It was a normal morning, and I was just getting ready to start my day. As I grab my maroon jeggings out of the closet, I hear my mother scream my name down the stairs. What could she possibly want now? She woke me up 20 minutes ago.
“Jessabelle, what are these dishes still doing in the sink? You were SUPPOSED to clean the kitchen last night like your father had asked,” my mother reprimanded.
“Umm, try again Stephanie. Cora was supposed to do it because I cleaned them before I went to work yesterday,” I say as I clench my fists.
“I do not have time to deal with you right now. Jess. Just go finish getting ready for school.” Just like that, my mother stomped her way through the house and up the stairs where she hides her wine.
I storm down the stairs and wake up Cora. She’s still lying in bed when I flick her lights off and on. She cannot stand when I do it, but it’s the only way to wake her.
“Jessabelle Grace, get out of my room or I swear to the Lord on high, I will beat you.” Cora chucks her shoe at me as I shut the door.
“I’m leaving in 15 with or without you. Maybe if you actually get up when your alarm goes off, we wouldn’t have this problem every day,” I shout through the door, and then I hear another loud thud of her second shoe hitting the wall; she must’ve missed the door.
I run to my room and finish getting ready. I throw on my white boatneck sweater and my white high tops. My phone rings. I look at it, and it’s Sienna. She never calls me before school, so something is seriously up. I slide the answer button to the middle and put her on speaker.
“Yes, Sienna…” I sound worried and I hope she can’t tell.
“I won’t be at school today. I can’t tell you why though.” I sense fear, but I don’t say anything
“Ugh, you’re going to leave by myself with idiots. That’s nice of you. I have to go get ready for school. I love you Red Velvet.”
“Love you too, Cheesecake”
I walk out the door and get in my car. I blast my music as I drive the mile to school. Cora didn’t even try today and she looks like a hobo, but it’s her life, not mine so I don’t say anything.
“Aren’t we supposed to get Sienna?” Cora questions
“She’s not coming today, couldn’t tell you why though,” I say as I come to a stop sign.
I pull in the parking lot and let Cora out at the doors because Lord forbid she walk 100 feet from the car to the doors; she might break or melt. I pull into my usual parking spot next to Breckin Joseph's truck. My ringtone blasts and I throw everything around my car to try and find my phone. It’s a text from an unknown number, so I decide to ignore it. I turn my phone to silent and walk in the doors.
I go throughout my day, and it is as boring as ever. The popular kids roam the halls and never show up to class, the nerds are too busy working, and the outcasts just sit there staring out the window. Finally, my lunch period comes around, and I see that I have two texts from the unknown number. They concern me, but not enough to answer.
I text Sienna, and normally she answers me within a couple seconds. When I don’t get a response from her by the time lunch ends, I get worried and think to myself ‘What if those texts contain information about what is up with my best friend?’, so I decide to open them.
Ur friend is fine. Don’t worry.
Sienna will be l8 to practice tonight. Don’t wait for her
I said not to worry. I can see you are. Stop, or you’ll end up like her.
I start to shake and cry. My best friend is in danger and I’m not supposed to worry about her? Really? What kind of person do they think I am?
I can’t stand being in what seems like hell any longer. I have to go home. I call my mom, and I ask if she can call the office to tell them I can go home. I tell her I’m not feeling good and she actually believes me. I wait for her to text me back with an okay before I walk to the office. They ask the usual questions about how I feel, and if I’m okay to drive. I tell the secretary yes to both questions.
I sway back and forth before opening my mouth,“Can I get Cora too? That way I don’t have to make a second trip?”
“No, Jessabelle. I’m sorry. Your mother only okayed you to go,” Mrs. Capota said with a smirk.
I make my way to my car, and I decide to stop and get something to snack on before I go home. I check my phone one last time before putting the car in drive, and I get another text from the unknown number. I feel my stomach drops before I unlock my phone.
I told you not to worry Jessabelle. Getting a snack before going home? It’d be a shame if your tires were slashed when you got out of the gas station, wouldn’t it?
After that text, I decide just to go straight home. As I leave the parking lot, it feels like someone is following me. I look in the rearview mirror, but there is nobody behind me. I continue to drive as I constantly check my mirrors. My hands are shaking and I feel like throwing up. I pull in the driveway, and I see my mother’s car. I don’t question it and I walk in the door.
“Mom, I’m home. I couldn’t get Cora though, Mrs. Capota told me you only okayed me to come home.” I say as I walk through the door.
When she doesn’t answer, I yell, “Stephanie?!”
I walk upstairs, and there she is. She was lying on the bed, but whether or not she was alive was what worried me. I walked over, and I checked her pulse. Thank the Lord that she was still alive. I don’t think I’d be able to handle it if she wasn’t. The texts are getting worse, but so are my feelings about the entire situation.
