Awake

Dawn to dusk, the TV is on and set on the news channel, with one of us watching for some update on the bodies in the forest.

My limbs growing heavy and my eyes getting harder and harder to keep open, I try to reposition myself on the couch, listening to unpleasant stories. That seems to be the only kind they are willing to talk about anymore.

In recent discoveries, the bodies found in a forest right outside the city just a few days ago, have been identified-I sit up much straighter, becoming alert."-Penelope Greene and Margot Lang, both reported missing by Julian Cherri, the owner of the recovery center the girls were at. They were without clothes, a sign of possible sexual abuse. Also a piece of torn material with a partial logo on it, showing it was a mens clothing brand, was found in one of the victims hands.

Mrs. Cherri stated in the report that she had overheard a conversion of the girls plotting to run away shortly before 3 hundred dollars went missing and the girls disappeared on third of March, the money wasn't found with the bodies. she contacted their families to inform them the next day-"That's wrong"

I jump and turn to see Asher standing a few feet away.
"What is?"

"The date"
He breathes, sitting down next to me.
"That other girl-Margot-disappeared a few days after the new year and Penny went missing in the middle of February"

"It was staged"
I whisper to myself, finally understanding.

"Huh?"
Asher looks a little confused.

"The whole thing. She killed them, buried the bodies in the same place, put the torn material in there with them and then called their parents and filed a missing reports case so it would look like they simply ran away...and if anyone ever found the bodies it would look like they were raped and robbed by a man. She staged it all."
I lean back, baffled.

"She's going to get away with it"
He says softly and I nod.
"What do we do? Should we still go back?"

"I-I don't know, what if she does the same thing with us? Kills us and gets away with it? we know she has the ability to do it"

"What we get away though? If we don't risk it, we'll never forgive ourselves, but if we go...Well we'd have to try it to find out the results"

"True, I guess we know what have to do"
I rest my head on his shoulder and close my eyes.
"We have to go back and take the chance"

"What about Blake? He wouldn't let you"

"Then we just don't tell him"
I sigh, opening my eyes again.

Asher looks down at me.
"When do we leave?"

"Tomorrow night"