Into the Unknown: Chapter 1

I woke up to the sound of my parents arguing again and the sound of crying. I looked across the room to Alice. Alice was curled up in a ball crying. I tip-toed over and asked, "Hey, Alice. What's bothering you?"

"They're yelling about you. Lauren, I'm scared. What if Mommy and Dad don't love us anymore?" She whispered between sobs. I hugged her, "Nothing will happen Alice. I promise." I wasn't sure what to do but I knew that my main priority was my little sister.

"I trust you, sissy. I hope you never leave me." Alice said as she laid back down. I sat by her bedside and waited until Alice was asleep. When Alice fell asleep, I walked towards my parent's room. Instead of knocking on the door, I barged in.

"LAUREN! GO TO BED! IT'S ELEVEN!" Dad yelled. Mom was in the corner, crying.

"How do you expect me to sleep through your yelling!?" I complained. I looked at him in disbelief as I walked over to help my mom.

"Mommy, get up. you'll feel better soon." I said. Mom dragged her feet as she walked. When Mom was out the bedroom door I looked at Dad, hurt, "I can't believe you." Then I walked out the door, slamming it behind me. The first thing I saw entering my room was Mom curled up in a ball on the floor crying. I felt so bad.

"Mom, get up. Sleep on the bed." I whispered as I lifted her up. She was shaking, she kept muttering about something. Eventually, she fell asleep. Alice whispered from across the room, "Thank you.", then laid back down and fell asleep. I went downstairs to the kitchen. Why were they fighting? I really don't know. I sat down at the kitchen table. My mind was swamped in thoughts.

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"LAUREN! HELP ME! LAUREN!" It was Alice's voice. I looked around. Where was she?

"ALICE. WHERE ARE YOU?!" I yelled in fear. I stumbled as laughter surrounded the world around me. Everything was a blur. I heard Alice and my mom cry for help. At the same time, the laughter grew louder and louder.

"ALICE!" I yelled as I ran. I stumbled over a branch. I'm such a failure. I ran and ran, it seemed like I was running in circles. Alice's yelling got louder and louder and I kept running in hopeless circles.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________I woke up in a thud. I had fallen asleep in the kitchen. I ran upstairs panicked, I threw open my door. Alice was still asleep and my mom was sitting up right. I walked over.

"Mom?" I crept closer, she was wide awake. A few moments later, she finally snapped out of her trance.

"Honey, what are you doing up? It's so early, the sun's not out yet." She said. She looked fine, it was as if yesterday didn't happen.

"I don't know..... I fell asleep in the kitchen." I said. My mom winced as I said I slept in the kitchen.

"I'm so sorry you had to sleep in the kitchen." I looked at the picture of our family that was placed on the dresser.

"It's okay, Mom. I gotta go make breakfast though. I'm hungry." I trudged downstairs then I heard a shriek from upstairs. I bolted up the stairs Alice was no longer in bed sleeping, Mom and Alice were gone.

"DAD!" I screamed. He trudged into the room in a daze.

"What do you want?" he grumbled. I was furious, did he not notice that Alice and Mom were missing?! My blood boiled with fury.

"MOM AND ALICE ARE MISSING, DO YOU NOT CARE?!" I screamed. I was so close to tears, day by day our family drifted apart because of my dad's horrible behavior.

"Why should I care? Not like they are important." He scowled. I'm hurt, dad doesn't care about us.

"THEN LEAVE! GO FIND ANOTHER FAMILY. FOR ALL I CARE, OH, WAIT, I DON'T! " I yelled.

"Okay. I will leave. I will be gone by the time you come home from school." He said smiling. My dad was nothing but, a heartless man. He walked out of the room with a smirk on his face. I couldn't believe it, my father... someone I thought I could trust didn't care for me or my mom and my sister. I trudged over to my bed and I tried so hard to keep the tears from falling down my face. My mom and sister were gone, and the heartless man I once called my dad is leaving us. I'm on my own, I'm alone...