I wake up my mother, and made sure she knew I was home. Must’ve been a long day at work. Not only is being a part time stay at home mom hard, but so is part time retirement home nurse. She brings home way too many stories about what an elder did to her shoes that day. Thank God she went right back to sleep, or I would have heard the newest story of the stain on her shirt.
I walk back downstairs, and I check my phone again to see a long paragraph from the unknown number. I refuse to check it at this moment because what comes next could be frightening. I fix myself a bowl of oatmeal, and then I go to my room.
When I get downstairs, there’s a huge hole in my wall. It could’ve been from Cora, so I raise my eyebrows at it then continue walking. I reach my room, and I turn on Netflix. As I watch some random TV show, I look at the text on my phone.
Jessabelle, dear, I told you. Worrying is something you shouldn’t do. Your mother was alive, it’d be depressing if she wasn’t when you got home from rehearsal tonight. And your sister, it’d be a tragedy if she somehow disappeared after school. I’ll give you your final warning, my love. DO NOT WORRY ABOUT SIENNA OR THERE WILL BE CONSEQUENCES.
For once in my life, I’m scared shitless. I want to cry, but the tears just do not show. This could be the end of my life. The end of Cora’s and Sienna’s. I want to sleep, and hope it’s all a dream. I want to forget everything that is happening right now. If it’s real life, then he could kill me in my sleep.
I wander around the house to keep my mind busy. I try to forget about everything happening in my life right now. I check the time, and it’s already 3:30. I decide to let my mom sleep more and go pick up Cora from school. I’m sick of driving today, but it’s the least I could do for Stephanie.
I get to the school, and Cora isn’t there. I call her, but no answer. My stomach drops farther than it already has. As I go to set my phone down, I see another text from the unknown number. If I get one more text, I’m calling them out somehow.
So, Cora has disappeared huh? I told you not to worry Jessabelle Grace. She’s home safely. You can return there as well. Expect someone to barge through the door later this evening ;).
Someone barging through my door? This day couldn’t get any worse. I want to rush home to save my family, but I also don’t want to get myself hurt. I choose the first option, and I head home.
“Cora? Are you home?” I scream through the front door
“Oh, Jess, I never imagined I’d be so happy to see you,” she throws her arms around me.
“I’m just glad you’re okay. How’s mom?”
“Wait, Mom is home? Her car isn’t here.”
I walk to the kitchen window, and sure enough, it’s gone. The car is missing. I run upstairs and she isn’t in her bed either. I look everywhere for some sort of note, and I suddenly find one on her spot on the couch.
Jess and Cora, I’m running some errands, so I should be back quite soon. I love you both. -Your mother ❤
At that very moment, Sienna waltzes in and stares at me. The look in her eyes was a look I had never seen before. It wasn’t fear or worry, but it wasn’t happiness either. It was like a mix of both.
“Sienna! You’re okay!” I run and hug her, but she just goes limp
“If anyone comes to your door, or if anyone asks for me. I’ve been here for an hour. Hour and a half at the most,” Sienna’s sentences made my heart drop to wear my stomach was.
“Sienna, what’s going on? Who were the texts from? Why didn’t you answer your phone?” I wanted to cry, but my body wouldn’t allow me to.
“Too many questions right now, Jess. It’s going to be fine. I was just helping Breckin with something major.”
“His truck was at school today though. I saw it. I parked next to it,” I start to panic again. God, this sucks.
“He’ll come by in a second. Just leave it to me to answer.”
We wait around for Breckin, and finally we hear a knock on the door. I jump and scream. Sienna gets up to open the door, and Breckin is covered in blood. The kind of blood was unknown to me.
Breckin walks towards me, “I’ve been waiting to see you, Jessabelle.”
“What do you want from me Breckin?” I shiver as I see his bloody hands get near my face.
“You don’t know this about your friend, but she helped me with murder today. Someone very close to you actually. Perhaps, your father?”
“You didn’t,” I want to run, but my legs won’t move.
“He hurt your family, so I hurt him. Anything for the woman I love.”
“We aren’t together. We will never be together. Get over the obsession now,” I scream as my palm hits his face.
“JESSABELLE GRACE LINDEN! How could you hit him? After everything he’s done for you? After everything WE did for you?” Sienna exclaims as she runs towards us.
“I guess you worried too much. It’s time to go now, Jess. We can make this quick or slow and painful. Your choice, my beautiful love,” Breckin says as he strokes the hair away from my face.
“What do you mean?!”
“It’s time for you to die. You don’t appreciate me.”
He lunges towards me with a cloth. The room becomes dizzy and black. I start to sway. The last words I hear from anyone is, “I love you.”
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