Turn Of Fate

Riiiiiing!
The alarm clock rattles me awake, scattering my thoughts and dreams as always. I slam my palm onto the off button. Then, with a small yawn, I begin my day.
I dress quickly, just the usual jeans and t-shirt. I pull a comb through my short blond hair, lace my high-tops, and slide my watch onto my wrist. Out of habit, I glance into the mirror, but I don't really see myself. The warm aroma of coffee is already pulling me toward the kitchen.
On my way down the hall I peek into my sister's room. The door hinges screech, but I don't mind anymore. Living in low income apartments has its disadvantages.
"Hey, hun," I say. "What do you want for breakfast?"
"Scramf legs..." I half hear her call from inside her closet.
"What?"
"Scrambled eggs," she repeats, poking her head out, eyes wide and smiling.
"Okay. They'll be ready in ten, so hurry up!"
"Uh huh," she mumbles. She makes a face at the shirt she's holding and tosses it aside. I force myself to control my laughter and head toward the kitchen.
"In local news, another kidnapping has been reported. The victim, nine year-old Josh Turner, disappeared from his bedroom in the middle of the night with no trace left behind. No ransom has been requested. Neither Josh, nor the other two nine year-old kidnapping victims have been seen or heard from..." the radio news caster's dull voice drifts to my ears as I crack eggs into a bowl.
"Mom, why do you listen to this? It's just depressing," I sigh.
"It's important to know what’s going on in the world..." she trails off for a second, looking under the couch pillows.
"Your phone is on the table, your purse is next to the door, and your other shoe is by the bathroom."
"Thanks, Chase," she chuckles, "And your lunches are in the fridge as always."
She kisses the top of my head and rushes out the door, yelling, "I love you both!” just as Joy shuffles into the kitchen. I slide breakfast onto the table and sit across from her.
"What are you wearing?" I ask eyeing her outfit.
She gives me an adorable puppy dog smile and responds, "You don't like my tutu?"
Of course, with her brown curls and big blue eyes, she is the cutest eight year-old in the world. She looks almost nothing like me and has her own style, so who am I to judge?
"It's fine," I concede. "Just eat. You gotta go."
We shovel down the last bits of our food, grab our lunches and backpacks, and head out. Her bus pulls up and seconds later and I watch it roll away before getting into my car.

~~~~~

"Chastity!" The principal yells before I can escape his burning eyes.
I traipse back to him, force a smile, and answer "Yes?”
"I need you to give a tour to our newest student."
"Sure," I breathe. "Where is she?", but all I can think is 'Why me?’
Before he can speak, a girl steps out from behind him and holds out her hand to me.
"I'm Kelly," she states.
I decipher her personality in a single glance. From her designer handbag to her name brand shoes she is one hundred percent prep. Her voice is high and light and her brown hair straight: typical cheerleader material. Yet, somehow the look in her crystal blue eyes doesn't fit.
"Call me Chase," I say. I shake her hand. "Follow me."
I ignore everyone's glares as I make my way through the corridors. Being a loner, I’m not often expected to be seen walking the halls with anyone. I show Kelly her classes, the bathrooms, her locker, and the cafeteria. She takes it all in with silent smiles.
"Where are you from?" I inquire. I'm not a people person, but I try to be more friendly than usual.
"All over the place, really. I move all the time." She doesn't speak again for awhile, until we arrive at our shared homeroom. "Have you heard about all those kidnappings on the news?"
"Yeah, just this morning. It's awful."
"Oh, I know!" she exclaims, placing herself in the desk next to mine. "It scares me. I mean, the last one happened in my old town. I have a 9 year-old sister. What if something happened to her!?"
I don't want to think about that. For the first time ever, I'm actually thankful when the bell rings and class begins.
By the end of the day, I'm exhausted and loaded down with homework. I shove my backpack inside my car, ready to leave, but the sound of pounding feet stops me from going.
"Hey, Chase!"
I turn to see Kelly. A sheepish smile decorates her face, but the expression in her eyes remains unchanged. I still haven’t decided what her eyes are telling me, but I try to ignore it.
