Deception

12. One Up

Kirsten pulled into her dark driveway noticing all the cars missing. Where is everybody? She thought to herself as she entered into her cold kitchen.
"Hello?" Kirsten called out. "Mom? Dad? Morgan?" Nobody responded. She flicked on the living room lights before flicking on the large mounted TV that hung over their fireplace. She flicked through some channels but nothing appealing caught her eye. The taste of the pizza from the dinner date with Ava still lingered in her mouth. But besides that, the accusations made by Ava still floated in Kirsten's head. The thought of Ava's mother really being the hooded figure really stuck her with the needle of surprise. And if she was, what was she getting out of torturing teenagers. It sounded crazy as she continued to think about it. Her phone rung breaking the silence in the house.
"Hello?" She answered. No response, just the sound of heaving breathing.
"Helloo?" She spoke again. "Who is this?" There wasn't a response again. Just the continuation of the hea if breathing.
"Whatever." Kirsten mumbled as she hung up the phone.
It's not even Halloween. She pondered as she raced up the stairs to her room. She pulled out her laptop but her flash drive wasn't connected to it.
"What the hell?" She murmured. Kirsten rummaged through files of papers but nothing had came up.
OH MY GOD! Kirsten screeched in her head. She pulled apart her room to find nothing, not one thing. Not even a trace where the flash drive could have been. It was gone. She pulled out her phone trying to dial her moms number but notification popped up for a new message. She opened the message and with the same breath she gasped. The picture of her flash drive sat in her face with the message: Now who's one up?
She tried to call the number but it was from a blocked caller. Her heart throbbed to know someone broke in and stole all the information of her brother. Tears streamed down her face as she composed a text to Ellie, Samantha, and Ava: SOS! MY HOUSE NOW!
She opened her laptop to see the save file she created had disappeared.
Shit!
Everything was gone. All her hard work in piecing the mystery of her missing brother was all gone. Tears flew down her face faster and faster and she couldn't catch her breath. She got back downstairs wiping the tears from her face. She opened the front door gesturing the girls to come in.
"Kirsten why are you crying?" Ellie asked.
"Did something happen?" Ava asked.
"It's gone!" Kirsten rushed into the living room.
"What's gone?" Samantha asked.
"The files," Kirsten cried. "It's all gone."
"What files Kirsten?" Ellie asked.
"The ones about my brother." Kirsten sobbed. "They're gone."
"Are you sure? Did you save them on a flash drive?" Samantha asked.
"That's how they got stolen Samantha." Kirsten snarled.
"Well how was I suppose to know that!" Samantha growled.
"That doesn't matter, what happened?"
"I went to get my laptop and flash drive and it wasn't there." Kirsten sobbed. "And then I got this!" Kirsten pulled out her phone and showed them the text.
"Who would send this?" Samantha asked.
Kirsten's eyes shot to Ava which were followed by the other girls.
"What?" Ava asked.
"Ava I think it's time to tell them." Kirsten sniffled.
"Tell us what?" Ellie asked.
"It's nothing," Ava mumbled.
"It is." Kirsten said. "Just tell them."
"Just say it." Samantha raised her eyebrow.
"Okay," Ava sighed. "I think my moms behind all of this."
"All of what?" Samantha asked.
"The whole things, the threats! Everything!" Kirsten shouted. "At first I didn't believe it, but now it must be true."
"Yes it looks bad, but it has to be a reason." Ava suggested.
"Well how do you know this?" Samantha asked
"I found this." Ava pulled the letter out. "It's dated about a month ago."
"A month ago? This had to be around the time before the Gala."
"I think so." Kirsten spoke quietly. "The timing matches everything."
"I don't like this one bit." Samantha shook her head. "This is too much for me. My life was so simple before all of this!"
Ellie studied the message. "Guys I don't think it's Ava's mom."
"Well how do you know that?" Samantha questioned.
"This message has to be from someone who has a grudge against you Kirsten." Ellie responded. "Ava's mom probably doesn't know you, so how could she be one up on you."
The girls sat to let it sink in.
"Oh my god!" Kirsten sniffled. "I think I know who it is now!"
"Who?" Ava asked.
"Morgan." Kirsten spoke.
The girls gasped.
"Your sister?" Ellie's mouth dropped. "Are you sure?"
"Yes." Kirsten sniffled. "It makes so much sense now." 
"Now why would your sister try to torture us?" Samantha asked. "She barely knows us."
"Well maybe not torture y'all, but me, yes." Kirsten said.
"I think this theory is alittle extreme." Ava suggested.
"You're the last one to speak." Samantha exclaimed.   "You did think your mom was behind it all at first."
Ava made an annoyed face.
"Look guys, I know it sounds extreme but it could be true." Kirsten suggested
"It could though." Samantha responded.
"Well before we start jumping on her case, we need alittle more evidence." Ellie said.
"She's right." Ava said.
"Kirsten you are going to-"
"I know." Kirsten interrupted Samantha's statement. "I need to keep my eye open on her, the one she hasn't tried to get."