Shadow-Land by Heather Parsons (best books to read for teens .txt) 📕

she still hadn't seen her and started to wonder where she was. Had she forgotten about taking her home? She thought and started walking back into the school and into the hallway where she spotted her. Jasmine was talking to some boys and had definitely forgotten about taking her home. And seeing her smiling brought a brief smile to Sierra's face but it didn't last long.

“Jasmine, I'm going to get a ride home from someone else. So you can stay here and talk. I'll see you tomorrow.” Sierra whispered when she was beside her then dropped her head down again when she saw the boys were staring at her strangely. Her subconscious was screaming at her to ran and hide.

The sun was high in the sky making walking home a possibility. She looked across the parking lot once more before starting her long walk home on foot. Her house wasn't that far away but that was by car but walking would probably take her all day to get home. And with this thought in mind she picked up her pace and her head so she could see where she was going. But she never managed to focus on the road ahead of her. Seeing things out of the corner of her eye that couldn't possibly be there or real. Creatures that no one else could see, were staring right at her as she passed by. Every once in awhile she had a feeling that they were following her. And when she'd turn around to see there'd be nothing there. But no matter what she did she couldn't shake off the feeling of being followed.

The feeling of being on the edge constantly was nerve wrecking. Every fiber of her being felt alive and when the wind picked up she could feel each and every movement that came along with it. Whatever was going on either inside her head or around her had her picking up her pace. Her walking turned into running and she was sweating bullets when the gate came into view.

“Miss. Michael what are you doing walking home? Isn't Travis supposed to drop you off?” The gate keeper, Ron, asked. His face only came into view when Sierra stopped running and was gasping for air. Her face was streaked with a mixture of sweat and tears and she hoped he wouldn't be able to tell.

“Ron.” She cried out the only words she could before the world started tilting and she fell. The ground came closer and closer to her and soon she knew she'd meet it face to face but instead Ron wrapped his arms around her and carried her inside the gate. Closing it only after she was safely inside the office.

And only after sitting her down inside the shack and making sure she wouldn't fall again did he call the main house and speak with her father. “Mr. Michael your daughter is here with me and I think you should come here and pick her up. She fainted and is as pale as a ghost.” Ron spoke into the phone with professionalism but still she could hear the pain that lined it.

“Your father is coming down to get you, Sierra. You don't look good at all.” Ron said and tried to smile. She tried to return the smile but failed.

Waiting for her father didn't take long at all. He'd driven the car down to get her and she felt foolish for him having to do this but at the same time very grateful that he did.

“Sierra what happened? Did you and Travis get into a fight? Is that why your here and why he didn't drop you off at the front door?” Charles asked while rushing into the office and scooping her up in his arms. The panic on his face was obvious and then it turned to anger when he spotted hers. Seeing it so pale he wanted to strangle Travis but he resisted, at least for the time being. And at least until he could get his daughter home and safe.

“Nothing happened between us, father. I just decided to walk home that's all. Travis had nothing to do with this.” Sierra tried to make her voice as convincing as possible but knew he'd see right through it. After all if she truly looked like a ghost then whatever she'd say won't matter anyway. She could plead that God himself had told her to walk home and still it won't make a difference. Her father would still blame Travis for what she did and just thinking this way terrified her, greatly.

“When we get back home I'm going to have a word with Travis. You know better than to walk home. It's too dangerous. I've told you this a million times.” Charles used his parental tone shaking his head while looking towards the street that lay out in front of the gate.

“You can't be serious this town is too small for anything dangerous to happen. And please, please father, don't call him, really he didn't know I was walking. I didn't tell him.” The sarcasm she tried to bring into the conversation didn't hold merit and seeing the stern look on his face brought the tears back full force.

“Our deal with him was that he'd pick you up in the mornings and drop you off after school. It was that or nothing at all and he agreed. So yes I'm calling to see what he's got to say for himself.” His tone was far more serious now and there was nothing she could say or do to stop him. She knew it and swallowed the pain that climbed into her throat.

“Could I at least talk to him after your done yelling at him so I can apologize?” She asked looking up and not trying to hide the pain anymore.

“If he still wants to talk to you after I'm done then sure. But don't count of him wanting to do that.” He said as they entered the house.

Sierra was standing on her own two feet by now and making her way up to her room. “Thanks dad.” She whispered sadly.

“Ah speak of the devil. He's here now so I don't have to call him up.” Charles said loud enough for her to hear him. “Travis, we need to talk.”

“Sir, I know what your going to say and I saw her standing there one minute and the next she was gone. I've been driving all over this town looking for her and even asking around if anyone's seen her but no one has. I don't know what to do now or where to look.” Travis said in a rush.

“She's home. Got here just a second ago. She told me she had decided to walk home and that you knew nothing about it. Is that the truth?” Charles questioned.

“Yes sir. That's the truth.” Travis said. “She's been acting strange today. Not talking to anyone at all and all I've seen from her is tears. She almost was hit by a car this afternoon and made no fuss about it.”

“She looks fine to me but I'll talk to her about it. You can go home now, I really need to talk to my daughter alone.” Charles said making Sierra cringe at the thought of explaining why she has been acting the way she has. What can she say that doesn't make her sound crazy?

Sierra heard his heavy footsteps coming up the stairs and knew when he was at her door. The minute he walked in she broke down. With no explanation to why she did this and just started explaining everything out right. “Dad I'm sorry I disappointed you. I don't know how to explain without sounding completely insane about why I've acted the way I have. To tell you the truth I don't even remember going to school today let alone coming home. I haven't been able to get the nightmare I had last night out of my head. Every time I look at either you or mom or even Travis I break down crying. And I can't explain why. Just the thought of seeing you all the way I did in my nightmare, keeps flashing forward and that's all I see. I'm scared to blink. I'm seeing creatures that can't possibly be real, following me but when I turn around they are gone.

“In the nightmare I had last night, I'd dreamed I'd woken up at least two times and you, mom and Travis were there talking to me. Even Phillip was there and then I'd black out again. The next time I woke up, you, mom and Travis were sitting on my bed and it looked like you all were sleeping. I even touched Travis' hand and held on to him but when you all stood up. It wasn't you anymore but something else. And when I finally woke and saw you and mom, I didn't know if I should believe it was really you or a creature trying to trick me again.” Sierra cried when she finished explaining everything.

Wiping the tears out of her eyes she looked up and saw her father standing very still in front of her just like in the nightmare. He wasn't moving and from where she sat she couldn't see if he was breathing either. Scared beyond belief she couldn't move herself to look closer.

Instead she started to violently shake. Pulling her knees to her chest. She hugged them and screamed. “Not again! Not again! Not again!” Placing her head on her knees and cried out loud.

She don't know what happened after that. The next thing she does remember is waking up and it being the next day. With the sun shinning brightly in her face causing her to blink a few times just to be able to see. Turning over she stared at the clock that sat on her nightstand and saw it was blinking six o'clock in the morning. My God she thought, she's slept for at least twelve hours and didn't even know it. Feeling numb once again, she laid back down and stared up at the ceiling, trying to figure out what to do next.

There was a mumbling of voices behind my door but made no attempt to see who it was. After last night when she'd poured her heart out to her father and he stood there saying absolutely nothing she didn't want to know what was happening anymore. Because the silence that went on between them is what killed her the most. The least he could have done was say something, anything