text: J.N Taylor Echo 
   
   
    1. Start of It All 
    My alarm clock woke me up so that I could get ready for school. I was extremely tired and had a hard time opening the lids of my eyes so I decided to sleep for five more minutes. I had a dream of me being a successful real estate agent just like my mother. I remember walking inside the house of my dream and not being able to see it, because of my dad awaking me to tell me that I was going to be late for school. The five minutes that I wanted to sleep for turned it forty minutes. My dad offered to take me to school but I nicely rejected so that I could drive my own car. I quickly got dressed and before I left my mom handed me 20 dollars and told me "this should take care of lunch and any other needs." and kissed me on the cheek, slightly rubbing the lip stick on my cheek off with her thumb. I told her "thank-you." and left for school. Even though I have a job, my mom would still hand me money every now and then even though my father told her not to. On my way to school I stopped by Peets Place, a nearby restaurant close to my house. I went there to buy myself a glazed doughnut. Peets Place had the best glazed doughnuts and Mr. Peet would make sure that he served my doughnuts very hot and soft. My family are loyal customers to Mr.Peet and would pay him extra for his service so Mr.Peet would do extra for our service. I ate my doughnut on the way to school and arrived to school 8 minutes late. My teacher gave me a tardy slip and politely asked me to sign it for verification that I'm aware of being tardy. I signed it putting my wrong grade level on purpose so that it would make it harder for them to find me, giving me some time away from detention. Around 3rd hour i was tired and wanted to go home and sleep. I sat in class daydreaming and slightly dozing off, until a knock was heard at the door of the classroom. My teacher stopped teaching and walked over to the door to open it. It was a girl, with blonde hair and hazel eyes, I didn't mean to stare but I did. "Chris" my teacher called out to me. "Yes ma'am," I said. "You're wanted in the office" she said. I collected my books and took my time going to the office. I sat in 1 of the awaiting seats in the main office and I sat there for awhile until, Mrs.Broker, the guidance counselor called me into her office, which was inside the main office. Mrs.Broker was a fairly attractive middle aged woman, that I was drawn too. I walked inside her small sized office and took a seat beside the door of the office. I could tell by the look on her face that this would be the START OF IT ALL. 
   
   
   
   2. Part of Me 
    As I was sitting there in the office, I kept trying to figure out why I was there. I thought maybe I was failing one of my classes or maybe I was failing multiple of my classes. I just kept trying to think of why I'm in this cramp and hot office room. And I remembered that I might be in the guidance office for my tardy that I had received this morning and put the wrong grade level for. But I highly doubt that I was in the guidance office for a tardy and they wouldn't be able to catch me so quickly, unless, UNLESS my teacher spotted what I had done? My thoughts were then interrupted by her calling my name. "Chris Pier," she said. She had said my name wrong which bothered me, and I would correct folk when they had said it wrong but today was different. My name was pronounced "Pe-er" but she had pronounced it "Pe-Air." I reluctantly answered "yes ma'am,"because of the way she had said my name. Mrs.Broker glared at me and asked me "How are you feeling?" Before I could answer back, two officers walked inside the office and asked me to come along with them. They had also said my name wrong so I slightly rolled my eyes which was very feminine because I am a guy. I was scared, I kept wondering, would they go this far because of a tardy slip? I followed the officers out into the front on the school, they informed me that I was not in trouble, then the school bell rang. I saw my classmates and other students I never noticed until now, all staring at me being escorted into the police car. I wondered what the students were saying and I wondered why I was in this police car like I was some type of criminal. The drive seem to take forever. We arrived at the HuntsBard City Jail, and the beat of my heart suddenly quickened. I recalled the police officer telling me I wasn't in trouble so why in the hell was I here at a jail house? The officer then opened the car door for me and asked me step out and follow him into the jail house and the other officer followed behind me. The officers immediately sent me to the interrogation room and a bald man with a disturbing shiny head that I could not take my eyes off of came in. He looked at me with a raising eyebrow, and said "Do you want anything? Crackers,coffee or both?" he asked. I said no. He then sat down and asked me questions. He asked if I had a girlfriend, any enemies, or any best friends. I answered no to all questions. He then informed me that 1 of my parents where in the hospital and the other had died. "Are you serious?" I asked. He replied with "yes," and my mouth aroused and I sat there and cried. I could still feel the kiss from my moms lips against my cheeks. I looked at the bald detective and said "they can't be dead, I saw them, THEY WERE THERE!"and cried some more. I soon became calmed a little, still crying and told the detective to show me my parents so that I could verify them, because I just knew they didn't die, I had just saw and spoken to them. He then told me that there was nothing to see. He stated that he suspected it to be a burglary and my moms face was so badly beaten that her skull had caved in but my father was burned and had survived, and seeking medical care. I begin to cry even harder. My dad had once told me that crying were for punks and that men take out their pain with rage. After my flashback I begin to ball up my fist so tight that when I released my grip I was bleeding. The officer kept me there in the interrogation room for 2 hours asking me ridiculous questions and finally let me go. An officer had to take me back to school to retrieve my vehicle. I had to go to my grandmothers house since I was still under the age of 18. The officer also had to follow me to make sure I wasn't suicidal or heading somewhere else. I cried the whole time driving to my grandma house. A 10 minute drive seemed like an hour drive. I finally arrived and saw my grandma on the front lawn awaiting for me. My grandma was in tears and I held her gently and told whisper in her "I miss her" The officer informed my grandma that Detective Morris had a family emergency and would be here at her house early next morning. My grandmother sadly nodded her head. My grandma and I sat quietly inside the living room glaring at any object we could spot, trying not to look at each other. Breaking the silence I told my grandma that I would not be staying here with her. I told her that my part time job was enough for my to pay for an apartment. Surprisingly, she didn't argue with me. She told me she would help me and to make sure I visit her often. I agreed. My mother was the closes then to me, but my dad was just there. I cared for my mother mostly, she was there for me and my help me with girl advice. Knowing that someone bashed her face in to the point where I couldn't see her face angered me. If I was to find her killer I surely would kill. I would destroy his family like he destroyed mine. Burning my dad is letting my anger release but killing my mom is like taking a PART OF ME. 
   
