"Christie, Christie!!" I had yelled, looking franticly around the house for my sister, hoping she would answer to my call. "Perfect." I had mumbled, and grabbed the key to her room, unlocking the door and peeked inside. I had glanced around, and opened the door more, slipping inside. I had felt a cool breeze blow against the side of my face. I looked up and turned, noticing the open window. "No."

I sat on the couch, in the living room, my elbows rested on my knees and my head in my hands. Across from me was my friend Contessa, or Tess. She was just as worried as I was. "Don't worry, Liz," Tess said, trying to smile, "we'll find her." I looked up and sighed, "She couldn't be that far, could she?" I asked myself. Just then, a black Keeshound walked into the living room, lying by my feet. My dog, Natasha, looked up at me, her big brown eyes filled with confusion and hurt. "We'll find Christie, I know it." A voice rang in my head. "Did you hear that Tess?" I asked, looking at her with a questioning look. "Hear what? I didn't here anything," She replied. Maybe it's my imagination. Maybe I'm so nervous that I heard something. "It's not your imagination, Liz," The voice said, "Nor are you hearing things." I looked at Natasha, and shook my head. Did she say that, or am I going insane?

I had run into the living room, and grabbed the phone. I dialed the first number that came to my head, Contessa. I tapped my fingers against the table before I heard someone pick up. "Tess?" I asked nervously, hoping it was her. "Yes?" She replied, and I let a small relieved sigh. "Christie," I felt like crying, but didn't, "is. gone." There was a long silence until Tess spoke. "I'll be right over, Liz, don't worry!" She said, before hanging up. I hung up and plopped onto the couch, and burrowed my face into a pillow as I cried. "Why me?" I asked myself, as tears soaked the pillow I held close to me.

"Liz?" Tess asked, watching me as I sat there, starring at my dog. I blinked and looked up, "Ya?" "You were looking at you dog funny. Are you ok?" She asked, before she walked over and sat on the couch by Natasha and I. "Fine," I faked smiled and mumbled to myself, "I think."

I heard the doorbell ring, and I sat up, wiping away my tears, before walking to the door. I sighed and opened the door, and smiled lightly. Tess stood at my door, as a breeze blew her reddish-orange hair. "Come in," I said, stepping away from the doorway to let her in. Then she started. "What happened?!?" She ran over and sat in the recliner, as I sat in the couch. "What happened?" She asked again, not as sudden as before. I took a deep breath and started, "I went to get Christie up this morning. I called her name, but there was no answer. I became really nervous, so I went to try her door, but it was locked," I stopped for a second, and notice Tess to go on. "I grabbed the key to her room, and unlocked her door, but, but she wasn't there." I stopped myself from bursting out crying. She looked at me, defiantly thinking. "What am I going to do?" I asked myself.

I stood up. I couldn't wait any longer! I had to find my sister, with Tess's help. "Come on," I said, tossing Natasha's leash to Tess, "we have to find Christie." Tess nodded, and hooked Natasha up to the leash. "I think she's nearby!" Again, that same light voice rang in my head. I shook my head, knowing that I was hearing things. "Don't you know who I am? This voice, your gift?" "Gift?" I thought, "What gift?" I chuckled to myself, and walk up to the door, Tess behind me. As I opened the door, I looked down, and gasped. Spiders, at my door? Actually, tarantulas? "Hello, there."

I backed away from the door and slammed it. Tess looked at me. "What was it?" She walked up to the door, and opened it, and looked around. "There's nothing there, Liz." She laughed then looked down and screamed, dropping Natasha's leash, "SPIDERS?!?!"

I laughed nervously, and watched the traumatized Tess close the door, and turn around. "How did they get here?" She asked her voice high-pitched. I shook my head, to afraid to say anything. Now I can talk to animals. Great, just great. "Tess, lets go through the back door." I said, grabbing Natasha's leash, and walking towards the kitchen.

We walked out the back door, Tess keeping an eye out for spiders. Natasha sniffed the ground, and looked at me. "This way." Natasha said, pulling me along. Tess looked at me, then at Natasha. "Is she ok?" She asked, trying to keep up with me and my dog. "She's fine." I said, unhooking Natasha's leash. "I'll be back."

"What the." Tess blurted out, watching Natasha run away from us. She turned to me, a confused expression on her face. "Why did you do that? She's not going to come back." I only smiled; maybe talking to animals wasn't as bad as I thought. I just couldn't tell anyone. "She'll come back," I said, Tess staring at me as though I was insane.

"I think I found Christie!" I heard a voice in my head, and I jumped, before taking off. "Come on, Tess!" I exclaimed, running towards the woods. I stopped right before the woods start, and watched Tess run up next to me. "What was that?" She asked, taking long breaths. I forgot, she doesn't know I can talk to animals! "Uh, just had an urge to run." I lied, and then looked at the woods again. "We're not going in there, are we?" Tess asked, not really a fan of the woods or spiders. "Come on Liz," Natasha's voice echoed in my head, "I have Christie!" I grinned, and darted into the woods. Tess followed, only to get caught in one of the bushes. I turned back, and yanked Tess out of the bushes, then started running toward the sounds of barking.

I found Christie clinging to Natasha, and smiled. "Christie?" I asked, my voice was soft and light. She looked up, and grinned, then jumped up and hugged me. Tess smiled, but was confused how Natasha found Christie, and how I found the two in the woods. If only she knew.

The End