“Hey, ma I got home early today how are you feeling? Do you need me to make you anything?“

“I don’t need you to make me anything. I'm feeling well dear, how was school?”

“Okay well school was fine, Uncle Mike came up to the school today and said that he’d swing by since he’s in the area.“

“Okay, well that’s weird have you heard from your dad?”

“MOM, please not today. “

“I’ll be upstairs ma, catching up on some work .“

“Okay!“ 

As I grew bored of laying on my bed staring at a computer all day, I heard a knock from the front door. I knew it was going to be Uncle Mike. So I walked downstairs to hear what type of sob story, lame excuse he’d have now for missing my birthday, but there wasn’t one.

“Hey there sugar plum, I’ve missed you so much!” he says rubbing my back from the hug we drew into. I had so many questions but all I could say to not sound so harsh was Hey I’ve missed you too.

 I mean what more could he say he had given me every possible excuse. I understand he’s going through some things but he could’ve come to me. I'm old enough to understand now! I am 17. Uncle Mike has missed almost every birthday I’ve had since I was 11. I shouldn’t really care but I do. I'm too old now, but I felt he was the only one I had left besides my best friend Kayla. We are both 17. My name is Rachelle, I am the only child on my mom’s side. My dad has one other child named Brandy, she’s a police officer good at her job and is involved in some crazy stuff. I couldn’t even begin to tell you where it starts. 

It all started after my uncle went away for a long time back when I was 11. He had come to see me on my birthday, before leaving. I figured maybe it was just a work trip and that he’d be coming back sooner rather than later, but the more I got my hopes up the more he let me down. I didn't want to believe something had happened to him but he left me no choice but to. He didn't answer, he didn't come around like he used to & he hadn't contacted anyone who wouldn't be concerned at this point. My parents aren't telling me anything, I thought maybe they’d know of something by now. But still no information so now I’ll go try and find some things out on my own. Focusing my brain on the things I do know I’m thinking of places I should start, maybe I could go to the last place he was seen after he left my house. Naw I’ll have to go through too much to figure out the location of his car and the GPS navigated to the last place he went to, who could I talk to?

Disappointed with rage and full of thoughts, I asked my dad if we could go to the gun range in case I ever needed to shoot for my safety or others, but again I got told no, maybe another day. Doesn’t anyone love and care for me anymore?

I decided if he won’t take me I'll find someone who will. I swear my uncle better be back soon. I have a lot of words for his ears to hear. I never knew him to stay away from the family that long. He had bought me this all blue Nike jumpsuit with the blue and white Jordan retro’s, he even bought me an apple watch. I was a fly youngin lol. Anyway, no one had heard from him for weeks now,  then months went by, then years at that. Until Brandy came by 1 month later informing us that she had found him and that he was okay.

I had a gut feeling that him being with her wasn’t anything good, was I the only one worried about how she found him? Ever since that day, I questioned her loyalty to the family, but dad always backed her up, I wonder what else she knew and what was her and dad hiding. 

I followed Brandy one day. 

I told my parents I was meeting up with a friend but I ended up going to this abandoned house. It wasn't abandoned but it had boarded windows and the house looked quite empty and non-livable. No one’s been around these parts in years. 

“What are you doing over here? It's dangerous,” the lady said whispering at me from the porch next door. 

“I'm waiting for someone.”

“Who's this someone? The lady across the street?”

“My god,” I said under my breath, “you sure ask a lot of questions.” 

“Yea so, my son went missing over then maybe you should take that into consideration, enough to keep you from wanting to be over there.”

“How long ago did this happen?” 

“About 3 years ago no one’s heard from him since.”

I waited until Brandy got out of the car and went inside with a tall man, light-skinned with dreads and lots of tattoos on his face and arms. He looked familiar but I couldn’t make out who he was from the point of view of peaking around the tree across the street. The block was quiet. After seeing she went inside I followed. The swoosh of wind brushed past my face, it felt good not really a day to be out the day watching but I needed answers and I was determined to retrieve them in any way, shape, or form. People don't just go missing out of the blue these days there's always an answer for everything. Quietly I crept to the side of the car waiting for her to enter the abandoned house. She lit a cigarette burning time, she ashed the cig onto the house and flicked it into the grass. You’d think she’d know not to litter but I guess not. I'm clearly getting bored standing here so I could peep out some things to mend time. Nothing quite caught my attention other than the car parked across the street doing the same thing I'm doing. I must not be the only one on to her plan. 

Walking into the house closing the door I waited until it was clear to move a little closer. I walked around the corner to the backyard and peeked through a window. I heard 3 voices but only could make out 1, my Uncle Mike’s, something told me I was fortunate I didn’t go to Kayla's house to grab the gun, else I'd be barging up in there saving my uncle. Nothing seemed right, but my intuition is telling me to go ahead and get out of here before something bad of any kind happens to me. Then I heard, “What do you want from me? I've done everything you asked me to.”

“Oh, Mike you know what I want from you, I want my money you stole from me 5 years ago!”

