PaperCuts

Chapter One

--Authors note: Please keep in mind this is my first story, I'm kind of afraid to post this but okay!--

It only took a moment for Adeline to notice the absence of her younger sister Holly. She could always hear the small creeks of the old wooden floor as Holly tried to quietly dance alone in her room, but not tonight. It was quiet. Maybe she had gone to sleep, or maybe she didn't feel like dancing. Holly had just turned 8 a couple days ago while Adeline had been 12 for almost 4 months. They both spoke the same way, dressed the same way, ate the same way. If it wasn't for how obviously different they look they could've been passed off as twins.

Adeline got up slowly. She hesitated as her feet touched the iced floor. Trying not to make any noise Adeline slowly shifted her weight from the bed onto the floor. The ground made a loud creak, like a cry in agony. "Help me!" The floor would plead out. The house was far from being new. In fact it was so old no one knew how old it really was.

She took a step forward.

Each bone on the pale girls foot was visible through her skin.

She took a step forward.

The floor cried loudly, almost as if it was trying to get Adeline caught by someone. Adeline gave up, leaping to the door she forced her ear against it. The door was cold, like the rest of the house. She was in a crouched position, on her tip of her toes. The room was silent, the house was silent. Adeline slowly opened the door each painful cry and creek making her cringe. She shut her eyes tight afraid of what evil was beyond the door. Nothing. Nothing was beyond the door, she opened her eyes. The hallway was dimly lit by the moonlight seeping through the mud covered windows.

"Holly?" Adeline's voice was quiet and awkward in the silence of the night.

She fluffed out her nightgown. The colours could only be described as pink and blue, but extremely faded and torn. Adeline's eyes were green and dusty. They went well with her mud brown hair which was tied back in a knotted mess with a faded blue ribbon bow. Her skin was pale and her bones were visible on her hands, feet, face and legs.

Adelines heart skipped a beat as the distant sounds of sirens grew closer. At the same time she heard a thud and her name being called.
"Adeline!" A small voice called out, it sounded like who ever said that was about to cry.
"Holly!" Adeline ran into the room across from hers.
Entering the room Adeline glanced around the room before finding her younger sister trying to hide under the steel bed. The girls eyes were dark brown, her hair a light blonde. 
"That's not a good place!" Adeline snapped pulling her sister from under the bed. "Get Mr. Bon and follow me."
Holly reached for a plush bunny. It was faded brown with a ribbon tie tied so tight around its neck that if it was alive it would be choking, its left arm was deprived from stuffing as this was always where Holly would hold the stuffy from. Adeline forced open the closet door. Stepping in she removed a panel from the wall revealing a secret small room. Only fit for three people. She stepped into the secret room her sister following close behind. Pipes and wires surrounded them along with wood and nails.  Adeline placed back the panel closing off the room, then putting a ghostly white finger up to her lips.

The sirens grew closer, soon they were right in front of the house. The sounds of heavy boots  slammed on the ground so loud the floor no longer cried. Adeline could her the voices of men shouting and yelling. It was the 3th time they had come this week.

"They obviously aren't here!"
"Then why are we looking?"
"Shut it and keep looking!"
"There are people in this house and we will find them."
"Ugh, lets just get this over with."

The voices were getting louder as they made their way up the stairs. Holly clutched Mr. Bon tightly, pure fear in her eyes. The men entered Holly's room. Adeline could feel her and Holly's heart beat quicken as the men creeped around the room. They opened the closet door. Holly began to cry, Adeline shoved her hand onto Holly's mouth so Holly's tears wouldn't be heard. The room was silent. Then the men moved to Adelines room.

After what felt like an eternity the men left, and both girls left the closet. Holly collapsed onto the ground in tears.
"Hey, hey, hey! It's okay! I-uh" Adeline stuttered over her words. "I'll uh, I'll go get mom!" Adeline froze.
"What's wrong Holly?" Adeline spoke out in an attempt at an adult woman voice.
"I'm scared." Holly sniffed and stuttered over her words.
"Oh, it's okay sweetie, they're gone now."
"Forever?"
"Sadly not forever."
Holly stayed quiet wiping away her tears and smiling slightly
"See all better!" Adeline smiled as she spoke in her normal voice. 

They sat silently in the room simply looking at each other. After about five minutes Holly stood up. Adeline stared up at her sister her face a blank canvas. Holly left the room. She must have been going to get something to eat as Adeline could hear her foot steps as she walked away.
"How is she so calm?" Adeline spoke aloud placing one hand to the ground the other to the ground.
The sun was finally rising, the sky a pinky orange. Silhouettes of trees and houses block the sun from its full potential. The air was crisp and cold. The clouds in the distance for told a rain storm to come. It was finally peaceful, Adeline headed down the stairs to go see her sister. Once again the house was cold, the wind created a soft creek in the housed loose bords.

Stepping to the bottom of the steps Adeline could almost feel the sudden temperature change. It went from cold, to colder. Winter was always the hardest part of life, and autumn was just coming to an end. Adeline squinted her eyes.
"Holly?" It was just like morning. Holly wasn't there.
Frantically Adeline slid through the second floor; Cabient? No. Patio? No. Bathroom? No.
Not here. Nowhere. Adeline slowly made her way to each cabinet, opening it and removing the side pannels. Maybe Holly got scared of the house settling and hid? Adeline glanced around the room once again: A worn out couch, cabinets, a stove, an old corner lamp. The air was cold but dewy in the sunlights gliss that shined through the shattered windows.

At one point this was a beautiful glowing house. Large diamond chandeliers hung from the tiled ceiling. The floor shone like a ball room, pale blue and green wall paper clinged to the inside walls of the house. A young girl stepped into the kitchen. Her eyes a dusty green, sparkling in the light made a beautiful look along with her muddy brown hair. She appeared to be about 14 a tall straight back.
"Oh, hello Alice!" A boy around the same age as the girl waved. Smiling brightly, he had light blonde hair with dark brown eyes.
"Ashton! I'm hungry," Alice had a nasty look on her face as she whined. Ashton sighed starting up the oven and checking the pantry. He removed a small pannel only fit for two people revealing a bag of potatos.

Holly was no where in sight. Adeline began to panic.
"Holly?! Holly?! Holly?!" Adeline yelled heading for the door.
She stepped out of the house the grass was barely visible under the over grown weeds and flowers.

"Holly?! Holly?!"

Silence.

Maybe she had gone into town for food? Adeline started to walk down the weed covered path. She held her breath as she stepped on and over the prickled plants. As the thorns were pushed down by Adelines foot in left footprints in the ground, but there wasn't a second pare for Holly. Strange.