Preface

I clutched the books tightly to my chest and took a breath. I could feel my hart pounding fast and furious. It was the first day of school well the first for me it was the middle of February I had thought it would be a normal first day. I was wrong dead wrong. What happened today would start a course of events that would forever change my life and that of my loved ones. Including that of my beloved baby sister. Any thing I did would implicate my future. I was entering a school with a secret past and a destiny that would later reveal it’s self to me. This future was bleak and so gruesome that I cold barley believe it. And the school was the door to my future all I had to do was find the key. It didn’t start with the school it started with my parents and a secret to horrid to share. It all started with our move.

Beginning

“Honey can you get the last box from the truck?” asked my mother she had my little sister in her arms who was sleeping peacefully. I nodded I needed more fresh air after the three day drive to our new home in concord, Massachusetts. I pulled out the last box it was heavy and small. I searched for a label but all it had was our address 5716 north wild St. I shrugged and pulled it down off the truck and set it on the fresh cut grass I waved signaling that every thing was off and the movers could leave. The man started up the truck and waited. All cars took a while to heat up here, it was freezing. The driver saluted and drove of. I knelt down and tugged the box up in my arms and staggered up to the steps and into my house and set the box down. I shoved the door closed and pulled of my jacked leaving on my sweat shirt my mother hurried in and pulled the box away into a corner. She gave me a look asking me not to ask I shrugged and walked in to the kitchen where my sister Tessa was awake in her baby seat.


Tessa gurgled and begin to play with her feet”hi Tess”. The weird thing about my parents was that they named me Jessa and my little sister Tessa and I was nicked named Jess and she was nicknamed Tess. I laughed to my self dryly. I loved Tess she was always so happy and joyful. I searched the boxes in the pile I had about six and Tess had two I started to bring them upstairs into the room I would be sharing with Tess and set them down. Dad always said I was an organization freak. My dad was at work. And he was bringing home dinner my mom was setting the plates in the cupboards when I was done I brought Tessa upstairs and put her in her playpen that I had already set up for the next two hours I unpacked the boxes and put everything in its place. Tess gurgled and pumped her little fists. I laughed Tess was so cute I really loved her as a friend as well as a sister. I kneeled over and looked at her she whacked me with her bottle.
“Ahh” I yelled some times Tess could be feisty. She was only ten months old so I didn’t blame her she had just learned to walk. Maybe walk was the wrong word more like toddle. I had just finished setting the bed spread on my bed and Tess was asleep in her crib when the door bell rang I herd murmurs from down stairs and then I herd foot steps a weird feeling came into my stomach fear? Protectiveness over Tess? I shook it off as having a full day glancing at my clock it Read 4:34pm my mom knocked
“Honey this is Mr. Morris he supervises the street he is the force” she explained
“Nice to meet you” I murmured
“Same here little lady call me Mr.” he said
“Okay?”
Mr.’s smile faded and he left, my mom gave me a look, and then she went down to see him leave I flopped on my bed utterly exhausted. Before I knew it I had fallen asleep a while later my eyelids fluttered open I yawned and stretched then rubbed my eyes I looked at the clock 6:30? I couldn’t believe it. Tess started crying I slipped off my bed and lifted her out. The rest of the day flashed by. I was in a dark room and suddenly the lights went on. A classroom? A figure came out of the shadows and then…I bolted upright my covers spread across the bed. The light had just come through the window and made streaks across the room I hopped out of bed and ran for the bathroom. I took a quick shower and let the steam clear my lungs. I dressed quickly and bolted down the steps. There was a sweet sound off bacon sizzling in the pan. My dad was wearing an apron and making flapjacks as well. I gave him a quizzical look and he laughed
“It’s your first day of school tomorrow it should be special” he laughed his eyes crinkled. I realized my mother was down stairs at the table so I sat down she was feeding the baby.
“Hi Jess” she smiled “Having a good morning?”
“Sure mom great morning I am ready for school tomorrow”


Tess screeched demanding attention my mother smiled at me sheepishly and shrugged giving Tess another piece of toast. Tess whined reaching for me I plucked her out of her high chair and put her on my lap she giggled and started to play with my fingers. Dad brought over the pancakes, bacon, and sausage. I served myself and poured the syrup all over my pancakes they were so fluffy it made me forget all my fears and relax. The bacon was crisp and the sausages juicy and meaty. When I had finished I realized Tess had fallen asleep in my arms. Her thick eyelashes had been resting against her cheek and her pink lips slightly parted. I realized how pretty she was. With her long eyelashes, blond hair, blue eyes, and pink cheeks. I almost envied her. She was nestled in my arms I put her head on my shoulder and rubbed her back softly. I could tell my parents loved that we bound so well and the fact that I’m happy to share a room with her. I really loved her as I’ve said before. She so sweet to everyone and loves to play it has been really fast these days it still feels like she was born not so long ago.


