Alone (Bluford High) (Watty Awards 2013)

Chapter 2

When she heard the noise, she looked up above the sink. There were scratch marks left behind, but the most disturbing thing was what looked like black tar splattered on there

"Mom!!" she cried out.

"What is it honey?"

"Can you-"

Karen looked back. The window was perfectly clean and untouched. No scratch marks or tar substances. But that impossible, isn't it? She just saw it and now it's gone?

"Can I do what?" asked her mother, yelling back from the living room.

"Nevermind, you can go back to sleep."

Was she losing her mind? She hoped to God she wasn't.

"You're not losin' it. You're not losin' it. You're not losin' it." she repeated over again in both her head and under her breath.

 Later on, Karen was sitting on her front porch watching the sun slowly going down. Kids were still playing outside from three-thirty that aftertoon. She liked to take a chance to enjoy a beautiful day even when the light is fading away. It kept her mind off of the kitchen thing. Then, Elle and her other friend (and also Elle's boyfriend of two years),  Dale Simmons, came up to her.

" 'Sup, girl," said Elle.

" Hey, guys."

"How you doin'?" asked Dale.

"Fine. What about you?"

"We good," answered Elle, hugging Dale and rubbing his back.

"So, what have the two of you been doin'?"

"We just got back from Scoops."

"Isn't that where Darcy Wills use to work at? The Ice Cream Shop?"

"Yeah," said Dale.

"Isn't today you guys's anniversary?"

"Yup."

"I swear you guys are the cutest couple I've seen."

"Thanks," said Elle.

 Karen had an ex-boyfriend named Freddie Askells who she was still friends with. He was on the Bluford High Football Team. At times, she would become somewhat uncomfortable and a little awkward when Elle and Dale would grope all over each other. She wasn't sad at all, but it was just something else that made her feel that way. As much as Karen would like to have a good, long-lasting relationship with a nice young man, that wasn't her primary focus in life. She actually had a plan for the future. Definitely going to college and hopefully both Dale and Elle would go with her.

"You guys heard of that new movie coming out next week?" asked Karen, continuing the conversation.

"What's the name of it?" asked Elle.

"Um, um, it's uh, oh yeah! It's called Inception."

"That movie look SO sweet!" Dale added.

"For real." Elle agreed.

"I asked my parents if I could go see it and they said we could go together." said Karen.

"Shoot, my parents say they don't have the money. Movie tickets expensive now."

"Ain't they?" said Dale.

"I've heard of another movie called The Fighter. It looked really good." said Elle.

"Dang! It's time for me to go! Later, baby."

 The two kissed and Dale ran home.

"It's 'bout for me to go too. Bye, Karen."

"Bye, Elle."

 They hugged gently and Elle walked home too. Before Karen went back into her own house, she heard the sound of a car alarm nearby. She didn't think of it too much and went inside.

"Well, do you know where the last play he was at?" said Susan, who was talking on the phone.

"Are you sure? Ok, we'll help you Tammy. Ok, see you."

 Karen looked worried.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"You know Tammy Richardson's daughter, Allie?"

"Yeah."

"Well, Tammy tried callin' her but her phone won't answer. Do you have Allie as a contact in your phone?"

"Yeah, I'll call her right now."

 Karen called Allie's number, but there was no answer. She called a second time and got the same result.

"She won't answer."

"God. I hope she's not missing like the others."

"Missing like what others?"

"You didn't hear about those eight teens going missing two weeks ago?"

"Are you serious, eight?"

"I'm very serious."

"Wow."

"That's another reason why I said to come straight home from now on."

 Eight missing teenagers? And Karen was just hearing about this? First the noises from last night, then the scratching on the window and now hearing about kids going missing. Susan was right; it was serious.