“Listen Brandy I’m sorry okay, I told you I’d get you your money back!” 

“And when is that going to be Mike?”

“I-I-Don't know-how, you want me to get it all back to you without even giving me enough time. I told you I had half saved up.” 

“Half Mike, stop playing with me and want all my money back the same way you took it!”

“I told you I got you, I just need a little more time.”

“ I’m giving you 2 weeks, if I don’t see my money by then somebody is going to get hurt!”

 The front door came open and Brandy was out of it. I had to find somewhere to put together all that I found out, this is even worse than I even expected. Why did you take the money, Mike? I thought to myself.

 I get why Mike ran away now. I spotted my dad talking to someone. It was Mike, I stood behind the dumpster in the alley. My dad had given him something in an all-black duffel bag. I hoped it wasn’t what I thought it was. Then the thought crossed my mind again what if I am right about everything, and my dad does have some type of connection in this, that would be more of the reason why I should get home and get my mother out of that house. 

I waited till I saw no more of my dad and ran all the way home. This was getting deeper and deeper, I said, walking up to the gate of my house when I noticed that my front door was opened and my mom was missing. First I called my dad and he didn’t answer, so I called again still no answer. 

Right Before my eyes a black van pulled up the doors flew open and there my mom was thrown out of the van. I slouched down in my seat, the van screeched away. I Walked her inside and gave her an ice pack for her head. She looked like she had been hit with something. I asked her if she wanted me to contact the police. She said no in a worried tone and I spotted a needle hole in her arm like she was drugged. 

 After 5 minutes my dad walked in. I asked him where he had been and if he knew anything about mom being kidnapped. He didn’t seem surprised, but when he saw the needle mark on her arm he asked her how she got it, she laughed. 

“You think you know me so well Stephen, and you don’t. Do you?” she asked.

“Come on, let's get you to bed,” he said ignoring her question.

“What am I too high for you dear? She laughs again.

 “Spit it out Anne what is it that you’re trying to say you’re getting high again? I told you I didn’t want you doing that here in our home, especially around Rachelle and here you are causing a scene. I should’ve sent you to rehab when I had the chance, you're an addict and you need help!” he said as she laughed again.

 “I need help? I'm not the one keeping the secrets,” she says as she sips the water I gave her 30 mins ago. 

“What secrets dad? And what did you give uncle Mike in that duffel bag? “

He scrunched up his face and snatched me up “Now you mind your business young lady don’t get involved where you don’t fit!” He said. 

“I’ve done everything I possibly could for you to notice me! I’m a straight-A student, I was selected for valedictorian 3 times in a row, I even was in the news for the best-written essay in the class. That's a record but I see I have to be just like Brandy for you to accept me. Is this why you didn’t want uncle Mike around? Because he saw the favoritism you gave to Brandy and not me. He was more of a father to me than you’ll ever be!” 

He swung his hand back and slapped me in the face. I tumbled and fell over the couch. I was in shock and my mom sat there. I stormed upstairs mad as hell! 

What was Brandy’s end game here, if she has everything she wants, what does she need from Mike? Then I thought about it.  I notice how my dad is overprotective over her, he obsesses with her and puts her above everything, this is insane! She wants my dad to herself. And she’s drugging my mom to prove a point.

It has been two weeks and Mike’s drop is tonight. I have to go there. I grabbed the keys to the Kia Optima, I went Into the fridge to grab something quick to be on my way. Entering the car I turned on my GPS to the fastest route leading to the junkyard. It would take about 15 mins to get there. I better get going. didn’t want to be too late. In less than 10 mins I arrived at the location of the meeting. I spotted two guards at the front and decided to take the back entry. I wasn’t just going to stop there, I parked the car near the meeting spot.

It was a junkyard far into the urban areas of the ghetto, I remember this place from when me, Kayla and friends came here and got into a big fight with some chicks at school. There they were. Mike and brandy, I ran across the yard to the nearest pile of garbage at the junkyard. Mike, slides the duffel bag to her on the ground. Is it all their Brandy says? I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t. She picks up the bag and unzips it. This is the moment I could go in and end this all before anyone got hurt, but I decided to wait.

Brandy pulls a gun out and tries to shoot my uncle Mike, so I shot her with Kayla’s gun before she got the chance. I dropped the gun ashamed of what I had done. We had to call the police, I mean she needed help after all so I called the police. 

My uncle smacked the phone out of my hand. Do you want to go to jail? I didn’t, but I had never killed anyone before it was for a good reason. We found some rope and a rug and we wrapped her in it and hid her in the pile of trash so no one could find her here.  

I and Mike parted ways never to speak on this night again!, I closed my bedroom door and took off the clothes I wore and put them inside a bag. I was going to burn them tomorrow. I get into the shower and clean myself up. Grabbing my towel off of the rack sliding on my house shoes I brush my teeth and rinse my mouth, getting into bed picking my phone up from the nightstand, and reading another text, read. “I know what you did!” Who the hell is harassing me and why? 

To be continued...