Red Alert

Chapter 1: Freedom

Ella's Pov

Today was the day. The door was opened as I slung my bag over my shoulder and walked out. As soon as I stepped out, I closed my eyes taking a deep breath. I looked up at the clear sky as the sunlight seeped through the leaves belonging to the oak tree that hovered above me. I allowed myself to smile as I looked at all the other maids greeting their families and chatting away. I wished that my siblings would have come to meet me but I guess after how I left without a note or anything, they probably don't even know where I am. I missed them all so much and after spending ten years in this mansion, I'm ready to go home.

I guess that some introductions are necessary. My name is Ella Jamison and I have one messed up life. I never knew my birth mother since she left after I was born, so my dad was the one who raised me by himself till I was thirteen. I found out later that dad met a woman that he wanted to marry and I loved the idea. I started to love the idea even more after I heard that I would have three younger siblings.

We were all introduced to each other as dad got married to my new mom. I got three siblings, two of whom were twins. The oldest was eleven and her name was Lara. She was very elegant and always had her hair set in lavish hairstyles. Her dream was to become either a ballerina or a freestyle dancer. After Lara came my youngest siblings, the twins. The eldest of the pairs name was Hayden and the youngest of the pairs name was Jayden. Hayden was more of the wild type while Jayden was the bookish type.

I'm not going to lie, they hated me, detested me, loathed me. They didn't like the idea of their mom marrying someone like my dad, who had a previous criminal record. I tried my best to do whatever they said and stayed away from the things they banned me from. I helped around the house and since mom wasn't a good cook, I also took over the job of making breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Mom was a doctor while dad worked as a cashier at a local grocery store. I even got enrolled in school and got to meet other students and make a few friends.

After we found out that our mom was pregnant and we were going to have another sibling, we were ecstatic. Lara made a bit of a fuss, angry at her mom but then accepted it. My dad started to earn better money and even bought gifts for everyone. Lara got a ballerina pendant necklace, Hayden got a robotic car while Jayden got a robot assembling set. Soon after a few months, we had another addition to the family. We now had a baby sister named April. Things were going good for a bit until they weren't.

The police came to our house and I found out that dad had once again committed fraud. When dad saw the police, he freaked out and ran out of the house. Mom ran after him but when she returned, she was alone. Turns out dad got hit by a car while running away and now I had no father. We held a small family funeral and buried him. I didn't cry in front of my family but when I was alone, the tears would keep flowing.

Anyway, dad had a very misfortunate life and a bad fate but when he crossed over to the other side, he took none of it with him. Instead, we were left with all of his misfortune. Because of the fraud he committed, we had a lot of debts to pay which we paid by using mom's retirement fees and by selling the house. We moved into a mall apartment building and well let's just say things were awful. Mom worked day and night carrying April along with her while we all focused on our studies. Lara and the twins blamed me and my father for everything and I hated the guilt I felt towards them.

One day I made the final choice and ran away. I felt like if I would run away, all their problems would disappear. Mom came looking for me and while we talked sitting on the bench, we happened to doze off. When I woke up, mom was no longer in this world. Lara, Hayden, and Jayden cried their eyes out, they blamed me for it. I believed it because if she hadn't come looking for us then maybe she would've still been alive.

After we buried her and went home Lara pushed me out of the house and locked the door. I stayed outside even though it was raining cat and dogs. Jayden was the one who finally let me in. I could've left but like mom said 'never let go of your families hand'. The next day I went around looking for jobs and was able to find a couple. I took April with me so that she wouldn't bother the others while they were studying.

Just like that six years passed and I had a bunch of jobs. April was 6, Lara was 17, Hayden and Jayden were 16, and I was 19. During the day time, I worked as a housekeeper and cleaner but during the night I worked at a waitress at a diner. I would usually get back home at about midnight and by then everyone would be asleep. Money was becoming a slight issue but I made sure to get enough to pay for Lara's dancing classes, Jayden's French classes, and Hayden's football stuff. It was hard to work day and night while my siblings still didn't favor me much but I kept on doing what I could.

Unfortunately, it didn't last. One night, it was raining and I went to look for Hayden since he was out. I saw him fighting someone and by the looks of it, Hayden won as he started back towards home. I approached the guy he had fought with and what shocked me was that the guys head was bleeding profusely. It was no fact that Hayden had killed the guy during the fight but as far as I knew, Hayden was oblivious to it. I did the stupidest thing ever and left the guy there as I went home.

