This family needed this vacation. The way things were going we might not be a family for long. Mom and Dad spend every night arguing. They like to pretend that me and Laila can’t hear them screaming.

Me and Laila have always been pretty close. Even though I am only a year older than her, we are completely different people. I have always been more mature and felt like it was my responsibility to take care of her. 

“Yuri, do you want anything?”, asked dad as we pulled into a gas station

“No thanks”, I replied

“Okey dokey sweety, I’ll be right back”, he said.

  I cringed 

It was five in the morning, and we had been on the road for a little more than an hour. The lake house was about 3 hours from home, so mom thought it was better to get an early start. After a few minutes of waiting dad came back to the car with a coffee for him and mom. He had also bought a few sweets in case me and Laila wanted any. When he finished his coffee, we got back on the road. The rest of the trip was pretty short, mostly because I was asleep for most of it.

“Hey girls, wake up” said dad as we went up the driveway.

We were finally here. I love being at the lake house. It is very quiet and I get the opportunity to be by myself. I like being alone. We got out of the car and grabbed our bags. 

“That’s weird” said mom as she inserted the key in the door handle, “ It’s unlocked”

Dad told us to wait outside while he checked the house to make sure no one had broken in. A few minutes later he came out and said everything looked good. We came in, and me and  Laila went into our rooms. After I finished unpacking my bags, I was too tired to do anything . Laila woke me up a few hours later.

“Let’s go for a swim. I’m bored”, I was still tired, but I love spending time with her.

“Fine”, I replied

She smiled and went back to her room to change. I went down stairs where mom was making lunch and dad was watching the news.

“Good morning” said mom in a sarcastic tone. 

I just nodded my head and sat at the table. Mom had made some pasta, which was my favorite. Laila then came downstairs and asked our parents if we could go to the lake. They both said yes .

“ Just make sure you don't swim too far, you don’t know what out there”  , mom added

After we had finished eating we headed to the lake. I loved walking in the woods, it is so peaceful. Me and Laila followed the trail down to the dock. I was still pretty tired, so I didn’t get in the water, but I still enjoyed spending time with my sister. Laila loved the slide dad had built for us a few years back. She went up and down for almost an hour before I got in. We spent a good amount of time swimming and joking around before we got bored and decided to head back to the house. As we were walking home we noticed the backyard door open. We we walked in we call out for mom and dad

“MOM, DAD”, I screamed, no one answered. 

I heard the sound of my voice echo through the empty house and it sent chills down my spine.

“They probably went out” said Laila,

“I doubt they would go out, just the two of them” I replied,

We started checking around the house and we couldn't find them. When we finished looking in the house, we looked outside. Laila and I split up and started looking in the woods. I felt so peaceful as I walked through those woods, the wind blowing through my hair, the smell of fresh flowers flowing through my nostrils, was ruined by a petrifying scream.

“LAILA!”, I shouted as I ran in the direction of the scream. “LAILA WHERE ARE YOU?!”

 What I found made my heart dropped

Laila standing over my Mom’s lifeless body, and a weird silhouette right behind her.

“NOOOOOOOOO” I screamed, as the silhouette whacked her body with something that seemed to be a tree branch, I stood there frozen, not being able to move my body. The shadow then proceeded to run in my direction. Right before anything else happened I blacked out.

I woke up in what seemed to be a hospital surrounded by doctors. 

“What happened?” I asked

“Don’t worry sweetie” responded a nurse, “Every thing will be fine”

 And there I saw him 

My dad was sitting on a bench, in handcuffs, and his clothes covered in blood.