The case of missing Lucy: a romantic hero

The Case of Missing Lucy

10:15 - I'm sitting alone on my usual bench puffing on a lollipop pretending it's one of those smoke makers the adults call a 'cigarette'. This is me Ricky, a prisoner in this compound everyday funneled with useless information about dead presidents and the atomic relationship between ions and electrons and the sad truth is everyone takes it all in like cattle; cattle herding in this correlational facility called George Washington Private Elementary School for the Gifted and Talented. But not me, I know better.I know the hydra of spectre penetrates her neck into the deepest and darkest underbellies of this soulless institution and without boys like me blind Justice withers and dies in the corner like a neglected house plant. What I do ain't easy, but no one ever said it's easy being a servant of the truth.

I look up to see a dark grey cloud wondering if might rain again as the forecast said it would be raining all day although it stopped just after the second period. I glance to my right and am surprised to see a folded piece of paper lying next to me. I reach for the paper while looking around but don't see anyone of a suspect. The little pigeon must have flown right under my nose. I open it up and it's a letter. Inside it's written in red crayon;- Meet me under the bleachers at 13:00 during lunch break. Come alone. - F. The bleachers? But that's where the older kids go play with 'Hanky Panky'. The ring bells and all of us barn animals head back for the fourth quarter I sit in my seat like the good boy I am but unbeknownst to the teacher I roll the letter around in my head. Will I finally meet Hanky and Panky? I've always heard of them in whispers and in graffiti marked in the boys' restroom but their presence always alludes me. No, it can't be it was signed F, but then who's F and why was it written in red crayon? Maybe it's a trap. I'll have to come strapped. Fourth quarter ends and we go for lunch in the cafeteria. I scarf my food down and quietly slip out flipping the lip of my khaki trench coat covering my face and heading for the bleachers.

13:03 - I glance at my matte blue Gshock watch standing in impatience doubting whether this F person will show. In two more minutes if no one shows I'm leaving because I'm considering this was maybe someone's practical joke. I've made quite a name for myself after I solved the mystery of the orange juice box and with that kind of attention, it's inevitable for hecklers to come around my way.

13:04 - Right when I'm thinking this is it I have to go otherwise I'm going to be late for the fifth quarter I feel a presence approaching from behind. I turn around and it's Francine. She's wearing a red raincoat with black rain boots looking at me in trepidation. Francine says "Sorry I'm late. Did you come alone?" I reply "Yeah." Was that you who dropped the letter?" "Yes, it was me. Listen I'll be quick about this. A dear friend of mine went missing. I haven't seen her in over a day. The last I saw her was in the nurse's office. I'm so worried I might have lost her forever. I'm coming to you because you're famous for the orange juice incident. I don't like how you're always sucking on those Chupa Chups, but you're the only one I know that can solve this. Will you find my Lucy?" Lucy?! I know Lucy; she and Francine are inseparable. Lucy held my hand and walked me to the infirmary after the orange juice box case exploded in the library. She even called me honey, and no one calls me honey except for adults and my grandmother, may she rest in peace. What happened to Lucy? "What happened to Lucy?" "I don't know that's just the thing. She was there one moment and then the next poof she disappeared. I'm really scared something might have happened to her. Can you find her by the end of the day? Please? I'll make sure to make it worth your while. Just please don't tell anyone about this."

14:00 - I'm sitting in class again, making a mental list of the usual suspects. The problem is Lucy was friends with everyone. No one I could think of would want her gone let alone have the power to make her disappear. But I remember on Valentine's day she couldn't give Micheal a chocolate because she ran out. Even though everyone needed to give each other one meaning he already had a bag of chocolates, he could have taken it personally. But he's not the type to act in revenge but if anyone knows what happened to my girl then it's gotta be him for he and her dad both work at the same company and luck is on my side for he is the hall monitor this afternoon.

