(alright it's not perfect, but here you go. I quoted the original so you guys could read it again if you wanted. The bold is the new memory.)
Alice nodded it seemed like the only viable option at this point. Though if her mom caught her she'd be in a ton of trouble. She didn't do any of her essay last night. With everything that happened yesterday she couldn't manage to concentrate on school work.
"Here," she said giving the police business card with the address scribbled on it, and the folded paper with the key symbol to Camilla. "If I'm not back in 10 minutes you guys go without me. Oh, but that only works if you have the hover board." She looked at it and nodded to herself. "I'll just have to walk." She said with a sigh. "Give me 20. If I'm not back by then, Mom's killed me."
Alice turned and took off toward home. Running up the sidewalk alone. All alone. She shrugged away the nervous itch between her shoulders the feeling of being watched. She'd be fine. If the Pure wanted her they could have grabbed her last night anytime. They weren't going to try to grab her in broad daylight.
What were they going to do? Camilla was right giving them the key was probably a bad idea. What made her the idea person anyway? Giving the people who would be willing to kill someone, and attack, drug, and kidnap teenagers, exactly what they wanted seemed like it would be a terrible idea. What would the key unlock? But then again, what would the Pure do to them, if they got the key and didn't hand it over? She shook her head still jogging up the sidewalk the rain sprinkling her face. Maybe she should just tell her mom what was going on. Not that she'd listen. She would probably just insist she stay out of it It's too dangerous.
The sky darkened, and the constant drizzle changed over to a flurry of snow. Alice's pace slowed, she felt the worry welling up in her chest. An icy gust of wind cutting though her leggings. Her breaths came quick and shallow, as she pushed on dread filling her. White wisps of mist puffed from her mouth disappearing into the fat flakes. Maybe they really should call the police.
When she finally made it back to her house, the van was parked out front as usual, her moms car likely parked in the garage.
Alice walked up the driveway, her feet leaving footprints in the snow. She stared hard at the front window, it was dark inside. But there were loud crashing sounds coming from within.
The front door whined on it's hinges as she pushed it open slowly. She grimaced and peeked her head inside. Through the entryways inner door to the kitchen. Her phone still sat where she had left it the night before on the counter. But that was the only thing that was where it belonged. Dishes were scattered across the tile of the kitchen floor shattered. Her heart was pounding in her chest, what was going on? Alice stepped through the door, her sneakers crunching on the broken glass. "Mom?" She called fear distorting her voice. "Mom?" She yelled not seeing her asleep in the living room. More thumping noises came from up stairs and a shout of pain.
Alice bolted toward the stairs slipping across the broken dishes. "MOM?" She yelled again running up the steps, there were holes in the wall that weren't there this morning. "MOM!" She hesitated outside her parents bed room, could her and dad just be fighting? No, Dad would never. Alice flung the door open, there were 5 people in the room with her mom, who was pinned on the floor blood trickling down from a cut under her eye. The strangers were all dressed in black with the bottom half of their faces covered with a taught black fabric, same as the people from the park. "LEAVE HER ALONE!" She shrieked and ran toward them her hands balled into fists, here first punch landed squarely on the first guys chin, and he dropped to the floor.
"Alice! NO!" Tayn shouted.
Alice continued plowing forward leaping over the guy she had downed. She threw a second punch before she had fully landed. And roared, letting out all the rage coursing through her. She wasn't going to loose. How DARE they hurt her! The second opponent was quicker than her and grabbed her wrist as she came flying at him. He stepped aside fluidly, as though she had come at him in slow motion, and pulled flinging her into the wall. She crumpled onto the floor her ears ringing. NO! GET UP! a rage filled voice inside her head growled at her. Alice popped up onto her feet and spun full tilt to go at the guy again. She didn't get more than one step before his heavy hand landed on her shoulder smashing her back into the wall. She swung with her other hand, a satisfying loud crack as it blew across his nose. He adjusted his grip on her, holding both arms still against the wall, she fought him but he had her strength and weight wise, she shifted to kick at him, but he was faster than her, his knee sinking into her stomach. Alice's vision darkened as she doubled over gasping for breath. He pushed her back up against the wall with his shoulder.
"I recognize you." He sneered, using his whole body to press her against the wall. Alice still struggled for air, but she managed a teary eye glare. "I saw you with him yesterday. I'd be willing to bet you have the key. Don't you."
"Get off." she demanded, though it sounded like a whisper.
"Heh, this is your mum?" He asked letting go of one of her hands to grab a fist full of her hair and drag her to stand over Tayn. Alice winced following his lead.
