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Chapter 3: Missing Persons Account

A body. I am staring at a dead, rotting body. There is an actual human corpse in the log. I gag and back up. Benjamin's face looks like a mix of terror and disgust, and I'm sure the same thing is engraved on my face. I want to turn and run, but my curiosity gets the better of me. I plug my nose, swallow, and look again. I study the body. It's a girl... I think. It's still, ugh... fresh. Some parts were flaking, but for the most part it was in tact. Then, something sticks out at me. The number 3 was etched into her cheek, as if someone took a knife and scraped it into her.  Disgusting. Then, I noticed the stab wound in her gut. That was enough for me.

I turned and saw that Benjamin was staring in text to me. "This is so gross!" He mutters and I nod. "She was murdered... Did you see the 3 in her cheek? and the stab wound?" I question. "I wish I didn't..." He answers. "Who would do something like this?" He looks at me and says. "I have no idea... I don't even know who she is! You live around here... do u know?" I shake my head. "She's almost unrecognizable. I can check the local missing persons accounts though." He nods. "Why don't you come over today my house, then we can figure this out!" He nods. "We can't tell anyone yet though, we don't know if it will get us in trouble." I agree.

~*~*~*~*

I turn on my computer and open up my browser. "Your mom must be pretty chill about me staying here!" I glance up. She's at a meeting. I texted her, and she said it was fine as long as we 'leave room for the holy spirit.' We snicker at my mom's remark. I look up the missing persons list. We scroll through the pictures, trying to figure out who it is. We come upon an image of a girl who resembles the corpse more than any other that we've seen. The date of disappearance makes sense too. June 20. That was only 3 days ago. I look at him and he nods solemnly. "Helena Feller, 15. I think I've heard her name..." I tell Benjamin. He nods "Okay... do you know anyone who might want to... ya know..." "Gank her?" I finish. "No, I don't." I print out the picture, fold it, and stick it in my back pocket.

"What now?" He shrugs. "Wanna watch Netflix or something while you're here? To get our minds off the corpse?" I ask. "Sure, Lemme text my parents, let them know I'll be out a little later." He whips out his phone as we make ourselves comfy on the couch. The news is on. The reporter was in the middle of saying something about a masked figure running in the old plaza. "It's probably another teenager vandalizing the place," says Benjamin. Then, a picture of the girl we found earlier flashes on the screen. "Gavin Feller," the reporter announces, " 18 year old brother to Helena Feller, the girl who went missing three days ago, was found dead an hour ago in the Hillwood forest."