B.A.D Read Free Page B

both disappeared.
    They didn't quite disappear to me. I
mean, I saw them leave. So, to me, they didn't disappear, they
left.
    It was a Tuesday night, school was
tomorrow. I awoke to an engine starting. The noise was light,
almost not loud enough for me to hear. We live in a little white
picket fence neighborhood so it's not uncommon to hear cars start
but what made me get out of bed was the slight creak of my sister's
door opening from across the hall.
    I jump up from my bed and zoom to my
door, wide awake. It was the middle of the night and it was pitch
black throughout the house. Being on the second floor, I creep over
to the stairs.
    Madella was just leaving out the front
door. I run to it, but it closes in my face. In my haste, I slam
into it and can't seem to get it open. Just as I open it, I see
Jason push Madella into the passenger side and jump into the
driver's seat.
    They take off down the road, with me
running after them. I yell Madella's name but they turn the corner
and are gone. I go back into the house and sit next to the door,
crying.
    In the morning, everyone thinks she ran
off. I knew better and I told everyone over and over what I saw yet
they still believe their own theory. My mother doesn't say
anything, just has an angered expression.
    Bringing myself back to the present, I
look back at the hole in my floor. A tattered and old letter sticks
up from it and I read the note Madella left me.
    Dear Elaina,
    My dearest sister, I have
left, of my own desire I assure you. I just couldn't stand living
there anymore, with Mother. I couldn't stand all of the lies, the
deceit. If only you knew, you would feel the same. I believe I knew
too much in that house, about that house. I wouldn't have been
there long if I had stayed anyway... I love you, Elaina. Watch out
for Shane and watch out for yourself. Watch out for who you trust.
Layla is a good person and I trust her to help you with the times
to come. Be careful...
    Love,
    Madella
    I don't know how long I sit there, in
the corner with the drying tears and old letter but when I stuff
the picture and note back in the hole and come back out, it's dark
outside.
    I get out of the dress I realize I'm
still wearing and I shower. A light knock on my door has me going
to it. Shane stands in his little batman pajamas. His stuffed bear,
old and worn down from the use, hangs from his arm- I think he
named it Mr. Bears.
    "Can I sleep with you? Momma is scaring
me again," his voice is soft and cracks a little. I nod and allow
him into my room. He runs and jumps into the bed, snuggling into
the soft sheets. He's plopped right in the middle of the bed, but I
don't say anything. I just hop in next to him and I feel him curl
up against my side. He's warm. I've always noticed that about him,
how warm against my side he is. I shrug it off as another mystery
in this world.
    I think about what he said. About how
'Momma is scaring him'. I know what he is talking about, I've seen
it. It's where are mom curls up into a fetal position and sits in
the corner of her room. All the curtains are drawn and there is
absolutely no light. A blanket covers her whole body and she
shakes. Her whole body twitches and sometimes she yells out in
pain. It creeps the hell out of me.
    I think back onto the note
" I couldn't stand all of the lies, the
deceit." I decide that I will find out
about all of these lies. These so called
"lies" that chased away my sister, the ones where she left all
Shane and I with our crazy mother...

Chapter 5: Elaina's
POV
    The rest of the weekend and part of the
school week passed by uneventfully. It was a Friday afternoon and I
was in my last period in school, English. I had been avoiding Rane
all week. I would run from the classroom as soon as the bell rang
if I had that class with him. I could tell he was trying to talk to
me but I just didn't want to think about it.
    I was watching the clock, trying to
force the hands on the clock to go faster. It wasn't working. I
felt like