Missing

Chapter 23

I don't see myself going back but I can feel it. The force presses me up against the seat. My eyes are still squeezed shut. I can't look. I won't look. Suddenly, I stop. I slam my foot down of the brakes. I can't move any further. If this Gabi person dies, so be it. She's going to die anyways. The kidnapper - and potential murder - is going to use her again or just get bored as she did with Noah.

I open my eyes. Light floods in and for a second, everything is white but is quickly replaced with red.

"Eldon." I gasp. As quickly as possible, I unbuckle my seatbelt and dash out of my car.

"Eldon! Are you okay?" I see him standing millimeters away from my car. If I hadn't stopped, he would be on the ground; dead or not, it would be my fault.

"Yeah." He stammers. His eyes are locked on the back of my car.

"I'm so so so sorry." I plead for his forgiveness.

"Don't sweat it. Now you know how I feel."

"No. No please don't think this is pay back."

"What is it?"

"It's-it's." I can't talk.

"Yeah." He looks at me now. Not with mean eyes but with kindness, "It's fine. I didn't get hit. You're alive; I'm alive. We're still breathing. Let's go." He walks back to his car.

"I'm sorry!" I call out to him once he's by his car door. He waves me off so I sulk back into my vehicle.

My phone is lit up with a text message that says:

I knew you couldn't do it. Go over to Richelle's and get the results of your disobedience.

I shudder. Another person is dead, but this time I don't regret it.
~~~~~
"Are you okay, Emily?" Amanda asks.

"Yes." I respond.

"Then stop zoning out every two seconds." She accuses.

I'm in Amanda's living room. We're supposed to studying but instead, we're playing a game of interrogation, and I'm the one being questioned.

"I'm not zoning out." My voice is relatively calm but I know that won't last. The only thing I'm focused on right now is how it felt when my foot hit the gas pedal.

"You don't seem focused at all. Have you even heard a single word I've said?"

"Yes. We accuse Richelle of something she didn't do." I say.

"Wait. What?" Amanda snaps me out of my daze.

"She couldn't have done that."

"How can you be so sure?" She questions.

"She just can't."

"If you don't have any hard proof proving she's innocent then she is still a suspect."

"Everyone is innocent until proven guilty, Amanda."

"Yes, but Richelle is far from innocent, and you know that." Amanda has a point.

I hesitate before responding.

"What was that secret you and Michelle were talking about?" I remember Amanda and Michelle talking by the lockers. Right before I got Michelle killed, I heard the two of them talking about innocence.

"What thing?"

"Michelle's secret, why isn't she innocent?" I ask.

"When you die, your secrets die with you, Em." That's not the resonse I was hoping for.

"Not unless the other half of it is still alive."

"I can keep a secret Emily, unlike you."

"What do you mean "unlike me?""

"Can you keep a secret?"

"Yes."

"Then why did you tell me all four of them died."

I pause. How does Amanda know there are four people who are dead. I only just nearly killed Eldon an hour ago.

"How do you know it's four?"

"Like I said, I can keep a secret."

We stare at each other.

"Fine, do you have any dirt on Richelle?" I ask.

"Yes, actually I do."

"What is it?"

"Amanda!" Someone calls.

"Shh." She whispers to me.

"How much studying is happening here?" Someone comes into the living room. I think she's Amanda's mom.

"A lot, we're talking about this book." Amanda lies straight out to her mom.

"I thought you were a year older." He mom looks at me with an accusing stare.

"I am, I'm just helping her with the book report." I feel uncomfortable lying to someone I don't even know but I guess that has never stopped my before.

"Yeah, I'm done reading the book, I just need to remember it because I forgot it at school." Amanda is making this somewhat believable but she's leaving out the whole 'real' segment by being so open.

"Alright then." Her mom says after a long suspicious stare, "I'll leave you guys to it."

"Thanks mom." Amanda calls out then turn back to me without taking her eyes off of her mom's back until she is out of sight and earshot.

"Let's talk tomorrow." She whispers to me.

I nod. I have enough homework without having to put a guard up everywhere I go.