The Lost Girl

One

"Claire, are you almost ready?" My brother Michael called out before knocking on my door. "Yeah, just give me about five minutes." I responded as Sams footsteps echoed down the stairs before Michaels followed.

Fifteen minutes had passed and I was finally downstairs. "Took you long enough." Michael muttered under his breathe before rolling his eyes.
"You're one to talk. You take longer than I do sometimes." I replied behind a laugh. We took off after telling our mom about our whereabouts.

The Santa Carla Boardwalk was the hottest place to hang out during the summer. We were there almost every night. Sam was always in the comic shop, looking for a new comic to snag off the shelves.
Michael was always chasing a brunette, like a lost little puppy. Me on the other hand, watched the moon dance on the water from the boardwalk. "I told you not to come in here anymore." The video shop owner Max spoke out sternly; his sternness drawing my attention away from the water and towards the shop.
Four boys walked out as they pushed and shoved each other while laughing amongst themselves. My attention steered towards a small, frail and short haired woman. 'What the hell is mom doing here?' I rolled my eyes and turned back to the water.

Tim Cappello was playing live on the beach. Sam, Michael and I met up to watch the show after we were done doing our own things. While Michaels eyes were on his mystery girl, I felt a pair of eyes on me. I turned to look behind me. The four boys from Maxs video shop were watching me from the boardwalk.
Two of them standing behind the wooden railing that dressed the boardwalk while the other two sat atop the wooden beams. My heart dropped to my stomach. 'Everything will be okay. I'm just in my head. Santa Carla being Murder Capital of the World is just a scary story to tell kids to get them home by curfew.' I look away from them and back at Michael, who was no longer next to me. I'm completely and utterly alone.

After fifteen minutes of looking for my unpredictable siblings, I heard Sam. "She stiffed you." He laughed at Michael. "What the hell is wrong with you." I yelled at Michael while shoving him. "You left me alone and I was being watc--." My throat got dry. His mystery brunette was with them and the boys who were watching me were sitting across from them, propped on their bikes. "Well boys, I think this is our queue to go." The blonde short haired boy spoke out cockily. They laughed to themselves before revving their bikes and speeding off. "Mike can we go please?" I nudged him a little. "Yea, Moms probably freaking out for no reason again." Michael replied before shoving Sam towards the direction of the vehicle.
__________

"Do you mind telling me what that was all about?" Michael asked, finally breaking the silent car ride.
"Those boys, I saw them on the boardwalk, watching me." I said quietly, still paranoid. "Claire, nobody was-
-" "Mike watch out!" Mike was cut off by Sam.
Michael swerved to dodge the golden retriever that had wondered into the road. The car flipped, and everything went black.

My head was pounding. All I could think about was Michael and Sam. 'Are they okay?' I continued to ask myself. As I crawled out of the flipped car, a sharp pain shot through my body. A shard of glass was lodged into my thigh. I was bleeding out badly. If I didn't call for help fast, I know I wouldn't make it. I stood to my feet and yelled for help. The adrenaline quickly fading. I had collapsed back onto the cold concrete. 'This is it. My story has come to a sad and depressing end.' I thought to myself as tears began to trace my face. I was afraid of death. Nobody can truly be ready for death. Especially before they've even had the chance to live. I was only nineteen years old. Michael took oldest by two minutes. My thoughts were quickly taken from me by the sound of roaring in the distance. A minute or so later, four lights accompanied the noise. 'My angels are here to take me away.' I closed my eyes, waiting for the excruciating pain to finally turn into a sweet bliss.

'Shit David, what the hell do we do?'

As I slipped in and out of conscience, a warm, thick substance was forced into my mouth. "If you want to live, you gotta drink Sweets." I did as I was told, afraid of dying. The pain I was feeling was slowly subsiding. A pair of arms snaked around my shape and lifted me off of the cold, hard cement.
'We gotta get her back to the hideout.'
'What about them? They are waking up.'
'Star, head towards the boardwalk and use a pay phone to call an ambulance. Then let's get the hell out of here.'
What they were saying started turning into a blur as I finally began to slip into an unconscious state.
__________

Sam and Michael were rushed to the hospital. Claire was nowhere to be found. Officers spent hours looking for her body. Only a puddle of blood was found at the scene.

"Ma'am, there is something we need to tell you." One of the sheriffs spoke to Lucy in a calm manner.
"Your daughter, Claire has been pronounced missing.
Her body hasn't been found. We found traces of her blood by the accident, but that trail ends off by the Woodline." The sheriff continued. Lucy began to cry.
Not understanding why this had happened to her only daughter.

It had been a week. Mike and Sam recovered from their injuries. Just a few stitches and bruises. Missing posters for Claire decorated the boardwalk. She was still nowhere to be found. Things had felt empty within the Emerson household.

Who knew your life could change so much within a matter of seconds.
__________

'She's waking up.' A mysterious voice said. I slowly opened my eyes. It was dark, and quite chilly. The only light in the room came from a couple lit candles scattering the floor and a small fire burning within a trash can. Each casting a pirouetting shadow of their own. Before sitting up, I studied more of my surroundings. I was unsure about where I was. Four boys sat across from me, keeping a few feet away.
"Where am I?" I questioned them, finally coming to a seated position. "Well, this is our home. It's yours now too." The little one spoke with enthusiasm. "I'm Marko and this is Paul, that's David and Dwayne.
Star and Laddie are asleep over there." Marko continued while pointing in their direction. "What do you mean this is your home?" I asked as confusion coated my voice. "That's a story for a different day.
You've had a long night. Get some rest before nightfall. We will answer any further questions later." David spoke sternly before standing up and walking away. "Goodnight Claire." Marko said happily before following the rest of the boys. I laid back down, crying myself back to sleep. Confused and scared by everything that was taking place around me.