[Title unknown]

Chapter 1

I walked out onto my balcony, welcoming the high 50s breeze. Curious, I pulled out my phone and opened the weather app.

“57° Not bad,” I said out loud, even though I was alone. Everyone else was inside, watching the baseball game. I had to separate myself. I had never loved being in a small room with a lot of people. 

I heard the sliding door behind me open. Twisting around, I saw my person's face. The person I would die for. The person who had died for me for 4 seconds. 

I smiled. “Hey babe.” I turned back around to look out at the stars. I felt hands slip around my waist.

“Hey, Genny.” I loved his voice. I could listen to it all day. Some days I do. A little southern, yet not fully. 

“What are you up to out here?” He knew the answer, but he had to hear it from my lips.

“Watching the stars,” I paused. “And hiding from people.” I twisted around to face him. His hands stayed where they were, but this time I could look into his ocean eyes.

“Well, in the process of hiding from people, you hid from me.” He poked my nose playfully. I love this man.

“Do you not classify yourself as a person?” I laughed.

“You can't hide from your person. Can you?” He had a way of making anything seem so romantic.

“I think I can.” I smirked, “'Cause, apparently, I just did.” Without giving him time to respond, I lifted my hands to the back of his neck, intertwining my fingers. I didn't even have to say anything for him to start slow dancing.

“You know,” he said, leaning down. “I love you. Right?”

“Of course I do. Jason.” I said his name as a question, begging for a follow-up.

“I want you to know that when I ask that, it's not because I've ever put even a sliver of time into entertaining the thought of you possibly not loving me. It's simply for me to see you blush,” he half-smiled, not a smirk. But also not a smile. 

Now I was blushing. I laughed. “Well, you've succeeded. Why don't we go back inside?”

“Sure,” he said, “but before we do...” He leaned down, and his lips touched mine.

Then we were going back inside. 

Chapter 2

The next morning, I woke up to a stomach ache. I looked over to Jason and noticed that he was a little pale. How many drinks had we had? I got up as quietly as possible. Walking to the bathroom, I caught a glimpse of movement in the shower. Based on the reflection in the mirror, that's what I was assuming. 

Had a cat gotten trapped in it overnight? I started to move towards the door to see what it might be when the shadow got bigger. About 5'10 would be my guess.

As it sank in that there was a person in our shower, I heard someone behind me. Daring to turn my back to the bathroom, I looked behind me.

“Jason!” I whisper-screamed as he got closer, putting my finger to his lips and lowering my voice to a very quiet whisper. “There is a person in the bathroom.” 

I watched about five emotions cycle through his eyes. “What?” he said, his voice cracking, raising his voice involuntarily. I was panicking now, but we can't let the person in there know that we knew they were there. I flashed a silent warning through my eyes at him.

“Jeez, chill out. It's just a little hangover.” Resisting the urge to glance behind me, I said, “Why don't we go make breakfast?” I widened my eyes, daring him not to do just that, and only that.

When we got out of the room, I pulled out my phone. I didn't even put in the passcode; instead, I clicked Emergency call. Then, 

“911.” 

I'd never called 911 before, but Jason had. I handed the phone to him and said, 

“The person can't know we know they're here.”

He grabbed the phone and waited. In no longer than 2 seconds, he said, “6789 Yalp Court.” 

Then, “Yes, we have an intruder.” 

“Our shower.” 

A long pause, about 10 seconds or so. Then, “Myself, and my wife.” 

“Yes, one male, and one female.” 

“One second,” he pulled the phone from his ear. “Can you describe the shadow?” I nodded, too scared to speak. 

“How?” 

“Tall.” I paused. “Ish.” 

“Ok.” He pulled me in for a hug and put the phone back to his ear. “She seems a little scared at the moment. I personally did not see the guy, but all she could tell was tall, ish.” He didn't laugh. I wished he would, but at the same time I'm glad he didn't. “Jason and Genny.”

When the police arrived, they placed us in the front yard. “For your safety,” she said without being prompted. I looked back at our front door, barely able to stand. Then I collapsed. 

Chapter 3

JASON

I was talking to a police officer when I saw movement out of the corner of my eye. I looked over and saw Genny falling. 

“Gen!” My voice barely above a whisper. I had meant for it to come out as a yell, but here we were. Acting on instinct, I pushed my bare feet off the concrete and threw myself underneath her. A sharp pain echoed through my body. Then a crack. 

Breathing hard, trying to ignore the pain long enough to check if Genny was ok, I looked down at her. But I was interrupted. 

“What's going on over there?” our old neighbor, Mr. Barnes, called out from across the street. He looked terrified, clutching his bathrobe tight. I did not need a distraction right now. I looked down at Genny.

She had a little scratch on her elbow, but other than that, she was OK. Now that I knew that she was fine, I looked down to approximately where I assumed the throbbing pain was coming from and discovered a huge open gash on my left hip. 

Next thing I knew, I was bombarded by a medical team, being asked a barrage of questions: "Does this hurt?" Poke. "YES, THAT HURTS!" "Are you on any current medications?" "No." "Sign here, please." A clipboard was shoved in my face. "Is your name Jason Wallette?" I drowned out every other voice except for that last one. Turning to see who had said it, I rolled over to the right on the stretcher—I didn’t remember being put on one. Ignoring the medical team's protests, I turned to see the same female officer who had led us out of the house. 

"Yes?" Jason normally didn't phrase things as questions, but given the circumstances, he didn’t care. 

"I'll need to speak to you in a moment." All business. 

"We can speak now, ma'am." I tried to match her authority as best as I could. My stretcher started to move. 

"What are you doing?" I yelled at a medic. I did not need this. I was about to talk to that lad—my thought was cut off by another one. Genny! I tried to sit up but failed. I was strapped in. I poked a doctor. "Sir! Where is my wife?!" He glared at me in response. Looking back at the lady, I asked the same question again. "Ma'am? Where is my wife?!" 

