Free Gone (Parallel Trilogy, Book 1) by Christine Kersey Page B

discover about my family. Now that there was enough light to see, I quickly found the room the Candee’s used as an office and saw the computer tucked under the desk. A large monitor sat on top of the desk. I pressed the power button and the computer hummed to life.
    A minute later it was fully booted up. I spotted the icon for the web browser and immediately clicked on it, bringing up the Candee’s home page. When I Googled my father’s name, a listing for a white pages directory came up. Clicking on the link, I typed in my dad’s name again and an address appeared. However, it was the address where I had been the day before.
    Apparently they had moved so recently that the white pages didn’t have their new address. While I stared at the computer screen, a box popped up in the corner saying that a new email had arrived for Mr. Candee. That gave me an idea.
    First I went to gmail.com and created a new email address. Then I sent an email to my mother, pretending to be one of her cousins. I wrote: Dear Roxanne, I heard that you moved. I’m updating my address book and wanted to know your new address. Also, what is your phone number? Take care, Janice.
    Now I just had to wait until Mom replied to the email. I knew she didn’t spend very much time on the computer, but I hoped she would check soon. Just sending that email made me feel closer to my family and fresh hope surged through me.
    Next, I went back into the kitchen. Tiger followed me and rubbed against my legs, then walked over to his bowl and began eating his food. After a moment he dashed out a cat door centered in a regular door. I assumed it led out to the garage but wanted to make sure. I opened the door and peeked out. Sure enough, it was the Candee’s garage.
    I closed and locked the door, then opened the refrigerator. Just a few condiments, some milk and half a carton of eggs. I guessed the Candee’s didn’t want to leave a fridge full of food when they were on vacation. The eggs seemed to call to me. Did I dare cook breakfast? My growling stomach made the decision easy. After digging through the cabinets, I had a small frying pan and spatula in hand. In my hunt I had also found a loaf of bread and some honey.
    I dropped two slices of bread in the toaster, then heated up the pan and cracked three eggs into the hot pan. I didn’t know if I could really eat that much, but I also didn’t know when I would next have the chance to eat a big meal.
    A short time later I had my meal spread out in front of me on the table. Just as I lifted the first bite of egg to my mouth, the doorbell rang. I dropped my fork and felt my heart skip a beat, then it went into a gallop.
    “Oh no. Oh no. Oh no,” I muttered, frozen in place. I waited in silence, hoping the person would leave.
    KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK.
     

Chapter Eight
     
    The loud banging seemed to vibrate through my body. But maybe it was just my body shaking in terror at being caught in a stranger’s house. After all, I could be arrested for breaking and entering. I’d read those stories about people breaking into someone’s house when the family was on vacation and then helping themselves to their food. I’d always thought that was really weird. But now, that was me.
    I forced myself to stand and tiptoe down the hall toward the door. Leaning toward the peephole, I pressed my eye to the tiny opening, then jerked my head back. It seemed the person on the other side of the door was looking right at me.
    I knew that was just an illusion and looked again. I could tell it was a man and he looked annoyed. Then he turned around and stepped off the porch, a packet of flyers in one hand. I scurried to the front blinds, barely lifting a slat, and peered out. The man walked to the next house and knocked on their door.
    A salesman, I thought relieved. Just a salesman.
    Dropping the slat back into place, I took a deep breath, then released it, trying to slow the adrenalin still flowing through my body.
    I went back to the