Chapter 1

It was all a perfect day, everything had been going great. Michelle was upstairs playing with her new doll house her mother had just gotten her earlier this morning before she had gone to work. Alice was upstairs, writing in her journal. Braden was downstairs, in the kitchen, looking around in the cupboards for a jar for his little bug collection.

It seemed to 12-year-old Alice that the day couldn’t get any better, that is until what would be happening very soon, which would turn their perfect day into one of the worst days of their lives.

“Braden, honey, what are you doing?” 17-year-old Rachel asked the 4-year-old.

“I am getting a jar for my bug collection,” Braden responded.

“Do you need any help? I don’t want you breaking anything…,” Rachel reached down and picked up the 4-year-old. “Here, come outside. I’ll help you with your little collection.”

Rachel hadn’t realized how long she had been outside until she went back inside to check on Alice and Michelle. Weren’t Mr. and Mrs. Brooke supposed to be back two hours ago? Rachel hadn’t been outside that long helping Braden with his bug collection.

Rachel walked upstairs, opening Alice’s door to find her sleeping with her TV left on. Next, she walked into 6-year-old Michelle’s room to find her still playing with her dolls.

“Are you doing okay, Michelle?”

“Yeah,” Michelle replied.

As Rachel was walking back downstairs, she noticed a black van pull up into the driveway. She ran back into Alice’s room.

“Alice! Wake up! We have to leave, now! You get Michelle, and I’ll grab Braden.”

“What are you talking about?” Alice asked, jumping up.

“We have to leave, now! Hurry, I’ll explain later! We have to get out of the house! Now help me!”

Alice ran into Michelle’s room as Rachel ran back downstairs to grab Braden.

“Braden, we’re leaving for a little bit,” Rachel said, picking him up and grabbing his bug collection. Alice came downstairs with Michelle, who looked very terrified. They all were, except Braden who was playing around with his bug collection.

“Come on, out the back door. Hurry now,” Rachel rushed them. They ran into the backyard, Rachel grabbed the wagon, set Braden inside, and they were on their way down the road.

“Where are we going?” Alice asked.

“I’ll explain la-,” Rachel was stopped mid-sentence by a loud explosion. All 4 of them turned around to find the Brookes’ home up in flames.