Chapter 1: To The Attic
I stay in bed fully awake, waiting for the inevitable to happen. I keep my eyes closed, preparing for her to open my door to wake me up like the good mother she is. I don't know why my body is like this and forces me awake before it's time.
My brain forces me to smile, but it doesn't feel right. Mom and Dad smile like this everyday, and all the other church members smile like this too. Does it feel wrong to them too? Or is this feeling the right feeling and I'm in the wrong? I don't understand.
Suddenly, the sound of knocking fills my room as my mother enters.
"Good morning, Sweetie. How was your slumber?" She asks, going around my room and opening the curtains, allowing the Sunday morning sun to fill up the darkness of my room.
"Good morning, Mom." I smile, opening my eyes and sitting up even though it feels as if something is trying to pull my body back.
"Breakfast will be done in a moment. Please be ready to go in an hour." She states, leaving my room.
"Okay." I reply to an empty room.
Forcibly forcing myself out of bed, I head into my small but quite large walk-in closet.
I pull out one of my many church dresses and slide it on. Afterwards, I look over to the large mirror to brush my long, blonde hair. The dress I picked out is a simple blue floral dress ending at my knees and flowing a little longer in the back. I apply light makeup to my face, apple deodorant, and perfume, the pull on a pair of white wedges. I shove my phone into my small, white, cross body purse.
As I leave the room, the smell of freshly made waffles fills my nose. I hurry downstairs and grab a plate from the kitchen.
"Good morning, Elizabeth." Dad greets.
"Good morning, Dad." I say in between each bite of my breakfast.
"Elizabeth, we don't speak with our mouth full." Mom scolds.
I swallow what food I have in my mouth and reply, "Sorry, Mom. Good morning to the both of you."
"That's better." Mom says.
"Don't forget your bibles." Dad reminds us.
"We won't forget, honey." Mom smiles.
Once we finished our family breakfast, we head out to Dad's old Dodge 1500. As usual, I climb in the backseat and buckle up. Once everyone else was buckled, Dad starts the truck and we head down the road.
Upon arriving, I see the Reverend talking to a few people, kids playing in the field next to the church, and other people were parking their cars. Everyone had a smile on their face, a happy smile.
I smile too, but it feels wrong. Like, I shouldn't be smiling like they are.
As Dad parks the truck, Mrs. Watters comes up and greets us, handing me a mint.
"How was your week?" She asks my Dad as we get out of the truck, grabbing our bibles.
"It was just fine, Mrs. Watters." Dad answers.
"How has your week been? We haven't see you since last Sunday, before you left to visit your daughter and her kids." Mom begins.
"Oh, don't you worry about dear old me." Mrs. Watters replies, "I'm going on just fine. My daughter's son was having his fourth birthday and I was invited."
Mom turns to me and says, "Head inside dear and go find us some seats."
"Okay, Mom." I chime, wandering away from them.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see two boys shift and begin heading towards the church. I've never seen them before, they must be new. The boys get there first nd head inside, completely disappearing from sight.
I had inside and push through the people in the lobby, making my way into the main room. I walk over to the bathroom first instead of picking a seat.
"Hey, Elizabeth. How are you?" One of my church friends, Jane, asks me as I enter the bathroom.
I lean against the wall waiting for a stall to open and reply, "I'm doing fine. What about you?"
"Oh, I'm fine. I'm reorganizing my room today after church. I was thinking of switching my dresser and my bed around to give me more space or to at least make my room seem bigger." She responds.
"Oh, ok." I say, for the rest of the time we stood in silence until the only two stalls opened up at the same time and we both walked into each one.
I left before Jane, washed and dried my hands, then leave to find a seat.
As I pass the stairs leading up and before I get to the main room, an unknown hand reaches out and yanks me up the stairs. I attempt to yell at the stranger but another hand slams on top of my mouth, preventing me from even speaking.
My heart rate increases as fear bubbles inside of me. I began ferociously looking around to see who my kidnapper is, but it becomes darker the higher we go up the stairs. I kick around, trying to stop from going up the stairs but this person is stronger than I am. They drag me upstairs anyways.
I reach my hand out, finding a groove in the wall and holding onto it the best I can. I open my mouth wide enough for the kidnapper's hand to fall in, then I bring my teeth down hard, tasting blood.
"Ah! Shit! She bit me!" He shouts, then quiets down his voice cursing. His voice is deep and scary, unforgettable. It sounds like the scary villain that kills nine out of ten of the kids trapped within the murderer's house but pretends to be as trapped and scared as the kids.
Next thing I know, a bag goes over my head and my vision gets cut off, barely seeing light pass through the bag. My breathing becomes heavy and labored as I struggle to breathe through the thick fabric of the bag. My panic and fear continues to rise.
