Samantha's P.O.V.
My eyes fluttered open, and I could feel Alan's arms wrapped around me. He must have been awake because he leaned in closer and kissed my cheek before pulling me in a tight hug.
I smiled. This was perfect. I turned over and looked into his blue eyes, but that isn't all that I was looking at. His bruises were still there in a now dark green-yellow color. I looked down.
"What's wrong?" he asked with concern in his voice.
"I almost forgot all of this happened," I admitted. He pulled me closer to him and kiss my forehead. "Do you have to work?" He nodded. "Can't you find someone to cover for you?"
"I have a 10 hour shift and then a 12 hour shift," he informed me. My eyes grew wide. That's too long. "I've missed too many days, babe. I'm sorry."
He frowned as I did too. This isn't fair. Doesn't his work know his soon-to-be sister-in-law was kidnapped and will be dead within the next twenty-four hours? My heart ached at the thought.
"I need to get ready, babe. I love you so much," he professed, kissing me on the lips.
"I love you, too."
He got up and into the shower. I stretched uncovering a tremendous headache. Never again will I drink that much wine in one night. Better yet, why don't I make a New Year's resolution no drinking at all. I know Danielle would be proud of me.
After taking some Advil, I made some toast for both Alan and I, but by the time he was out and ready to go, he had to leave, eating the toast on the way.
Five minutes until six.
Even though, I was staring at the clock, I never noticed the numbers change. When my phone rang I noticed it was now exactly six.
I answered it and stuttered as I spoke, "H-hello?" No one said anything, which terrified me. "Hello?"
A second later her once sweet and soft voice was heard through the phone. "Sammie?" Her voice was scratchy and I almost didn't recognize her at first, but I knew it was her.
"Danielle? Sweetie, don't worry, okay! I promise you'll be okay!" I promised, knowing I wouldn't be able to keep it. I just want to protect her from the truth of what was really going to happen to her. She doesn't need to think of how her life will end. Not yet.
"I'm going to die," she informed me, her voice cracking and breaking my heart into two. I couldn't let her think that.
"El, don't say that. That isn't true."
There was silence and it scared me. I heard her take a deep breath before speaking again. "I am. I am, though." Before I could say anything she continued. "No, Sammie, I'm going to die. I saw their faces. They'll kill me even if you destroy it! It's car --"
The phone went dead and I realized Dani was trying to tell me who had her. Who the serial killer was. Or maybe she was saying where she was -- in a car. That doesn't make sense. The videos are taken in a building. And 'it's car?' What does that mean ?
Then I let it sink in. If she really did see their faces, then they really are going to kill her. Even if I do everything they tell me to do, they will still murder her. I can't destroy it now; even though I already decided on that very point. At least now I will be able to save hundreds of other innocent girls' lives.
It's car. What does that mean? Those two simple words raced throughout my mind trying to connect it to something. Was she trying to tell me who it was? Perhaps a place?
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."
He opened his mouth to interject, but I didn't give him the chance.
"And, you cannot drink like this. You could have killed him or Danielle could have came home and seen this mess. I thought we promised to not do that to her? You're becoming like you use to and it won't end up good. It's only going to get harder from here so don't get hooked now, because the next time I see you with any type of alcohol, I'm putting you in a rehab center until can understand that I will not tolerate it."
Surprising me, he dropped his head and apologized in the most desperate voice I had ever heard. With that, he walked away to his bedroom, but stopped at his door way.
He glared back at me. It made me shiver as I tried to think of what his thoughts were.
"You are literally a spitting-image of me. You know that, right?"
It was true. I had his exact blue eye color with that flicker of green. We smiled the same. We had the same attitudes which caused us to fight way more than needed, but that was why. Is that why he hated me?
"No, Sam. I don't hate you," he replied. I said that out loud? Oops. "It's just. Danielle was the spitting-image of your mother. She was ambitious, caring, intelligent. She would do anything for anyone."
"That doesn't make it right to blame Tyler," I said, changing the subject. He seemed to notice and sighed loudly as he looked away. "He's been through too much to deal with your crap. If she was at home or with me at the station, she would have been taken no matter what. Those guys need her for something. She was targeted."
He nodded and stalked his way into his room fully. The door closed and I could hear it click, signifying it was locked.
I knew he didn't want to be bothered, and I also knew Tyler was waiting outside, so I went out the back door to find Ty picking at the rose petals on the rose bush.
"It is my fault," he confessed directly after I sat down next to him.
"This is absolutely not your fault, Tyler," I assured, taking his hand in mine. "Trust me. It's not yours."
"I was the one who got her kidnapped, Sam. If I hadn't taken her out, she would still be here with her family. I hate myself."
My heart literally ripped in half as Tyler stood abruptly and throwing the rose down and squishing it with his shoe. I didn't mean to, but I couldn't let him think it was his own fault.
"It isn't your fault, Tyler. It's mine."
He snapped his head in my direction before shaking his head in disbelief. "How'd you come up with that load of bull?"
"They called me."
"Who called you?"
"Whoever is doing this to her," I answered, knowing I'd regret it. "They told me that if I didn't destroy my evidence box on my case, they would kill her."
Hope flooded Tyler's face as he smiled. I didn't want to, but I had to tell him I couldn't do it.
"What are you waiting for? Go destroy it then," he ordered, grabbing my hand and pulling me to my feet. I pulled it away from him. In confusion, he furrowed his eyebrows together.
"I can't, Ty," I admitted. The hope left his face quicker than I could blink. "All the lives that that box is protecting right now is the only thing that is stopping me. If I destroy it, they will kill more than just Dani. Besides, they are going to kill her anyway. She told me she had seen their faces."
"You've spoke to her?" he questioned, his face lightening up at the thought of her. I nodded. "Is she okay? Have the hurt her?"
I didn't reply. My silence was enough for him to know.
I thought that if someone else knew everything going on, it would be like a weight lifted off my shoulders, but honestly, it has only multiplied. Now, Tyler knows it's my fault she will never come home.
"There's more we can do, though, right?" he asked.
"I've been searching for something this whole time, Ty. I haven't found anything."
"But it's always good to see it from another view. Like in English, if you look over your own work, your mind naturally fixes your mistakes and you don't even notice them. What if I looked at what you have? Maybe I could help in someway."
Could that work? What if he does find something? What if it's the one thing I need to find Danielle? It was worth a shot.
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Do you think they'll find something? Do you think Carson and his gang will realize Samantha has told Tyler when she wasn't suppose to tell anyone at all? Comment!
Shout-outs: unicorn_ways (I absolutely love you and your comments lol), cheesefists ( Of course, I love you too, but I also love your story! It's amazing!), MaddyS3115, harrenstyles, princesofhearts, ohschist, and Diksha_and_borkalita ! You all are amazing! Thank you for the support! All the love Xx