Lacuna(1)

Chapter 3

Evelyn, Stevie, and Nate had made little progress each day. But it was still progress at least. The wind blew frantically through Evelyn's hair, causing her ponytail to whip around behind her. Evelyn's  legs weren't tired yet, compared to Stevie who had started complaining after ten minutes on the bike.

Evelyn had soon realized that her interest in the case was less than she expected. Yeah true crime was interesting, but this just didn't catch her attention. Honestly, it might be for the better. If she is not as involved, people won't come after her if something happens. Stevie being Stevie, usually went on her own dangerous adventures to find evidence. Sometimes useful. Sometimes completely meaningless.

"You guys ready for a break?" Stevie shouted over the wind.

"I can kee-"

"Yes we can stop." Nate interrupted, slowing down to turn into an empty parking lot. Sketchy but whatever.
\/\/

   
"Your friend is here," Nate said. "Captain Big Box. Box Bag. Bag Boss."

They all turned to see Stevie's "Friend" Carson speed-walking toward the table they had sat at. Based on his stance, he was clearly on a mission.

"Oh god," Stevie said. "What does he want? Nicole is going to yell at me again for bringing weirdos to the camp, even if that one does own it."

Evelyn and Nate looked at Stevie for an explanation but Carson had already gotten here.

"I need to talk to you," he said to Stevie in a low, breathless voice.

Stevie looked at her rapidly cooling pancakes. "Could I finish..."

Carson shook his head. "No time."

"Podcasts sleep for no one," Nate said.

Stevie sawed into the pancake stack in a desperate attempt to get them into her mouth.

"Listen," he said, "Allison Abbott is dead."

Excuse me?

"Arrowhead Point," Carson said. "She fell during her morning run." They all blinked at him in complete confusion, Stevie the only one with any recognition on her face. Before they knew it, Stevie and Carson had run off and left them to fend for themselves.

\/\/

Because Nate, Stevie, and Evelyn were the smartest people on earth, they decided 'hey, let's just go to Allison's house instead of waiting for police to release what the public was allowed to know.'

"She could have a doorcam or something," Nate said in a low voice.

"Well, she's not monitoring it now," Stevie replied.
Evelyn tried her best to hold in a laugh, little giggles slipped out here and there. When they got to the door, Stevie broke in with a suspicious amount of ease. The sound of fireworks popped from outside.

"Happy Independence Day," Nate said.

They all stalked throughout the house, finding Sabrina's room. Stevie was being a detective while me and Nate childishly were exploring the shelves.

"What is this?" he said. "Hairbrushes? Old pencils? This is—"

"The work of a grieving sister," Stevie cut in.

"...from a horror novel."

"Stevie, I was never like this," Evelyn chimed in.

"The turtle is gone," Stevie said.

"What turtle?"

"She figured it out," Stevie said. "She moved the turtle. We have to find it."

"Stevie, what turtle am I looking for?" Stevie didn't answer and instead ran around the house looking for some mysterious turtle.

"Guys! In here!" Stevie shouted from somewhere in the house. When she had finally found my way, Stevie and Nate were trying to rip off the lid of a turtle shaped sculpture. After a few more minutes of struggling, Stevie grabbed a rolling pin and smashed it down on the turtle's back. Memories of shattering objects flashed in my mind, a cool breeze running down her spine. Stevie grabbed whatever had fallen out of the turtle and started frantically flipping through the pages.

"We could probably go now." An edge creeping into Nate's voice. The sound of crunching gravel appeared louder to me than anyone else. Suddenly, Nate pulled both of them to the group, cupping a hand over Stevie's mouth. The footsteps had made it to the front door. A cold sweat washed over me. Nate and Evelyn both looked at Stevie's waiting for something, a command? She tilted her head toward the kitchen door. She watched as Stevie tiptoes over to the door, opening it which was surprisingly noisy. Footsteps above us stopped moving. Stevie yanked me and Nate outside.

"Go!" She whispered to them. They all sprinted down the driveway onto the gravel path, dirt crunching under our feet.

"The bikes are gone. There's no car. We have to walk back," Stevie said, pulling them all into the trees. A crunch of a step sounded behind them. They had no choice but to run. And they did. Evelyn was yards ahead of Stevie and Nate before she knew it. A loud explosion boomed, Evelyn couldn't tell if it was a firework or gunshot until a stabbing pain was welcomed into her right calf.

"Ow! Shit!" She cursed. She attempted to keep running but her leg gave out, the pain getting worse. She fell onto the road, rolling off the side into the trees, watching as Nate and Stevie's ran by. She sat up to try and check the damage. All there was was blood. On her hands. On her legs. On her shoes. On her shirt. Everywhere. Her vision blurred and blackened. She looked up into the night sky to try and watch the fireworks in what seemed to be her final moments. Was this how things ended? She couldn't go like this. She had to do something great first.  Her eyes became droopy. She couldn't hear any footsteps anymore. She couldn't hear anything other than her pounding heart.
Everything

      seems
          t. o
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                         d.     e.