How Not To Go Missing

o n e

"Rory?"

I heard my mum's high heels click-clacking up the stairs, and tried to concentrate on my book. It was a mystery novel, as always, and I was just about to find out who killed Miss Jenkins.

"Rory, are you up there?"

I didn't reply.

My mum sighed loudly. "Your dad and I are heading off to Mia's barbecue and we think you should come. It'll be fun - Alex will be there!"

Alex from number one was about my age, but didn't look it. He had convinced himself that he was too cool to involve himself with anyone else, sticking with his best friend Matt and generally avoiding other people, me included.

"Okay," I shouted back. "I'll join you in a sec."

Both Mum and I knew that I wouldn't.

~~~

I sat at my window, looking across the street at number four. I could see Mia and her husband Brian in their garden, chatting nonchalantly to their guests. Mia was walking around with an almost empty drinks tray. As the do-gooder of our street, she had set up and planned the entire event herself, not to mention the fact that she was doing it to raise money for the homeless.

I looked over at my mum, sitting on a wicker chair in the corner of the garden. She was talking quietly to Penny from number five, who was clasping her hands together and frowning. They looked serious, which meant that they were talking about me. I opened the window slightly.

"She just isolates herself, you know?"

Penny nodded and patted my mum on the leg. I knew it was true, but decided that I didn't want to hear any more.

That was when three-year-old Lily slipped out of the garden, through the open front door and on to the patio.

I pulled out the black binoculars that Dad had given me for my birthday. ("Don't encourage her," Mum had said when I left the living room to try them out. As if I couldn't hear.)

I tore my mind away from Mum and zoomed in on the toddler. She was wandering along the pavement, dangerously close to the road. I banged on my window, trying to warn her mum, Carol (number two) but she was too busy asking Mia about her cooking. I yanked my window open and shouted.

"LILY!"

The toddler looked up at me, but kept walking. Out of ideas, I ran across the room to get my phone and call someone. I returned to the window a few seconds later and peered down.

Lily was nowhere to be seen.

I lowered the phone slowly, and stuck my head out into the street. The road was empty but for the sounds of laughter from number four and a silver Audi pulling out of its parking spot and driving away.