Guilt: A Fractured Minds Novel

Chapter Five

I look to the floor and see my phone laying there, bending down I pick up the phone and notice that my mother hung up. Pushing myself to my feet I look at the soon not to be empty house.
Is he really coming home? He hasn't been home for about a month now and I haven't seen or heard from him. Would he come home just because my mother asked him to? What has he been doing all this time? Why hasn't he come home sooner? What's been stopping him?
"There's nothing to worry about. My father is coming home after all this time. I should be happy about it not worrying." I mutter shoving the thoughts aside and take a deep breath. Blinking a few times I walk into the kitchen and fill up a glass with water. The water somewhat calms my nerves. Setting the glass down by the sink I walk down the hallway to my room when something catches my eye. The light from the kitchen reflects off of the screwdriver. The one I had forgotten at the bottom of Tori's bedroom door.
Stopping I crouch down and pick it up. My slender fingers curl around the plastic hand tightly. The familiar weight reminds me on the task that I had failed to complete. Unlocking Tori's bedroom door and looking around for anything that could explain where she went or why she disappeared in the first place. For once I'm glad that I'm home alone.
Looking at the small hole in the doorknob I level the screwdriver and slide it in. Feeling around for the pressure point I eventually find it. Pushing the screwdriver forward I hear a click and pull it out I then pocketing it for later use. Grasping the doorknob as I've done a thousand times before I twist and push. It pops open revealing a musty room.
Her blue bed sits in the far left corner while her bookshelf and closet take up the rest of the back wall. Walking inside I notice that the blinds covering the window above her bookcase are drawn tightly close as if to keep out any wandering eyes. Memories of all the times we've talked together in here flash in my mind. Moving them away I walk over to the vintage green suitcase used as storage. Kneeling in front of the suitcase I brushing my fingers across the worn exterior I lift the lid. Books, letters, and photo albums litter the inside. Pulling one of the photo albums out I open the dark blue cover and look into the past. Frozen pieces of time forever kept safe. Many photographs have Tori standing next her boyfriend with their friends standing around them laughing or smiling at the camera. Flipping though I see countless close ups of Tori and her friends standing side by side. Having the time of their lives. Pressing my lips close tight I drop the book in the sea of memories. Picking up a second one I find a photograph of our family standing in our fourth of July clothes smiles plastered on quickly for the photographer. The next one shows Tori and I oblivious to the photographer as we laugh. Heads thrown back our eyes are alight with life as the warm sun shines down on us. Tori's long brown hair waving in the breeze. It showed of happier times when this family was still whole. The next one shows the five of us standing next to our grandmother (on our mother's side of the family) who sat in a wheelchair with a smile on her face showing her dimples. Surrounded by her family for what would have been the last time for her. A golden locket hangs around her neck the old floral blanket wrapped tightly around her frail form. Her white hair pulled up into a bun while glasses sit on her pointed nose. My mother and father stand behind her while Tori and I stand next to her all smiling at the camera.
Tears fill my eyes as the memories of hot summers, laughter, and late nights come back to me. My fingers tremble as I look at the blurry grey photo album in my hands. Setting it back inside the suitcase I wipe away the tears and take a deep breath. It's okay I think to myself, they'll find her. Standing up I notice a book on her bookshelf that is untitled. Walking over I pull the red book off of the book shelf and sit on her blue comforter. Opening it I realize why there's no title, it's a journal.
"Maybe Tori wrote why she was going to leave..." I mutter opening the first page. Skimming through I read bits about a crush of hers in tenth grade to a prank gone horribly wrong. Going back even further I suddenly hit blank pages. She hasn't written that far yet. Turning back the pages I find the most recent one, a few days before she left.
May 29th
I can't believe that this is the last few weeks of my Senior year that is almost already gone! It all happened so quick... I haven't decided what college I'm going to be attending yet. I still have time. Anyways I'm excited for a date night that Nicholas and our other friends have planned this weekend! He hasn't told me more than that...

She was planning on going to a event that had already been planned in the future, so why would she leave? That doesn't make any sense... I think putting her Journal away before returning to my spot on her bed.
"She wasn't planning on leaving, that means they're right. She did disappear for some other reason, not because she wanted to leave. What really happened to you Victoria?" I ask looking around her room. The closet doors still open and clothes thrown about. Walking over I see her worn running shoes have been left behind. She loved those shoes. Moving on I see her old bean bag chairs sitting side by side on the ground in the corner. Looking around her room I spin in a circle. There has to be something that I'm missing...
Slam!
Jumping at the sound I turn to the door as footsteps echo through the house. Running over to the door I peek my head around the corner and see a tall man stumble through the house. His brown hair is peppered old age. Yellow lights from the kitchen illuminate his sunken in face and haunting eyes with bags underneath them. Retreating back into the safety of her room I take a breath. It's him and he looks as though he hasn't slept well either.
Looking around her room once more I turn off the light and push the door open wider. Looking out in the hallway I see his grey jacket clad back facing me. Getting ready to bolt I look to my door that shows my messy room. Taking one last look at the room I see the light reflecting off of something underneath her bed. Quickly I change my plans and drop to my knees before I begin crawling to her bed. Moving the comforter aside I reach my arm under my hand spread wide open. Cool metal touches my fingertips as footsteps echo down the hallway. Looking at the hallway through the crack in the door I see a shadow move in the hallway. The footsteps echo louder down the hallway. Forgetting the object I know what I have to do. Crawling under the bed I make sure that I can see the rest of the room while still staying hidden.
His dirty boots step into the doorway as he pushes the door open. Dried mud falls to the floor as he takes a few slow steps into the forgotten room. His deep voice slurs out, "Who's there?"
Holding my breath I watch as he turns around and stumbles out muttering words to himself before shutting it behind him. Waiting for a moment I crawl out and hit something with my foot. Looking back I see an object that is hidden in the darkness. Kicking forward with my foot I climb out from under the bed and pull it out into the light.
The golden locket sits on the carpet as I stare at it.
    In the fading light her locket shines with the last bit of the sunset. She laughs as one of her friends whispers something into her ear. Her brown hair moving with the slight breeze. Bright blue eyes look over her shoulder as suddenly her movements stop. The smile falls from her thin lips and the red cup slips from her hand. Nicholas stood a few feet away watching before Victoria had caught him. Turning around he walks off into the Sitka Spruce trees surrounding them.
Shutting my eyes tightly I try to remember more than that. Where were we? It seemed to be somewhere in the forest and there's a lot of forests in Oregon. What was happening with Tori and her boyfriend? Her friends were with her and it seemed like there was a problem with Nicholas. Had they been fighting again? Often I'd see the two of them arguing about one thing or another. Maybe he'd know something about Victoria's disappearance. I should ask her friends about it. I think looking down at the locket. A gift that was given to Victoria before our grandmother died, one that should have gone to me. I see the flowers shaped into a heart covering the locket. This locket was one of Tori's most prized possessions and she would never leave home without wearing it around her neck. Why didn't she have it when she disappeared?
Picking it up I slip it over my head before tucking it under my shirt. Slowly walking over to the door I wait and listen for any footsteps. No hearing any I twist the knob only for it to stop. He locked the door. Why would he lock it? Did he lock her door in the first place? He sounded awfully drunk.
Shoving the thoughts aside I unlock the door and push it open once again. Not looking back I lock the door behind me and slowly walk to my room. Looking behind me I see that the kitchen is empty and dark. Quickly I shut the door behind me and turn the lock. Looking around my messy room I decide I need to get out of here.