"Yeah it's my mom." She growled. "So let her go."
"I don't think so." He said and nodded to one of the other standing people. The new guy walked over pulling a gun from his hip and pointing it at Tayns face. Alice's eye grew wide in terror, staring into her moms. The wind howled outside rattling the windows. The look in her moms eyes said run and don't look back. Huge tears fell down Alice's cheeks and she took a ragged breath. "You give me the Key, and I'll let her go." Blood drained from her face, and she gently shook her head despite the tight grip on her hair.
"I don't have it." She whispered.
"Ok." He said twitching his chin up toward the gun wielding guy.
"Wait!" She yelled desperately, "I don't have your key, but, I might be able to find it. Just please, don't."
"You could get it?" He gestured for the gun to be lowered. "How?"
"W-we," She stammered her eyes darting around the room, was there anyway to escape from him and get that gun? "We, found a thing, in those folders. We think it'll take us to the key." His eyes seemed to burn with an evil light.
"Bring me the key, and I'll spare your friends and family." He said staring in to her eyes.
"You, you will?" Hope spread through her. Maybe she wouldn't have to fight their way out of here.
"Oh, absolutely." He said cheerfully, "But if you fail." He raised his arm, and paused before snapping his fingers. A deafening bang, like thunder right next to her, had Alice reeling back the man released her and she fell to the floor. The gun had gone off. Stunned she looked around for who was bleeding.
"Out." Her captor growled to the other men, pulling a small plastic case out of a pouch on his hip. The man who was holding her mom down got up. That's when she realized what had happened.
"No," She crawled forward and put a shaking hand on her mom. "No, no no nonononono." She stifled a sob and closed her eyes focusing on only one thing. Healing her mom. Everything, she tried to give her everything, but it wouldn't go through. She couldn't heal death. She opened her eyes and leaned down putting her forehead against her moms, just like she used to do for her whenever she got hurt. Warm blood from the bullet wound wetted her brow. "Mom? Mom? Get up. Please?"
The man behind her grabbed her jacket and pulled her up. "Get me that key. Or I'll find the rest of your family. Your friends. I'll track down all the people who were ever kind to you, and I'll get rid of them, just like that." Alice shook violently, looking up at him in disbelief. He flipped open the case he had, a syringe inside. Alice watched blankly as he picked it up and jabbed it into her leg.
He dragged her out of the room away from her mom taking her into the bathroom to wash her face. She was remarkably dizzy and her vision seemed to swirl and dance in the bright florescent light. Clattering sounds came from downstairs, and heavy rain tinged on the window. "You're going to forget for a while, but don't worry, you'll remember again soon enough." Alice blinked at him confused, who was this guy and why was he washing her face? She blinked again, and she was downstairs leaning against a man she had never met before, she blinked again.........
The front door whined on it's hinges as she pushed it open slowly. She grimaced and slowly peeked her head inside, then slipped in the rest of the way. Her heart was pounding in her chest and her ears strained to hear the slightest noise coming from further inside the house. Alice left the door open behind her, she didn't need it making anymore noise than necessary. The keys were right there hanging on a hook. But she should really leave a note especially with her phone being dead. She looked through the entryways inner door to the kitchen. Her phone still sat where she had left it the night before on the counter. Suddenly it clicked in her head. How could she have been so dense? She might not have a phone, but Camilla did and she could text their mom about using the van. Perfect! She thought, and carefully took the key off the hook. The door groaned again when it was shut the latch clicking in to place seemed 1000x louder than normal. She waited a few moments listening and still holding the door knob. Nothing. She was going to pull it off!
She grinned broadly, proud of her sneaking skills. Alice hopped into the drivers seat of the the van, scrunching her nose while trying to ignore the wet carpet and spilled coffee smell. This old thing was what her parents had picked up cheap, for her to learn to drive in, something they didn't really care if it got ruined. Of course to her it was the best thing ever even if it did smell, because it meant freedom once she finally got her full licence.
Alice started it and put in drive looking over her shoulder with her hand at the top of the wheel like she was supposed to. Released the brake and gently pressed down on the gas. The van surged forward.
Surprised she slammed on the brake, which lurched her forward. Alice giggled nervously.
"Good job genius!" she said aloud. "Driving the car through the living room window would wake mom, RIGHT UP."
Alice decided it would be best to put on her seat belt now, before she actually got going. Then carefully shifted the van in to reverse concentrating far more on that small task than should ever be needed. You're doing great just don't hit anything.
Alice slowly and cautiously backed out of the driveway, and turned toward River's.
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