Recovering from the initial fright, now frozen by shock and doubt she stared at her phone. It was the number of the man she loved flashing up at her but this night was already full of surprises, the mystery of her family's death and the unexplained events as to her boyfriend's dissappearance and a plethora of other questions that flooded her thoughts. She didn't trust that the voice on the other end would be him. She hit ignore and let it go to voicemail. She'd been without him for two years. On the night he shows up all hell breaks loose. He can leave a message.
Quietly but quickly she ascended the steps and slipped through the already ajar door from when she earlier bolted out in terror. She had two goals, get clothes, a few other necessary items and find any clues as to the reason for this massacre.
She crept through the hallway leading to the family room where her loved ones were. They had all come over because she was supposed to bring Collin back after their dinner. He was a fond and old friend of her Father and had more or less grown up with her half brother. After her and Collin had gotten into a serious relationship he quickly became a household regular and was well liked by her sister, Mother and best friend.
As she approached the room she didn't want to turn the corner but she knew she had to. If she was going to find some semblance of balance to this ghastly night of terror she had to confront this horror once again.
Right before she was about to walk in her phone buzzed once more. It was a text message from Collin. "This is important. Don't go to your parents! Sorry for missing our date. I'll explain later. Love you babe."
Seriously! You're sorry, you'll explain later! Had her boyfriend of three years lost his god-damned mind? As her blood started to boil it dawned on her that he knew something. How did he know that it wouldn't be safe at her parent's home? As quickly as the thought entered her mind she forced it away out of fear. What if it wasn't even him that sent the message? What if he too danger and the worse had happened to him as well? Something very strange and very wrong was going on. She wanted to call him up, yell and scream at him but more than anything she wanted to hear his comforting voice. Being separate from someone you love dearly for so long makes you treasure the little things that a lot of couples take for granted. She could get lost when he talked to her. At times it didn't matter what even he was talking about. It could have been the bloody weather in Bali for all she cared. His voice was the warmest, most embracing and secure hug in her mind. Soon she thought, soon.
For now she had to get out of here. The police would be arriving soon and she couldn't take the time to be tied up in the slow, bureaucratic process that involved more paperwork than progress in the justice system. Her Father being a judge, she knew all to well the process or lack there of when it came to situations like these.
She took the last final steps into the room. Her heart broke as she surveyed the scene. Nothing was out of place. Nothing broken. Nothing stolen from what she could tell. It was almost as if everyone were still quietly enjoying their evening. Her Dad even still had a sort of smile on his face. But they were all dead, murdered at gun point. Whoever had done this didn't even give them time to fight back and that terrified her even more. It was precise, cold and lethal. Who would do such a thing and for what reason?
As she took a step to get a closer look her heart leaped. She heard movement and a vase shattered to the floor beside her as the lights went black. She wasn't alone.
Quietly but quickly she ascended the steps and slipped through the already ajar door from when she earlier bolted out in terror. She had two goals, get clothes, a few other necessary items and find any clues as to the reason for this massacre.
She crept through the hallway leading to the family room where her loved ones were. They had all come over because she was supposed to bring Collin back after their dinner. He was a fond and old friend of her Father and had more or less grown up with her half brother. After her and Collin had gotten into a serious relationship he quickly became a household regular and was well liked by her sister, Mother and best friend.
As she approached the room she didn't want to turn the corner but she knew she had to. If she was going to find some semblance of balance to this ghastly night of terror she had to confront this horror once again.
Right before she was about to walk in her phone buzzed once more. It was a text message from Collin. "This is important. Don't go to your parents! Sorry for missing our date. I'll explain later. Love you babe."
Seriously! You're sorry, you'll explain later! Had her boyfriend of three years lost his god-damned mind? As her blood started to boil it dawned on her that he knew something. How did he know that it wouldn't be safe at her parent's home? As quickly as the thought entered her mind she forced it away out of fear. What if it wasn't even him that sent the message? What if he too danger and the worse had happened to him as well? Something very strange and very wrong was going on. She wanted to call him up, yell and scream at him but more than anything she wanted to hear his comforting voice. Being separate from someone you love dearly for so long makes you treasure the little things that a lot of couples take for granted. She could get lost when he talked to her. At times it didn't matter what even he was talking about. It could have been the bloody weather in Bali for all she cared. His voice was the warmest, most embracing and secure hug in her mind. Soon she thought, soon.
For now she had to get out of here. The police would be arriving soon and she couldn't take the time to be tied up in the slow, bureaucratic process that involved more paperwork than progress in the justice system. Her Father being a judge, she knew all to well the process or lack there of when it came to situations like these.
She took the last final steps into the room. Her heart broke as she surveyed the scene. Nothing was out of place. Nothing broken. Nothing stolen from what she could tell. It was almost as if everyone were still quietly enjoying their evening. Her Dad even still had a sort of smile on his face. But they were all dead, murdered at gun point. Whoever had done this didn't even give them time to fight back and that terrified her even more. It was precise, cold and lethal. Who would do such a thing and for what reason?
As she took a step to get a closer look her heart leaped. She heard movement and a vase shattered to the floor beside her as the lights went black. She wasn't alone.
