Twisted: Part One (Chapters 1-3)

Harper woke up with a cold sweat. She dreamed that the war had come to America. “It’s fine, I’m fine, everything’s fine,” Harper mumbled to herself and checked her phone. It was 7:21 am. ‘Might as well get up,’ Harper thought and threw back her covers. She sat on the edge of her bed for a moment, thinking about what she had to do today. Besides cleaning up her somewhat chaotic room, she had a pretty free Saturday. Harper heard movement and shuffling in the kitchen. Her mom was up. She threw on some sweatpants and a t-shirt and padded down the hallway. “Mom, do you…” she trailed off when she realized it wasn’t her mom in the kitchen. It was a man, walking around the house.

“HEY! What are you doing?!” Harper yelled at him, causing him to jump. He turned but covered his face so that she couldn’t see his features. He ran towards the living room and Harper stumbled to catch him. How could she stop him? She fumbled for a second. Then she remembered. The security system! Harper rushed to the garage door and slammed the lockdown button. She got there a second before him and heard him as he frantically shook the front door’s handle, out of breath and flushed. Harper caught a better view of his face as she turned the corner and saw him standing there limp, not bothering to try to hide who he was. Her jaw dropped.

Chapter 2

“Harrison?” Harper whispered. Harrison turned his full body towards her and she saw the state he was in. He was frustrated and looked extremely tired. “Why did you break in?” Harper asked him, watching him like he was a feral animal. “You know you could just knock.”

Harrison sighed and tore a hand through his hair. “I just wanted to make sure you and mom didn’t get attacked. And I didn’t want to wake you up. Plus, I used my key.” He held up a silver key.

But Harper was focused on what he’d said before that. “Attacked? Did the war…” Her dream. “Is the war in America?!” She racked her brain to remember the dream. She stood at the edge of a heavily wooded forest as the high pitched whine of bombs overwhelmed her hearing. She sees a large explosion ahead of her and runs backward into the forest, seeing people huddled in the trees. Everyone seems to have evacuated into the forest for safety. Her mind went blank after that part and she groaned.

“Harrison, where have you been, anyways?” Harper asked him, mind whirling from the recent revelations. Harrison turned away. “Camped out in different houses, working for an underground rebel group.”

Chapter 3

“Wait. Before you explain all this, get Mom.” Harper told him and he turned down the hallway that led to her mom’s room. He peeked in and opened his mouth, but then his brow furrowed. Harrison stepped all the way in and she heard him knock on the bathroom door. “Mom? Are you in there?” He called. No response. Harper rushed in and pushed past Harrison, shoving open the bathroom door. There was no one there.

Harper sank to her knees and whipped out her phone. No messages and no missed calls. Harper frantically called her- but she heard the phone ringing on the other side of the room. Harper felt tears well. Harrison’s eyes widened.

“I thought it was an exaggeration,” He told her and crouched down beside her. Harper dazedly glanced up with a wet face. “Wh.. what was exaggerated?” She stuttered.

“Well… some secret force soldiers from Russia have snuck in, and since you live on the coast, they are taking captives for ransom- and so you won't stage a fight on them,” Harrison said angrily. “I thought people exaggerated the truth when whispers of it went around at one point. Apparently they’re right.” Harrison stared straight ahead, blinking and then glancing back at Harper. Harper stood back up and moved to the bay window in her mom’s vacant room.

“Maybe they didn’t take her. Maybe she’s just at the store early, or on a morning walk…” She trailed off when she noticed the window was unlocked and cracked open. And there were blood stains on the pane.

Author Notes: message me if you liked it :)

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