Chapter 2

“Alex,” a voice yelled “ALEX. . You have to get up now! We have big news! My God Alex! WAKE UP.”

            Alex felt the worn, green comforter around him come flying off. “James. It’s a Sunday! Let me sleep.” Jubie, who had been sleeping on the floor beside the bed, woke up. She stretched her forelegs forward, yawned then sat back on her haunches looking confused and dazed.

            “THEY FOUND HER!!!” James yelled, throwing a pillow at Alex “Come on! This is what you’ve been waiting for right! They found her and they’re sure!!!”

“Of course they are. Just like they were last time. Oh wait. Last time I went all the way to Paris to find a girl with an enormous bloody tattoo and who happened to be six years too old to be her. Sorry but, I’m not up for any crushed spirits toady, thank you very much.” He turned over on his bed to face the wall, undoubtedly frustrated.

“Lex, the girl was attacked.” Said James solemnly

Alex’s head shot up,” What!? Was she hurt!?”

“No, she was robbed. By a Cylovain. Or at least a Slayve. They don’t attack unless they’re certain of their target.”

Alex, who looked like he had been slapped across the face, tried to jump out of bed but failed and ended up on the floor right in front of Jubie. Jubie purred in amusement, and nudged Alex to get up.  He found his footing and pulled himself up using the bed.  “I’m coming. Just let me change.”

“Yeah and brush your hair while your at it.” Teased James

“You are the best elder brother the world has ever known James did you know that?”  Alex said sarcastically as he rummaged through his wardrobe to find a set of jeans and a collared shirt.

“Oh, Don’t you worry I’m very aware. But I cant take all the credit, I couldn’t be such a wonderful role model baby brother. Thanks you, Alexander” he said leaning against the bookshelf with his arms folded.

“Oh, shut up.” Alex retorted with a smile. He walked into the bathroom, shut the door behind him and said “Wait, for me! I’ll be five minutes.”

“Yes sir!” said James who turned to Jubie “I really hope this is her…for his sake…Im not sure if his mental health can take much more of this…”

Jubie could tell he was very concerned about Alex so she walked over to him and nudged his hand with they top of her head and looked up at him. Her eyes danced with sympathy. James knew Jubie wanted Alex to find her  too. He was her caretaker and friend so, it hurt her and James to see Alex in such a rut. James sat down against the wall at Jubie sat perpendicular to him with her head on his lap. Since their parents had left them James, had been trying to lift Alex’s spirits. But that had been in the summer. Seven years ago. 

Chapter 1

Everyone swarmed around the light gray house on the middle of Highland Meadow Drive, which was splashed with the red and blue light of police car sirens.  The neighbors of the street were simply concerned for the safety of a young woman who lived in that house.  She was a student and the local high school but she lived by herself while her parents working overseas. She was smart, kind, well liked and generally kept to herself. That’s why, when news spread that someone had broken into her house and robbed her, no one could understand why.

Not only that, it was a most peculiar break in.  One 5-inch diameter circle cut in the skylight and nothing else. Everything remained locked, the burglar alarm hadn’t gone off, no shattered windows, the safe was locked and the appliances were still plugged in.  The only thing that was missing was a photo of owners’ daughter as a 5-year-old.  

            “Everybody quiet down now! There’s nothing to see here. Ms. Palle is fine. But, she is not here at this time. No other details can be disclosed at this time. Please go home.” boomed the exhausted policemen. He turned to his partner and whispered, “ Honestly, I don’t know why all these folks thought she’d be here. If something like this happened to me I’d get as far away as possible.”

            “No kidding,” his partner responded “to think all this for a five buck painting. This type of stuff never happened when I was in school. Hey, isn’t that Jeff’s car pulling up?”

            “Yeah, he picked the Palle girl up this morning when she called the station. Honestly I’ve never heard of anything like it. A twenty cent stole out of a six centimeter whole when the house is locked from inside at every possible entrance point…Impossible.”

            “Have you seen what the living room looks like? It looks like there was some sort of crazy wild animal in there. The place is a wreck.”

            “Shut up! Jeff and the Palle girl are headed over here!” He muttered before straightening up and welcoming them , “Good morning Jeff. Mornin’ Ms Palle.”

            “Good morning, Officer Mynchello” she said timidly. It was clear she wasn’t used to being addressed so formally.

            “Mornin’ boys” said Jeff. He was an older gentleman with a wise, worn face, and a head of thin, snow-white.

“How do you solve a mysterious break-in, in which the suggested point of entry is a whole no bigger that an CD in the skylight?,” he thought. That question rang in his head like a fire alarm but, he fought to stay composed to keep the young woman to his right in the best spirits. Poor thing was shaking when he and his partner had turned up at the house.

            Suddenly the quivering girl spoke up “Can I go inside? I’d like to pack my bag- I’m going to be staying with the Lerderas. They live down the road- number 57 Oleander Dr. They’re family friends. We all called my parents and they agreed it was best.”

            “Alright then, sounds good. You wrote your cell phone number and your parent’s email at the station, right?” asked Jeff

            “Yes sir, and the secretary gave me the contacts for the station” Ms Palle replied

“Good , now  you call the station as soon as your parents are back, so we can all tlak about this. You can go on in and get your stuff but, the living room and skylight area are marked off. Do you need a ride over to your friends house?”

“No its ok. They are coming over to pick me up in about fifteen minutes.  Thanks for everything Officer Mynchello!” And with that she took off into the house.

“Bye Natasha.”