"She will be joining you in the ambulance. She fainted a little, but thanks to you, she has no serious wounds. We will have her on medical surveillance." She nodded and parted the way for Genny. 

"Gen!" Wiggling my arms out of the straps, I managed to loosen them enough to slide out and sit up. Ignoring the pain—though wincing slightly—I grabbed her hand. "Are you okay?" She probably wasn’t, but I wanted to ask anyway. She looked around, her voice shaking. "No. I'm scared. Are you okay?"

I nodded, gritting my teeth through the pain. Stay strong for her. She hadn't looked this terrified when the police stood in our living room fourteen years ago and said that the search area was widening. Our baby girl was only two and a half. She probably didn't even remember us if she was still alive. Shaking my head to rid myself of that thought, the sirens turned on, allowing me to focus on them and not the pain, Genny, or our daughter.

Chapter 4

“GIRL!" I looked up, my face expressionless. I had to be careful how I looked at the man in front of me. I needed food today. 

"Yes, sir?" My pride had died a long time ago. Being humiliated day after day would do that to anyone. I could care less anymore. 

"What do you think you're doing?" His words were harsh, slicing through the air. Careful to keep irritation out of my tone, I replied, “I’m cleaning the floors. Sir.” I wasn't going to eat today. 

"Shut up! Don't talk back to me. Go to your room, and your mother will be in soon. Don't forget that you are NOTHING in this home. I can get rid of you whenever I want to!"

Later that day, a woman walked through the doorway where once a door had stood. It was taken off the hinges when I turned five, thanks to a drunken request from my dad. 

"Hello, mother." I didn’t show any emotion on my face, ensuring that this didn’t escalate further. 

"Honey, why would you talk like that to your father?" She was the softer of the two, most likely because she didn’t have an addiction to anything. She was pretty, with curly dark brown hair and petite features. She was also about eight years younger than Dad. 

"I'm very sorry," I noted, fixing my posture and crossing my legs. "I did not mean to be aggressive or talkative." I silently examined her. Why didn’t Mom just leave? She was so pretty and young. She could easily find someone else and start a new family.

"Babe." She bent down and sat next to me on my bed, looking me directly in the eyes and smiling. "I love you. I'm your mama. That's why I stay. That's why, as best as I can, I’m providing for you. Your dad just..." She got a far-off look in her eyes. "A little much at times." She emphasized the word "much." 

"I apologize, Mother. There is nothing else I feel I can do right now to please Father except sit here and do nothing." Regret filled my eyes as I realized how sarcastic that sounded. I started to panic and looked away from Mom, confronted by even more regret for averting my gaze while she was speaking to me. Although I felt all the normal emotions, I never showed them. I’d learned not to. 

My mom stood up and looked down at me with teary eyes. "I’m sorry," she whispered. "I wish I could be better. I love you. Know that. And remember it." Just like that, she was gone. 

Chapter 5

I looked out of my windows, an area I rarely examined. They felt like an escape route—a way out, a better life. The truth was, I didn’t need to get caught thinking like that. I walked toward the drawer where I had put a phone yesterday. I found it under the couch when sweeping and decided not to tell anybody. It was almost completely wiped, nothing anyone would want except one thing—a note in the notes folder—11/5/2015. 

I wanted a son, but here we are. I wish I could have kids of my own, but here we are. This note indicated that this person could not have their own kids but still wanted a son. What did that mean? I wondered whose phone it could be. Mom’s? Most likely. They always said I was adopted. But if I was adopted, why hadn’t they just gotten a boy? 

I glanced at the windows again. Maybe. Maybe soon. Maybe very soon. 

The next morning, I stepped out of my room. "There’s a list on the counter. I’m going to the bar. Need anything, do it yourself." Even though I hadn’t spoken, looked at him, or made a face, Dad was already angry. 

"Yes, sir." I went to pick up the list. 

"Don’t touch that! Make me breakfast before I leave." 

I turned away, daring to roll my eyes. Sometimes it felt good to get annoyed. I grabbed a pan from the counter that was somehow dirty, even though I washed it yesterday. 

"Would you like some eggs, father?" I sounded like a Victorian child. 

"Yes! That’s all I ever want! Don’t ask me for another thing, you little beetle!" Ignoring him, I placed the pan on the stove and turned it on medium. I opened the fridge, only to be yelled at about not eating anything until my list was finished. After dealing with that, I pulled out an egg. 

As I put it on the stove, I saw something—a woman and a man standing in our front yard. Oh, I know what this is. Just sit back and let it happen. The woman reached over to grab a sandwich from a picnic basket.

Blink. Blink. Blink.

Still there. She handed the sandwich to a little girl. The girl took it and laughed at something they said. The man leaned in and said something to the lady, then she laughed.

I shook my head. I hate this. STOP

As they all just laughed their heads off, a cat came up and tried to take a chip. The woman noticed and said something to the man. Then she gave the cat her chip. The little girl reached out and pet it, but it ran away.

This next part was the worst. I've had enough. I tried to look away. I knew all too well that I couldn't.

The little girl started to cry. The man reached out and picked her up. The woman pulled out a binkey and acted like the little girl couldn't have it. The man was laughing, but the little girl eventually took it. The woman pulled her in for a hug, then the man moved forward and-

NO! NO NO NO! NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!

They shared a beautiful kiss. A wonderful, love-filled kiss.

"I want my food now!" Finally, I was able to look away.

"I'm sorry, Father. I thought that I saw a snake in the garden." Turning my attention back to the food, I made the eggs. Once Dad left, I went up to my bedroom. I made sure that I did the list.

I grabbed a bag.