The Taking

Chapter 15

2 days later...

Mom smiled at me while stirring a bowl of brownie mix in her hand. "Celeste, you have some flour on your face."

"Where?" I touched my cheek and mom burst out laughing. You'd think I learned from the first time when she told me I had a stain on my shirt. I looked down and she flicked me in the nose.

Trent walked past us and grabbed an apple from the table. "You are so gullible."

"Where are you going?" Mom asked him.

We both noticed that he had going-out clothes on.

"Hanging with the guys." He said. "I'll be back before dinner."

"Stay safe!" Mom called out to him before he left out the front door. Sighing, she set the oven on bake 350 degrees heat to prepare for the batter. "It feels like I just blinked for one second and all three of you are grown up." She looked like she was on the verge of tears.

"Aww...mom." I got up from my chair and wrapped my arms around her from behind, resting my head on her shoulder. "We may be growing up, but we love you just the same."

She rested her head on mine and caressed my cheek. "I know. But one day you will fall in love and leave. You three will eventually leave the nest--I don't know how well I can handle it." She chuckled tearfully.

"You're thinking way far ahead mom. I'm sure Charlotte will beat me to the altar." That's for sure.

Just as I said it, Charlotte's screams are heard from upstairs. We both stop what we're doing and we both run up the stairs. Each step felt like five; what felt like minutes turn into hours. Why wasn't I getting anywhere? When I looked over my shoulder to see if mom was trailing me, I didn't see her. She was gone. Looking down, my legs moved as thought I were running on a treadmill going nowhere.

"Celeste help!!!" I heard my sister scream again and this time my attention focused solely on reaching her. When I finally made it to her room, I gasp when I saw Charlotte being pulled out the window by the collar of her shirt.

"Charlotte!" I screamed.

Racing to save her, I bolt towards the window and climb through it. Déjà vu. I take one glance at my surroundings and realize I wasn't home. This wasn't the place I grew up. This isn't my house-I don't live in a house. Where was I?

"Celeste, save your sister before the beast takes her!" A familiar voice exclaimed.

"Gran?" The grandmother I've only seen pictures of screamed from another window. Her head peeking out the sill. Oh, that's right. We are staying at her house...

"Celeste!!" Charlotte screamed again. My head twisted to the direction of her voice. When I saw her, my heart stopped. Before I knew it I felt my body drain of blood and I began trembling.

Laying only a few feet from me was Charlotte disheveled on the ground; hair crusted with crimson, clothes crumpled with mud and she had purple bruises forming on her creamy skin.

How I got from the ceiling to where my sister was, I don't know, but for some damn reason I couldn't get my feet to move and help her.

"Charlotte!" I screamed. "CHARLOTTE!" No matter how much I wanted to be at her side, my feet was glued to the ground. Helplessly, I watched as the floor between us expanded and Charlotte's form moved farther away.

A figure moved out of the shadows. It was a large black wolf with bright moonlit eyes. It quietly stood behind her, blood dripping from its snout.

"Get away from her! Charlotte! Charlotte! CHARLOTTE!!"