Tess woke up and started to cry I shushed her. All of a sudden a smell so putrid that looped around my nostrils. And made me gag Tess had used her diaper that’s why she was crying my mother rushed over from her seat on the couch and took her upstairs for a change. After a while my mother came down from changing Tess. She handed Tess to me” I need to go to work Jessa please watch your sister for me I should be back by five” she smiled sheepishly and talked again”your father will be home by four have fun” She got her coat on and left me standing in the living room I realized that by now Tess would be watching her favorite shows such as the wonder pets so I brought her upstairs to the family room. When Tess was in her playpen and seemed consumed I sat down and begun on an assignment my new teacher had created to get me settled. I had to write a couple paragraphs on where I was in my subjects. Writers block daren’t maybe listing would help. I knew I was in algebra 2, and high school science, advanced history and English, and AP French. And I was with everyone else for gym and electives. I was known as the aspiring genius I wonder if Tess will be a genius when she is older and starts talking the first sign is early speech recantation. “Ahht’ I suddenly herd I realized it was Tess who had spoken. Wait a minute did Tess just speak? “Out” said Tess. Her first word!
“Momma out” Tess screeched
‘Tess you spoke you want to get out?” I asked realizing what she was asking
“Out”
“Okay” I said happily I couldn’t wait to tell mom! I plucked Tess right out of her chair she gave me a toothy grin. I couldn’t resist laughing I was almost a little sad to see her growing up though “Momma?” Tess whined. Her smile faded I realized that she didn’t seem to know the whereabouts of my mother. I knew this when she burst into tears. This broke my heart to see the big fat tears. Separation was affecting her I rocked her up and down, and she stopped crying, and rested her head, on my shoulder and put her thumb in her mouth. Poor baby I thought you must not be used to mommy leaving you with me. I had a spark of genius right then and there. Tess has had a small stuffed animal since she was born. It always gave her great comfort and joy. And she loved it better then any of her toys with Tess still whimpering in my arms I steadily walked over to my room I peered into Tess’s bed and spotted the toy as soon as Tess saw the little trinket her face lightened. And she made a grab for it with her little hands I plucked it out of the crib and handed it to her. She smiled again. Thinking it over I was flipping through my mind Tess usually was ready to eat again. I exited the room and slowly but carefully proceeded down the steps. Once down stairs and in the kitchen I set Tess on the table and got the high chair ready for her As I picked her up off the table and set her in her highchair. Almost forgetting to lock her in I heard the doorbell. Maybe I should ignore it I thought to myself as the same protective instinct came over me the door bell rang again. It rang twice more then ceased as if the person at the door gave up. I waited a couple more minutes and then snuck towards the door I carefully unlocked it and peered out. On the porch was a package I pulled it in and set it by the door. Locked the door and went back to feed Tess


“Do you want some?” I cooed a minute later Tess opened her mouth and I fed her the first cracker she grabbed a small sliver off apple I had been instructed to feed her along with gold fish and hot dog bits. Whale I chewed on a sandwich on Baggett bread with lettuce, ham, and melted Brie cheese. One of my favorites. After lunch I played with Tess this was her normal schedule I wondered if Tess would get bored when she went to work with my mother tomorrow when I was in school the plan was that after school I would walk home passing my mom’s work on the way and she would rive me home. I covered my eyes with my hands and opened them up yelling “peek-a-boo” every time. This apparently was the funniest thing on earth to Tess. Who seemed at any second her head would fall off. I laughed too because this was so cute. It is actually amazingly easy to satisfy little kids. They thought a lot of things were funny such as particular games, funny faces, stories, even dances. They were also easy to tire out it took a while but they didn’t need to be super active just yet off course Tess was going to practice walking I would set her down on a side off the playroom/television room and she would try to stand up and waddle over to where I was standing which she failed the first two times then succeed the third, fourth, and fifth which is all she tried before she decided it was nap time.


