Dead rose garden

The Brown package

When I finally got home, I unlocked our front door with frozen limbs, from walking in the cold. My dad's angry face greeted me. His eyes were red and swolen. Presumably from crying. Empty beer bottles littered the area around the couch. I felt guilt stab me like a knife.
"Where were you? I was worried looking all around- uh I mean I was worried sick about you," my dad slurred. I looked down at my shoes.
"Sorry, I thought that Ethan might have known something about Gabby," I answered. My dad took a closer inspection of my face, and realised my bloody nose. The pawpaw was about to hit the fan. When dad was drunk and angry, you would be better off if you stayed away from him.
"Did you get into a fight again!? Don't you remember what happened last year? You son of a -" he mumbled, pushing me back slightly.
"Dad I didn't fight back," I tried to argue.
My dad just wiped a teary eye, and pointed towards the stairs:"Go to your room!"
I sighed of relief, and obeyed his orders. The last time my Dad was drunk and mad, it didn't go off as well.

***
My alarm screamed at me to get up. It was a school day, and I decided I would go. I showered, made my bed, and scarfed down left over apple pie before leaving. A disgusting noise coming from the bathroom told me that my dad had a hangover, and that just made me want to leave sooner.

Outside I saw Laura leaving her house. She looked more approachable today, and I lifted my hand to wave.
Laura smiled and walked towards me. "Hey Cody, I see you aren't sick from falling into that cold swimming pool. How shocking," she laughed.
My face flashed red with embarrassment, and I tried to change the topic.
"Are you in the same school as I am?" I asked.
"If you mean Toski High, then yes."
" How come I haven't seen you around?"
Laura just shrugged her shoulders and started walking a little faster.

Before we knew it, we arrived at school. Suddenly all of the people made me feel nervous. They were whispering behind cupped hands, staring at me. In every whisper I could hear my name. I didn't know where else to look, so I looked at my feet. I bumped into a skiny boy in front of me.
"Eyyy Cody. Whats up dude!?" Kevin held out his hand. I leaned forward to to high five him. Kevin and I have always been best friends since we were little.
"Sorry to hear about your sister. Anyway, who is this chick you brought with you?" Kevin asked looking at Laura grinning.
I just ignored his question.
Laura rolled her eyes at Kevin.
"I'm Laura, and you?" She asked, looking annoyed.
Kevin blushed slightly.
"Uhh, I'm Kevin."
"Hey, how was your weekend?" I asked bluntly.
Kevin told a long story that I didn't even listen to, until the bell rung.
"Well, looks like we gotta go," Laura said, and rushed towards the school building.
Kevin also made his way through the double doors.

The day felt quite normal, except for all the people whispering as I walked by, and the fear of Gabby not coming back, gnawing at me. I only had one class with Kevin, but all he could talk about was him playing 'Overwatch', and buying comic books. I was getting over the gaming fase, and his blabbing got quite annoying.

***
After school I just wanted to go to sleep. All of the stress made me exhausted. However, a brown paper package tied with a red ribbon, stood on my bed. As I picked it up, a waft of strawberry cream drifted through the air. I thought it was strange, because I never got packages in the mail. I opened the package, and Inside there was one piece of folded paper that also smelled of strawberry cream. Red Calligraphy covered the page.

Sweet or sour,
Where's the flower?
Is it too late
Or is she waiting for you
At heaven's gate...

The words sent chills down my spine. This reminded me of thrillers I used to watch, where stalkers left clues to who they were, or where something specific was. My lips went quivering as I wrote the rhyme in Gabby's black notebook. Immediately I called the detective, and told him to come look at the newest evidence. I wasn't in the mood for being asked questions again, so I decided to leave the package just as I got it, and went out of the house.

With the black notebook under my arm I walked over to Laura's house. The house was quiet today, and I could see Miss Maxine working in the Garden. Their Garden was ten times more beautiful than ours. The backyard was lined with Daisy's, Roses and Daffodils. It looked like a garden that belonged in a palace of some sort.
Before I could knock on the door, Laura saw me and opened it.
"What are you doing here?" She asked confused.
"Uh.. I was wondering... I just want someone to help with Gabby's case... and to talk to. Kevin is on a whole other planet since he bought his new games." I said and crossed my fingers behind my back in hope that it didn't sound too weird. Laura turned around and looked into the living room before opening the door.
"Sure." My heart skipped a few beats.

Laura's room was bigger than me and my dad's rooms combined. Her walls were painted a pastel pink, and rose gold decoration complimented the look. I stared at a chandelier hanging from the ceiling in awe.
"So what clues do you have already?" Laura asked and pulled out a chair from underneath her vanity for me to sit on.
I shook my head: "Right, here's the letter I got today in this notebook."
I handed it to her. She almost smiled when she saw it. It made me irritated all over again.
"What's so funny?" I asked defensively.

"Oh no, I just thought that this letter seems too weird. Everyone in this town knows by now that your sister is gone right? Maybe some sociopath thought it would be funny to write this, to confuse you. Or maybe it could be real, I don't know."

"I think it's real, look we've also found words carved out in the table where we usually sat. I don't think its a coincidence."

I showed Laura the photo, and she nodded in understandment.
She grabbed a piece of paper and wrote something on it that she underlined:

List of suspects:

The pen was handed to me and I wrote a few names down.

List of subjects:
~ethan and rodwin
~ Daniel the school janitor (he was always weird)
~ Asha
~Robbie
~ Gabrielle (the school jock, also secretly a drug dealer)

We both looked down at our work with approval.
After a more chatting and a pack of oreo cookies later, I went home just in time for dinner.

Our house was eerily quiet, and all the blinds drawn. Something didn't feel right...

Sorry if this chapter wasn't as good, I wasn't in a writing mood lately. :O