We checked back into school during the last half of P.E. class, just twenty minutes before the pep rally was set to start. Coach Lawrence gave us some last minute things to do for the gym to be ready and ten minutes before start time, Mrs. Laughlin brought down the camera equipment and helped me set it up.“Don’t overdo it today, Aurora.” Mrs. Laughlin suggested with a smile. “You have a lot going on and we still have to process all those photos from last week so just go with whatever feels natural here and the game tomorrow night, too. Don’t overextend yourself trying to capture everything.”I nodded my understanding, knowing she had my best interests at heart with her suggestions but I was never one to half-ass anything, especially something I was passionate about.Starting Monday, I planned to tackle those photos from the game and just deal with the effects afterwards with Greta in session. I refused to hide from this anymore. The best way to prevent becoming a victim was to let th
We did not return to class once we left CiCi’s office. Instead, Owen and I picked up lunch through a drive-thru and drove back to the house, where we could eat and talk without any interruptions or any risks of anyone overhearing us. Barb and John had already left when we arrived, having to be at the diner at eleven this and every morning.So far, we were relatively silent, each lost in our own thoughts. Other than asking me what I wanted when he pulled up to the burger joint’s drive-thru, not a word was spoken until we entered the house and put the food down.The moment I sat the bags on the counter, Owen grabbed me and pulled me to him in one swift move and his mouth found mine. He lifted me by my hips as I wrapped my legs around his waist and carried me swiftly down the hall and into the bedroom, throwing me down on the bed and climbing in after me, ditching clothes as he did.Without a word, I understood. He could not speak to his vulnerability right now. It was too much, too raw w
“WHAT!?” Owen asked loudly, quickly followed by, “Where?”“In the woods along Five Forty-Two but about two and a half miles from where her car was discovered. The crazy thing is, she should have never been on that highway to begin with. I'll explain more about that in a minute.”“So have they ruled the husband out as a suspect?” Owen asked her.“Yes, almost immediately.” She answered with her lips sets in a grim line. “Not only was he completely transparent and forthcoming, he had an airtight alibi. He has security cameras installed in their front and back yards and he chose Sunday afternoon to mow the yard while she was at the gym. He is seen on and off the cameras all afternoon and his truck never moved.”The feeling of dread I had experienced all morning came back with a vengeance, threatening to choke the very breath from me as I sat and listened. I knew there was more she was about to reveal to us and somehow I felt like I already knew what she would say.I attempted to speak but
Two more days had passed and the public was growing more and more restless by the moment, myself included. The police were not disclosing any information about the investigation concerning the death of Alexis Parker nor the disappearance of Penelope Hudson. Both Penelope’s husband and the parents of Alexis were becoming regulars on the evening news, both parties desperately begging and pleading anyone with any information to come forward. At this point, the police could not even disclose whether they suspected the two cases to be related to one another or not.My days had pretty much been the same. Classes progressed normally despite everyone staying distracted. As soon as school finished, Owen and I would find somewhere to eat dinner together before parting ways. He would head straight to football practice and I would drive downtown to Greta’s office. We would meet back at the diner, work our shift together with Barb and John before going home. Once home, we would usually mess around
Nighttime is when we are supposed to sleep, to restore and fuel our bodies for the adventures and necessary tasks of the next day. A time when the body relaxes and we can drift away, leaving our problems with the sandman.That’s impossible when the nightmares wake you up, screaming at four o’clock in the morning. Thankfully, Owen was there. As always, he was my lifeline, my saving grace. He pulled me from the darkness of my mind, letting me know that I was awake and safe in his arms.In this nightmare, I was running down a dark highway. I was being chased but every time I looked behind me, I couldn’t see anyone. Somehow, I just knew they were there and I was needing to run for my life. The only sounds around me was the clop clop of my shoes against the pavement as I ran, echoing loudly in the silence of the night. The smell of damp, decaying leaves from the woods lining both sides of the road were the only smells I could make out.It was dark, so dark. The trees were so thick that the
The diner was packed as I pulled up, parking right next to John’s truck behind the building. Of course, it would be. Every person in Wood Haven knew if you wanted the latest gossip, to catch the scoop on all things happening around town, you came to the diner to eat and to share what you knew with others. If you didn’t have anything to share, you were there to absorb it all so you could do your part as a responsible citizen and help spread the latest news further down the line.Our small town had a mysterious unsolved murder on Friday night and just two days later, a missing young woman. The people wanted to know not only what was going on but what others knew or at least, could spectulate about the given circumstances.I entered through the back, as usual. I had left my backpack in the car, knowing the heavy crowd would prevent any schoolwork from being completed. Later, after everyone had satisifed their curiosities, I could sit down and work on my assignments. For now, I dropped my