   
   
   3. The House 
   
  The next morning when I woke up, I left without saying goodbye to my grandmother, but I did manage to write a letter before I left her. I went searching for apartments close to my grandmother and found two. One of the was raggedy and infested with roaches. The other apartment was perfect, nice size, and it was in my budget. I lied to the complex owner and told him a fake age, he believed me and told me to sign a contract. I then had a change of mind. It didn't feel right, this wasn't for me. I wanted to go back home, but it wouldn't feel right, knowing my mom got murdered there. I hesitated and then I finally signed the papers. I realized that I would still have to go back and collect my bed and other things I may need. I couldn't sleep on the floor with no blankets, it was mid December. I would have to gather a friend or two to help me collect my items. Sitting against the wall of the empty freezing apartment complex, I suddenly dozed off. A couple of hours later, I woke up to the sound of my phone ringing. It was my friend Ashley, asking me did I want to hang. She wasn't aware of my mother's death and my dads injuries, so I told  her I could and we needed to talk. Ashley was a girl that I had had a crush on for the longest. I could never say no to her, no matter how much I was or sad. I then remembered that I needed to get some supplies from the house. I called Ashley back and told her about everything and why we couldn't hang today. She instantly felt bad for me and offered to help me retrieve my things. She also offered to tag a friend along to help us. A guy friend. I was slightly jealous but needed the extra help. I picked Ashley and her friend up from her house and we went to the house my mother had died at. I opened the door with a key I had hid under the doormat. As I opened the door I could smell my home, the place I had once lived. I begin to cry in front of the girl I love. My mom wasn't there. She just was gone. I sat down on the bar stool in kitchen, held my hands to my face and balled my eyes out. Who would harm my family? I wanted to hold my mother and father again. Ashley held me. She cared, and it made me feel better that somebody had comforted me. I than stopped crying and asked them politely to help me get my things. We all walked up stairs to my room and started to take apart my bed. We couldn't unscrew the bed so i went downstairs to find a screwdriver. I went through the double doors leading into the hallway from the kitchen to get to the garage. As I walked pass the basement wall I heard an echo calling out my name "Chrisss." It came from the basement, I just thought maybe my mind was playing tricks on me or maybe it was Ashley calling out to me. I found the screwdriver in the garage in my dads tool box. I back up the stairs and saw that the guy that Ashley had insisted tag along was "assisting" her with a hammer. "Nice move,eh" I said rudely. I was not even aware that I was going to say that. He begin to pull away from her "you're a dick!" he said. All I said was okay, trying not to argue, I was depressed and was not in the mood. Ashley calmed him down, told him about my mom and dad and he told me he was sorry and didn't know. We finished collecting and bringing everything back to my place at 10 at night. Then I realized that I had forgot something at the house. I didn't want to go back by myself after I heard that voice, or maybe it was the end. I asked Ashley to come with me. "I have to go home" the guy said. Even though I didn't ask him to come, but I was happy he didn't come. On the way back to the house Ashley asked me "Why did you get so mad earlier?" I looked at her and hurried back and glanced back at the road. I instantly got mad and I told her that she knew why and it was silent the rest of the way there. We arrived and we went inside. Ashley glanced around. I went to my parents room and collected pictures of my parents that I had forgot to retrieve. I than begin to go through all their things. I was in their room for awhile. I sat on my parents bed, and grabbed a picture of my mom off the nightstand. I sat there just staring at her smiling, just now noticing how great of a smile she had. I screamed out to Ashley I'll be down in a second.  She didn't answer back, so I called her name. She didn't answer. I heard a bump so I got up quickly and headed to the kitchen where I had left her. As I was heading for the kitchen a hand with long nails gripped into my shoulder and I gasped in shock. I turned around to find something so terrifying, I panicked. 
   
