Pietrofalls

Chapter 21

Lucy

Night of the full moon in August

Lucy laid in her bed restless. She tossed and turned, but couldn't manage to get any sleep. Finally, she just got up and went over to her window. She opened the window and the first thing she saw was the full moon. She couldn't help but admire it. She was about to go back to bed, but decided to get something to drink.

She entered her hall and found it extremely quiet. Her daughter must have been sound asleep. Lucy tried to walk through the hall as quiet as possible, but every step she took came with a creak. After multiple creaks and frustrated tiptoes, Lucy reached her kitchen and opened her refrigerator. She grabbed the orange juice and poured herself a cup. She drank her orange juice and let out a satisfied ahh.

She tiptoed her way back upstairs and was about to pass her daughter's room when she decided to check in on her. She cracked the door open which caused its own creak and made Lucy wince. She opened her eyes and hoped the sound hadn't woken her daughter. To her surprise, she found her daughter's bed empty. She turned the lights on and pulled the blanket off the bed to confirm her daughter was definitely not there. The next thing she noticed was that her window was open. Panic went through Lucy's body as her mind went to the worst case scenario. Then she calmed herself. Her daughter has been a bit rebellious lately and there's no sign of anyone breaking into the house. She must have snuck out.

Lucy went back to her room and quickly got dressed. She went outside and got in her car. She took off, but drove slowly, keeping an eye out for her daughter. Within a couple of minutes she was at the Silva house. She parked her car on the street and went to the door. She knocked until she heard movement inside.

Anita opened the door. She was wearing a robe and she clearly just woke up. "Lucy, why are you here?"

"I'm sorry for waking you, but my daughter isn't home. I was wondering if she was here."

"Why would she be here? She's never slept over before, not that we would let her."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means I'm trying to keep my son innocent for as long as possible, and a teenage girl sleeping over isn't ideal."

"Can you just check and make sure she's not here?" asked Lucy.

"You really think I wouldn't notice if there was someone else in my house?"

"Please just check?"

Anita rolled her eyes. "Fine." She opened her door. "Come in." Anita closed the door once Lucy entered. "Just wait here. I'll be right back." Anita went upstairs.

Lucy pulled out her cellphone and dialed Doramis' number. She listened carefully to see if she heard her phone upstairs. The phone went to voicemail and Lucy didn't hear the phone inside the house.

Anita rushed downstairs.

"She's not here?" asked Lucy.

"No, and neither is Kenneth," answered Anita. "What is your daughter getting my son into?"

"How do you know it's not your son that's leading my daughter around?" Lucy watched as Anita gave her an are you serious look and crossed her arms. "Right," said Lucy. "This is definitely my daughter's doing. Do you have any idea where they could be?"

"No," yelled Anita. "I thought he was in his bed."

"Don't panic."

"Don't panic?" repeated Anita. "We have no idea where our children are. How do you expect me not to panic?"