Chapter 1
In the quiet town of Redwater Valley, the air is fresh and filled with the sweet scents of blooming flowers, the sun shines brightly, casting a warm glow on a quaint, little house, where laughter echoes through the halls as Ellie, a bright eyed girl around the age of five, spins around in circles, her red blanket trailing behind her like a superhero’s cape. Her parents, Jenny and Matthew, exchange warm smiles, as they watch their daughter play, but beneath the surface of this perfect scene, a shadow looms, and little do they know, that this peaceful evening would soon be shattered and Ellie’s imagination would be the only shield she has against the storm that’s about to break.
The stillness of the afternoon is pierced by the sound of shattering glass. Ellie rushes over to the nearby window, her heart racing as the sanctuary of her home is violated, the air now thick with danger and the sharp scent of fear.
Her parents glance at each other before heading outside. Unbeknownst to them, Ellie follows behind, too afraid to be left alone. She freezes in disbelief, as she peers out the front door, her eyes locking with the cold, unfamiliar gazes of the intruders. Their intentions are clear, their presence a menacing storm in the once tranquil afternoon. Her mother notices her peeking out from the door, and pushes her back into the house.
Ellie
Mommy has always said the flowers keep the monsters away, but they aren’t working now. The door opens and mommy is there, she doesn’t look like mommy. “Stay there, my little kitten,” mommy says, and then she runs away. There’s more bangs, and more shouts. Ellie squeezes her teddy bear tightly, wishing mommy would come back and sing the Twinkle, Twinkle song. Ellie doesn’t like the frightening shouts in her house at all.
Eventually, the noises stop, and Ellie peeks out of her hiding spot, because the monsters are gone. The house is quiet, too quiet. The shadows are still dancing on the walls, but they don’t seem as scary anymore. She crawls out, “Mommy?” she calls out, “Daddy?” Her voice echoes throughout the house. She tiptoes down the hallway, towards her mommy and daddy’s bedroom. The door to the bedroom is open. Ellie pushes it open wider, mommy and daddy are on the floor. They’re very still, almost like they’re sleeping, but they’re eyes are opened, and Ellie knows that is strange.
“Mommy, wake up,” Ellie says, nudging her mommy’s arm. Mommy doesn’t move. Ellie frowns. “Daddy?” She tugs on her daddy’s shirt. He doesn’t even flinch. Ellie feels a funny feeling in her tummy, not just from hunger. Something feels wrong. She doesn’t understand why her mommy and daddy are sleeping on the floor with their eyes open. She doesn’t understand why they won’t wake up. She simply knows that something is very, very wrong. A car screeches to a halt outside. Thomas, Ellie doesn’t know it’s Thomas, not yet. She’s too focused on the strange stillness of her parents.
Thomas
The front door bursts open, and Thomas’s voice cuts through the quiet. “Mom! Dad!” He sounds scared. Ellie hears him running, his footsteps heavy on the wooden floor. He stops short, and Ellie hears him gasp. “No…” Thomas’ voice is thick with disbelief and dread. Ellie hears the rustle of plastic, the unmistakable sound of body bags. Thomas knows. He understands the stillness, the wrongness that Ellie can’t grasp. He knows that something terrible has happened. Either his parents or his little sister are gone.
