The house I had lived in my entire life seemed so void of anything anymore, my parents practically hating each other and my brother and I so far out of reach from them that it was just.... broken.

"Breakfast is ready! I made pancakes kiddos." Conner and I were the only ones in the house that actually got along, never losing our brother and sister connection. We made a oath not to, even through all the madness. Five months ago, my mom had an affair that they never recovered from, leaving such destruction in the wake of it. They didn't divorce because of us, wanting to keep us both in a two parent home. But they slept separate from one another, hardly speaking except for when my mom tried so hard to make conversation. I for one held some resentment. But Conner on the other hand? He held so much hate for her. And I couldn't blame him.

"I'm good. But thanks." I grabbed a pancake after Conner completely shut her down, putting it in my mouth before running on upstairs to start my day of school. I'd started homeschool for the rest of the year because it was my only option. I had skipped so much after all the turmoil at home, just to get some relief from all the screaming and secrets I knew they both were keeping. Dad's a detective here in town and he's been investigating cases on missing kids. One of them being my best friend, Kyla. She went missing 3 years ago with no warning. She would have been 18, just like me. Ever since then, on top of all the family bullshit, I just checked out.

"Hello Sally. Remember what we spoke about. You have to finish your written report or you'll flunk and have to do your senior year over. You're almost there. I know you can do it." I had two months to get it finished, the rest of my classes finished early for actually putting in the work. I was ahead of most kids my age. Surprisingly. And thankfully I had Mrs. Fletcher to help me, a friend of my moms that she's known since they were kids themselves.

"I know. I know. I just have to find a subject and stick with it. But I will. I swear!" We finished up a couple hours of conversation on possible topics I could focus on, as well as my thoughts on home life. Mrs. Fletcher was also a therapist believe it or not. I didn't want one. But I got one anyway because I had to. It was a requirement for schooling. Yay. Finally, I was finished with all that and decided to just enjoy the house all alone for the day. Conner was with a friend, my dad constantly working late. And my mom? Well, she was a therapist also, working with Mrs. Fletcher in her building. But I refused to talk to my own mom about everything.

"Beep.... Beep.... Beep...." The security alarm downstairs suddenly went off, sending me running down the stairs so fast I couldn't even think about the steps. I practically flew down, seeing that the front door was wide open. In a panic, I shut the door and armed the alarm once more, stopping the alerts all together.

"Conner?! You home?!" I suddenly heard footsteps upstairs, seemingly running about. My heart racing and fear seemingly trying to paralyze me in my spot, I slowly edged my way up each step, just waiting for someone to come running at me with a gun or something. It was getting dark outside, and I noted my bedside lamp was on, one I hadn't turned on myself. I peeked into my room around the corner, to see my draws hung open, my intimates scattered across my bed. Bra's, underwear, even my hidden vibrator I bought on a dare with Kyla as a joke, which turned out to be useful. Just saying.

"Ding!" I jumped a little from the sudden sound coming from my laptop, a new message appearing on the screen.

"Do you know what phrogging is?" I closed my bedroom door soon after reading the message, barricading it with my dresser, something I've done several times since my door doesn't actually lock so no one could just barge in. I finally sat down at my desk, looking over the message on my screen in question.

"Who is this....?"
"Look it up!"
I did as the random person on the other side of a screen told me, looking the word phrogging up. And it stopped my heart cold. In the video I clicked, it showed people breaking into others homes and living in their attics, basements, anywhere that wasn't occupied by the residents on a daily basis. That's when a loud bang came from within the attic, causing me to jump violently in my seat, almost falling right off and into the floor. I quickly moved my dresser, more intrigued by the notion of all this than anything. I knew how to protect myself thanks to my dad. I wasn't helpless.

"Whoever is in the attic better show themselves like right now! I have a gun!" Which I didn't. But they didn't need to know that. The attic door was now open when it was once closed the moment I was heading back to my room, slowly making my way up the stairs.

"Alec hide! This isn't a game." My eyes narrowed and I ducked, just in case they had a weapon. I peaked over the last step, seeing a lanky, but cute guy sitting in the chair across the room with a Yoshi peez dispenser in his hand, causally eating the candy out of it like he was just chilling at home. But his eyes were already on me. He knew I was here.

"I know you don't have a gun Sally. But don't worry. I don't either. Want a piece?" He offered me some of his candy once I managed to get the nerve to stand up and walk Into the room, noting he wasn't much older than I at all. And he knew my name.

"So, you're the one who messaged me I assume." What he didn't know, is I had a knife I always kept in my back pocket my dad gave me when I was 15. A purple one he had engraved just for me.

"Guilty." He suddenly jumped up, noting the knife I was pulling from my pocket and yanking it from my hands, his face mere inches from mine at his point. My eyes widened and my heart skipped a beat from his swift motions, not once trying to separate from me. His eyes searched mine. This guy went through my underwear draw! Even taking time to mess with my bra's and found my vibrator. Great.... A cute guy at that.

"You don't need that. I'm not going to hurt you." I slowly pulled away from his grip still on the knife, yanking it away from him as quickly as possible. I retreated it back to my pocket, showing calmness to quickly cool the situation down.

"I'm Alec. Mindy is hiding over there. But I know you heard her." A girl suddenly emerged from behind the full length mirror next to the chair Alec once sat in, eyeing me like she didn't trust it. But seemed calmer than I expected.

"Alec.... You promised you'd leave these people alone. You can't terrorize them." Alec's eyes never left mine, seemingly smiling now, a warm smile. Like he was trying to calm my racing heart because he knew it was out of control. He didn't seem like a serial killer. But he also didn't seem extremely safe. But yet, he somehow felt so familiar.

"I tried. But I can't stop myself from having fun."