"Yeah," I answer. I must have been too nice, because Kelly hasn't left me alone all day.
"Umm, I don't know which bus to get on. Could you give me a ride home?"
"Sure," I sigh, "But I gotta pick my sister up from school first."
She slides in and turns to me as I start the car. "Joy, right? You said she's eight?"
"Almost nine," is the only answer I can manage. She's been talking non-stop since this morning; pestering me with questions about my life and family. I'm sick of having this smile plastered to my face.
When we pull up to the school, Joy runs up and slides into the back seat routinely, without looking at Kelly. We're already driving away by the time she realizes Kelly is even here.
"Who are you?" Joy blurts. Her tone isn't rude, but I see her quizzical expression in the rear view mirror.
"I'm Kelly, and you must be Joy."
"Yeah," Joy responds curtly.
I enjoy the silence that fills the car as we drive towards Kelly's house. She waves cheerfully as she gets out of the car. Only after she's out of earshot does Joy speak again.
"I don't like her," is all she says. Her eyebrows crinkle and her lips turn down in a frown.
"That's okay. I don't really like her either. But she's new..."
Joy cuts in, "So what?"
"So, I'm trying to be nice to her until she's settled in here. You know; the whole good neighbor act?"
"Whatever."
Mom's not home when we walk through the door. She won't be finished with work for another hour. Joy and I both shuffle into our rooms and dive into our homework. I hear her blaring Katy Perry, so I put in my headphones, play some Skillet, and quickly lose track of time.
Around five o'clock, Mom bursts through the door. Joy sprints from her room to meet her. I get up too, but when I step into the living room my heart drops.
"Hi again," Kelly says casually, as if she's not invading my home.
"What is she doing here?!" Joy asks mom. It's exactly what I'm wondering too.
Mom laughs. "Funny story. I was walking to the car when Kelly here ran up and handed me my bracelet. I dropped it and never would have found it, but she was kind enough to return it to me."
She holds out a familiar looking gold chain, but there's no way she was wearing it this morning. How did Kelly get it?
"Anyway, we got talking and somehow you came up. I found out you two were school friends. Long story short: I invited her to spend the night here."
"What?!" Joy and I yell simultaneously. It is very unlike mom to invite anyone she’s never met over, especially on a school night.
Mom just smiles and Kelly's voice greets my ears. "Your mom said I could sleepover with you guys! Won't this be fun?" She smiles at me, her eyes cold as ever. I cross my arms and smile back. Something about Kelly rubs me the wrong way. I haven't figured out what it is, but she isn't welcome here.
Dinner is a silent stand-off. Neither Joy nor I take our eyes off Kelly the entire time, and her eyes never waver from staring back at me. Mom ignores the awkwardness completely. Several times she attempts to start a conversation, but when no one answers she gives up.
"Can I be excused to the bathroom?" Kelly asks, breaking the silence.
"Of course," Mom responds. She doesn't look up from her plate, so she doesn't see Kelly walk down our hallway and disappear into the bathroom.
How did she know which door was the bathroom? All four of the doors in our hallway look exactly the same and are all closed. I ponder this question until my suspicion puts me on high alert.
"What is wrong with you?!" Mom whisper yells at me across the table.
"I don't like her!"
"It doesn't matter. She's our guest. There's nothing wrong with her and you need to change your attitude!"
Instead of voicing my real thoughts, I settle for a "Yes, Mom."
Darkness falls over the town, penetrating our windows and mixing with the fear that is growing in my heart. After Joy is asleep in her room, I find a sleeping bag and make a bed for Kelly. I slip on my pajamas and shut the light off. I don't sleep.
My mind races, full of thought. Why is Kelly here? There must be a reason she chose my family for whatever she's going to do. I have no doubt that her intentions are not good, but why us?
I toss and turn, letting my thoughts churn. She weaseled her way into my home, but she must have been here before. How else could she have gotten my mom's bracelet? How else could she have known where the rooms were?
