Echoes of Yesterday

Part 2 - MIA (Missing In Action)

Mirrors have a strange way of pulling you in. Sometimes it feels like you're looking for something—some flicker of familiarity, something that might make sense of the person staring back at you. I remember hating my nose. A friend once compared it to an elephant's trunk, and from that day on, I felt like I didn't belong. It was as if the reflection in the mirror was a stranger, a constant reminder of all my insecurities. I felt like an alien in my own body, lost in a world that didn't seem to want me.

But then he came along, with his crooked smile and his way of turning the world on its head. He saw beauty where I saw flaws. He said my nose reminded him of a parrot's beak, and for some reason, that made me laugh. His lightheartedness broke through the walls I had built around myself, and suddenly, I felt seen. He made me proud of what I had once hated, and in his presence, I started to embrace the very things I had tried so hard to hide.

As I sat on my bed that morning, the weight of everything pressing down on me, I untied my braids, running my fingers through my hair. I sprayed dry shampoo to freshen it up, the familiar scent providing a momentary comfort.

My sunflower claw clip lay on the dresser, a little treasure I'd found in a small store downtown, and as I picked it up, memories flooded back of lazy afternoons spent wandering through shops, sharing dreams and laughter.

I pinned up my hair, the bright yellow clip standing out against my dark strands like a beacon of hope amidst the chaos.

Dressing was an act of defiance against the heaviness in my heart. I slipped into my favorite blue frock, adorned with red flowers, the fabric soft and worn from years of wear. Each thread carried echoes of happier days—days spent dreaming of the future, with him by my side. I clasped the bracelet he had given me around my wrist. It still glimmered in the morning light, a reminder of the bond we shared, and I felt a flicker of strength, though it was quickly overshadowed by the uncertainty that loomed over me.

Downstairs, my parents were glued to the news, their faces pale and drawn.

The headline flashed across the screen—Police, a Search, Someone Missing.

My heart raced, but I didn't think much of it, just kissed them goodbye and left on my bike, the weight of their worry trailing behind me like a shadow.

The library has always been my refuge, the one place where everything feels quiet, even when my mind is a chaotic storm. I could lose myself among the pages of books, escape into worlds far removed from my own.

But today, as I walked in, something felt disturbingly wrong. His face—his face was everywhere. Posters plastered on walls, flyers strewn across the front desk, his name written in bold black letters, with a single word underneath: MISSING.

My heart dropped into the pit of my stomach. I stood frozen in the doorway, my breath catching in my throat, the world around me fading to a dull blur. The room seemed to close in around me, the air thick with unspoken fear.

I could hear murmurs from the police officers near the entrance, their voices low but urgent, like the distant hum of bees in a garden now shrouded in shadows. They were piecing together the puzzle of his disappearance, their expressions grim, their brows furrowed with concern.

"What happened?" I finally managed to ask, my voice barely above a whisper, as if speaking louder would shatter the fragile atmosphere.

One of the officers turned to me, his expression somber and weary. "He's been missing for the last four days," he said, the weight of his words settling heavily in the air.

"No leads, no clues. Just... gone."

The ground felt like it had been pulled out from under me. A sense of vertigo swept over me as I stumbled outside, barely able to breathe. The sunlight felt harsh, biting at my skin, illuminating the reality I was desperate to deny. Panic surged through me, a tidal wave of fear crashing against the walls of my mind. My legs moved on instinct as I made my way to Theo's house, hoping—praying—that he would have answers. Theo had always been his closest friend. He'd know something, anything.

When I reached Theo's door, I knocked frantically, my heart racing. After what felt like an eternity, he opened the door. His face was pale and drawn, dark circles under his eyes revealing sleepless nights and haunting thoughts.

"Daisy..." he began, his voice strained, heavy with guilt and sorrow. "I don't know what happened. He called me the night before he disappeared, asking me to go with him to the waterfall. But I couldn't go. I had paperwork for my dad's land. And now... now I regret it. I should've gone. I should've been there."

His words hung in the air like a weight neither of us could lift, the unspoken accusation sharp between us. I could feel the tension tightening like a noose, pulling us both into the depths of despair. "You didn't know," I murmured, though deep down, I felt the prick of accusation. What if he had gone? What if he could have saved him?

"I could have," Theo replied, anguish twisting his face. "If I had just gone with him..."

A heavy silence enveloped us, thick with guilt and regret. My mind raced, trying to process everything. "What do we do now?" I asked, my voice trembling.

"We have to find out what happened," he said, determination sparking in his eyes. "We can't just sit here and do nothing."

As we stood there, I felt the weight of his gaze upon me, a mix of expectation and desperation. We were at a crossroads, both haunted by the echoes of our choices. What if we were too late? What if we couldn't find him? I swallowed hard, forcing myself to look into his eyes. I could see the fear mirrored in his expression, and it sent chills down my spine.

"Okay," I said finally, steeling myself against the impending dread. "Let's figure this out."

But as the words left my mouth, a strange sensation washed over me, a feeling of foreboding that wrapped around my chest like a vice. I hesitated, glancing back at my bike, then at the ground, where the shadows began to lengthen. The thought of heading to the waterfall filled me with dread. I couldn't shake the feeling that we might be walking into something dangerous—something I wasn't ready to face.

"Wait," I said, my voice quaking. "Maybe... maybe we shouldn't go right now."

Theo frowned, confusion flickering across his features. "What do you mean? We need to—"

"I just... I don't think I can handle it. Not like this. What if we don't find anything? What if it's worse than we think?" My heart raced as I spoke, fear creeping in like a shadow.

Theo studied me for a moment, his eyes searching mine for answers. Finally, he nodded, though his expression was heavy with disappointment. "Alright. We can wait. But we need to figure this out, Daisy. We can't let fear stop us."

I forced a smile, though it felt strained and brittle. "I know. I just need a little time."

I could no longer ignore the gnawing feeling that my life was unraveling, that something sinister lay just beyond my reach, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.