14:30 - I ask the teacher for a hall pass to use the restroom and now I am prowling through the corridors on the hunt for Micheal. I find him alone picking his boogers and I take this opportunity by pulling out my piece I concealed in between my trouser pants to rush at him from behind. "Put your hands where I can see them and give me everything you know about Lucy.", demand I. "What do you want Ricky," he responds coldly, turning around to face me and refusing to take his fingers out of his nose. "I want to know where Lucy is," I say while pressing my weapon into his pouchy stomach."Lucy? She's gone man." Michael says while chuckling and breaking eye contact. I lose my patience for I am on a mission and I will not be denied by this snot mouth; hitherto I grab him by the lapel with my other hand shoving him against the wall and demanding "Where did you take her?" "Hey man, what the hell. She moved to Minniamonis with her parents. Her dad got a promotion and moved the whole family, now get off me man what's wrong with you Ricky." I bring up my gun to his face and ask "Are you telling the truth?" Micheal perplexed by what he sees looks into the barrel and asks "What is that even supposed to be?" "A gun," I reply. "It's a bunch of Lego pieces put together to form an L shape." he rebuttals."Yeah, and I ain't afraid to use it." I declare not catching and reacting to what Micheal did next for it all happened so quickly but I will explain now; he used both hands to push me away and handed me a wallop on my head with his fist. The impact throws me to the ground and I can hear Micheal's footsteps in the distance walking away. My head is throbbing and I feel like I can cry, but I'm not a baby anymore so I pull myself back up and hobble towards the infirmary while considering joining an afterschool boxing gym.

15:00 - "So how did you hit your head, Ricky?" "I fell from the stairs." "Are you sure? Nothing good happens from lying." Says Mrs.Grant the nurse while preparing a bag of ice."Yes, I'm sure. I was playing with Francine near the stairs when I fell." "Oh, that's sweet your friends with Francine. I'm sure she is happy to have a new friend especially since Lucy moved to Minneapolis. They looked so cute together always holding hands." "It's pronounced Minniamonis."No honey, it's Minneapolis. Minneapolis, Minnesota. Here's your ice and now get back to class. I don't want you to miss any more of your lessons. And when you see Francine do you mind giving this to her? She left it here and I haven't had time to bring it back to her in class. Mrs.Grant hands me a white stuffed bunny. Class is almost over and I promised I'd meet Francine at the bleachers.

15:30 - I'm at the bleachers and I'm facing Francine. I confess to her I didn't get any leads on Lucy. "Here's your bunny Francine you forgot it at the infirmary." "Lucy!" she exalts. "Lucy?" I'm perplexed. She hugs the stuffed animal tightly, "Yes, oh my god, I can't believe you found her. I knew you could do it." "But I thought you want Lucy your friend?" "Lucy gave me this bunny before she left for Minniamonis. We decided to name her Lucy."Still confused I ask "But why did you tell me to not tell anyone?" "Ricky, we're going to the 3rd grade soon. I don't want anyone to know I still bring my stuffies to school." I sigh of relief then reply to her "It's Minneapolis." "What was that?" she asks. "It's pronounced Minneapolis. Minneapolis, Minisoda." Francine stares me down and says "See this is why no one likes you. You're a know-it-all." She pulls a plastic bag of lollipops from her pocket throws it at my feet and continues "Just because you did this for me does not mean we're friends. Bye." She pivots and skips away with her Lucy. I crouch down to grab my hard-earned sugar as I hear footsteps rushing. I look up thinking it's Francine again coming back to add to insult, but it's Micheal's brother Victor with his two goons. He rushes at me shouting "This is for pushing Micheal in the hallway!" and socks me right in the stomach with his massive 5th-grader knuckles. I fall to my feet crouched over and he grabs the bag of candy. As he and his buddies walk away I roll onto my back to see the clouds have gone away clearing the sky for the sun to shine. Like I said, it isn't easy being a 9-year-old detective.

End