(NOT EDITED. Here it is. The next chapter. I would strongly recommend you to read the other chapters before hand otherwise you will have no idea what is going on. You'll be all confused.com :D. I will admit that the chapter is poorly written so forgive me but in the rewritten version. It will be better. :D)
Rose
Three weeks had pasted since the incidence. The guy who'd been shot was known to be Seth and the guy who shot him was Rafael. Seth was still in hospital, recovering. I would visit him twice or week and check if he's getting better. He told me what Rafael had told me even when I hadn't asked. He told me about how Eric needed money, but why, he didn't say. He said it wasn't is story to tell.
As for Eric...he was gone. Nobody in my family talked about him and Seth didn't mention him anymore. He knew that none of us wanted to hear about that backstabbing, cheater, liar, thief, thug ever again. Celeste had been comforting me ever since Eric had gone and at some nights, I'd cry. I can't believe I let my heart be taken away by him and then all he did was break if as if it were glass. But i'm trying to forget him. He's not worth it. Well, that's what Celeste had told me. Harry was at rage. He said if he'd ever see Eric again, all there would be left is a dead body decomposed in a grave.
I went back to my usual routine that I had before Eric had arrived. But everything felt empty and sad. I know that dad was in pain the most because he'd thought Eric to be the guy to finally bring some light to my life. But all Eric brought was darkness.
The days felt gloomy and the sun didn't seem that bright anymore. The clouds had started kicking in and the cool breeze was now cold and the blue skies had drowned in the darkness of the grey clouds.
I sat in the living room, watching Judge Judy as usual. Even that seemed to bore me. I changed the channel to cartoons. The title song of Spongebob appeared and without me noticing, I began to hum with the tune.
I was interrupted by a constant knocking on the door. Who could it be at this time? Okay, it was only seven but that's pretty late to me. Since dad was fast asleep after a long day of working, Celeste was out with Marco and Harry wasn't the guy to be opening doors, I pushed myself up and opened the door with no energy at all.
The first thing I felt was a smack on my face from the wind. I almost thought it was the lady standing in front of me that slapped me. That's how hard the wind was.
"The woman was thin and around my height. She looked like she was tanned and had big brown eyes. Her highlighted brown hair was tied in a pony tail and she looked like she was fully of worry. She was holding onto a wheelchair, where a little girl was sitting. She looked as if she was ten. Her eyes were red and swollen and her face was pale. She was wearing a big black coat and a grey long skirt. Her hair was covered by a purple woolly hat and her hands were dressed in a matching pair of gloves. From the looks of it, she looked like she was crying.
"Um... hi?" I greeted.
"Hello, I'm Jan," the woman said.
"I'm Emily," the little girl said.
Wait, did she say Emily? Emily as in Eric's girlfriend? Wasn't she a bit young? What was I saying? Eric made that up and now coincidentally an Emily pops up.
"Do you know where Eric is?" Emily asked before I could introduce myself.
"Eric?" I said, confused. So that was his girlfriend?
"Yeah," she said, her eyes widening with joy. "You're Rose right?" she asked and I nodded. "Thank God. I'd hug you if I could get up. But anyway, you know where he is right?"
"No, I don't," I spat.
"What? But he said he lives with you," she said, her smile fading away.
"Maybe it's another Rose that he was talking about. Besides, I don't know any Eric's."
"You have to," she whimpered. "How will I ever find him if you don't know? You see, I'm his little sister. Please help me."
"Sister?" I asked and she nodded.
"He disappeared and hasn't been calling me or anything. I'm really worried about him," she sniffed. "All I know that he said he'll come back after he raises some money for my treatment, but now he's vanished and you're our only help."
"Treatment?" I said. Eric had done all this for his little sister's treatment. He had gone through all this trouble just to cure his sister. I felt like crying. How could I have just let that guy take Eric away? I was so cruel and didn't even give him a chance to tell me his side of the story. "They took him. Some gang people came took him. I-I don't know if he's... No, he'll be fine. But we have to find him before it's too late."
"W-What!?" Emily exclaimed. "He was taken away by gangs. But why?"
"I'll tell you on the way," i said. "Come on. We need to save him."