I close my eyes and listen to Kelly's even breathing. She's asleep. Since I obviously won't be sleeping for a long time, I decide to get up.
I slip out the door and into the kitchen as silently as possible. I chug a cold glass of water and continue to wonder. Then I see today's newspaper lying on the counter and it all comes crashing down on me.
"Four Children Missing," the main headline screams in bold font. I grab the paper, but I can't read it. My hands turn white because I'm gripping the edge of the counter to hold me steady.
"No," I whisper to myself. Yet, no matter how much I want to believe this isn't happening, I can't.
Kelly, the intruder in my house. Kelly, the kidnapper and murderer of four children. How could I let this happen? I should have known when she brought up the kidnappings. I shouldn't have let her near my sister. Now she's in my house, and Joy is her next victim.
I pull away from the counter, still clutching the newspaper, and collapse into the computer chair. As the computer loads, I scan the newspaper for important clues or hints. I need to stop Kelly, but most importantly, I need to protect my sister.
The newspaper article is very vague. Other than the fact that all four children were nine years old and went missing in the middle of the night, nothing helpful is mentioned. With no choices left, I bring up my trusty friend Google to give me answers.
Night time ticks away. Yet, the more I read, the more alert I am. I read over twenty articles, all of which confirm my fears that my little sister is next. Not only did the kidnappings happen in medium size cities, but also, the targeted families were low income, single parent families with only 2 kids, like mine. That, along with the fact that my sister is almost nine and I have a creepy girl in my house, goes beyond confirming my fears.
My eyes begin to swim with tears. How can I stop her? I don't get the time to think about that, though, because Kelly walks up behind me.
I don't turn to see her, but I know she's there. The hair on the back of my neck prickles and I shiver. I can't think straight. I know I shouldn't be giving away my fear or suspicion, yet I can't control myself.
"Isn't that just horrible?" Her voice is like ice and even though I can't see her, I know her eyes look the same.
"Yes, it is," I spit through gritted teeth. My voice is surprisingly even. "I've just been wondering how someone could be heartless enough to rip children away from their homes and their lives."
She pauses before responding, "I've often wondered the same thing."
She doesn't speak again, but I stay glued to my seat. When I finally turn around, she's still standing behind me. Her expression chills me to the bone. With a sickening smile she opens the door and says, "But there's nothing you can do to stop it from happening." Then she walks into the night, leaving me alone with my fear again.
For more than a few moments, I just stare at the space where Kelly was. I just stare and let tears slip from my eyes and hit the floor. Before the silence and fear can crush me though, I force myself to take a deep breathe. Then, I collect my thoughts.
"Fear is paralyzing," I remind myself. "What can I conquer fear with?"
I take another deep breath and shut down the computer. I stand up and walk to the mirror in the hall. For the first time in a long time, I really look at myself. I do not like the sight.
"Anger," I hear myself answer. I close my eyes. "Anger is motivation. Anger overpowers fear. Anger is my new best friend."
My eyebrows pull together as I picture Kelly's cold, evil eyes. When I open my own and peer at my reflection, I'm glad to see that I can make my eyes just as icy as hers. Then I remember Joy and the ice fades. I do not want to be Kelly. My motivation is love, behind the anger. My eyes are ice, but hers have a firing spark of madness that I will never have. I give my mirror self an assuring nod and walk down the hall. Instead of walking into my room, I step through the open door into Joy's. Her breaths are even and light. I smile down at her and kiss her forehead.
"I love you," I whisper to her.
"I love you too," she answers by reflex, even though she is asleep.

~~~~~

"Are you okay?" Mom asks, then adds, "And where's Kelly?" She adds the last part with the same distracted tone as the first, so I leave my answers short and simple.
"I'm fine. Kelly left early this morning." My voice is even and I nonchalantly continue cooking breakfast. If only she knew.
Joy comes out after mom leaves. We begin to eat breakfast in silence. I try to keep my mind off last night, but my expression falters when I look into Joy's eyes. Her bright smile and big blue eyes remind me of everything she's done for me and everything I've done for her. Her happiness and jokes have rescued me from lonely monotony and her love has made me the happiest sister alive. What would I do without her?
