Free Frog Tale by JT Schultz

pretty girls and the importance of clean underwear. She’d overheard that speech so many times thanks to her sisters she not only could recite the monologue verbatim but even knew when her mother paused for emphasis.
    With her father’s office door already ajar, she nudged further and glanced in. The sight of her father sound asleep, book resting on his chest bothered her more than she wanted to admit. He never fell asleep waiting for her sisters.
    No.
    He wore holes in his office rug from pacing like a caged animal. Why didn’t he do that now? Didn’t he care what time she came home? Petty, and possibly off base, she wondered if she mattered to him as much as her sisters did. Since he didn’t appear worried, she shut the door and walked down the hall to her bedroom. At least Luc would be happy to see her, even if he was slightly cantankerous over the time and late hour. She opened her door and stepped over the threshold.
    The room’s ambiance held something different from normal and greeted her with an eerie sensation. “Luc?”
    Silence.
    “Luc, I’m home,” she whispered, wondering if the amphibian slept. She flicked on her bedroom light and the rhythm of her heart picked up speed. Wrong, wrong, wrong, the whole situation felt wrong. Her gaze fell on the glass castle with the silver engraved nameplate and her heart slammed to a stop.
    Empty.
    She swallowed hard and her eyes darted around the room. Her heart now raced at an out of control rate and she wondered if she was too young to have a heart attack because she was almost positive she was going to have one. “Luc?” Fear infiltrated her veins and coursed through where blood had once traveled.
    Silence.
    Panic overtook her body and she searched the room, knowing if he were there, he would’ve answered. Tears welled in her eyes and she faced the cold hard truth.
    He’s gone.
    She never should have left him for so long with her sisters around the house. Stella hated him with such vengeance and just yesterday had made a move for him. She wanted to tell her father, she wanted to scream. Knowing he couldn’t care less what time she even walked in the door led her to believe he wouldn’t care about her missing frog. Then again her dad did like Luc and they talked often. Still she highly doubted her father would care since this had nothing to do with his precious Stella or Georgina.
    Grief wreaked havoc on her soul with intense grief. She collapsed in a sitting position at the edge of her bed. Hot tears trickled down her cheeks and emptiness consumed her soul. “Luc, what did I do?”
    Her date with Scott Phillips had been fun but not at the cost of Luc. He meant more to her than was sane and yes, she probably was crazy, but she loved the amphibian and didn’t want life to be without him.
    There wasn’t a single doubt. Stella had to be behind this. The beats of Chloe’s heart pumped in an erratic rhythm while she mourned her frog. Her soul started to numb from the sorrow and grief consuming her. Deep inside her temper rose to the surface of her existence. What her sister had done was completely unforgivable.
    Stella was so self-centered, she didn’t know how wonderful it was to have a true friend or love someone other than herself. Conceited, selfish and cruel all ruled her sister’s world as much as her emphasizes on her looks. How quickly all those things could be taken away.
    Standing, courage and rage built within her. Chloe walked over to her desk and pulled out the scissors. She’d had her fill of Stella’s attitude and decided it was time to teach her sister a lesson. Quietly, she walked over to her bedroom door and pulled the heavy oak open. She glanced down to her father’s office and still all remained quiet there.
    Perfect. Serves them all right. Sister dearest is about to reap what she has sewn.
    Stella’s room was next to hers and with a little luck she’d left the handle unlocked. With careful and quiet steps, Chloe made her way across