Insomniac //Life is a Calamity Extra Story

She's Gone...?

Beginnings are hard.

It's five in the afternoon. School ended hours ago. Marky Wu lounges on the living room couch, daydreaming about cupcakes. Red velvet with ube-frosting... nice.

Suddenly a tall figure bursts from the hallway behind, snapping Marky out of his trance, muttering under his breath angrily. His gray business suit and black collared shirt clash terribly with his blue tie. "Kids screwing up the damn laundry... running away from home... Marcy!"

He awaits a response for a few moments, tapping his foot impatiently. Nothing comes. He heaves a sigh before switching his attention to Marky. "There you are! Wait never mind you're the other one. Where's your sister?"

Marky shrugs. His father motions with his hands as he goes off, "What do you mean you don't know!? Surely she would've told you something! You two  are always scheming! Now my tie is ruined, and she was the last person to wash the load! Mixing the colors with the whites, I swear we taught her better! So oblivious!"

He runs a hand through his disheveled jet black hair and rests the other on his hip. "And this was my only white tie. Marcy! Where is she!?"

Marky raises his pointer fingers and moves them together, baring his unnaturally sharp teeth to be understood clearly.

"Yes, I remember we argued. But she wouldn't just run away, this is Marcy we're talking about. She doesn't hold a grudge. And even if she did, she knows she wouldn't survive a week alone."

Marky raises a hand and spells out a name before pulling it to his nose and back down to his chest.

"Anne's birthday? Ah, shoot, you're right. She would run to her friend's house for comfort. And a birthday party is great cover. Thanks."

His son gives a thumbs up before slumping back down the cushions. Mr. Wu digs around in his pockets until he finds his phone. He brings it out and dials his daughter's number. It rings for a few seconds.

"Heya! So sorry, but I can't pick up right now. Leave a message!"

He furrows his brows, taking the device from his ear to check if it's working correctly. Not once has Marcy missed a call. But as they say, there's a first time for everything. So Mr. Wu shrugs it off and tries a second time.

Voicemail. Again.

Now this is weird. He could understand if Marcy was simply looking for her phone the first time and happened to take too long, but twice? Third time's the charm. If this doesn't work, then panic.

Voicemail.

Welp. Panic it is. The worst possible situations begin to play in his head on repeat.

She could be lost. Why did he let her go alone? She could've been hit by a car. She is clumsy. She could've been raped. Again, why did he let her out alone? She could've been attacked. Maybe he should look into a child leash. She could be dead. Please not that one.

Mr. Wu calls for his wife. When she appears at his side, he takes her hand and leads them both out the door before she can protest. Marky's groggy smile drops to a confused frown. This won't end badly, will it?

The Boonchuys are just as confused as them.

Their daughter is gone too. She never even came home to them. According to Ms. Waybright over the phone, her daughter didn't either. These three are best friends. They do everything together, which means they must be together right now, wherever they are.

Not one of them are answering any calls from anyone. And the calls aren't being denied, just left to voicemail. The two sets of anguished parents call the police to report them missing before filing outside to look for their kids.