"Jackson, where are my socks? I saw you wearing them on Wednesday you little brat!"

"Mom! Liam barricaded the laundry room and I need to get clean underwear!"

"Marcella! Hurry up and eat your toast, we leave in ten minutes!"

"Dad, look at what I found in the backyard! Can the lizard come with us to the airport? Pleeeeease?"

The sounds of my gigantic family preparing to escort me to the airport echo through the house, making the walls vibrate as I haphazardly threw the last of my clothes into my bulging suitcase. I have to throw the entirety of my body weight on top of my suitcase to get it to close, and even then socks are still hanging off of the side. I lean against my tiny bed and let out a long breath, casting a long look around my small room with its pale blue walls and bookshelf overflowing with good novels. I was overjoyed that I was finally leaving this house and moving on to greater, more important things. 

I got the call as I was beginning college, a clumsy freshman walking around with her head in the clouds, struggling to make ends meet. A scout from a big overseas newspaper had stumbled across an article that I had written for a senior project that was posted online and loved it. He showed it to his editor who had given me a call straightaway, offering me a job on the spot. He had even offered to pay for my plane ticket to London, something that shocked me greatly, and I really appreciated it since that kind of money was scarce in my family of twelve.

My mom had been overjoyed at the opportunity but my dad hesitated, claiming that it all was very dodgy and fishy, but me and my mother payed no heed. I still can't believe it! Me, Trinity Rodin, a columnist at a overseas newspaper! 

My younger brother, James, bursts through my door at such a high speed I can feel the gust of wind as he passes me and jumps on my bed. 

"James! What the hell?" I can't lie, I am SO ready to get out of this house and far, far away from my crazy siblings. 

He sits bolt upright, one of my thin blankets draped over his head. "Trinity, you aren't allowed to curse around us!" He whines loudly. "I'm gonna have to tell mom!" He hops off the bed and zooms past me into the hallway.

"Oh no you don't you little shit!" His screams fill the upper floor as I chase him through the house, all around the two upper levels. We weave through my sisters rooms, and soon their protests add to the deafening din. James tries to make a dash for the bottom floor where our parents are, but I block the stairway and lunge towards him in a desperate attempt to catch him. I miss, instead tripping on the worn carpet and slamming my elbow into the wall. 

"Dammit! I am going to kill you James!" Tingles rush up my arm to my shoulder and pain explodes all over my arm. James scampers away into another room, and before I can follow and exact my revenge a voice stops me in my tracks.

"Trinity! Get your ass down here!" Its my mom. She is an extremely strong believer that cursing is reserved solely for her and her husband, and no matter how old her kids get they don't receive that esteemed privilege.

What a bunch of unfair shit.

I hurry down the stairs, colliding with my little sis, Marcella who has a piece of half-eaten toast in her hand.

"Hey Trin! Mom seems pretty pissed about something. You know anything about that?" So much for the 'No Cursing' rule.

"No, I don't. Sorry Marcella." I head down the stairs, dodging scattered toys and random piles of clothes that look like they haven't been introduced to the laundry room just yet. I find my mom in the kitchen with three of my siblings seated at the table, all in various stages of breakfast. 

My mother is a gorgeous lady, with sparkling brown eyes flecked with gold that I was lucky enough to inherit. Her age is hovering around 65 (I won't be the loser daughter to reveal her mothers age), but she looks like she's in her 40's with her dark brown hair and bright smile. Right now though, her smile is nowhere to be seen.

"Sit down." She snaps, opening our broken screen door to let our huge German shepherd inside. I take a seat at the end of our old and worn table, avoiding the pieces of paper with horrific images (Sorry, artistic masterpieces) that are covered with paint that looks dangerously fresh and completely willing to stain new shirts. 

My mom takes a seat next to me and pulls her phone out of her pocket. She's become completely obsessed with social media since I introduced Instagram to her last year. Its the only thing she uses her ancient phone for. She taps and clicks and then shoves the screen under my nose. I scan the email. A few words stick out to me like danger, daughter, false offer and Trinity. 

I raise my gaze and find extreme worry in my mothers eyes. For some reason this sets me on edge. My mom gets worked up about stupid things constantly, but I get the feeling that this time its serious.

"Mom, what is this? Who sent this to you?" She doesn't reply, but scrolls farther down. 

"Read the last line, Trin." Oh God. Her voice is shaking. Somethings is really wrong.

I quickly find the last paragraph and scan to the bottom line. It reads,

You cannot, under any circumstances, let your daughter proceed on this flight. Do not trust this offer, or everyone you love will be killed.

Ho-ly shit.

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AUTHORS NOTE - hello my precious readers! I hope you are all enjoying Trinity's story so far :) 

Every comment, vote and view means so much to me, especially since this story is still in its baby stages.

Stay safe and healthy!! I hope you have a wonderful day :)

-Aspen♡