   
   
   
   4. Starting New 
    The next morning I called my grandmother to let her know I had manage to get my bed set up into my new apartment. My new apartment was empty with only a bed. After calling my grandmother, I had called Detective Morris for any info. He stated to me that he had no info on the deaths but I could see my dad. He also asked me if I wanted to have a funeral for my mom or have her cremated. I told him cremated. She had always told my dad not to let the maggots eat her. I had decided not to go see my dad until I felt like it. I never really liked my dad. He would always abused my mom. He stopped when I got older and the strength to fight back for her. I called Ashley at the hospital to see if she was okay. Ashley had snapped her arm in 6 places after falling off the porch. I felt bad to have been told, while I was looking through pictures she was in pain buried in the ground of leaves. I was also shocked to know that she managed to pull herself up and get to me. I went to the hospital where she was and brought her flowers. I walked into her room and noticed that the guy who had tried that "hammer" trick had beat me there. He was posted up close to her bed holding her hand. I went over to hug Ashley and asked if she was okay. She had said yes. I left after Ashley and that guy kept flirting with each other. After seeing that, I had decided not to talk to Ashley anymore,apparently she didn't feel the same as I did. It was way too depressing to watch the love of my life fall for someone else. 2 weeks had passed since then. I had not went to school or either have I seen my father at the hospital. I decided that today I was going to go see my father at the hospital. I had got dressed and went there to see him. I went to the front desk and a dark haired nurse guided the way. She went to my school before and she was 3 years older than me. She was very beautiful and I could not stop staring into her eyes. They where like blue crystals. She was extremely nice and told me she was sorry for what had happened to my father, and asked me how I was holding up. I had nobody but my grandmother, and it was hard for me to cope. After realizing I had nobody, I started to cry in front of the nurse. I had started to cry again, I had NO ONE but my ass of a father that I really didn't care about. The nurse then pulled me aside and asked me if I was okay. I told her that I had no one and the girl that I loved so bad had fallen for another guy. She stared at me for awhile asked me if she could hug me and I said yes. While she hugged me I felt a sense of relief, and immediately drawn to her. I stopped crying and she pulled away and said "you bathed me with your tears" and smiled at me. She then led me to my dads room. Half of my dads body was burnt, but I not see the horrific scars. He was wrapped up with a white cotton material. He was happy to see me, and asked why did I not come earlier. I didn't answer back. I wanted to leave right away and didn't feel I should stay there long with him. He didn't seem to be happy to see me at all. I asked him what happened, did he see who killed my mother. He told me it was all a blur. He heard screams from the basement, he went down there and he he was burned. If he never had been taught to stop drop and role he would've had been burned alive. He had said that as a joke to make me laugh, but I didn't find it humorous. A flashback had occurred. I remembered when I went back to collect my bed I had heard a voice from the basement calling out to me, or maybe it wasn't real. I didn't believe in afterlife so I had pushed the thought aside. I could tell there was something my dad wasn't telling me. When my dad would lie he would try to make the story as short as possible. Knowing that he was lying, I got angry and left without saying goodbye. I wasn't to fond of goodbyes. I hated the word goodbye so I would never say it. As I was leaving, the dark haired girl stopped me in my tracks. "I didn't catch your name" she said. She had a country southern accent that I didn't notice into now, but I found it adorable. I stopped and smile. "It's Chris" I said. She smiled back and asked if I could take her home. I told her that I was more than happy to take her home. I was a gentleman to her. I opened the door for her and gave her my jacket since she didn't have one. We had a nice conversation and she actually made me laugh. I haven't been able to laugh in awhile. I begin to start thinking about my mother and how she was the only one that could get me to laugh. My thoughts were then interrupted by her yelling "turn right here!" I made a quick turn really fast, so fast that the dark haired girl hit her head on the window. I drove a big pickup truck and it was sometimes hard to fit through small areas and I had tried to turn really quickly into a small area, ramming over the concrete of the sidewalk. "Are you okay?" I asked. She held her head with her hand and said she was fine. I begin to back up off the concrete and drive her to her house. We weren't to far from where I had the accident at. I then pulled up to her house and before she got out I said "I didn't catch your name." She smiled and told me her name was Chelsea and got out of the car. I waited into she made it inside her house safely and went back home. I went to my empty apartment to get ready for work. I had not had enough time to go back to the house and stock my apartment up with furniture. After getting ready for work I called my grandma on my cellphone and told her that I was coming to see her before I leave town. I needed to start fresh. I also told her that I wanted her to keep the ashes of my mother that detective Morris had collected. I then went to work. I had worked a 6 hour shift and went straight to my grandmothers house. She was happy to see me and we sat there talking about memories of my mother. My grandma never mentioned my dad. After a couple of hours, I left. I went to the complex owner and told him I wanted to pay out my contract. Paying out the contract cost 700 in total. I managed to pay it with 300 left. I had money saved up because my mom would hand me money. I left the town with nothing. I decided to move 6 hours away and finish school. The dream I had before my mother died, I wanted to have, I wanted to start new. 
   
