The Cannibal Bride *WattyAwards2024

4)No Believers

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It took a good ten minutes for Alyssa's heart rate to settle down. The few drunk-fueled nightmares she had always revolved exclusively around the good looking yet possessive man. How was it possible that same man that she slept with her senior year of high school was a relative of people her family has known for years? That was a strange coincidence, especially since their night of passion hadn't been in the same town both families reside in.

It wasn't only this that made her mind flutter with craziness. The Stern's pulled a video from their surveillance system in their driveway. The grainy footage showed Cassi getting back from trick-er-treating with the kids. Then it showed her hugging Tyler Matthews when he pulled up in his truck. After a little bit of small talk, the video appears to have a dark glitch in it.

Within two seconds, the video returned, showing Cassi getting into the passenger side of Tyler's truck, a hood covering her head. After that, the car exited the long driveway before taking out to the left of the highway. Alyssa made them replay the tape. She wanted a better look at the girl entering the vehicle. It was obvious from the frame of the person and hair poking out from the hoodie it was a female, but there was nothing that Alyssa could see that showed it was truly Cassi. The sweatshirt was a varsity jacket, most likely belonging to Tyler. Meanwhile, it was hard to see Tyler's face in the driver's seat given the grainy footage and the distance between the truck and the camera. It was impossible to make out the faces.
After watching it three more times, Alyssa was dismayed to find her parents seemed to accept what the video displayed. Madison's eyes welled with tears as Henry rubbed her back. "Thanks for showing us the video Tom," said Henry, sounding disappointed yet satisfied.
But Alyssa didn't share that satisfaction. She did a doubletake between the video on the screen and her parents. "If Cassi really took off with Tyler, why the hell was her necklace in a tree in the forest right next to your house?" It was possible her voice was too aggressive in her question, her parents looked startled.
Tom watched Alyssa while Simone raised her delicate eyebrows. "What do you mean?"

Brandishing the necklace with dried red on it, Alyssa held it up for everyone to see. "I found this after Sneakers ran off through the forest. He circled a tree, and this is what I found hanging on a branch. So, where the hell is my sister?"

The Stern's watched Alyssa with confusion, before Tom provided a light shrug. "The only thing we know is what the video showed us, and when Ben told us she left. Then your parents called and said Cassi left with that boy Tyler around the time the kids got back from trick-er-treating."

Alyssa considered this. It made sense. If everyone saw Cassi leave, they wouldn't question it, but what happened after Cassi and Tyler were out of that driveway?
"I want to see all the video from your cameras," Alyssa announced. "These woods are to the west side of your house, maybe they caught something else."
Simone's lips pursed in a hard line as Tom answered. "The front driveway cameras are the only ones we have, it helps us know when people arrive, and also prevents car thefts." He explained, waving his hand as if to get Alyssa's parents to understand.

"There have been a lot of car break-ins this year." Henry nodded, causing Alyssa to grit her teeth. Her parents were far too accepting of what the Sterns had to offer. Then again, they had always been naive individuals always seeing the good in people. Especially Henry.

"You guys have an indoor pool, sauna, hot-tub and a surveillance system, yet you don't have any other cameras in this place?" said Alyssa skeptically, keeping the necklace tight in her grasp.

"No, I'm sorry." Tom frowned apologetically. "I wish there was some way we could assist you guys; I can't imagine how impossibly frustrating this must be."

That was an understatement if Alyssa ever knew one. One time when she was twelve and Cassi was seven, they were shopping with their parents in a department store. Her parents went off to look at a couch a few feet away and they told the girls to remain next to the cart. Alyssa had taken out her old Gameboy and started to play, not paying attention to Cassi. Within five seconds of playing Mario and looking back at her sister, Cassi couldn't be found. One second, she was on the cart, a few seconds later, it was as if she was never there. A large hole of panic filled the twelve-year-old Alyssa. She turned to full-on panic mode to compensate. Alyssa thought she would have a heart attack given how fast her heart rate zipped up. She dropped her game to the ground, not even caring when she heard the terrible smash it made from hitting the linoleum floor. Alyssa had found Cassi two aisles over looking at a colorful water fountain display. From that moment on, she inwardly promised herself to take better care of her little sister, never wanting to feel that panic attack of not being able to find her again.