Chapter 1
April 30th, 2010, I was 10 years old running through the woods with my best friend Isabella. We are laughing and playing, pretending to be running from a monster. We were playing a survival game where we had to survive in a forest full of demons and monsters. We were playing when Isabella tripped. I go to help her up when she starts screaming, “ahhhhhhh!!! STOP PLEASE STOP!” I freak out and back up from her quickly. She is squirming and wiggling like she is trying to get out of something's grasp. I sit down next to her and she continues to scream and sob. “ISA, CALM DOWN IT” S NOT REAL” I yell trying to get her to snap out of whatever false she was in, tears are running down my face out of fear. Then, suddenly she cut me… She thought I was the monster…? She ran off into the woods and I tried to chase after her. After 30 minutes of trying to find her, I ran home to get our parents. “MOM, DAD! HELP!! ISABELLA RAN INTO THE WOODS AND I CAN’T FIND HER” They ran downstairs, my mom called Isa’s mom and my dad ran outside to try and find her. I tried to go and help the search but my mother pushed me back. She told me the best thing I can do to help was to stay out of the way. I ran to my room in worry trying to reach her on her walkie-talkie. I hear breathing heavily and screaming. I was terrified out of my mind. what if she was hurt!? Hours later my mom came home with Christy, Isabella's mom, carrying Isa in her arms. She was sleeping and trembling.
It wasn't until years later my mom finally told me what happened that night… “it was horrific, she was bleeding and her nails were ripped off. She was yelling "No" over and over and would not calm down." At the time her telling me she was trying to hold back the tears. I could tell something wasn't right with the story. "She tried to attack her own mother in a panic.” I woke up in the late hour of the night to my mom and Christy trying to take Isa out of bed while she was sleeping. What are they doing to Isa?? I remember thinking. “Mom…? What are you doing…?” I asked worried they were taking her home but it was much worse than I ever could have predicted. “Nothing hunny go back to sleep.”. I listened, although I wish I hadn't.
The next morning I woke up to her gone. I had assumed she was at home but I went on our joint walkie-talkies every day for the next 4 days with no luck. But I couldn't just give up on my best friend.