* * *
Jan was driving her car. She was a fast driver and it scared me a little but I didn't care since Eric needed help. Dad, Harry and Celeste had been informed. Dad went to the police and Harry was sitting at the front with Jan. I was sitting at the back with Emily and Celeste. The first place we were going to was London.
"How do you know he might be there?" I asked Emily.
"Eric went on drugs at one point and he couldn't pay back this guy and he told me that he was going to some house and that he might not come back. I'm guessing that's where he is now." Emily explained.
"Are you sure?" Celeste asked and Emily nodded. "Do you have any address?"
"No, but I know that's it an old building that's like has smashed windows and stuff," Emily said. "It was in South London. I know the place, but forgot the name."
"It's okay," I said. "As long as you remember how it looks like."
"By the way, how do you know how it looks like?" Harry asked,
"They kidnapped her," Jan spoke. "And threatened not to call the police or they'll kill her so I went there with Eric and we paid them with money that I earned and... yeah. But that was before Eric was forced to go there."
"What if they changed location?" Celeste asked.
"It's worth a try," Jan said.
"So are you Emily's... mum?" Harry asked.
Jan laughed. "No."
"Oh, because you look way to young and plus you and Eric look like you're the same age," Harry said.
As they carried on talking, I stared at the window with guilt and wished I never gave Eric up that day. But, now I was going to save him, no matter what. And none of those guys were going to stop me.
* * *
"Are you sure this is it?" Celeste asked. "I mean, it looks kind of fancy to me?"
We we all standing in front a white house. It was, as Celeste had said, fancy. The paint seemed new and fresh, the building looked furbished. There was no way these losers would be able to live in a house like that. And why would they live in a place to appealing. But the strange thing was that why would there be such a lovely house in a dirty, dangerous and deserted place like this? Surely gangs would hand around this place, especially at the night. It was strange.
"Yes, I am," Emily reassured.
"Then what happened?" Celeste asked.
"What we were afraid of," Jan said. "They've gone."
"Damn it!" Harry cursed. "We came all the way here for nothing."
"Hey, it was worth a try," I told him. "But we didn't come for nothing. We're not leaving without checking the place. Come on."
I walked towards the brown door trying to be confident but there was always that little bit of nerves poking me and reminding me doing this meant my life would be in danger.
"Rose, none of those cheapo's will be there," Harry said. "Let's go."
"No," I said. "We're not going. We're going to check this house."
"But-"
"Shut up, Harry," Celeste said. "Stop complaining. I bet you're scared. That's probably why you're dying to get away from here."
Harry mimicked her and made an ugly face and all the resulted with was a slap on the back of his head by Celeste. We laughed but only for a second because right now, we were all a little petrified.
I took in a deep breath and turned to Emily. "He'll be okay. We'll find him."
She nodded her head and and leaned in forward to give her a hug. "Now come on. Let's stop wasting time."
Before I could move, Jan grabbed my arm. He pulled me away from Emily and whispered. "What if... I mean its been almost three weeks. What if he's... not here."
"Then we'll look somewhere else," I told her.
Jan shook her head. "I meant... What if he's not here? Like... he's gone.... forever?"
I stared at her. Deep inside I was fearing that as well but refused to think that. I shook my head and smiled. "Hope. That's all we need and we'll know he's alright."
She nodded. "I hope you're right."
I gave her a small smile and we all headed to the door. "Wait," I said. "Jan, take Emily to the car and stay with her. Celeste you stay outside and call the police as soon as you hear something that sounds alarming. And don't hesitate, just do it. Harry, you're coming with me."
Jan took Emily even though Emily begged to go with me but I couldn't put her life at risk like this so my decision was for the best. Celeste merrily agreed and remained outside and hid somewhere where she wouldn't be caught.
"Rose, maybe I should go," Harry said. "It won't be safe for you-"
"I have to do this," I told him and he agreed.
I took in a deep breath and knocked on the door and waited. Now I wished I had brought a couple of knives with me or a gun. But where on earth was I meant to find those?
After perhaps, five minutes no one opened the door. Harry suggested we break the door. But just as we were going to break the door door, it opened.
There stood in front of us was a little girl, younger than Emily. She was shaking and looked at us as if we were some sort of monster.