Once I had stopped laughing, I assisted the twins into chairs and took out a new box of cereal, I let the dogs have the other. It's a good thing Mum stocks up each month, once the twins were done with breakfast, I put on a movie for them on the TV and helped them unpack their toybox. My parents still weren't up and this wasn't like them. Usually, once the twins were fed, they would be in the kitchen making their morning coffee. I kept the twins occupied until late in the afternoon before my father appeared. He looked as though he hadn't slept a wink. I knew better than to ask anything, so I just waved with a little smile as I saw him enter the living room.
"What would you like for dinner, we're having takeout", Dad said with sadness in his eyes. Mum didn't come out of her room at all. Once the takeout arrived, the twins tucked in and Dad took some food to their room. He left me to help with the twins and prepare them for bed. He didn't leave the room after that again either. I was starting to get worried. After the twins were tucked in for the night, typically sharing Ted's bed tonight as Rose's was completely covered with teddy bears, I went to watch the news as I usually do. I made myself comfortable on the carpet as Josh Brown appeared on the screen. He was sweating profusely again, so what now?
A picture appeared onscreen behind him, but the picture was completely blurred. It was mostly shades of white on the edges so I assumed it must have been taken in a building or room. The whole bottom part of the picture was red, blood? It must be blood, it looked as though the entire floor had been painted in blood. Just here and there you could see a lick of another color, I guess it was the people and the clothes they were wearing. Josh looked at the camera stating "On tonight's news parental guidance is advised and younger viewers should be prohibited from this content." He was sweating like a pig again, his entire shirt was covered in sweat and he wiped his brow frequently. I was curious so I stayed put. "The investigation on the murders that took place on Cherry Road is still ongoing and no new information has been obtained. We now go to the field where Sharon Crew is gathered with officials investigating the case. Now to you Sharon." Sharon is usually doing fieldwork on the news channel, she and her cameraman are always documenting every event in this town. Recently the other high school had a career day and she was even present at that event. She is a tall blond with blue eyes and she always wears what I call a lady suit, tailored jacket, pencil skirt, a white shirt, and black hills "Thank you, Josh, I am gathered here with police officials investigating the murders of the Thomas family," Sharon said with a straight face. The Thomas family, why did that sound so familiar?
"Police officials are yet to comment on the tragedy that is currently plaguing our peaceful town," Sharon continued, I personally thought she was laying it on thick. Her acting was her pride and joy, however, the news channel was the best she could do in this town and we all knew it. " The victims of this horrendous crime have been identified as none other than Louis and Amanda Thomas." A picture of their faces was placed in the background. I practically swallowed my tongue. Amanda Thomas, I knew only as Auntie Amanda. She is or was my mother's best friend. She often visited and slept over when her husband was out of town. She was a very short, round woman with short spiky black hair and brown eyes. She was absolutely an extrovert and would get into trouble with us kids or even be the instigator. I didn't know her husband all that well as he worked abroad and would only come back a few times a year. She was the funniest and kindest person ever. They didn't have any children, I overheard once that it was impossible for them both. Instead, she adopted us as her nieces and nephew and spoilt us rotten. We did not spend much time at their home but I knew they had two dogs as well. I wasn't listening to Sharon as she carried on, I did catch the part where she mentioned that the dogs had been poisoned though. I couldn't believe it.