Eat.

She stared at the stick in sadness and worry, the plastic pregnancy stick read positive which only meant one thing. Mabel Strasser was pregnant with her older brother’s child. She fell onto the floor and wept. Her hands shook as she realized what she would have to do next. Still trembling, she walked to her room and packed her things in boxes and in suitcases so that her room was striped of everything she owned.

Mabel ripped a piece a paper out of her best notebook and pulled out her best ink pen and began to write.

My name is Ophelia Mabel Strasser, I am fifteen years old and if you’re reading this, then you have found my body and I am obviously dead. I didn’t do it because I was pregnant, I did it because the father of the child is my brother, Mario Strasser. If this isn’t enough proof to show that my brother is a psychopath then ask his last girlfriend, Elizabeth Parker.

And for my mother,
Do you now see what happens when you pay no attention to your children? Don’t worry, I’ve emptied my room so that you can build the home theater you’ve always talked about.

I’m sorry Ellie. I’m hoping that this will be enough so that my brother leaves you alone forever.

Mabel wiped a tear away and then hid the note in her shirt so that her brother would not take and hide the note. Mabel opened the window and took a belt and securely wrapped it around her neck.

What happened next was predictable.

Mabel Strasser was swinging back and forth in front of her house, making the whole street witness what her brother caused her to do.



As Brian drove to Ellie’s house, he noticed that a police car was parked in front of the house. Walking in, he saw a police officer and a man with a suit in the dining room.The man with the suit was sitting down on a chair with gentle facial expression, coaxing information out of Ellie while the police officer stood next to the man, avidly taking notes and staring down at Elizabeth.

“Who’s this?” The officer asked, pointing at Brian with the tip of his pen.

“He’s my friend, Brian. He lives here.” She lied, putting the tissue to her nose and blowing.

“What’s going on?”

“Do you know anything about Mabel Strasser, Brian?”

“Not...really. Sorry but who-”

“This is Officer Baurd and I’m Detective Frost. We’re here to investigate the suicide of Mabel Strasser.”

Ellie cried at the word and had her head in her hands again. Brian looked at the detective in confusion, why do you need to investigate a suicide?

“Why investigate a suicide?” He asked aloud.

“Miss Strasser left a note hidden in her shirt clearly stating that she was pregnant and that her brother, Mario Strasser is the father. She also stated that this was proof that her brother was a public danger and that if we should need more information, we should contact his girlfriend, Elizabeth.”

“Ex girlfriend.” She corrected.

The detective rose his eyebrow and put his attention back to Ellie, “You broke up with him then?”

“Yes I did.”

“Care to explain why?”

Ellie looked up at Brian and he only gave her a nod, urging her to tell him the truth. She took a deep breath and said, “He...abused me. At first, he was a dream but after two or so weeks, the insults starting rolling in. After that, the hitting and then after that,” she felt the lump in her throat, “after that began the sexual abuse.”

“Was it more than once?”

Elizabeth nodded, looking down at the floor. Automatically, Brian walked over to Ellie’s side and sat down next to her, taking her hand and attempting to soothe her.

“Where’s Mario now?” Brian asked.

Baurd and Frost looked at each other with worried looks, “We don’t know. We questioned the mother and she said he left after she found the body. We’re guessing he flew once we knew he was responsible.”

“So you’re saying he’s missing?”

Ellie began to tremble and cry, she knew that if Mario was out and about, he would be looking for her to make sure that she wouldn’t say anything. Little did he know, she told the police everything.

“At the moment, yes. But it won’t take long, we’ve got officers waiting at the borders of Arizona, Nevada and Oregon, just in case he leaves.”

“What he doesn’t leave the state? What if he’s right under our noses?” Brian questioned.

“Then we’ll find him.” Officer Baurd says, clicking his pen and clipping it to his shirt.

“We think you should stay away from school, just for a couple of days until we find him. It won’t take long like I said before. But we can’t be too careful.”

Ellie and Brian both nodded.

“Alright, good. We’ll call you if we know anything. But if you see anything out of place, just call me.” Detective Frost says, sliding his card across the table.

She took the card and held it in her hands tightly, “I will.”

“Don’t forget to tell your step father too.”

“I won’t.”

On that note, Office Baurd and Detective Frost said their goodbyes and left the house.

“Looks like our movie day is postponed.” Brian sighed, attempting to lighten up the mood, which he then later found out was not such a good idea in the first place. “Ellie? Hey, everything is gonna be alright.”

“No, it’s not. He’s going to find me. He’s going to find me and have his way with me again just to make sure I don’t say anything. What if I’m next, Brian? What if he gets me pregnant next? Or worse, what if he kills me? Then I really wouldn’t say anything.”
“That won’t happen.”

“How could you be so sure?”

“Because. I’m going to live here for the next few days until they find him.”

“What about school? You’ll fail.”

“I won’t. I’ll have one of the guys send us our homework and shit.”

“That won’t work forever.”

“You’re right. It’ll work for until they find him.”

“What if they don’t find him?”

“They will, Ellie.”

“What about McKenna? What about your parents? Won’t they think something is up?”

“I’ll tell them.”

“They’ll judge me.”

“That’s the last thing they would do and you know that.”

Ellie was unsure, she looked at her feet and wiggled her toes, thinking of how the conversation would go.

“Don’t think about it.” Brian said, “We’ll be fine. I’ll be here with you, we’ll do our homework together, Joe will take you to the hospital for checkups when you need them, and we’ll graduate in May like we should. Everything will be okay.”

But deep down, even Brian was unsure.