Abduction

4: New Home

We pulled up to a house and I felt my mouth drop. It was basically a mansion. The house was completely red brick, plants were in bloom across the entire yard. It was clear these people were very well off and in my family we struggled to pay rent on time.

I followed them into the house and the inside was no less extraordinary than the outside. I felt like I was in a dream, or maybe a nightmare? I really didn't know. None of this felt real.

I looked around in awe and led myself down the long hallways examining all the photos on the wall. Most of them were recent- a mother and father with their daughter and son. But then i came across more photos with another child, I realized I was the other child. I found baby photos of Elizabeth and I from the hospital up until we were toddlers. If there were so many photos of us from so many years, there had to be a connection.

I felt the woman touch my shoulder, "You two aren't just twins, you were best friends."

None of this made sense. My parents aren't bad people. They love me, and I love them. They would never kidnap a child.

Suddenly a boy appeared down the hall. He stared at me for a long time until I realized he was the boy from the photos- Elizabeth's brother.. so i guess my brother?

He looked at his dad, "Shouldn't you have taken her to the police or something?"

"Jacob!" The mother yelled angrily.

The father shook his head, "She can have a normal night home before this gets out. We'll go tomorrow."

"Shoot, I think i left my phone at the party." I panicked looking around my purse.

Elizabeth held up my phone, "Got it."

"You're the greatest." I sighed in relief as I reached for the phone when suddenly the mother took it away.

"No. You are not about to tell those.. people where you are. I can't lose you again." She said worriedly.

I furrowed my eyebrows at her, "Those people are my parents who have loved me my whole life."

"Not your whole life." She reminded me. I was growing extremely angry at this point. She may think she's my mom, but she isn't.

"Okay, let's step back," the man said, "Elizabeth, can you show Erika where her room is?"

She nodded and led me up the staircase. I reluctantly followed without my phone because I knew there was no point in fighting the woman. I would get to my parents eventually anyways. 

"So, this one is your room and then we have one of those jack and jill bathrooms that connects to my room. Uh, I guess it'll be kind of weird sharing a bathroom because I'm not used to it so just lock the door whenever you're in there okay? Then Jacob's room is across the hall." Elizabeth explained pointing around. 

I nodded and gave her a hug. She was the only one who seemed to realize I was uncomfortable and confused here. The others treated me like I was an injured creature.

When I entered the room, I felt like it was strangely familiar, as if i had already been in here. The walls were a light, baby pink and there were two large white dressers with a large queen sized bed against the wall. I went over to the dresser and opened it up- empty. Part of me had expected to find baby clothes as if they had never been in here since I left like in all the movies. I guess it wasn't that dramatic.

I sat down on the bed and sighed. I was full of emotions and all i wanted was to talk to someone. My mom, dad, Stacy, or Blake.. but i couldn't talk to any of them because Elizabeth's mom had stolen my phone. I walked over to the bathroom to take a shower to clear my mind, but felt the doorknob locked and heard running water already. Great, Elizabeth had beat me to it.

I sighed and took a leap of faith by walking across the hall to Jacob's room. I knocked on the door harshly and he quickly answered it, "Elizabeth I already told you I don't-- oh. It's you."

I smiled, "Sorry, she's in the bathroom. Uh, is there another bathroom I could use? I just sort of need to shower."

He nodded towards the other side of the hallway, "My bathroom is down there, but it's kind of gross."

I sighed, "Great..I just want to talk to my mom."

"So, you really consider the people who abducted you to be your parents?" He asked.

I nodded, "Of course. They're the only parents I've ever known. I love them."

He stepped out of the doorway and nodded towards his bed, "If you want to come hang out with me for awhile you can."

"Thanks, I think I will. Your mom took my phone so I'm just kind of bored and alone." I explained as I walked into his room. It was quite messy and had a strange odor, but what could you expect out of a teenage boy?

I sat down on his bed and he tossed his phone at me, "Don't worry, I won't tell."

Jacob was officially my favorite person.

"By the way, I can tell you don't want to call them Mom and Dad so you can call them Steve and Annette." 

Scratch that, now he was my favorite person.

"How do you like, understand me so well?" I asked him and I began to type out a text to Stacy, and yes, I did have her number memorized. 

He shrugged, "I just do. I'm the kid everyone forgets so I'm always in the back observing everything. I can tell you don't get this and want to go home."

"What do you mean everyone forgets?" I questioned as I focused all my attention on him.

He sighed, "You're the kid who got kidnapped, Elizabeth is the kid who lost her twin sister and best friend, and I'm just the older brother who everyone figures can fight for himself. Ever since you left, it's been all eyes on Elizabeth and all attention on finding you."

In that moment, I felt pretty awful. It felt as if it was all my fault he felt like this. I could already tell Jacob was one of the best people in this family and I didn't want him to hate me.

"I'm sorry." I apologized

He sat down next to me, "It's not your fault you got kidnapped."

We both started laughing and everything felt okay for the first time that night. Jacob actually felt like my brother. I handed him his phone after I finished sending the following text to Stacy and headed back to my room to instantly fall asleep.

hey stace- it's me. I'm using my brother's phone right now, that sound's so weird to say. They took my phone away so I can't contact my parents because they don't want to lose me again. I can tell how hurt they are by this situation and they're so excited to have found me. Please tell Blake to contact me. I've realized the girl he saw was Elizabeth- not me. I miss you and I'll come back soon.