Our Sick Inheritance (editing)

Ch 106 (jake)- To Be Aware is Golden

While Jake laid on his bed, the darkness from in his room started to lighten to a deep shade of purple. He could see the outline of structures like the bed, dresser across the room, and door even a bit further than that but everything smaller was cloaked in shadow. Right when he decided that if anyone else were to try to come into his room, they wouldn't be able to see him either. As if the Devil's pets heard his thoughts, Jake's eyes were drawn to a moving person. At first, he thought Brittany had snuck into his room and he was grateful just to have a few more cuddle moments with her, but realized the risk of her doing that was too great after what he had just spilled to her family. There was already enough drama to cause more, besides Brittany was on crutches so he knew she couldn't have moved as slow and fluently as the person in his room was doing.

The figure got closer and Jake could tell it was indeed a girl. His heart pounded on his chest to escape. Fear told him to move but his blood was frozen so that he couldn't. Before he even saw her face, he knew who it was. Jake was still unable to twitch a muscle. She reached the bottom of his bed and stood there staring at him. Her finger reached to the bottom of Jake's foot and he didn't jerk it away as her nails scraped softly across his skin. He was shocked that it didn't tickle as she knew it was his weakness. When she had ever tickled his feet, it would lead to a physical wrestling match like when they were kids. They hadn't played that game since they were in elementary school. Once her fingers left his foot he looked at her sad face as it gave a slight smile.

"Stacy." Jake breathed.

He sat up to reach to her but jerked awake instead. The clock told him he had slept for at least six hours. For some unknown reason Jake started crying into his hands and he didn't have the control to stop. The emotional spasm lasted for almost two minutes before he could jump up and hop in the shower to clean himself up. He had raced into the bathroom that the floor's bedrooms shared before anyone else could get in ahead of him. He was grateful that nobody was occupying the bathroom because he didn't want anyone to know he had been crying especially over a dream.

The upstairs was still quiet as he stepped out into the hallway refreshed. He could smell breakfast coming from downstairs and knew everyone was probably already in the kitchen. Jake looked at the flashing light on his phone lying on his bed and expeditiously walked towards it thinking he knew who it was from. He didn't even consider that it was from anyone other, for every call could be ignored except from his family. Disappointment filled his heart as he saw the call was from his Dad instead of his sister.

"Hi son. How are you?" Kyle asked with a strain on his voice.

"Tired but fine. What's going on?" Jake asked wanting to skip through casual conversation short.

"Have you heard from Stacy yet?" Kyle asked. Jake could hear the hope in his voice and this made his goosebumps form on skin.

"No, I haven't. I sent her a few messages and called a few times but she hasn't called back." Jake said not wanting to ask anything to know more but his didn't decided for him.

"Stacy hasn't gotten ahold of anyone since she left Tuesday. She didn't make it to the hotel with her friends on Tuesday night nor their dinner. Mom talked to some of her friends and is getting a list of numbers of those who saw her since we did. I don't know if she got stuck in the snow or what is going on yet because I am still in Colorado but I have people looking for her. Mom is distraught so I am taking a flight in twenty minutes. Neither of us has slept all night. I made a list of where to go today when I get there." Kyle said.

With each word, Jake felt the weight of cold distress that each goose bump gave when it rose. His whole body felt the reaction from head to toe, inside and out. Jumping in the Crater Lake in Oregon wouldn't have been colder. Jake's heart hurt from the pressure.