Run

Chapter 21

Does this cellphone have, like, unlimited texting even if you don't pay your cellphone bill? 

That was the first question that came to mind.

What is your life, Lauren?

"Crazy." I told myself. "My life is the definition of crazy."

I didn't take my eyes off the notification count. Over 400 messages. Who would want to spam me that much? Why didn't anyone even notice?

Oh wait, it was on silent. Silly me.

I hesitated before viewing the messages. It just... freaked me out, I guess, that there are people who are still trying to contact me, even if I haven't exactly contacted them in... a while.

I take a deep breath. Here goes nothing.

I press the little speech bubble icon on the screen, which opens a new page. The new messages are from two people.

Tyson and Alyssa.

Whoever they are, they probably care a whole lot about me, since they sent 472 messages. I press the messages from Alyssa first. I scroll all the way to the first messages you sent

Alyssa: where r u, Laur.
Alyssa: where'd you go
Alyssa: you just ran outta school
Alyssa: u know how much trouble you'd b in?

I scrolled past a bunch of messages, since they all basically said the same thing. I stopped at a message from November 7th.

Alyssa: Happy 12th Birthday!
Alyssa: From wherever you are
Alyssa: but srsly, where are you
Alyssa: you've been gone 4 months.
Alyssa: r u pulling an Aidan
Alyssa: Now that i think of it, i haven't seen ur family around either.
Alyssa: DID YOU MOVE WITHOUT TELLING US?!?!
Alyssa: but actually, where'd u go? :(

I moved, but I didn't want to. I didn't even know I was going to. But on another note, why would my family disappear too? It's not like they're with me. Did they go looking for me? Or are they the people trying to keep me in the Institute.

I scroll down more, too lazy - and too hungry - too read all of the messages. I stumbled upon a link that she sent me, with a message.

Alyssa: ARE YOU OKAY?????
Alyssa: This article said that a 12-YEAR-OLD named LAUREN OLSEN was shot in the forest
Alyssa: Please don't tell me it's you
Alyssa: Oh please oh please
Alyssa: I can't loose my best friend.
Alyssa: YOU IDIOT
Alyssa: SPEAK TO ME
Alyssa: I CAN'T LOSE YOU

I stopped reading and bit my lip, so hard that it started bleeding. I stood up and walked around.

I had a best friend. She thinks I'm dead. She thinks she lost me.

"Why is my life so cruel?" I shouted, kicking the tree in front of me. People I care about think I'm dead. I just want to get back to them. Oh god, do they even remember me?

Of course they do, Lauren. Think logically. The last message sent to you was from five hours ago.

Right? They can't think I'm dead if they're still texting me, unless they find comfort texting their dead best friend.

The most recent message from Alyssa was actually from 6 months ago.

Alyssa: Be careful.

What is that supposed to mean? It doesn't even relate to what she sent before.

Alyssa: You know, Ty aint even gonna have a bday party cuz u aint there