Caged

21

There were police cars surrounding Amina's house. They lined up the driveway, and trailed down the street.

The flashing lights lit up the dark, and I noticed her neighbors coming out to stand on their porches and watch what was happening. There was also an ambulance, and officers were running in and out of the house.

Elijah's car pulled to a stop on the street, and Kaiden was the first to get out. He slammed the door shut behind him, and didn't wait for us before he was walking up to the house.

Elijah's gaze trailed after Kaiden as he came to a stop in front of the police officers. Even from here, I could hear the arguing starting when they wouldn't let him through.

Elijah ran a rough hand through his hair, and I shut the back door closed behind me. My throat had closed up, and I didn't think I would be able to get a word out.

Elijah looked over his shoulder at me, and he must have noticed how I was trembling as I watched the scene in front of us, because he reached out and grabbed one of my hands.

Caleb and Ethan hadn't been home, so they weren't coming. I wasn't sure if they even knew what happened.

"You sure you wanna go in?" Elijah asked, his eyes scanning my face with concern. I looked up at him.

My gaze trailed back to the front of the house where they'd finally let Kaiden inside. He disappeared inside of the house to wherever Amina was.

Radio chatter snapped me out of my silent trance, and I took a deep breath. Elijah squeezed my hand in comfort, still waiting for me to respond.

"She doesn't have anyone else," I said quietly. "We have to be here."

I felt him studying me for a few more seconds before we began walking.

I followed Elijah as we walked up the driveway, swiftly walking around the police cars parked there. None of the officers stopped us, and I noticed how every time someone met Elijah's gaze, they'd look away immediately. Some even looked nervous, but I wasn't sure if I was projecting my feelings onto everyone else or if I knew what I was seeing.

Elijah led me inside the house and I swallowed hard at the sight. Everything was chaotic, and we made our way around the officers inside to the living room where we found Amina and Kaiden.

The news had shaken me.

It had been close to nine in the evening when I saw it on the TV, and I had to switch channels to make sure it was true. The other local news stations covered the same story. Kaiden and Elijah had been in the garage, and I didn't even have to go get them because Kaiden had come back inside the house while talking on the phone.

Amina had called him when she found out because she had no one else to call.

She had no one else left here besides us, even if her true connection to us had been my sister. She was still like family, and she had been for so long.

To say I was surprised at the sight of her would be an understatement. I didn't know what I was expecting, but it definitely wasn't what I saw.

It was almost haunting to see. Amina was sitting on the couch, her hands folded in her lap. Her empty gaze was centered on a spot on the hardwood floor, and her face was blank, expressionless. She was so still, it was almost like she wasn't breathing. To a stranger, the only sign that would have proved something was wrong was how sunken in her face looked. She looked fragile and drained, as if one touch would unravel her.