Where Is Araminta Green? (ONC 2024)

Episode 5

[Eerie music]

Jordan: Welcome to "Where is Araminta Green?" where I, Jordan Thompson, investigate the disappearance of my classmate and neighbor. Two years ago, I was the last person to see Araminta, and the mystery of her whereabouts just won't leave my mind. This episode, the fifth installment of the series, will allow us to learn more about who Araminta was before she vanished on that faithful morning as I've had the opportunity to sit down with her older sister Christine for a chat.

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[Low chatter and clanking porcelain]

Jordan (narrating): I agreed to meet Christine in a local coffee shop. Being late morning on a weekday, the place isn't crowded, so I'm hoping we will be able to talk without disruptions. I do apologize for any background noise present in the recording though.

Woman: Are you Jordan Thompson?

Jordan (narrating): Christine arrives right on time. She's a put-together woman with blonde hair dancing right above her shoulders and sensible sneakers on her feet. After having introduced myself to her and explained my project, I start my recorder—after getting her consent of course—and ask her to introduce herself.

Christine: My name is Christine Etheridge Green. Green is my maiden name but I've been married to Mike for almost 14 years. I'm 38 years old and I have two children, twins who are twelve years old. So they keep my life busy. Driving to practices, helping with homework, breaking up petty squabbles, all that fun stuff!

Jordan (narrating): Having siblings who are eleven and thirteen years old, I think I can imagine.

Christine: I'm working as a nurse at a radiology practice in Mistwood. That's why I figured I could meet up with you on my way to work. We live about thirty minutes outside of town.

Jordan: And what is your relation to Araminta?

Christine: I'm Mindy's—that's what we called her—older sister. Or half-sister, I guess. We have the same father, Ronald. He and my mom divorced when I was about ten, and he married Joan a few years later. That's why we are so far apart in age. Our dad was almost fifty when she was born.

Jordan: Are there more siblings?

Christine: I have two sisters who I share both parents with. Amy and Julie. Then Joan has... two kids from previous marriages as well. Patrick and Rachel. I haven't seen them in a long time though. We were mostly connected through our common sister, I guess.

Jordan: All siblings are significantly older than her then?

Christine: Yeah, we were all almost adults when my youngest sister was born. I was in college myself. I think Rachel may have still lived at home, but she was around fifteen or so. So despite having so many siblings, I think Mindy may have felt like an only child. I'm not sure my father and Joan actually planned to have children together. They were thrilled about her being born of course but when she got older I sometimes sensed that they didn't have the mental energy for another small child. Like they were done with that stage of life and were ready for golfing and grandkids. So Mindy was left to her own devices a lot. She played in the woods behind the house for hours on end. We used to call her a wild child as she always had leaves in her hair and dirt on her cheeks.

[Leaves rustle]

Jordan (narrating): Somehow, everything seems to lead to those woods. I may have to go back there again.

[Wind howls]

Christine: When she was little, Mindy didn't talk much, at least not before she started school. But she read a lot. Books way above her grade level. Joan was a librarian and had shelves upon shelves of classic books at home. I think my sister read them all before she was out of middle school. During every family gathering, her nose was deep in a book, barely answering if someone addressed her. I did find it a bit strange but it's not like you can tell a kid not to read books.