Tess yawned and sat down I picked her up and brought her into our room. I set her down gently careful not to jostle the little thing as she gave one more yawn and gently drifted to sleep as I set her in her crib and closed the door. Dinner that night was meatloaf which was surprisingly good. My night was pretty good despite the nightmares I had encountered. By breakfast the next morning I was munching on a bowl of cereal and some leftover sausage when my mom came down she offered to drive me to school on her way to work I know what you’re thinking. Isn’t she nervous? I was alright my stomach had been in knots all day yesterday and had been all morning. I was really nervous about school whale I loaded my stuff and Tess into the car all my thoughts suddenly rushed through my head. Will I be noticed at all? Will I fit in? I tried to shake off the thoughts I was younger than everyone since I was in ninth grade for my electives but in tenth for everything else. I had just turned thirteen. My mom said that I would fit in especially in the gifted class I had as part of my school schedule. I stepped into the small earth friendly hybrid with five seats and a leather interior. With Tess strapped into the back and mom and in the front the little car pulled out of the driveway. As the car zoomed along the busy highway I could see the passing off concord in the early haze off morning. The clock said seven thirty class started at quarter to eight. Early right? Well at least we got out off school earlier then other schools. And then we could relax. I would spend a couple hours at my mother’s office to entertain Tess after I took her out of the in building daycare in my mom’s office. She would be there three times a week and at the day care at my school well in a small building next to my school on Friday.


Today was Monday I glanced at the schedule I had already been given when I took a tour in December when I first found out we were moving. I had taken a plane that time. I looked at the scheduled I had seen many times before
Advanced English 7:45 – 8: 35
Advanced history 8:40- 9:30
Algebra 2

9:35 - !0:25
Lunch


10:30 – 11:00
Chemistry
11:05-11:55
A.P French
!2: oo- !2:50
Gym


12:55- 2:00
Theatre arts 2:05- 2:55
Gifted students 3:00-3:20


Long day huh? I know it seems like a lot but don’t worry it is usually much better there was a letter attached to my schedule from my principle and another from my teacher advisor or T.A welcoming me to the school and saying how they’d be so glad to meet me. There were a few signatures at the bottom from what seemed to be my homeroom class and a few extras. As the busy zoom of highways melted away it gave way to a small dirt road and up ahead I could see a large building with a smaller one that was the part time daycare center that Tess would reside on Fridays. I was suddenly aware of an oddity in the school name Concord s. High. The small hybrid pulled up to the curb and my mom unlocked the door and said good bye giving me a quick hug. Whale Tess said “out” once more.


I headed lazily in to the school. I was looking for locker 345 according to my paper. This is when I noticed two tall kids who looked a lot alike a boy and girl were calling for me to wait up. I halted waiting for the two kids and they stood beside me.
“You must be Jessa Lugner my name is Rena and this is my brother Remy” said the girl
“Hi you can call me Jess’ I replied shaking both their hands
“You’re the new girl right?” this coming from Remy
“Yes it’s nice to meet you are you twins?”
“Indeed we are and it’s nice to meet you as well” Rena informed
“Well bye” they chorused and ran off I found my locker and headed to class

I clutched the books tightly to my chest and took a breath. I could feel my hart pounding fast and furious. It was the first day of school well the first for me it was the middle of February I had thought it would be a normal first day. I was wrong dead wrong. What happened today would start a course of events that would forever change my life and that of my loved ones. Including that of my beloved baby sister. Any thing I did would implicate my future. I was entering a school with a secret past and a destiny that would later reveal it’s self to me. This future was bleak and so gruesome that I cold barley believe it. And the school was the door to my future all I had to do was find the key. Back to the story. I opened the door very carefully as soon as the door opened a kind looking woman appeared “You must be Jessa it’s nice to meet you take a seat in the front I will introduce you” she smiled again. My first day went pretty much like this and at lunch I sat with Rena and Remy. Who seemed delighted to hear about Tessa and her little quirks. They said they would love to meet her. I told them they would on Friday and invited them over to study they agreed the week went by fast to and before I knew it, it was Friday. After we had gathered our books we headed over to the daycare.
“Hi Tess are you ready to come home someone wants to meet you” I cooed
“Oh she is so pretty and so cute hi there” squealed Rena
“How old is she?” asked Remy
“Ten months old almost eleven”
“Can I push her in her stroller? And hold her” Rena pleaded
“Sure here hold her whale I set up the stroller” I handed Tess to Rena


Tess laughed and clapped her hands to Rena’s delight. After I set up the stroller and Rena placed her in. We took the short cut up 33rd street and then salmon St. after a while we arrived at the house I unlocked the door so we could get Tess inside. It turned out the twins were also “geniuses “like me. We took many classes together so it was easy to study.