best bet is to sneak out of the house and go to the police station to find someone who could help me.

But first, I need to go downstairs and see what Jasmine is doing. If I'm going to run away, I need to make sure to buy myself some time and keep her away from my bedroom for a while.

I spot her in the living room, watching TV on the couch.

"Elainne, is that you?" she asks when she hears my footsteps approaching.

"Yeah, I came down to grab some water," I reply with the first excuse that comes to my mind. "Where's dad? Is he not back yet?"

"No, he called in and said he'll be staying later, they got a delivery today so he has some extra work in the storage." She gives a quick glance to the clock on the wall. "Although, he should probably be back soon."

"Oh, okay. My head hurts a little, so I'm just gonna drink some water and then go to bed earlier. I'll probably be asleep when he comes back."

I see her expression changing from relaxed to worried in a second. "Are the headaches starting again?" She turns around to look at me with her arms crossed over her chest, so I try to put on my best tired expression.

"I don't think so, I'll probably be fine after I get some sleep." I reply.

"Alright then, make sure to get some rest. Good night!" she says as I walk out of the room. Since I have an excuse to own up to, I go to the kitchen and pour myself some water, then go upstairs when I gulp it down.

I waste no time in changing my previous clothesfor some more comfortable sweatpants and a hoodie to help me sneak around and run easier. Then I grab as many shirts and pants as I can, dumping them all on the bed. It's a bit difficult, but I shape them in a humanoid lump. It won't be able to deceive anyone for too long, but it might buy me some time if Jasmine comes to check on me later. I cover the lump with the blanket, hoping for the best.

When that trick is done, I open the window and look down. The height is huge, and I'd probably get hurt if I fell, but I know I've done this numerous times before. I take a deep breath, and then carefully swing one leg outside, then the other. I tightly grip the window ledge as I turn my body around, trying to find a footing in the facade. When I find it, I slowly start making my way down.

When I'm a few feet away from the ground, I assess it's safe enough for me to jump, so I do that, hoping that the sound wasn't loud enough to alert Jasmine. I tiptoe around the house and sneak through my own backyard, until I'm on the street. As soon as I get out of the reach of the house, I run.

As I make my way towards the police station, I remember the dream from a few days ago. Please don't let them appear there somehow, please, please...

Fortunately, there's no sign of them when I run in, only people in uniforms roaming around the hallway.

I drag my feet to the reception desk. "I need to talk to someone," I say, but my voice is barely audible, hoarse from all the running.

If You Forget | ✓Where stories live. Discover now