Chapter 1- Damp Sidewalks
The last of that mornings rain drips outside, no longer coming from the sky, but the surfaces that cover us. the window pane is cold against my cheek, the frame of my glasses pressing into my face. I look down the road, bored, waiting for Alice to walk over.
Alice has been my friend for as long as I could remember. Normally I would walk out too and meet her, but I had sprained my ankle only 2 days prior. We had been playing near the woods, we were playing hopscotch. One of the other neighbor kids snuck up on me, and I tripped. Percy had just laughed before helping me. I didn’t find it funny, though. Alice had looked about ready to punch him.
I live in a small town with my mother. We don’t own our house. Someone else lives here. His name is Robert, he’s pretty young, him being in his early twenties. He had told me it was because his parents kicked him out due to him not wanting to go to college. I like Robert, but he always looks so sad. I’ve asked why. He hasn’t once given me a response, though.
Someone knocks on the door. I wince when my feet hit the ground, having forgotten about my ankle. softening my pace, I make my way carefully to the door. As it swings open, Alice’s warm smile greets me at the door, her charcoal black hair getting tangled in the wind. As usual, she’s very layered up. She always seems to be buried in her clothes, while in the coldest winters I can wear shorts and a shirt and be just fine.
“finally, I was beginning to think you’d never open the door.” Alice puts on a fake frustration.
I sigh. I’m not one to joke around Much.
“what? I thought you liked it outside.”
Alice responds, Snickering “not when it’s all clammy and sad outside.” “besides, the only interest thing in the area is off limits.”
You both glance over to the woods. the adults don’t like us and the neighbor kids going in it. They say it’s easy to get lost in.
“Come on, Claire. Let’s see if Todd’s home.”
Alice drags me out of the house. We both pad down the sidewalk, talking and laughing as you go. Outside of mine and Alice’s little bubble, the neighborhoods more quiet than usual. The curtains are all pulled shut, everything still damp from the rain. dead worms are screwn about, puddles and mud splash along the sidewalks, it looks as if someone took a paintbrush and flicked it everywhere. The only sounds come from the occasional passing car, water droplets, our feet, and the insects from the woods.
One of the neighbor kids run from their driveway. It’s Ely.
“Finally, someone’s out. We’ve just been shut in the house all day.” He takes out his hand, mocking his uncle. “We’re taking care of something. Dont bother the others.” He scoffs. “Just because Daniel decided to run off doesn’t make it my problem.
The hair on the back of my neck rises. Im not very worried about Daniel. His group of friends is routey, energetic. They often play around, go over to each other, forgetting to ask first. I feel like theres eyes on me. Not from any of the three of us, not from Ely’s little siblings looking at us in the doorway. Someone farther.
“When did he go missing?” I ask, barley paying attention.
“A day and a half.”
That’s it? Daniels been gone before. The longest he’s been missing for has been a week so far. Each time, he’s retured without the slightest scratch, without any sign of danger. He got grounded every time, of course. So did some of his friends; their parents aren’t as strict as Daniels, though. The goosebumps on my skin finally get to me. I turn, looking for the eyes. She disappears from the fence, as if she wasn’t there in the first place. Her face had been a blank stare, but there was a story in her eyes.
