Countdown

Chapter Seventeen -- TWENTY-FOUR HOURS AGO 5:38 AM

    My whole body shook as I slid my back down the wall, trying to process everything. My heart honestly felt like it was being held in someone's hands and slowly being squeezed until I could no longer breathe.

    I have idea at all why I am reacting this way. I already knew Dani was going to end up dead. The box wasn't going to be destroyed and I was going to be receiving hugs to a bunch of random people at a funeral.

    What was I supposed to do now? Just sitting here in solitude wasn't going to help me with anything at all; it would only make things worse. I need to talk to someone. Someone who can disagree with me, but won't say a word.

Cold and exhausted, I plopped down -- still in my sweats -- and let a tear fall. My hair caught the snow as it floated down, just like it did to Dani's and she would complain. My nose was a bright red that matched my cheeks. I should have put on a coat, but I didn't plan to stay very long.

        "Sorry I haven't been by in awhile. I've been busy wit work and wedding plans. I'm getting married, by the way," I added, trying to smile, but a sob slipped out instead. "Mom, what d-do I do? How can I fix this?

        It's all my fault, you know? I mean, it was my stupid job that got her in this situation in the first place. I can't even help solve the case because I'm family. Can you believe that?" I scoffed, wiping the tears away.

        I took a second to breathe, picking at the grass below me. Minutes went by even though it felt like seconds -- since I could finally breathe clearly.

    "Please, just give me a way to save her. Tell God to take me instead, anything. Please. I love her so much, Mom."

     The date engraved in my mother's headstone made me stop breathing for what seems like the thousandth time this week.

     My time is up tomorrow. December 4 is Mom's death date. Danielle is going to die the same day our mother did.

    Once I said my goodbyes and entered the car, I slammed my fists against the steering wheel and screamed in despair. All I am doing is trying to pass time by trying to convince myself that I am doing all I can and talking to my dead mother. How is she going to help anything? There is no way to save Danielle, but there is more I can do.

    I pulled up to Dad's house and parked my vehicle before proceeding inside. As I approached the front door, I can hear the distinct yelling coming from within. My heart immediately skipped a beat as I raced inside.

    Cowering in the corner was Tyler with his head in his hands, pulling at the ends of his hair while sobbing. Dad, on the other hand was right beside him, gritting harsh phrases into his ears.

    "You. You are the reason my little girl is dead. If she would have never met you, she would be here with me, where she belongs," he said. "You think your life was hard? I bet all of it was a lie. I bet you never had an abusive father or a absent mother. You wanted to destroy this family. That's what you wanted to do. Well, congratulations! You did just that. Now, leave you weak piece of --"

    My voice silenced the room and everyone stared at me. Dad took a swig of a Jack Daniels and then threw the bottle against the wall beside Tyler, causing both of us to jump. Instantly, I told Tyler to wait out back for me and he left.

    I waited to hear the back door shut before I turned to my drunk father.

    "What the hell are you trying to do?" I asked, anger coursing through my veins.

    He shrugged as if it was nothing.

    "Look at me," I demand as I forced him to turn his body in my direction. "You are not allowed to treat him like that. He did nothing with Danielle being kidnapped. He was treating her like a normal teenager like we should have done all those years. If anything, it's our fault she's where she is."