The Vanishings

Her 18th

Jason's pov

The nightmares are never real so how do I know that good dream wasn't just a figment of my desperate imagination too? I don't know if they're really okay too. "Hey Jason we're out of mushrooms. I'm gonna run down to the store to get them." My little sister says. I'm sure glad we reestablished order. So we don't have to worry about starving to death. "Are you gonna be okay?" She asks. I sigh and nod.

Miranda's pov

I go to the store and get the things we need. I'm really glad I got the really good job I got. It pays good so does Jason's. We don't have to worry about anything. I go back to a time when I was twelve and mom and dad were talking about financial problems.

~flashback~

We were watching TV when I heard our parents arguing. I nudge Jason. "What?" He asks, taking his headphones out. "Listen." I whisper. He glances in the kitchen where they were talking about dad losing his job. "That ain't none of our business." My older brother says. "Well what does it all mean Jay?" He sighs. "You don't have to worry about that. Wait til you're older." He says, standing up. "Come on." "Where are we going?" He rolls his eyes. "Just come on." I follow him and we go to his room. He grabs his guitar, making me smile. I love hearing him play. He plays Tracy Lawrence's Time Marches On. I smile and sing along. He smiles back at me.

~flashback over~

I know now that he was just trying to give mom and dad privacy and keep me occupied so I wouldn't worry. Still even back then one of the best big brothers ever. I pay for the groceries and get home. I get to work on dinner which was tacos. Jason walks out. "Hey sis." I smile. "You up for tacos?" I ask. He nods. "Tyler's coming over too if you don't mind." He shrugs. "I don't really care." I'm worried. I turn around. He sits down, staring at the table with a bummed look on his face. "Jay, what's wrong?" "I don't know if they're really okay. I mean.... If the nightmares weren't real, the good dream obviously wasn't either. Our friends and family could be dead!" I sigh. "Stop thinking about them! There's nothing we can do!" I say, sitting down beside him. He stares at his hands. "Maybe I could play some music..... Ya know the good ol days." I smile and nod. "That'd be good."

*later*

"To the trucks that drove us home, secrets we never told, and all the rides on old dirt roads that somehow changed our lives! Here's to the nights we don't remember and the friends we won't forget." I know he's thinking about Luke when he sings that.

*2 years later*

Jason's pov

It's almost Miranda's eighteenth birthday. She's gotten really close with that Tyler kid. He's seventeen too. She moved in with him. It's pretty weird without her in the house but there's nothing I can say or do. I'm twenty one now and the oldest kid in this town. I finally found a new girlfriend named Carrie but I'll never forget Jen nor will I ever stop loving her. I find myself going over to Tyler's house worried. She's sitting out front when I get there. "Hey hun." Her head snaps up. "J-Jason, it's you and not whatever comes to take us right?" She whimpers, holding something in her hand. I smile. "Of course it's me hun." She stares back at it. And I see it's a picture frame of our family. I sigh and sit beside her. "You're gonna be okay. They won't take you." "I'm scared Jason." I hug her tight. "Where's Tyler?" "At work." I glance at my watch. It's 10:26. She was born at 10:30. Four minutes to go. She shakily stands up. "I've gotta distract myself from this." She says, walking inside. I follow her worried. "Jason, um I have a confession to make." Uh oh. She pulls her jacket away revealing a pistol. My eyes go wide. "Why-" "I'm going." My jaw drops. "W-What?! You can't!" "I have a perfect plan! I'm going to go with whatever this stuff is. And take it down! Getting our parents and Jen back!" I shake my head and grab her arm. "You can't! How do you know you can even get back!? You can't go with whatever these things are!" She sighs and pulls free. "I'm sorry. I've already made up my mind. You'll see me again soon." Tears come to my eyes. My watch now says 10:29. I grab her arms. "You aren't going with it! I'm not losing you too!" Tyler comes home. "What's going on?" I tell him what she said and his eyes go wide. "No! You're not!" He cries, running over. "It's my choice! It's my life!" She yelps running passed us. Panic sets in when the clock strikes 10:30.

Miranda's pov

This is it. I shakily stare at my brother and the boy I've come to love. "Miranda don't do it! Please don't do it!" My brother begs. "I'm sorry Jason, I have to." Just then mom appears. My eyes get huge. "That's not who you think it is! If you could see what it really was-" "It's mom!" He shakes his head. "It's not mom! You know that! They sent Jen after me! But I didn't go because of you and Tanner! Come on kiddo, you know it isn't mom!" He gasps. "Of course it's me, honey." Mom says. "Where are you gonna take me?" I ask. She smiles and walks over. "To paradise. Tanner is there. So is your dad." "What is it though?" She smiles at Jason.

Jason's pov

Suddenly whatever that thing is turns into Jen! Not again! She's holding my sister's hand. "You're wrong Jason. It's good where we're going." She says. "How can I trust you?" I shakily ask. Her eyes go wide. "Come on Jason it's me! Of course you can trust me." "W-What's going on?" She shrugs. "I don't know but I do know you can come home." I stare at my sister. She looks up at her, smiling. "Come over here." I say, waving her over. "No. I'm going and you should too." I can't! It's all lies! "Jason, what do we do?!" Tyler cries, terrified. "Jason, please.... Come with us." She whimpers, tearing up. I stiffly walk over and grab my sister's hand. She smiles. "I knew you'd make the right choice." I bite my lip. Jen smiles but not a good smile, a wicked evil smile. I yank her free from whatever it is just as she vanishes. "Dammit! Jason! How could you?!" She yells, punching at me. I sigh and grab her fists. "Stop it! You're stupid if you think going with them is a good idea!" She's breathing heavily and furious by the time I let go of her. She stares daggers at me. Then whatever those things are is back and sticks a ghost like hand into my sister's chest! Her eyes go wide. "Jas-" And she's gone! My whole body goes numb. I fall to my knees, jaw dropped. "She-She's gone." I whisper. "NOOOOOO!"