Lakehouse

Chapter Two

Sometimes, I wish it was possible to play a different game with myself.

A game where I could completely and utterly tune every sound out of my mind, so that the world was complete silence. So that I could sit in my bed, staring at the ceiling with my hands folded, to just think to myself without distractions. Right now, all I want to do is to construct a plan to find my brother, without anyone's help. If Levi and I switched positions, I know that's what he would want. To find me independently, and have no one get in his way.

But, lucky me, Lou and O'Brien demand to let the police do the work. Of course, I'm not allowed to call Levi's cell phone again. I'm not allowed to ask people where they last saw him at the party. I'm not allowed to go searching to try to find any kind of evidence. "You're only sixteen, Sadie," they said, their eyebrows raised with sympathy. "You're too young to get yourself into that kind of trouble. You've gone through enough as it is."

Now, they're explaining the same thing to me over again. The sun is shining outside, birds fluttering around the trees just feet away, as if nothing has happened. The light is streaming inside the kitchen, making the waxed hardwood floors shine. I don't know how to feel about this; although I should be grateful that mother nature is trying to cheer me up, I kind of wish it was dark and snowy today. It would fit the mood better.

I lean back in my chair, my hands folded across my chest. My fingernails are digging into my bare arms, but it's okay. Pain is all I've been feeling for the last twelve hours.

After the man with Levi hung up the phone, I just kind of stood there in the snow, feeling numb. What was happening didn't really sink in for another ten minutes, in which I screamed as loud as I could and fell to my knees. I couldn't help it. I mean, what else do people expect me to do when I hear that my brother has been kidnapped, and is probably going through hell?

It wasn't the people at the party who came and helped me up. It was actually the kids who had gathered around the fire pit in the woods, singing music and having a good time. I can only imagine what they thought was going on-I never even got the chance to explain to them why I was screaming and eventually crying. They just asked me where I lived, in which I pointed in the direction of Lou and O'Brien's house, and drove me there.

I managed to lead myself inside at that point, even though my head was spinning and my heart felt like it was going to beat out of my chest. I opened the door, not so quietly, and stumbled up the stairs into my bedroom. There, I collapsed onto my bed and sobbed.

The voice kept repeating in my head. Your brother is in safe hands.

What would anyone want with my brother? He had done nothing significantly wrong, or angered anyone that I knew of. He was innocent. There was no reason for him to be in such a horrific situation.

After what seemed like hours, I wiped my eyes and sat up. Sitting here sulking wouldn't solve anything. I pulled my cell phone out of my pocket and dialed 911. It seemed like the only reasonable thing to do at three a.m.

It was a woman who answered the phone, after two rings. "Nine-one-one, where is your emergency?"

I couldn't even bring myself to answer her question. "They have my brother."

"Who has your brother?" she said, her tone unbelievably calm. It made me furious.

"I don't know!" I blubbered. "Someone called me and I heard him scream, and they said that he was in safe hands. But he's obviously not in safe hands! He's missing, someone has him! Please, get him back!" By then, I was back to weeping. The woman still didn't even seem the least bit concerned.

"Calm down. We aren't going to send police out until he has been missing for twenty four hours, as protocol. Just take a deep breath. I'll file the report, though, alright?" she asked.