Revelations (The Revelations Series Book 1) (4 page)

JENNA
woke the next morning to the creaking of the attic stairs. Wondering what her mother could be doing she climbed out of bed and opened her bedroom door just as her mom disappeared into the attic. She reappeared a few minutes later carrying a small book.

“Good morning, honey. I hope I didn’t wake you,” Erin said as she set the book on the floor and then raised the stairs back into place.

“That’s okay, it’s getting late anyway.” Jenna stretched her arms in front of her.

“It’s good that you’re up,” she said smiling as she bent down and picked up the book, her face flattened as she straightened up. “We need to talk.”

Jenna cringed. She didn’t like the tone in her mom’s voice. It was the same low-key one she would get when something was wrong. She followed her mom down the hall and into the kitchen where she noticed her mom’s suitcases and a bunch of boxes by the door.

“Are we going on a trip?” she asked cautiously.

Her mom’s expression stilled and grew serious. “Jenna, honey, sit down.” Her mom pulled a chair out at the table for her then walked around the other side and sat down herself.

Jenna hesitated. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to hear what her mother had to say. This seemed serious.

“Please, Jenna, this is important.” With a small gesture of her head, she motioned to the chair beside her.

Jenna reluctantly sat down and braced herself for what was to come.

“What’s wrong, Mom?” Jenna asked, knowing deep down that she would rather not know.

“I don’t know how to tell you this so I’m just going to come out and say it. We have to move.”

Jenna couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Did her mom actually think she would agree to this? She searched her face for a hint of a smile or something that would reveal this was a joke. But her steady gaze told her it wasn’t. “You’re kidding right?” Jenna exclaimed shaking her head in disbelief.

“No, Jenna, I’m not. I’m sorry. Something came up and we need to leave right away. Pack your clothes and all your pictures so you have memories. Leave everything else. I have Maria coming to clean up and pack the rest for storage.”

Jenna jumped out of the chair tipping it over. “You must be crazy if you think I’m moving,” she yelled. “It’s going to be my senior year. My friends are here.”

“Jenna, please,” her mom said; an almost imperceptible note of pleading in her voice. “Don’t make this any harder than it has to be. We have no other choice. I promise one day you’ll understand why.”

“Does this have anything to do with the man at the flea market yesterday?” Jenna asked, forcing herself to settle down.

“Right now the only thing you need to worry about is getting packed. When we get settled in our new home, I promise I’ll tell you everything. Now, please, go pack. We have to leave as soon as possible.”

“Why can’t you tell me now? If you’re going to make me move away from the only home I’ve ever known then you at least owe me an explanation.” Jenna stomped her foot and crossed her arms across her chest.

Erin pushed herself to a standing position and looked Jenna straight in the eyes. “Right now I don’t owe you anything. I’m the parent and if I say we’re moving then we’re moving.
Now, go and pack!”
she ordered as she pointed down the hall towards Jenna’s room.

“I’ll never forgive you for this,” Jenna spat as tears clouded her eyes until her vision went blurry. She quickly turned away and ran down the hall into her room. She slammed her bedroom door behind her and threw herself on her bed letting her tears flow freely. A few minutes later, there was a soft knock on her door.

“Jenna, honey,” Erin said as she came into the room and sat on her bed. “I know you’re upset about this. But you need to understand that we have no choice. This is something we need to do.” Her mom gently rubbed her back. “I’m sorry you’ll miss your senior year, but we have no choice.”

Jenna willed her tears to stop and sat up. “Mom, I don’t understand. Why do we need to move?”

Erin pushed a stray piece of hair out of Jenna’s eye. “Jenna, honey, there are things you don’t know. I was going to tell you yesterday but then that man gave you the necklace and I knew
they
had found us. I promise as soon as we are safe I will tell you everything. But right now the most important thing is that we get out of here, and soon. So, please get packed.”

“Do you
promise
to tell me everything when we get to where we’re going?”

“I promise.” Her mom hugged her tight. “Now please hurry and pack. Your bags and an empty box are in the hall. And, Jenna, it’s important that you don’t call anyone and tell them we’re leaving. You can write them a letter and we’ll mail it in one of the towns we pass through.”

A small smile found its way to Jenna’s lips through a mask of uncertainty. She didn’t want to move but she knew her mother never lied to her and if she said they were in danger then she believed her. She grabbed the bags and a box out of the hall and started to pack.

Jenna stopped and smiled as she took the picture of Carly and herself off the wall. She would miss her the most. Adding to her sadness was the guilt that she couldn’t say goodbye. She couldn’t believe this was happening to her. She grabbed what she needed to write a letter and stuffed it in her bag. She would write Carly and explain everything. It was better than no explanation at all.

After making sure she had everything, she grabbed the journal her mother had given her for her birthday and put it in her bag. She set her suitcases and box in the hall. Knowing this would be the last time she would ever be in her room, she glanced around to take a mental picture of everything.

When her eyes came to the yogurt stain on the wall she couldn’t help but smile. Carly and she had been joking around about Tommy Hillner, the cutest boy in school when Carly had flung a spoonful of yogurt at her. It had missed her and hit the wall. She had tried to scrub it off but it had left a permanent stain. Deciding that was the memory she wanted to cherish the most, she closed the door behind her and lugged her suitcases into the kitchen setting them by her mother’s, then went back for the box.

