Chapter Twenty-Eight

-listen-

I stared down at the small piece of plastic in my hand. This can't be happening. I'm 17. My hands shook so hard I nearly dropped the test. What do I tell Lauri? What do I tell Reece?! I braced myself on the sink to keep from collapsing. Lauri had come home from work not too long ago, and I'd locked myself in here saying I felt sick again. At least I know why now. I took a deep but shaky breath and opened the door.

The house was eerily silent.

"Lauri?" I called to the empty room. Leaving the  bathroom door open I stepped outside into the front lawn.

I turned another corner and felt my heart drop into my toes.

I screamed. Lauri's body was slumped against the house, a clear knife wound stained her clothes red. 

"Lauri! No!" I screamed again moving to get closer.

A pair of strong arms caught me around the waist, holding me back. Fear pummeled my stomach into the same place as my heart. I screamed again, my voice cracking into sobs.

"LET GO, LET GO OF ME!" I shrieked trying to twist out of the man's grasp. The arms turned me around.

"B-Blu?" The familiar face stood before me. I couldn't help but glancing down at my last family remaining family member.

"No, no, no, no, no." I sobbed, starting to sink to the ground. Blu and his arms followed.

 "Vinnie...don't look-" His arms held me again as I shied away from Lauri's body, burying my face into his vest. I cried into his chest, my lungs and throat ached.

"This isn't happening. This isn't happening!" I cried over and over hysterically.

"Vinnie you need to get out of here." Blu said firmly.

"My aunt is dead! What are you talking about?!" I felt so utterly destroyed and he didn't seem to care. The time-jumper pulled my chin up.

"You. Need. To. Leave." His green eyes stared into mine. "You are in incredible danger and if you don't leave right now, you'll never see anyone you love ever again. Do you understand me?" I nodded, gulping in air to breathe. He pulled me in for a tight hug.

"You'll be okay." He murmured. I felt a tear from him hit my neck. "Go to the train station, there should be a backpack there for you." I didn't respond.

"You can do this." He said, pulling away. "Goodbye little sis, just run." I stood up. He whispered something in my ear before disappearing.

And I ran. I didn't stop to think about what he had just said to me. I didn't grab anything from the house. Not my phone or anything.

 I love you. He had said.

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I had found the backpack alright, I dropped onto a bench. Pulling Reece's sweater closer I inhaled his scent. I missed him horribly.

"Excuse me?" An elderly woman stood in front of me. "May I sit here?" I wiped my eyes.

"Sure." I responded hoarsely.

The woman and what seemed to be her granddaughter sat beside me. 

"My dear, are you alright?" The woman leaned over. 

"Oh yes, I-I'm fine." I replied, sitting up.

"You seem like a sweet girl, you got a nice young lad back home?" The lady said with a smile. A tear raced down my cheek as I thought about Reece. I shut my eyes, fighting back a sob.
"I do. I mean, I did." My fingers ran over the fabric of his shirt.
"Oh, did you break it off?" She wondered. "I don't mean to pry."
"No, he's..." I wiped my eyes again. "Dead." She gasped, her dark green eyes widening. I don't know why I said it, but it felt right. I'd probably never see him again. VINNIE! A voice screamed in my head, startling me.
"Dear, I'm so sorry to hear." The woman said.

"You remind me so much of my daughter. Maddison was her name." She said. I raised my eyebrows. "She and her sister ran off to Bridgeport many years ago. I haven't heard from them since." I gasped, my heart rate spiking as I pieced the clues together.
"Maddison? Was..was her sister named Lauri?" I asked, my voice breaking.
"Why yes. How do you know?"
"I-" Something in my mind told me to lie, so I did. "knew Maddison's daughter." A smile grew across the woman's face.
"A daughter? My Maddy had a daughter? Oh do you know where they live? Do you know the girl's name? What does she look like?" She gushed, wanting to know every detail. Part of me wanted to tell her they were living happily, but the other cried for the truth.
"Her name's Vinnie. She has brown hair and green eyes. They live in Bridgeport." I lied smoothly. "I haven't seen them in some time so I'm not sure of their address."

 "This is just wonderful news!" She cried. "What's your name-" She was cut off my the sound of the train. The woman stood up to board the train, giving a wave as the door closed.
"My name's Vinnie." I cried to no one, waiting for the next train.