arcade

iv

It had been three months since Vance disappeared.

I knew something was wrong the moment I got home, and he wasn't there. I assumed that he was still trying to beat the game, but when he didn't come home by nighttime, I was terrified.

My mom told me that we should wait in the morning to check if he just went home or something. I knew he didn't. Vance hated going home. Plus, he promised me he'd come back here.

The moment I woke up I immediately left for his house. I knocked on their door at least four times until his mom finally answered. She didn't look too good.

She had a busted lip and black eye, but she smiled at me, nonetheless. 

"Holly, what are you doing here?" Vance's mother had always been kind to me. I think she was thanking me for looking out for her son when she couldn't.

"Did Vance come home last night?" I quickly asked. She furrowed her eyebrows at me.

"No, sweetie. I thought he was still with you." I was on the verge of tears at this point. My first thought was the Grabber, a child kidnapped who had been taking more and more of us.

"He was supposed to, but he never showed up. I'm worried."

"It'll be okay, Holly. I'm sure he just got himself into some trouble." I'm not sure why, but I was furious at her answer. I understand why she would think that, and it was a better reasoning than what I was thinking. But, she was wrong. The whole town was wrong.

I went to the police immediately after bidding her farewell. The detectives were helpful, either because they cared or because of who my dad was. I didn't care. A few police officers and town folks conducted a search for Vance, but he never turned up. A lot of people assumed that he had gotten into a fight that he couldn't win, the rest knew it was the Grabber.

There's been a kidnapper in our town lately. Besides Vance, he's taken three other kids so far. I wasn't close with any of them, but I recognized their names and faces. When you grow up in a small town like ours, it's pretty difficult to be unfamiliar with a lot of people.

The detectives are still working on the case, but there aren't any leads. I keep trying to convince myself that he's okay somewhere, defending himself. Vance is strong, he would never go down without a fight. It's the only thing keeping me sane just thinking about that.

Today is Tuesday. I'm a little sluggish this morning, well every morning, but my mom never rushes me anymore. I haven't even been forced to go to piano lessons since his disappearance. Well, I'm not sure I'd be able to anyway.

I haven't really gotten the energy to leave my bed much. After two weeks, my parents made me leave my room for school. My neighbors will drive me to school, and I walk home with three of my friends. A lot of people have been more on edge after the kidnappings, so it's just extra precaution. My mom won't let me go places alone anymore, not like I want to.

I'm in a self-pitying despair routine of life. I'm alive, but I'm not living. How could I? How could I continue with my life when Vance isn't here with me? How can I just go back to normal when I have no idea what is happening to him right now? I hate that everyone is just acting like I need to move on already, but I can't. The kidnapper is still out there, waiting for his next victim.

School is awful too. Everyone just stares at me, waiting for me to bawl or show any reaction, so they can talk about it. My friends don't know how to talk to me, and my mom is acting like I'm a hospital patient.

I just miss Vance. Everyday that passes is another sign that his chances of surviving is decreasing. Vance is the Grabber's third victim. The first two were Billy (the town's paperboy) and Griffin. I didn't know Griffin, but I did know Billy. We weren't close or anything. We would occasionally talk when I ran into him during one of his deliveries. He was a sweet kid, and he was saving up to buy a new bike.

Anyway, back to reality. After I got out of my neighbors' car, surprisingly, no one is looking at me. Their heads are down, but they're chatting nonstop. I can't hear the hushed whispers, but it's definitely something serious.

"Hey, Holly." I turn my head and make eye contact with Nancy. She's one of my closest friends, and she was there that day that Vance beat that kid up at the convenience store. "Have you heard?"

"Heard what?" She had a strange expression on her face, and I knew I wasn't going to like whatever she told me.

"The Grabber's got another victim. He took Bruce!"

My eyes widen, and I swore I felt my heart plummet. Bruce was a sweetheart, and the best baseball player I've ever seen. I've known him my entire life, but as guilt as I feel, I'm more concerned with what that means for Vance.Did the Grabber get another victim because he had already killed Vance?

"Hey, it's okay. I'm sure Vance is still fine." Nancy says when she saw the look on my face. It wasn't helpful, but I didn't tell her that.

If I wasn't terrified to walk home alone, I would've left school immediately after the news.