“I’m ready,” she called out.

“Good, then let’s load the Jeep and head out,” her mother responded coming in from the living room. “I hid the house key where only Maria will find it and locked everything else up tight.” She gave Jenna a quick hug, and then held her at arm’s length.

“I really am sorry about this,” she said. “Let’s just try and make the best of it, okay?”

Jenna forced herself to smile and nodded. Deep down she really wanted to cry, but she knew it was useless. Her mom’s mind was made up, and no matter how much she protested, in the end they were still going to move.

Jenna and her mom took one last look around the kitchen before heading out the back door for the last time. They loaded their stuff into the back of the Jeep. It was a tight squeeze, but they finally managed to close the tailgate. Her mother checked the lock on the back door one more time then stepped back beside Jenna.

Jenna sighed as she looked at the rose bushes they had planted together a few years earlier. It had taken them the better part of a day to get the flowers in the ground, but it was worth it. When in full bloom, the roses were beautiful. Jenna and her mom stood there thinking back to all the good times they had there, neither one really wanting to leave.

“Are you ready?” Erin asked after a few minutes.

Jenna said nothing. She simply nodded and climbed into the Jeep. She gave her mom a half-hearted smile as they pulled out of the driveway. Jenna’s heart dropped as they passed Carly’s house. She knew Carly would be upset that she didn’t call to tell her what was going on. She glanced at her mom, considering asking her if she could call but thought better of it when her mom looked over at her and flashed a weak smile. She would sneak in a call later when she was alone. Jenna turned her attention back out the window.

“Can you at least tell me where we’re going?” Jenna asked a few minutes later as they turned onto the ramp that led them to the main highway out of town.

“I’m not sure yet. Right now we’re heading to Georgia. I found us a place there where we’ll be safe until I can find a permanent home for us,” Erin said as she adjusted the rear view mirror.

Jenna turned and glanced over her shoulder to see what her mom was looking at. There, several cars behind them, was the same Chevy Suburban she’d seen yesterday at the fair. She was sure of it. Was it following them? As her mom sped up, the Suburban did the same; and Jenna’s stomach sank. It was
chasing
them!

“Mom, that’s the truck the man got into at the flea market yesterday,” she cried out as she wheeled back around in her seat.

Her mom sighed and shook her head. “I figured as much. They pulled onto our block as we left the house and have been following us ever since.”

Jenna gripped her seat. “What are we going to do?”

“Listen, Jenna, no matter what happens, remember that I love you,” Erin’s knuckles turned white as she gripped the steering wheel.

“I love you too, Mom,” Jenna replied as the Suburban closed the gap between the two vehicles.

“Put your seatbelt on!” her mom yelled.

Jenna’s pulse raced as she grabbed her seatbelt, her hands shaking as she struggled to pull it across her shoulder and latch it. “It’s on,” she said as she finally heard the clicking sound it made when it latched into place.

“Good,” her mom replied as she did the same, and then quickly moved to the next lane. The Suburban came up beside them. Suddenly, Erin yanked the steering wheel to the left and side swiped the vehicle.

The Suburban skidded off the road, but regained control and swerved back onto the highway. It pulled up behind the Jeep and slammed hard into it. Jenna screamed as their Jeep somersaulted off the road, rolling over and coming to a rest on its roof at the bottom of a gully.

Jenna looked around, disoriented at first. Her pulse raced when she realized she was upside down. Fear gripped her tight as her trembling hands tried to unlatch her seatbelt. She braced herself as the latch came undone and she slid onto the ceiling of the car. She reached for her mom whose belt had come undone and was now lying on the roof unconscious.

“Mom, wake up,” she begged as she shook her. Jenna turned and kicked at the passenger side window causing it to shatter. She quickly cleared as much glass as she could out of the window frame, then grabbed her mom’s shoulders and tried to pull her out of the Jeep. Her heart froze when she noticed the gash on her mom’s forehead and the puddle of blood beneath her.

Her whole body began trembling as thoughts raced out of control in her mind. She stopped and took a deep breath in trying to rein in her terror. She released the breath and forced herself to stay calm. Her mom needed her if they were going to survive this. She steadied her shaking hands and placed her fingers on her mom’s neck. Relief washed over her as she felt a pulse. She grabbed her mother’s shoulders and pulled until they were both out of the Jeep. She glanced around hoping someone had seen the accident and had stopped to help them. Her heart froze when she saw the two men get out of the Suburban and start down the hill after them.

An intense sickening feeling swept over her as she glanced at her mom. The men were closing in on them. If she stayed and tried to help her mother they would both die, but if she ran and got to safety she could call the authorities and tell them what had happened. After one last glance at her mom’s motionless body, she turned and bolted towards the woods.

“Stop!” one of the men shouted.

She raced as fast as she could, knowing that if she reached the cover of the woods she at least stood a chance of escaping.

“I said stop!” the man yelled as they started after her.

Jenna never looked back.
Almost there
, she said to herself. Suddenly she felt a sharp pain in her shoulder. She fell to the ground as her vision blurred. Struggling to get up, Jenna managing to crawl a few feet before collapsing again as the men approached her.

“Please don’t,” she said as one of them aimed a gun at her. She held her breath as the gun cocked, a sly smile appeared on the man’s face. She heard a loud bang and felt an intense pain explode in her chest, and her world went black.