Ese.

Twenty-Two.

Isamarià

It's been a couple of days since I been down here.... I think. I really was about to die..

The night that Robert locked me down here, I nearly froze to death. I haven't even seen what light looks like since then. Not to mention, I haven't had anything to eat nor drink. I was going to starve to death, probably.

I sighed as I layed my head on the wet cement. Just when I did, though, I heard footsteps coming down the hall. I lifted my head.

"I forgot to give you some food, yesterday." Lola said.

She opened up the door and set down a small, silver bowl in front of me.

"What's this?" I asked in a weak tone.

"Food for dogs." She said. "You wanna know what that is? Dog food!"

"I don't want that."

She grabbed me by my face and stuffed some of the food in my mouth.

"Eat it!" She yelled.

She tried to make me chew it, but I spit it out. She then slapped me so hard, I literally felt the hand print on my face.

"Ow." I groaned.

"You don't want to eat the food I gave you? Fine!" She yelled at me. "Don't expect to get anything else!"

She then took the dog bowl and put the door back up, then walked off.

I layed my head back down on the cold floor and shut my eyes.

_______________

Andree

It's been nearly a week since I've seen or talked to Isamariá. I asked Jada almost every day have she seen her, but she always rolled her eyes and said no.

Anyways, I drove into the housing section where Isa lived in the Bronx. I parked my car and got out, then walked up the steps to her front door.

I knocked twice, then put my hands in my pockets. After a couple of minutes, the door slightly opened. A woman with brown skin like Isa's, and chin length black hair peeked at me through the door.

"Can I help you?"

"Miss Milían?" I asked.

"It's Mrs. Johnson." She said in a low tone.

"Mrs. Johnson..." I rubbed my face with my hand. "I'm Andreson Valdez.. May I please come in?"

She looked at me, then opened the door and moved to the side. I came inside and looked around, then sat down on the couch. She closed the door and sat down on the other couch.

"My daughter has been missing for days...." She whispered.

"That's what I wanted to ask you about." I said. "I haven't seen her in almost a week. I was thinking maybe she was sick at home or something."

"Even her friends said that she is always with you." She said in a low tone. "She went to your house and never came back."

"What? What are you trying to say?"

"Where's my daughter, damn it?!" She yelled at me. "I know you did something to her!"

"I didn't do anything to her!" I tried to reason with her. "I swear!"

She got up and pulled out a knife, holding it towards my face. "I know you were in my daughter's bed, my husband told me." She whispered. "And, she went to your home, and I haven't seen her since! If I don't see my daughter ever again, I'm calling the police on you!"

"If I really did something to your daughter, do you think I would drive out here and ask you about it?"

She looked at me again, then put the knife down.

"I just came over to ask you have you seen her." I said in a low tone. "I've asked almost everyone she knows, and they haven't seen her either. You can stay here and grieve all you want to. I'm going to go find her for myself."

I got up and left the place. I walked down the steps, and hopped inside of my car, started it up and quickly drove off.

I made my way home as fast as I could. Once I arrived, I parked in the garage and rushed inside.

"Mom?" I asked.

"Your father a I are in the dining room." She said.

I walked inside of the dining room and they were sitting at the table, eating.

"I haven't seen Isamariá in almost every week." I said. "Her moms said she came here, and she hadn't seen her since."

"Honey, I haven't seen her since your father had her arrested." Moms said. "I'm sure she is still in jail."

"No, because I bailed her out." I said. "She hasn't come to school all this week."

"Son, do you really think I know?" Pops asked. "Or your mother, if we still thought she was in Jail?"

"I don't know." I sighed as I sat down. "I've just been anxious to see her..."

"This is why we didn't want to allow you to get close to her kind." Pops snarled. "Do you think she was really going to stick around with you? You did all these things for her, and she just left? If you ask me, she's not a very good friend."

"Why don't you shut your mouth because you don't know what the hell you're talking about." I growled.

"It's true, honey." Moms said. "Think about where you came from, and think about where she came from."

"You guys are ridiculous." I shook my head. "You're racist stereotypes. Get over yourselves, this is 1992."

I got up from the table and walked upstairs and into my room.

I sighed, jumping into bed and covering my face with my hands. I now had the impression that Isamariá was missing. The only thing I could do now was call the police... Or find her myself.