//every freaks role model//v.6.0: do you love me? do you hate me?//

By three o' clock pm, Ebony had called the police, and Charlie had reassured her that Jack would be found safe and sound, and the small people were probably just prankster kids and hadn't laid a finger on Jack.
They were now on the living room sofa, watching some daytime soaps. The police had already been round, needing photos and information on Jack, and a few of his friends. Ebony was still hugely worried. What on earth could she tell her parents? If she told them anything.
Of course you have to tell them! the voices argued again, He's their son, they deserve to know! They have a right to!
But they'd never trust you again, the other voice stated truthfully, no more staying at home alone.
"Charlie?" Ebony said, as one of the soap's credits came up.
"Yeah?" they looked at eachother.
"Will the police tell my parents?"
"Eventually, I think so. But it'll be better if you tell them yourself."
Ebony looked back towards the TV without a word. After a while, the silence got awkward again.
"Eb?" Charlie said, out of the blue.
"Hmm?"
"Why do you hate me?"
Ebony paused before answering.
"Because you were the popular one as school. You seemed all arrogant and full of yourself."
Just after she said it, she wished she hadn't. It seemed like such a stupid reason now. Charlie smiled.
"That's it? Good, I thought it was something drastic."
Ebony was surprised he wasn't mad.
"I-" she stopped in mid-sentance, and gaped at the window behind Charlie's shoulder.
"What's wrong?" he asked, and turned round as well.
Peering through the window was a small, pale head. It had short, spiky, red hair and big feminine blue eyes. "It's one of them!" Ebony shrieked, jumping up from the sofa. The small person jumped slightly at Ebony's sudden movement, a scared and surprised look on her face. But it was definetly the same species as the things that swiped Jack away. It put out the palms of its its hands out in defense, and to Ebony's horror, slipped through the crack of the open window. Ebony's hand flew towards the picket stick of the fireplace.
"Please! No!" the small person squeaked in a high, terrified voice.
"Where the heck did you take my brother?!" Ebony screamed at it.
"I don't think it was like that-!" Charlie protested.
"Yes! It was not me!" the person pleaded, "I know who took your sacred one! I need you to help me bring him back!" Ebony lowered the picket.
"My name is Aerona," the person smiled slightly and bowed, "You must be Ebony." She said the name with great difficulty, as if she didn't quite know the pronounciation.
"Well.. yeah, I am... How did you know?" Ebony put the picket down.
"You are related to the sacred one." Aerona said, slipping off the window sil.
"Er.. Jack's sacred?" Charlie and Ebony both said, almost at the same time.
"Well. Only to one group of us." Aerona said quietly."
"'Us?' Who's 'Us'?" Ebony rubbed her head and huffed, "Okay.. wait. Start from the beginning... What are you? Who's 'us'? Where's my brother?"
Aerona sat on the floor cross-legged, and began.