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Another student gone. Ari has been missing for two weeks and my head is spinning just from the thought of who knows where.
“Iza, why is this happening?” I know she doesn’t have an answer, but I need to think out loud.
“I don’t know. It isn’t like I’m in charge of this,” Iza responded with sorrow in her voice.
We keep walking to class. She could be next. I could be, or maybe it’ll stop. We don’t know. We don’t know anything about the situation. Early January kids started going missing, and at first it was dismissed as them being sick. Then teachers realized that more and more people were leaving. Three of my friends, five classmates, and twelve people in total. Those numbers will just keep going up.
I keep reminding myself that if I have Iza I’ll be okay, but I’m not so sure that’s true. She helps a lot, and she holds me together, but there is not way I will be okay with only her.
I’ve finally arrived to English class and I already know I’m late. Luckily I’m only late by a minute or so, but it’s still annoying. A certain calm filled my body when I see my other friend Kiki. We have known each other since I was seven. We talked all the time and even wrote a book together.
“Where is Iza?” Kiki asks knowing that Iza is like a sister to me.
“Going to class. I saw her briefly on the way here,” I reply not thinking twice about my answer. What if she’s gone? No, I shouldn’t even consider the idea. Kiki looks at me as if she knows I’m falling apart. Ari, Max, and Grace have all gone missing within the past three months. Me and Ari are best friends, but only if you ignore the fact that there can only be one best. If that’s the case then I don’t have a best friend.
There’s only ten minutes left in class. I can finally leave school in ten minutes. My laptop is almost dead, so now I’m even more happy about leaving. I can read, write, and listen to music when I get home. Those are the only things that drown out the worry when I’m alone.
Class is dismissed and on the walk home me and Iza are extra alert. We pass a massive stone castle. About four or five students live there alone. The castle is made for a king and his army, but now it’s used for parties and who knows what else. You could easily get lost in the massive, intimidating castle. I should know, about two years ago I got lost while trying to visit my friend, who lives here. I was lost for about five hours. I was wondering around like a lost puppy. Eventually I found Max in the living room, and he brought me to her. The problem was us getting lost after that. How could anyone get lost in their own home?
“Kenji, what are you thinking about?” Iza asked me with a concerned look on her face.
“I’m just singing Mylie Grace’s song in my head,” that is a complete lie, but I don’t feel like reminding her of our friends going missing.
“I know you well enough to know that that isn’t true. You didn’t even say which song and she has three albums,” Iza replies with a tone that tells me she knows she’s right.
“I’m thinking about Max and the time he helped my find my way to Grace,” i know ill regret answering truthfully, but most likely she’ll pry it out of me no matter what I say.
I haven’t heard Iza this quiet in a very long time it’s been ten minutes by now and the silence is deafening. I finally look at her and notice that her golden brown hair is now in a ponytail.
Finally Iza says, “I can’t believe he has been gone for over six months. I know both of us were hoping Him, Gracie, and Ari were sick.”
“Yeah neither can I,” it’s a horrible response but what else is there to say?
The rest of our walls is a silent nightmare of worry. What if when I wake up tomorrow iza isn’t here? I know I should think positively but so much is at risk right now. I could go missing with iza or she could without me. Obviously both of us could be fine but that isn’t very likely.
Once I get home I go to the kitchen counter and I see the note my parents left me.
“I have a doctors appointment tomorrow at eight am. Therefore me and your father have deceit stay in a hotel in Lovington County because of the long drive,” I read it aloud wishing they were here, “You cannot stay at a friend's house because of the missing cases. I expect you to be okay”
The words sting. I wish they were here. Lately they have changed. My parents aren’t the people I knew eighteen months ago

I am invested. This is so good!!

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