This is all too confusing. My brain isn't comprehending anything correctly. Riley can't be a creepy puppet master. Amanda can't be a murderer. Richelle's friends can't be dead. And Eldon can't be in love with me. But alas, it's all to true.
My window is completely dark. The only light outside is the from the street lamps that project shadows of flurries that will melt by the break of dawn. My floor is scattered with junk that is giving me a headache but my bed is properly made and seems very soothing. Can't I just fall asleep for a while and wake up when I'm ready? That's not how life works though. You have to wake up no matter what and it's your job to make your life into a dream.
I sigh and crawl into bed. Morning will come and I want to have as much time as I can to sleep.
Before I know it, my room is overflowing in light and I open my eyes to look at reality.
"Ugh." I groan and throw the blankets over my head.
My efforts to fall back to sleep fail. Someone knocks on my door.
"Emily?" It sounds like my mom.
"What?" My voice is most likely muffled by the blanket.
"You have company."
I sit up straight. I haven't looked at the clock yet but I'm assuming it's somewhere around eight in the morning. Who needs to come over at this time? Why not just call me?
"Who is it?"
"That boy you brought home yesterday. What did you say his name was? Eric? Edward?"
I cringe.
"Eldon." I groan then hop out of bed, "Tell him, ten minutes."
"Got it." My mom says then I hear her footsteps walking down the stairs.
I grab a pair of leggings and a sweater then head into my bathroom. As quickly as possible, I brush my teeth and wash my face. Then I take off my pyjamas and throw on the outfit I've chosen for the day. I rush down the stairs - almost trippong over my own feet - and stumble into the kitchen to find Eldon having breakfast with my parents.
"Hi." I wave awkwardly.
No matter how embarrasing it is, I've never brought a guy home before and I think I'm right to assume my parents don't know what to do.
"Hey Emily." Eldon stands up. He seems eager to eave the table.
"Let's go." I try to whisper only to him so my parents won't have to hear.
"Don't you want breakfast, Em?" My dad asks as he puts down his laptop case to pick up a waffle.
"No." I shake my head rapidly then take Eldon by the arm and tow him out of my house before my parents can say another word.
I open the front door and rush outside.
"What was that about?" Eldon asks once I loosen my grip of him.
"I'm sorry. My parents are new to the whole boy-" I almost say boyfriend, "coming over thing." I hope he didn't catch my slip up.
"They seem quite nice." Eldon remarks.
We walk over to his car.
"Why did you need me this early? What did Amanda say?"
"She won't open up to me," Eldon shrugs as he starts his car, "but I know she knows something. I knocked on her bedroom door. Once she found out it was me, she was shooing me out of her room and begging me to take a walk with her."
I just found more proof.
"Did she say anything at all?" I try not to let the fact that Amanda got Eldon to take her for a walk bug me.
"Nothing much. Just something about you needing to know something." We start to drive down the road.
"What do I need to find out?"
"That's what we're going figure out." Eldon's eyes are fixed to the road, probably just to not have to look at me.
"Wait. What do you mean?" I'm starting to panic.
We come to a stop sign.
"I mean," He looks at me now, "Amanda was only talking about you. She won't open up to anyone but you. You're the one that can talk to her, not me."
"What!" I scream.
The doors locked. I start to regret crawling out of bed.
"Eldon." I whine.
"It's settled. Talk to Amanda and I'll take you out." He bargains.
"Fine." I groan. Nothing can make me want to go talk to my sister's kidnapper but a date sounds like a nice reward.
Eldon pulls up onto Amanda's driveway.
"Do I have to?" I moan.
"Yes." He flashes me his adorable grin and I surrender.
He unlocks the door and I walk out. Amanda's most likely sleeping. I may not even get the chance to talk to her. I'm praying she won't be avalible while I wait for someone to answer my knock on the door. Unfortunately, I hear someone calling out - Amanda's voice - saying something alonng the lines of 'I'll get it mom.' A shadow appears at the window and the door opens.
"Emily." Amanda seems as crazed as Richelle. Maybe a little less but she's on the right tracks.
"I need to talk to you." I grumble then Amanda lets me in.
I am lead to her basement. Amanda sits down on a sofa that is on the verge of breaking. She gestures me to a take a seat on an old recliner.
"What have you been doing Amanda?" My voice is now concerned.
Her eyes are bloodshot and the dark circles look as if she has been up for half the night. She may not have slept at all. Her fingers look red and her whole body is slightly twitching.
"Oh so now you care about me?" Her voicre is just as cold as Richelle's.
"I don't have any concern for what you're doing. I just want to make sure I won't get hurt by being in this room with you." I retort.
"If you need to know, I'm fine. I've just been up all night studying and caffine is known to keep you up."
"Studying for what? School's cancelled and it's proably not starting up today." My voice is just as hard as her's.
"Not for a test." She glares at me, "For something else, I would have thought you would understood."
"If you want to kill me, don't do it here. I want a fair fight." I blurt.
"I don't want to kill you."
"Then who do you want to kill?"
"No one!"
"I didn't come to argue." I sigh, getting some more sense into me.
"Me neither." Amanda softens up.
"What do I need to find out?"
"The letters."
"Why can't you?"
"Ugh!" Amanda stands up and I lean back in the chair, trying to think of all the possible escapes I can use if she does try to attack me.
"This isn't my job. You were told to figure it out." Amanda's hands meet her flawless hair and starts to pull it out even though no strands come out.
"What do you know?" I narrow my eyes.
"Oh, I know a lot. A lot more than you would think a sophmore would. But in this mystery, nothing that you don't. Just the fact that I'm not your guy."
"Stop denying it!"
"I'm not."
"Then what are you doing?"
"Being honest."
"The last time I checked, you're the one that is killing people."
"Well then check again because you got your facts wrong."
"Ugh!" I scream then stand up.
"No." Amanda points at the chair but I remain standing.
"Fine." She walks over to put a hand on me. I don't resist but I do squirm under the pressure she is forcing onto my shoulder.
"Why. Just tell me why." I wince. Her finger nails are digging into my skin.
"Why is a very vague question. Narrow it down."
"Why are you killing people?"
"Use your imagination."
"Why can't anyone give me a straight answer?" I'm starting to lose feeling in my left arm so I fall into the recliner again. Amanda grins then sits herself on the hand rest.
"It takes away all the fun." Amanda leans in close to me.
"Then what is fun?" My rebuttal is weak but her face is inches away from mine. It's intiminating.
"Eldon." She smirks.
"What?" I croak.
"Your date. It must be fun." All of a sudden, Amanda stands up then walks away from me with an odd smile on her face.
"You can't keep forcing my decisions."
"I'm not. I'm keeping you safe."
"That's like giving your money to a robber thinking he will spend it in a good place." I snort then stomp up her stairs.
"I'm not a robber." Amanda calls.
"Murderers are worse."
"Can't fully say I'm one of those either."
I run up the stairs to her foyer then rip open her front door and walk out of her house. Eldon is still outside waiting for me.
"You okay." Eldon opens his window and calls out to me.
"Something like that." I say then I run back into his car.