The Face on the Milk Carton

Chapter 1

"Monday mornings are always the hardest, especially after a long weekend of hockey games" Caleb dramatically complained as he lugged his tired teenaged body into the kitchen for breakfast.

"Hey! No complaining love, Dad and I both told you it would be hard playing travel and balancing school. Don't let me say I told you so" his mother winked as she teased her youngest son. He laughed and tried to dodge the wet kiss coming his way but she got him, she always did. Delaney, his mother, handed him an energy bar and off he ran to catch the bus.

The ride to school was as bleak as every other day. Adolescence chatting their brains out as they flew through the streets of suburban Nashville. The cars passed by, making Caleb insanely jealous that he didn't have his permit yet. None of his siblings got theirs until they graduated high school and of course he had to do the same.

Eventually, Caleb and the bus load of kids made it to Belmont High School. He leaped off the bus steps just in time to run into Daniel, his long time best friend. "What's up brutha?" Daniel said as he patted Caleb on the back. "Not much homeslice" Caleb laughed.

"Wanna come over tonight and play X-box? I got the new game" Daniel asked as he and Caleb got closer to their friends. Daniel was the dorky one of the group, but Caleb was just as nerdy his muscles seemed to hide it well though. "Yeah man, let me ask my parents first, i'm sure it will be cool" he said smiling.

Light brown mop on his head, and hazel eyes that glistened in the sun if hit just right are what made Caleb irresistible to all the girls in his grade. That along with his shyness helped a ton too.

Everyone in his family had the same shade of blonde hair, except Caleb which always made it easy for his brothers to tease him. Recessive genes always ruin yah, as his parents would say.

The day dragged on, per usual, but lunch came around soon enough. Today was chicken nugget day! Caleb sat down with his friends, goofing off as 16 year old boys do. All 5 chugged their chocolate milk and held a burping contest, Jonah won of course.

HAVE YOU SEEN ME? read in bold on the back side of the carton with a black and white photo of a little boy underneath it. For some reason it caught Caleb's eye. There were pictures like this on every milk carton he's drank from since he was in Kindergarten, but something about this one was different.

He studied it harder, looking right at the olive shaped eyes. He recognized that face..."it couldn't be" he thought out loud.

"What's up Caleb?" Daniel asked noticing the panic written on his friends face. Caleb showed his friend the photo, "that's a picture of me...I'm the missing little boy"