Read Online Until Today by Pam Fluttert - Free Book Online

decisions.
    Scott pulls me along, the freshly cut grass clinging to my shoes. The setting sun stretches the tree shadows down to the river beside our property.
    It’ll be dark soon and we have no idea where Sarah is. Mom and Dad will shoot me and ask questions later. Guilt, worry, and anger wage war inside me.
    â€œDo you think she would be in there?” Scott points toward the clubhouse.
    â€œNo. I already looked in there.”
    â€œLet’s check again, anyway.” Scott pulls me toward the clubhouse. Selfishly, I hope she’s not there. The clubhouse is my private spot – my sanctuary – and I don’t want to share it. My heart skips a beat when we come to the door. I hold my breath as Scott looks inside, releasing it when he shakes his head. She’s not there.
    â€œIt’s getting dark. Let’s call her. Maybe she’ll answer.” Scott gives my hand a reassuring squeeze and calls Sarah’s name.
    â€œSarah!” We take turns yelling her name, but the only reply is the occasional squawk of a bird and the plop of a fish jumping in the river.
    Another voice rings out across the evening shadows. My father calls my name and then Sarah’s. They would have to come home now. My pulse rate increases, and my ears ring at the thought of telling Dad that Sarah is gone.
    â€œI guess I better tell them.” I pull away from Scott trying to spare him from the inevitable confrontation.
    â€œI’ll go with you.” A strange emotion clouds Scott’s eyes, but I’m too focused on my inner panic to question it.

    We run up the riverbank and across the lawn. As we approach, Mom steps through the patio door with Amy and Greg following behind her.
    Oh, no. Not Greg. I can’t deal with him right now. My feet feel like lead and I can’t lift them.
    â€œScott, I can’t. You tell them. Please.”
    Scott pulls me by the hand. “I’ll be here with you. It’ll be fine.”
    I shake my head. “I can’t, Scott.”
    â€œWhat’s going on, you two?” Dad demands. Greg steps up beside him and watches me with narrowed eyes.
    Scott looks at me, waiting for me to speak. I stare back, pleading with my eyes. I try to position his body in front of mine, shielding me from Greg and my father.
    â€œKat, what is it?” Mom asks.
    â€œMr. and Mrs. Thompson…” Scott begins. Dad’s eyes swing from me to Scott. “Um…Sarah seems to have run away.”
    My father’s eyes return to me, burning a hole through my skin. I expect to smell smoke and burning flesh any second.
    â€œIs this true?” he demands, as if Scott would lie about something like this.
    Nodding my head, I look down, avoiding the condemnation in his eyes.
    My mother’s gasp draws my attention toward her.
    â€œWhat happened, Kat? What did you do to make her run away?” Dad’s voice is laced with venom.
    My eyes remain focused on Mom. If she looks at me the same way Dad did, I won’t be able to take it. Scott takes another step forward. “Mr. Thompson…to be fair, she—”
    â€œ Fair? Kat seems determined to give her sister a hard time. Kat doesn’t want to be fair to Sarah or anybody else living under this roof. So being fair to Kat is not my top priority right now.”
    Greg puts his hand on my dad’s shoulder. “Now Dave, take it easy. We don’t even know what’s happened. We need to concentrate on finding Sarah right now.”
    I stare at Greg, trying to read what this will cost me. Why would he want to help me? Just when I think I hate the guy, he turns around and becomes the Uncle Greg I want him to be.
    Amy approaches, putting her arm around my shoulder. Most of the backyard is cast in shadow. In another ten minutes we won’t be able to see each other without the patio light on.
    â€œWhere have you and Scott looked?” Amy asks.
    I remain silent. I’m not surprised that