Chapter 6: Unanswered Questions

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*****

I woke to the sunrise of the next morning. As I got up, I walked over to my bedroom window. It was late September and the sun was scorching the pavement. The heat seemed to be radiating off the ground in waves as the sun rose above the world.

I had decided last night that I was imagining something wrong about this house. I just needed to see something new for a change, so I grabbed my bag and snuck down the stairs. It didn't sound like anyone was awake yet, so I easily snuck out the front door.

I shut the door, silently hearing the click.

"Morning," I immediately spun around to the voice that had caused me to jump.

A goofy looking boy stood right behind me, grinning from ear to ear. His dimples swallowed his freckly face. He was much taller than my short stature and had a mop of golden hair on his head.

"Hi," I said, unsure of whom he was and why he was standing on the doormat, "um... who are you?"

"I'm Ryan, your neighbor," he replies, still smiling with all his pearly white teeth, "The moving vans were here last week, and I saw you pull up yesterday morning. Since it was so early when you got here, I figured you for a morning person. So I made sure to get up early so I could meet my new neighbor and introduce myself. What's your name?" Ryan rambled. He seemed to be a bit nervous talking to me, but hid it well with that smile and lots of words.

He mentioned that the moving vans just came last week, so Ben was lying when he said two weeks ago. Why would the time matter?

"I'm Silver," I replied, trying my best to come across as friendly. It wasn't really my best subject, "Um... you are right I am a morning person and we did just move in," I said, covering everything that was previously in question.

"Well Silver, it is very nice to meet you. I hope your family likes the house. It was built only a few months ago, so it should be fairly nice. Are you going to school tomorrow?"

The question through me off guard. I knew I would have to start school soon, I just didn't realize that it was so close, "I think so. I would have to check with my uncle," I guessed at the answer.

"Well that's good. If you are going, just stop by in the morning and I'll give you a ride," Ryan offered.

"That sounds great, thank you," I told him, "I should probably go back inside and finish unpacking. Bye Ryan." I turned around and left him standing there. He tried to say bye but I was way past gone.

Always moving around and changing identities made it hard for me to make friends, and I usually pushed away anyone who tried. It was easier to stay invisible if no one knew your name or who you were. Ryan was trying to be friends and I just didn't know if I could let myself be normal. So I ran and shut him out, then went to my room. There was nothing more I could do at the moment anyway, so I crawled back into bed.

There were still many questioned I had after Ryan told me about the vans. Why had the Jones's moved? Were they running too? Why were they being secretive at dinner? The biggest question of all was why did everyone try to come off as normal, when there was obviously something being swept under the rug?

*****
When I woke up again, my clock said 11:20. I didn't even realize it had gotten so late. I slipped out of bed again-still in the clothes I had put on this morning- and walked out of my room. The house was still strangely quiet. If a pin dropped, I have no doubt that I would hear it.

I walked into the kitchen and it was empty.

"Hello? Anyone home?" I called out. No answer came, no reply other than silence.

I started to walk out and check their rooms. The second I left the kitchen, there was a loud crushing sound of glass falling. I turned quickly but nothing was there. I ran back to the kitchen, for I know it was coming from there.

I slowly opened the swinging door, "Hello?" I called out just above a whisper this time, "Is someone there?"

The sound of glass dropping echoed again as I pushed the door. I stared straight ahead at the culprit. The crushing sound continued to echo.

I walked over and pulled the door open and looked in.

The ice was churning and falling into the ice tray. All the sound had been was just the freezer making ice for the fridge.

I grabbed a frozen smoothie mix and shut the fridge roughly. I couldn't believe I had gotten frightened of falling ice.

"Whatcha doing?"

I whipped around and hurled the bag of frozen fruit. It hit the intruder square in the face and he tumbled over. Moving forward, I recognized him immediately.

"Ryan!"

He put his hands up defensively, "Hold your fire! I'm not an intruder!"

"An intruder no, but an idiot yes. Why did you scare me like that?" I gave him my hand and pulled him up, noticing just how big and muscular he was compared to my small size.

"I didn't mean to," he said, putting his hand on the pinkish bump forming on his forehead. "What did you hit me with?" He winced touching the bump.

I bent down and picked up the bag of smoothie mix, showing him it. "It was all I had in my hand. You're lucky I didn't take out something else for lunch," I said smiley to him.

He gave me that goofy smile just like this morning. "I forgive you," he said.

"Is that so?" I joked with him. We laughed and smiled at each other for a while until I asked, "So why are you here anyway?"

"My mom wanted me to invite your parents over. I told her no, but she doesn't exactly take that as an answer."

I smiled at that, imaging his mom. "I'll have to talk to Uncle Ben. I'll have him come over when he gets home."

"Ok thanks. I better get going before I overstay my welcome and you throw something else at my head," he laughed before heading out the door, "See you tomorrow for school!" He yelled out as he left, shutting the front door behind him.

The front door reverberated throughout the house and I was alone was again.

"I thought he would never leave," I quickly turned at the sound of Elizabeth's voice, "who was that anyway?"

"Our neighbor," I spat, "I thought you weren't here."

"Well that's what I wanted you to believe," she said passing me to get to the kitchen.

"Hey, wait a minute. I need to talk to you," I called out to her as I followed her into the kitchen.

She swung around upon reaching the counter to look at me. "What could little miss prey possibly need from me?" The look of distain clearly plastered on her smug face.

"Well for starters, I'm nobody's prey," I tell her, "what do you know about why I'm really here?'

Her face visibly fell as her features softened, "I know what happened to my father. In order to get us protection here, we had to take you in as well. That was the deal the marshals offered and it's the one we accepted."

"Wait, what happened to your father?" I asked, concern lacing my voice.

"He chose to become a cop, but being a cop in New York was more than he bargained for, I guess."

I moved closer to her, "What do you mean? What happened in New York?" I asked.

She paused for a second, determining whether to trust me with her family's secret. She took a breath and said, "He refused to become a dirty cop. One of the drug cartels up there tried to persuade him to look the other way. When he refused, they came after me. He hasn't forgiven himself for that," she said, lowering her head.

"It sounds to me like your dad did the right thing," I told her, "and maybe it was a good thing that you two left the city."

She laughed lightly, staring intently into the coffee mug her hand was securely wrapped around, "A good thing? This town isn't a good thing; it's a death sentence waiting to happen."

I froze as I took in her words, "What do you mean a death sentence?"

"Rounded up like cattle we are, with giant neon signs saying open season," She looked up, tears filling her eyes.

"I don't..."Her hand clasped over my mouth, cutting off my thought.

"Do you hear that?" she questioned.

I listened and heard the sound of tires on the driveway.

"My dad is home. Whatever you do, don't say anything to him. You weren't suppose to know anything," she pleaded with me.

I shook my head because her hand was still covering my mouth. She seemed to relax and put on a brave face as Uncle Ben walked into the kitchen joining us.

"Good afternoon. What are you two discussing?" he asked.

"Just girl stuff, Dad," Elizabeth said with a smile, looking at me for confirmation.

"Yep, nothing you would be interested in Ben," I state.

We stood there awkwardly for a few moments until Elizabeth excused herself. I soon followed and went to my room.

I had so many questions about what was happening. What did Elizabeth mean about this town? What was Ben hiding? Am I truly safe here?

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