"What's wrong, Chase?" her sweet voice pulls me from my sentimental thoughts.
"Nothing honey, I'm okay," I lie. I wipe the single tear from my eye and take the plates to the kitchen.
When I get back to the table, Joy is standing on a chair.
"Come here," she demands with a smile. I obey. First she gives me a hug. Then she clips a small pink heart barrette in my hair. "I hope your day gets better!" she says, jumping down from the chair.
As she runs out the door to the bus, I try to believe that my day will get better. I even smile as I get into my car. But when I arrive at school, my mind crumbles back into anxious thoughts.
The teacher's voice drones on while the clock ticks, moving much slower than it should. Kelly is no where in sight, which just reassures me that she's planning something, but Joy is safe in school for now. My fear turns into full on anxiety as the day wears on, mixing with my anger to create a boiling cauldron of feelings and ideas.
I clear my mind as much as possible to formulate a plan. Kelly is going to try to take my sister, most likely tonight. It's been almost a week since her last kidnapping and the last four happened only a week apart. Before she can even get to my sister, we need to be long gone. I think for a long time before I finally decide on a plan that I know can't fail.
When we get home, Joy heads straight to her room and I put my plan into action. I pack three bags, one for my stuff, one for Joy's, and one for food and first aid. Those bags get stored in my trunk. Then I begin my letter to mom, explaining what I'm doing and why. She's working late tonight and won't be home until we're gone. I set my alarm clock for 10:00, because that's when we'll leave. Finally, I'm ready to tell Joy.
I don't tell her the truth, of course. She would be extremely freaked out and might not be able to handle it if I told her everything. Instead, I lie to her and tell her that were going on a road trip to visit our family.
"Sounds good. Anything to get me out of school for a few days," is her only response. She just goes back to painting her nails.
My mind races. The closer it gets to night time, the more anxiety builds in me. As always on Wednesday night, Joy requests chocolate milk with dinner. It’s sort of a family ritual.
I don’t know if it’s just me, but I can’t find the cocoa container in the cupboard. I fumble through everything, feeling mentally exhausted by the time I finally find it. She chugs her chocolate milk, but I’m too distracted to drink mine. Joy grabs mine and drinks it too. Then, we head to our rooms.
“I won’t wake you up, okay? I’ll just carry you to the car,” I tell her as I pull the covers over her and tuck her in. She just smiles and yawns, practically already asleep.
I, of course, can’t sleep. I keep imagining Kelly in the house. I stare out the window and I think I see her cold, blue eyes staring in at me.
Time drags at a pace a slug could easily match. I force myself to breathe evenly. Eventually, I zone out. When the alarm finally rings, I’m calmer than I should be. I fold Joy in my arms, shut off the lights, and walk outside.
I don’t have a problem driving at night, even though I’m unfamiliar with the roads. There is nothing around us for miles, the city far behind us, and the next one far ahead. Joy sleeps soundly as I sing along to the radio.
Suddenly, the radio turns to static and shuts off. The dashboard lights flicker and the digital clock disappears. The check engine light begins to flash its red-orange light.
“I should’ve had the car checked before I left,” I mumble to myself.
With nothing to distract me, my anxiety and fear resurface. I catch myself looking in the rearview mirror constantly.
At first, I’m fine. But then, I see her. A pair of headlights roars down the road, gaining on us every second. I know its Kelly. Who else would follow us out this far?
“No,” I whisper. Then louder, “You aren’t going to get her.”
In the distance I see a small group of lights. The closer I get, I can see a brightly lit Ferris wheel rise in the darkness. A carnival is just ahead of us.
I glance back. The car behind me is getting closer. I can almost see Kelly’s cold eyes and menacing smile. I have to do something before she rear ends me and gets to Joy.
I press the gas to the floor and speed around the next turn. I pass the exit for the carnival, shut my headlight off, and make a deadly U-turn toward the carnival again. I see Kelly speed past, unable to follow my erratic driving.
