MISSING

PART FOUR

4.

The sound of dogs barking, this particular sound of dogs barking, just like that of what is outside that mobile home that Ashley is trapped in, she has heard it before. She has heard something very like it before and fairly recently at that too.

Ashley had sat in her usual spot on that tree near her home, with a book in her hands. She so often could get lost in a good story and she had been so lost in fiction on this occasion that she had not seen two Alsatians maneuver into a position not all so far off up ahead of her. When they began barking, it did startle her and she feared for her safety at first but being where she was, up in a tree, she was sure that she was safe enough and out of any possible harm's way. She was prepared to stay right where she was for as long as it took for her to be sure that these two dogs would or had vacated the vicinity. What she wasn't prepared for was the sight of a familiar person standing not so far away from where the dogs continued to bark.

The dogs seemed to pay no attention to the tall figure who stood nearby, and this tall figure seemed to pay little attention to those nearby dogs. This person stood a good ninety feet away, indeed paying no attention to the dogs, what he was paying attention to was Ashley herself and he done so with the most pleasant of smiles upon his face. Ashley was confused to say the least. The sight of this man really knocked her for six, so much so that she just had to stand up.

'Dad?' she spoke almost questioning her own sanity.

There is absolutely no possibility that Ashley's father could be standing anywhere let alone be standing as close, or as far off, as he currently is. He simply smiles and gives a little wave to confuse the matter all the more. He then turns to one side and begins to walk away.

'Dad ...' calls out Ashley, 'dad' she calls out again.

The proximity of the dogs prevents her from climbing down out of the tree. Pretty soon her father, if that is who he really is, is gone completely out of sight. This happened only a few days prior to that morning she got on the school bus and fell asleep. She had told no one of this moment for who would have believed her? There is no way her dead father could have paid such a strange visit.

***

It is a little over fifty hours since Ashley has last been seen. Gavin felt compelled to be at his father's grave side, as if there is some importance or relevance to be at such a place at such a moment in time. He hunkered down and stared at the tombstone before asking his father for some spiritual help in finding Ashley. So, could what was about to happen be considered a spiritual response in some sort of strange way?

A bloodied hand is placed on Gavin's right shoulder. At first this did not scare him in any way. It would only be when he caught sight of the blood and as to whom the hand belonged to that complete and utter panic would set it. It frightened him so bad that he quickly got up and moved backwards before falling flat on his back.

Gavin looked straight up at thin air. His sister moved to stand over him. Her hands are both bloodied. She looks dull, almost grey and she looks like a girl possessed. Her hair looks wild and not pristine as it usually is. All Gavin could do was lie there frozen, completely in shock with what is happening. He watches as she frantically speaks two words three times before moving away.

'Help me ... help me ... help me.'

There was no sound to these words, her voice was silent, from the movement of her lips and her demeanour, it was clear as to what she was saying. It takes Gavin a moment or two to regain any kind of movement once his sister has indeed moved away. Attempting to catch his breath, Gavin makes it to his feet. He takes a few seconds to look right around the cemetery. His sister is nowhere to be seen. She quite simply has seemed to have completely disappeared.

'What the hell just happened?' he speaks out loud and to himself.

Indeed, what was it that just happened to him? If that was his sister, and it did most definitely appear to be, then what happened to her? What happened to make her look like she did? And more importantly, where did she go?

Gavin now had his own moment of questioning his sanity, and he continued to question it as he walked all the way back to his home. He just could not keep that strange moment to himself. He had to tell his mother what had happened after which he told the same story to a police officer involved with the case. The whole time while he spoke of what happened at the cemetery, Gavin struggled with holding his hands steady.

How Ashley looked, it was unnatural, unholy even. This cannot be the last time Gavin gets to see his sister. The impact this moment could have on the rest of his life is huge especially if it were to prove to be the last time the twins connect. But there it is, a realization. Could what happened at the cemetery be some kind of a twin connection? Maybe Ashley wasn't really there at all. Maybe Gavin saw just exactly what it was or is that he needed to see.

If this is true, then try telling others of what this could be. If your sanity isn't already in doubt, then it soon might be.