   
   
   5. Coming Back 
    5 years later, it's summer time and I am in my last year of college. My grandmother had kept her promise with helping me and the insurance payout from my mom was helpful. My dad had bought himself a smaller house for him to live in, with the insurance payout. I didn't know I was getting 30,000 from her death, until I turned 18 I had got a check in the mail. I had yet to put my moms ashes anywhere. My grandma was getting older, and beginning to become forgetful, so I had to collect them soon. Detective Morris had stopped contacting me 3 years ago, to no avail, they didn't fine my moms killer which made me sick and angry. College was good for me. I had plenty of romances and I've made plenty of friends in college. Life was going great for me. I started to go see my dad more often, even though it was a long drive and I had also stopped sobbing over my mother, but I would still think about her every now and then. In college we were on summer break, and I would be graduating 3 months after going back. I had decided to go stay with my grandmother awhile, occasionally seeing my dad. Before I went to my grandmothers house, I stopped by Peet's Place, and saw my friend Joseph, an old high school buddy. He asked what had happened to me, and why I had stopped coming too school. I told him I had transferred, not informing him of my moms death and my dads injuries. Joseph and I sat there talking for awhile and a friend from awhile back came in. It was Chelsea. My heart immediately started to pound even faster and I instantly got up to greet her, not even excusing myself from the table while Joseph was talking to me. I went up to her and said "your shoes are nice" even though they where hideous. She turned around to say thank-you, but got caught in a glance. She stood there staying at me while I tried to hold this awkward smile on my face, and she finally said something. "You know I've been asking everyone about you and they said you had disappeared from site." I had told her I went to college a couple of hours away to have a successful career. I was happy to hear that she was looking for me, and actually trying to find me. I told her I would be staying here for my summer break and we should spend some time together. We exchanged numbers and I went over to Joseph told him sorry for being rude and left. I then went to my car to go visit my dad. On the way to my dads small blue house, I drove past, where my mom once lived. I made a u-turn in my car and went to the old vacant house. The door was still unlocked from when I had last visited it 5 years ago. All the furniture was there, except for my bed, which I had took to put in my old apartment. I looked around the old house and everything was the same. No one had moved there, I don't think anyone had tried to move here. I don't even think Detective Morris had even tried to investigate the old vacant house. I continued to look around the old house. I walked passed the basement and had a flashback of the echo I had heard. I was not scared anymore. I opened the door to the basement and went down the flight of steps. I stumbled on a step because it was so dark. I pictured how my mom could had died. I spotted blood on the wall. I could tell that maybe I was wrong about Detective not investigating my mothers death. There was evidence of him attempting to investigate it. I stood inside the dark basement for awhile, trying to put 2 and 2 together. I stood there in silence and heard an echo. This time, I didn't here my name.... I heard my dads name and I felt a cold breeze slide across my face and went away. That was very strange for me, seeing that it is summer, and it it very hot down here in this basement. The echo did not frighten me this time. I felt as if my mother was trying to get in contact with, and she knew who her killer was. I just didn't know what to think of it. Until I put the pieces together, the mysterious sound will be labeled as an echo. I went to go visit my dad. My dad did seem to messed up about my moms murder at all. He was nothing without her, he just didn't want to admit it. I chatted with my dad for a few minutes and left at my grandma's house. She was so happy to see me. She was getting really old and was now using a cane to get around. I wanted to make my grandmother proud, so I planned to get married before she died. My grandmother had an extra room that she would let me sleep in, so I went up there to lay down and think. I thought about my mom and the echo of that voice I heard today and 5 years ago. It was real, I wasn't going crazy. What I had heard was real. I soon had got bored of thinking and decided to text Chelsea. The text conversation went like this:  Me: Hi, wanna hang today?  