Knowing she will catch up soon enough, I park quickly, as close to the entrance as possible. I grab both of my pocket knives and stash them in different places on my person.
"Joy, honey, wake up," I say, gently but urgently. She doesn't respond. I shake her gently. Still nothing.
I see a pair of headlights turn onto the dirt road toward the carnival. Adrenaline and anxiety both pump through me rapidly. Why won't Joy wake up?
Kelly's car makes the final turn. I have no choice. I pull Joy from the car and carry her toward the entrance. She is heavy, but I don't notice. I just push myself forward.
I know this is an all night carnival, but I haven't actually been here before. The eerie lights cast dark shadows on the few people that are here. I was expecting to be protected by a crowd. I guess not.
I scan for a ride that will give me a view of the whole carnival and also give me time to work on a plan. The first ride that meets the description is called "Sky View".
"Just what we need," I say aloud, as I place Joy into the ride. The carny doesn't seem to care that I don't have tickets. He just lets the ride sweep us up and away.
My heart matches pace with the chugging of the old ride. I have to block out both to think clearly.
"Joy," I plead, once again shaking her. She still doesn't respond. Her eyes remain closed. She's breathing, so she's not dead, but even that doesn't comfort me. Why won't she wake up?
Kelly strides through the entrance. I can't see her expression, but her body language conveys frustration. She looks like a black shadow, with lights shining behind her back. At least she hasn't spotted us yet.
From my vantage point, I notice a tent with a red cross on the front. Maybe the first aid will be able to figure out if Joy's okay and why she's as unwakeable as Sleeping Beauty.
I plan a path from the ride's exit to the first aid tent. I take a deep breath, trying to remain calm. It doesn't work.
As the ride comes to an end, I fold Joy in my arms and follow my pre-planned route. Behind me I hear a commotion, but I don't look back. I ignore it; remind myself to focus, and push forward. My heart drops when I step inside the tent.
"Hello," Kelly states plainly. Here even voice conveys no emotion, but her lips pull into a wicked grin. "I'd like you to hand over my sister please."
"What?" I demand. "Your sister?"
Kelly takes a step forward. "Yes. My sister."
That's when I notice the nurse. Her eyes are glued to the scene we're creating. She has a phone in her hand; her fingers poised to dial 911. I look down at my sleeping sister, then at Kelly, then back at the nurse. Her terror filled gaze is directed at me. I know she notices the similarities in Kelly and Joy's looks. Their black hair and blue eyes are convincing of blood relation, while my blond hair and green eyes are not.
"No," I say, taking a step back and gripping Joy tighter.
"Make it easy on yourself," Kelly says, convincing the nurse, not me. "Just give me back my sister and there won't be a problem. If you don't, she'll be forced to call the cops."
"This is my sister," I yell. "You can't have her!"
The nurse hits the buttons on her phone. Kelly lunges forward, but I dodge her. I sling Joy over my shoulder, pull out my knife, and slice Kelly's arm. Dazed, she stumbles back, giving me enough time to reposition Joy and run out of the tent. Once outside, I turn in a circle, trying to locate the exit. I can't see it.
"There's an armed teenage girl here. She has a kidnapped child and is headed for the exit."
Now I know I can't leave. By the time I find the exit, the police will be here and catch me on my way out. Where can I go to get away from Kelly?
I head for what I think is the back of the park. A thousand thoughts rattle my brain. I have no idea what to do, where I'm going, or how to stop Kelly.
My adrenaline is pumping faster than ever, but Joy is starting to feel heavy. Everything together is too much. I can't think straight. What do I do?
The pink barrette Joy put in my hair this morning falls into the dirt. Without thinking, I lean over to pick it up. In that split second someone kicks me to the ground and pulls Joy from me. I try to stand, but the person, who I know is Kelly, places her foot on my back. She pulls my knife from my back pocket. Then, she takes off running.
I grab the barrette, push myself up and sprint after her. She turns corners quickly, making me dizzy. I feel blood drip down my temple from a gash in my forehead. Still, I manage to follow her to the edge of the carnival. When I reach the Ferris wheel, I realize I have lost her.
