Letters to Opal from Auntie Janine

It is exactly 23 hours 56 minutes and 30 seconds after my life got altered. How my life got altered from normal to strange to crazy, and from crazy to terrifying. I did not know the situation fully, but I knew who was behind all of this madness.

15 hours 32 minutes and 5 seconds before the madness started.- I am an Environmental Science major who attends the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville to get my Ph.D. I am walking through the hallway hurriedly to get to my dorm. It is Christmas break, and I forgot to pack my bags so I can go see my family in Arizona. I am speeding past professors and students when I see Dean Ouachita flag me down. I slow to a steady walk. I come into reaching contact with the dean. She gives me a letter. It was a sad-looking letter. It looks like it has been beaten up by packages and the tight grip of the postal delivery man's fingers along with quarter-sized coffee stains blotched on the letter. I look at the letter. It has no stamp nor an address to where it came from. Who could it be? I open the letter.

Dear Opal,

You might not know me, but I know you. That's a really weird way to start a letter, but that's a good thing because I'm weird. Anyways, that's not what this is about. I needed to inform you that you will not be reporting to your family's house in Arizona this Christmas because it burned down. So, they rescheduled the party at my house in Los Angeles, CA. Make sure you pack sunscreen. I know how much your eczema gets irritated in the sun. Ohh, and don't forget your fifth pet goldfish Sandy. We have a lot to catch up on. Too-da-loo.

Love, your Auntie Janine.

I collect myself from what I just read. I'm not too messed up about the house burning down part. It was so old and unstable that a little nudge would have knocked the whole thing over. I am confused about something, though. I don't have an Auntie Janine.

10 hours 9 minutes and 10 seconds before the madness started.- My plane lands in Los Angeles California. I swiftly walk toward the baggage carousel to get my luggage. I am there. I wait 10 minutes. My bags are not there. I wait another 5 minutes. They still aren't there. I wait longer. I've waited for a total of 40 minutes. I am the only one standing by the baggage carousel. I finally give up. I head to the transportation section of the airport and find my name on a poster being held by a chauffeur. He looks interestingly suspicious, but I don't have anywhere to go. So, I climb in black window tinted SUV, buckle up, and head off.

5 minutes into the car ride.-I feel very unsafe. The inside of the SUV is decorated like a jungle, and there is taxonomy everywhere. There was a tiger skin on the head cushion and rat tails on the seat belts. I am creeped out. The chauffeur turns around while driving, says, "Hope you like the decor. tried to make you feel at home." Then, he handed me a letter.

Dear sweet, sweet, gullible Opal

What in the world were you thinking hopping into a strangers car? Just because they have your name held up on a sign doesn't mean go into their car. Since you can't learn a little thing like that, I teach you to never do that again. Now my husband, your Uncle Jerome, will kidnap you because of the mistake you made. See you soon sweety. Hopefully.

Love, your dear Auntie Janine.

Now, I am officially afraid. What did I get myself into? The exact moment that I stopped reading the letter, Jerome stepped on the gas, sped through the highway, and got on an abandoned road. We pulled up to a nice looking mansion with strong soundproof bulletproof windows and big steel doors. Once I was in, there was no getting out.

Approximately 4 minutes and 15 seconds in the mansion.-Jerome pushed me down the stairs to a dark leaking cellar. Once there, I hear muffled screaming and squeaking in the back of the cellar. I am very afraid. Jerome starts to leave, then he stops and says, "Say hello to your Mami and Papi for me darling. Have a lovely night. Hope the rats don't bite. Ohh, and Merry Christmas." Then he chuckled, walked up the stairs and turned the lights on to reveal my mom and dad stuck in crates of rats.

Once I look at my mom and dad, anguish, scariness, and aggravation take over my body. I want to throw something but hide in a corner at the same time. I run over to the crates which held my parents and the rats. There was a letter on it. It read...

Dear young, dumb Opal

I hope you enjoy the scenery, I tried to make you as comfortable as I possibly could. I just knew you'd love seeing your parents getting eaten alive by rats. That's why I told them it was your idea because of what they did to you in the past. But let me not explain, you know what happened. Anyways, it's Christmas, so I decided to get you a little gift. Turn around.

From, Auntie Janine

P.S. open it soon, or it might haunt you forever.

I turn around. Sitting in the middle of the cellar was a purple box that stood four feet tall with a yellow bow on it for me. I pull on the bow, and all four sides of the box fall to the floor. Standing was a statue of me and my parents. My parents were holding hands and hat rats all over them. I was standing on the side with a smile and hugging an unfamiliar lady, but she looked just like my mom.

0 hours 0 minutes and 1 second before the madness started.- At the foot of the statue sat a letter. It was a sad-looking letter. It looks like it has been beaten up by packages and the tight grip of the postal delivery man's fingers. Along with quarter-sized coffee stains blotched on the letter. My name written in solid black marker lay in the middle of the envelope. On the right, it says, "From Mom and Dad. Regarding your Auntie Janine." I open it.

In the time of any crisis regarding the death of Paul Mitchel and Reagan Mitchel, Opal's parents, we give full custody of our child to Reagan's sister, Janine Reed. Along with our inheritance and business. Any debt, tax, or bill will be registered to go to Opal for a month, and when the month is done, it will go to Janine. Opal, we were forced to write this by your Auntie Janine. Sorry, we couldn't tell you about any of this. We were afraid of what your aunt would do to us if she found out about you. So, we didn't tell her. It looks like she found out on her own. Love you and we wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Love, Mami and Papi.

P.S. Janine scratched through some parts of this letter and has edited and sent it to the government. Sorry.

Ohh no, what just happened. I hear footsteps behind me and a light snicker. I turn around.

0 hours 0 minutes and 0 seconds when the madness started.

Standing right in front of me is my Aunt Janine and Uncle Jerome.

"We're going to have a nice life darling. Especially with a life long servant. Merry Christmas Sweetheart.", says Janine.

"And a Happy New Year," says Jerome.

Then, Jerome held up a tranquilizer dart and shot me in my thigh.

I was out like a light. I was shining bright like Christmas lights on a tree but was abruptly put out like a sparkler on New Years Day. All I have to say is, "Happy New Year, and have a better Christmas than I did."