The next night some people in black suits broke down the door when I was setting the table for dinner. I had taken a day off since it was April's birthday and I was waiting for her and her siblings to come back from the park. Anyway, the people in the suits demanded to know who murdered that guy yesterday. I took the blame and therefore, I was kidnapped and taken by them. 

I worked in a mansion day and night serving the brother of the man Hayden had killed. It was torture since that man was wickedly evil and filthy rich so I couldn't disobey him. If I tried to escape I would be threatened by the fact that they would call the police on me. I slaved over there for ten whole years until the day I was allowed to leave, which was today.

••••••••••

Since the mansion was far away from what I think was my siblings home, I had to walk quite a lot. Surprisingly no buses ran from here to the neighborhood I had to get to and being trapped inside for ten years I had no sense of direction. It was a bit hard, walking for non-stop hours but nothing would stop me, not today. I would finally get to see my siblings after ten years. 

By 7:30 that day, I arrived at the address that I think belonged to my sibling's house. I was about to ring the bell when someone beat me to it. A young girl in her teen years stood in front of the door while I stood a few steps behind her. She had her brown hair tied in a fishtail braid and was wearing a black shirt with jeans and a jacket. She had a bag slung on her shoulder by which I assumed that she came from school or from hanging out with her friends. 

"Who're you?" The girl asked, turning to me.

"Um...is this the Jamison household?" I asked, not sure if I had the right address.

"Yeah..." The girl replied. I felt relief wash over me but then when I looked closer at her, I realized who she was since the resemblance was uncanny. All the moments, I had spent with her till she turned six, I knew who she was and there was no mistaking it.

"Are you April Jamison?" I questioned.

"How...? Who are you?" She asked again and I was about to answer but footsteps coming from behind me stopped me as I turned around. The person walking up the driveway froze and so did I as I looked at my younger brother. Over the years, I figured out ways to tell the twins apart and the person who was standing in front of was none other than Jayden. He didn't say anything as his eyes widened and he stared at me in shock.

"What are you...." A voice said as the door swung open. I turned my head as I caught sight of Lara standing in the doorway, her eyes widening as she saw me. I felt tears brimming my eyes as I smiled at all of them, expecting their shocked reactions. "Come in," Lara said as she broke the silence. April and Hayden walked inside as I followed Lara who led me to the dining table. We all sat down as Hayden was called from their bedroom. Hayden's expression was shocked and the way he looked at me just seemed so emotionless and plain. We all sat at the table no one saying a single word until April broke the silence. 

"Ugh! This silence is killing me. Lara, who is she?" April asked pointing towards me. I looked down at my lap, not sure how to reply or what to do. It made me a bit sad that April was asking Lara who I was. I mean, did they not tell her about me?

"What are you doing here?" Lara asked.

"I came to see you," I said meekly, feeling a bit odd as everyone was staring at me.

"We have no relation to each other. You shouldn't have come here to see us." Lara said as I looked up at her hard expression. 

I should have expected her to not forgive me for leaving them. The night I left ten years ago, I left without a note or anything. I just picked up my things and went with those suit guys. I felt bad, I felt guilty but those people, they didn't even let me meet my siblings so I couldn't explain everything.

"I just wanted to see you guys. I wanted to see if you were living comfortably." I said but got no reply as I decided to continue seeing their unsure expressions. "I came here without a hidden motive. I just wanted to see how you were living." I added while fiddling with my fingers.

"As you can see we're living perfectly well without you so you can leave now," Jayden said as he stared right at me with no expression. I couldn't lie, I was surprised and I felt pain in my heart but I wasn't going to show it as I simply smiled.

"Is that right?" I mumbled not sure what else to say.

"You abandoned us and left without a word. Now we know your true nature and you are not welcome here." Hayden said as I felt more guilt filling my stomach as I continued fiddling with my fingers.

"Alright then. I'll be going then." I said with a smile as I slung my bag over my shoulder and stood up. "I'll see you around...maybe," I whispered the last part to myself as I headed towards the door and opened it stepping out.

"It would have been better if you had not come looking for us," Lara said as she stood in the doorway and slammed the door shut. 

I walked out of the driveway as slowly as possible just in case they would call me back but to no avail did they. I walked away from the door, the house, and the neighborhood as I found a bench in a park and sat down. I barely had enough money to buy food so I wasn't going to waste it which meant I had no place to go to. I put my bag under my head as I led down on the bench, getting as comfortable as I could. I stared up at the starry night sky as everything my siblings said repeated itself in my mind. I felt a tear roll down my cheek as I still couldn't help but smile. At least I know that my siblings are living comfortably even if they're without me. They're grown up now and they don't need me anymore but I hope that maybe someday they'll forgive me for my mistakes.