Ashley's disappearance revealed

Jesse and Amber deal with the aftermath of Ashley's disappearance

Jesse was surprised to overhear that Ashley hadn’t been home since yesterday. He knew her disappearance had something to do with his father or Drake or the both of them. He planned to confront them both except right now his feet were glued to her. He had to make sure that she got home alright before he forced himself to leave her side. After she got in the van he followed the vehicle back to the cabin. He wasn’t a fan of cars since they were slow and subject to rules and regulations. He had a car, but hardly ever used it. He had to run at the speed of the car, and it wasn’t fun.

            Finally, they arrived to the cabin. He could hear the different frequencies of her breathing and heartbeat. He only hoped she wasn’t scarred by his attack. He heard her conversation with her mother and was relieved she had the strength to go into her room. He wanted so badly to go into the room with her. He stood staring at the sheet covered window from his hiding spot in the woods. He was hoping she’d walk by and he’d get another glimpse of her, but all he got was silence. She didn’t speak and it only made him want her more.

            For now she was safe and he had to go see about Ashley. Reluctantly he left the cabin leaving it like a shadow behind. It wasn’t long before he reached the family mansion. As he approached it appeared to be business as usual. Vampires were chatting amongst each other as they entered and exited the home. They did their usual nod and he was surprised to see some of them pay no attention to him at all. It made him feel uneasy for once. He disliked the feeling of weakness. He wanted to address the man with the blond spiked hair and Mohawk who peered in his direction too long. He walked into the home and immediately noticed the lavender aroma. His mom always loved lavender even when they were human. He thought for a moment as a human if he’d have any chance with Amber. He dismissed the thought as quickly as it had arrived.

            He walked past the vampires variously scattered in groups throughout the front hall. He went towards the family room where a few days ago he had bested Drake. The room was always the same; a large sofa near a flat screen television, end tables with lamps that had never been used, and various picture frames of various flowers his mother thought was interesting, and a main desk located in front of an arched window for a nice view of the side lawn. Overall, it was true perfection of what a family room was expected to be like in his opinion. Jesse was sorely disappointed that Drake wasn’t anywhere in the room.

            He wondered why his blood felt as though it surged like fire through his veins at the very thought of his brother Drake. Drake, he thought reminiscing of the past he could remember their human lives when he and his brother were the best of friends. They told each other their darkest secrets. After they were turned into vampires it seemed like their relationship remained the same. The problem was Drake still cared about human life when Jesse became many towns most nightmares. Jesse hated the humans and he preyed on men, women, and children. Some days, he would kill entire families as if they never existed in the first place. Drake disagreed with his brother’s ruthless lifestyle and their once close relationship fell apart. Jesse became his father’s second in command which hurt Drake. Jesse couldn’t remember when it felt like Drake’s persona changed overnight. Then one day their roles reversed without either consenting to it. Jesse didn’t care too much for the humans, but he no longer desired their deaths either. He sighed to himself; so much had changed in over so many years.

            “Well, well, look what we have here,” Drake noted as he entered the room carrying a fellow blond vampire girl on his arm.

            “I need to talk to you,” Jesse turned to face him. “Alone,” he added taking in the female Drake had with him.

            “Get out,” Drake said to the girl without removing his eyes from Jesse.

            The female vampire left quickly her face written with disappointment.

            “Where is Ashley?” Jesse asked approaching Drake.

            “Who,” Drake asked coyly on purpose as he strolled toward the mini bar at the end of the room. He wanted to pour himself a drink.

            “You know who,” Jesse replied taking the small glass from his brother’s hand before he could pour into it.

            Drake only grabbed another glass and filled that one with liquor. He took a sip and set it down.

            “I haven’t seen Ashley,” he softly answered.

            “You’re lying,” Jesse said as he gripped Drake’s black silk shirt.

            “What is the meaning of this?” Victor asked entering the room with his two guards shutting the door behind them.

            Jesse took in the all black suit and tie his father wore. He decided not to tell him anything about Ashley. “It’s nothing just a disagreement.” He would’ve probably gotten away with it too if Drake hadn’t spoken up and made him look like a liar.

            “Jesse thinks I did something to his precious Ashley, she’s missing. Her parents have the police out searching for her.”

            Jesse stood silently awaiting his father’s response to being lied to.

            “Ian,” Victor spoke and the big guy to his left stepped forward. “Alert the others, we clean this mess up tonight. We leave none alive. Is that understood?”

            “Yes, Vic-tor,” Ian said and left out the door.

            Jesse dropped his head in disbelief. He would’ve liked to protest, but he wasn’t strong enough to fight his father.

            “Do you have something to say?” His father asked appearing before him.

            Jesse tried hard to not show any emotion at all. “No, no sir.” He answered and quickly left. He had to think of a way to save Amber. He figured that Ashley had to be dead and gone. His only concern was to save the one person he cared for the most. He couldn’t go straight to the cabin. He was too afraid he’d lead them to her. No, instead what he needed was a plan. A plan that would guarantee her safety no matter what the cost would be to him. He knew his best course of action would be during the chaos that would happen tonight. Tonight his family and others would make sure her family would never see the light of tomorrow.

           

            My morning went as expected as any morning where a member of a family has mysteriously disappeared days before. My parents were downstairs frantically calling everyone they could think of. I stayed locked in my room and Max is pretending its all one big nightmare. The front door was constantly being slammed because the vibration was felt from my room. The phone rang off the hook as family and friends called to get the latest scoop. I stayed out of the drama being stirred downstairs. My parents had begun to pick fights with one another since the beginning of the hour. Their arguments were practically over nothing of importance. They were on edge ever since the detective warned them that the first forty-eight hours in abductions are critical. I knew that even though Ashley and I shared some minor differences we were still identical twins. I knew that seeing me would shatter my parents because they miss her so much and to see her face on someone who isn’t her would be liked getting hit with a double edged sword. I was stuck in this room we shared until she returned. I lied on her bed waiting for her to come and say something about it.

            “Ashley, where are you?” I asked aloud to the air. I even attempted at one point to close my eyes to see if I could feel her. Nothing even occurred, not even goose bumps. I thought twins were supposed to have some sort of a psychic connection, but we never had with one another. I stared off into a poster over my bed. It was a picture of Chad Michael Murray from the show One Tree Hill. I remembered how Ashley spotted the poster first at the supermarket. By the time she left to go ask Mom for it, I swooped it up and as luck would have it, I found dad and asked him for it before she found mom. As Ashley’s luck would have it there were no more posters of Chad at all. I found it hard to smile at that story. It used to make me laugh knowing I got over on Ashley, but not today. On this day, it only made me miss Ashley even more. I hoped I would get the chance to say I was sorry.

            A loud shriek followed by rumbling interrupted my next thoughts. I jumped up from the bed. I twisted the knob on the door and rushed into the hall. I didn’t know what to expect, but suddenly the short ways between my room and the stairs felt like climbing a steep hill. Once I hit the stairs my pace slowed and stopped once my parents came into view. I saw the detective and another officer beside him staring toward the ground. My mother was crying in my father’s arms. He held onto her tightly as she slumped toward the ground screaming, “It’s not her”, over and over again.