Chelsea: lol, why? Your girl couldn't hang with you today?  Me: Nah, I'm just bored.  Chelsea: I guess I could have fun with you.  Me: I'll pick you up around 7:30pm  Chelsea: okayy :)  The end of conversation. I put on my tightest shirt to show off my cut muscles and my favorite pair of jeans that I had brought with me from college. I picked her up 30 minutes early and we went to a club. Chelsea and I drank drinks, danced together, and had fun. I would always smile when I was with her. I really liked Chelsea and I could see me being with her. While we were having a good time and slick flirting with each other, I had spotted Ashley from across the room and didn't even go over there to say hey. I was having to good of a time with Chelsea to even bother with Ashley. After ours of fun, Chelsea and I had decided to leave. While exiting the club I saw Ashley again, and this time she saw me too. Ashley looked really good. She had on red pumps with a black tight fitted dress that showed off all her curves. She called out my name. I turned around pretending to not no who it was. Then I heard her heels clacking against the pavement and she reached over to grab me. At the time I had my arm wrapped around Chelsea. I turned around and she said "Where have you been Chris?" Before I could answer, she asked some more questions. "Why didn't you call or answer the phone for me?" I lied and told her that my phone was off for awhile and all she said as oh. She then asked me for my number. I looked at Chelsea and looked back at Ashley and told Ashley "another time" and walked away with Chelsea. I think maybe Chelsea liked me more because of that, because she smiled after I told Ashley that. I drove Chelsea home, and told her I would call her later. Before she got out of the car she asked if I wanted to stay the night at her place. I couldn't deny the invitation. She had took a shower while I was there,and she had looked even better with her hair wet. I had told her that and she started to smile. She came over there close to me and begin to kiss me 
   
   
   
   6. Not titled 
    I woke up that morning at Chelsea's house. I slightly woke her up and asked her if she wanted anything to eat. She told me she wanted a bagel, so I drove to Peet's Place. I loved that place and couldn't get enough of it. I bought 2 glazed doughnuts and a bagel. I paid Mr.Peet extra like always and left. As I was leaving I spotted Ashley again and she spotted me too. She came over to me and said hi. We stood there and talked for awhile about her and my college life, and that's when I realized I had to get back to Chelsea. I told Ashley, I had to go and before I could leave she stopped me and asked me for my number again. I slightly hesitated, but I finally gave it to her and went on my way. Chelsea and I had had sex last night, and I believe it to be something special. She was slowly taking the place of my mother, that had been opened for awhile. I had arrived back at Chelsea's place to seeing her getting dressed to leave. "Where are you going?" I said. She told me she was leaving for work and for me to call her later and left. After she closed the boor behind 
   
   
   Text: COPYRIGHT NOTICE:
  Jasmine Taylor: Echo
  is published by Jasmine Taylor and copyrighted by bookrix.com. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form by an electronic or mechanical means (including photocopying, recording, or information storage and retrieval) without permission in writing from the publisher, except for reading and browsing via The World Wide Web. Users are not permitted to mount this file on any network servers. All rights reserved. Publication Date: December 6th 2011 https://www.bookrix.com/-jwalker53