"Crap," I spit. I reach up to my head to stop the blood flow, but before I can, my arm is wrenched behind my back.
"Miss me?" Kelly laughs into my ear. She shoves me forward, closer to the giant wheel.
I don't scream. No one would help me anyway. I try to kick Kelly's legs, but she dodges me and forces me into one of the gondolas.
As she locks me into the seat, she explains, "You almost had it, you know? You could have made it away. But I always win." She pulls out the knife she stole from me. "It would have been easier if you had just drunk the cocoa with your sister, but I still won."
"You haven't won anything!" I exclaim, lunging forward, but finding the bar jammed into place.
With a final smile, Kelly drags my knife down my arm. "An eye for an eye." Then she hits a button on the control panel and sends me halfway up the height of the wheel.
My arm screams in pain. My heart screams in defeat. I watch helplessly as Kelly picks up the still drugged Joy from the ground. She carries her like a rag doll, making me sick to my stomach. I look away.
Then I see them. A large circle of armed police officers is closing in on Kelly. My heart leaps at the realization. The nurse's call did go through. Now, they think Kelly is me, holding Joy and armed with a knife. How fortunate, since she's the real kidnapper anyway.
I see one officer speak into his walkie-talkie. Simultaneously, all the officers run forward, guns raised. Even from my height, I hear them command Kelly to drop her weapon and release Joy.
Though I wish I could see the defeat in her face and congratulate the officers for saving my sister, I can't. Unless I can find a way to get out of this seat, I will be stuck here until the carnies reopen the ride in the morning.
Panic builds in me. Blood trickles from my head and my arm. I have to get down, but how? I run my fingers over the lap bar; lean out and look at the lock that keeps it in place. Then I remember my other knife.
I pull the concealed blade out from inside my shirt and flip it open. The ride rocks as I lean out and try to pick the lock, making me nauseous. The blood drips more rapidly from my arm the harder I rattle the lock.
Finally, I hear a satisfying click. I lift the bar up. Now what? I have to get down to the ground, but how?
I notice the zigzag pattern of bars and supports around me. One of the bars angles downward and hits another bar about halfway to the ground. Quickly, I pull my belt off and hook it over the bar, wrapping it around my wrists.
Before I have time to second guess my decision, I push off the seat and hang down from the belt, sliding towards the ground. The rush only lasts a second. Then, the belt hits the end of the bar and I am thrown to the ground. I hear my leg crack and my world goes black.

~~~~~

I have to blink several times before my surroundings come into focus. White walls, white sheets, bright white lights in the gray-white ceiling.
"The hospital," I breathe, knowing I must have succeeded.
"Chase!" I hear two voices screech in unison.
I feel both mom's and Joy's arms surround me. Happiness and warmth flood through me.
"You're safe," I tell Joy. I pull the pink barrette from my hair and clip it into hers. "I love you."
"I love you too," she says, squeezing me tighter.
Mom pulls away. "The police searched the area around the carnival. They found your letter to me in your car. You must have forgotten to leave it at the house. When you jumped from the Ferris wheel, they took both you and Kelly into custody, not knowing who the real kidnapper was. But with your letter and Joy's testimony, they released you to this hospital and took Kelly to jail." She pauses and takes a deep breath. "Your leg is broken and they stitched your arm up, but you'll heal fast. I still can't believe you risked all that to save Joy."
I feel fatigue wash over me. "Why wouldn't I?" I ask. "I love her and I want to keep her safe. I know you would have done anything to keep her safe if you had known."
The look in mom's eyes tells me she feels guilty, but I ignore it. The pain in my arm and leg is intense now that my nerves have completely woken up. All I care about is that Joy is safe and Kelly won't be able to hurt her anymore. With that satisfaction, I allow myself to drift back to sleep.

Impressum

Texte: Juniper Lee
Tag der Veröffentlichung: 25.08.2012

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Widmung:
To Mrs. Quinn, Who hasn't read this yet, but will soon, and will edit it to perfection.