Echo by J.N Taylor (mystery books to read txt) 📕

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.

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.

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