I Like My Men With Fangs

Missing

I wake up to the breeze of another mif summer morning. The warm breeze blew through the yellow curtins hanging from my window, blocking the open window. Slowly, got up instantly disappointed that nothing had changed. My friend is still missing without a trace. The last that I remember of him, he was going to go into town to get some sweets. He never goes to the candy shop around the corner. Unless, maybe, he loved me enough to go get some from there that day. I love the candy from the shop. I love the woman who owns the place too. She is the sweet type of an old woman.

For just moments, my mind drifted to memories of the candy shop. My mind went to good memories. But of course, the candy shop also reminds me of Xander now. And how that was where he was last before Xander disappeared. When my thoughts shifted back to Xander, I decided to get up and go find my friend for the tenth day in a row.

It is heartbreaking that Xander has been gone for ten days now.

When the police said they were going to look for Xander, they also said that they were just going to look for Xander for a few days. As if I did not feel sick to my stomach enough about the situation, they also said they could not find anything. And that of they did not find anything in a matter of time, they would assume the worst. The police here in the little town of Arcata, California the police suck just as much as the little town. That is why if the police were not going to do anything, I decided that I would.

Motivation breaks into me and it causes me to finally get up and start my day which starts with me dressing into my usual yoga type clothing.

Quickly, I get out a bagel and I put it in my toaster. While the bagel is toasting, I go into the bathroom and braid my hair. I struggle braiding my hair for about a minute before I hear, ding!

I quickly got it out of the toaster and munch it down without cream cheese. This will most likely be the only meal I have all day. I have lost most of my appetite ever since his disappearance. I make sure I have my keys and lock the door and leave. I walk to town to meet up with my friends at a little restaurant called Danny's.
"So," I started. "Where we going to search today?"

Trista leans back in her seat, "I was thinking that creepy hundred year old candy shop down the road."

Everyone nods their heads in agreement but me.

I hate that Gretel had a heart attack two days before Xander disappeared. And I hate that all I can do for sweet old Gretel is hope is that she gets better. And I hate maybe if she did not have that heart attack, both she and Xander would still be around. Possibly.

Snapping out of my thoughts, I nod. I was ready to leave Danny's and start searching. We wait for Kayla and Henry to finish their coffee. For all I know, Xander could need help now. My stomach sank a little as I wondered if every second counted for him at this point.

Not one of us said a word on our way to the shop. It was not until the shop was looming over us with its old boards and now wilting flowers when Kayla pointed out that Gretel would have this place better than it is if she was here. Finally, we all take some steps into the chilling look shop after moments of looking at the terrifying shadows that it produces. I take a look around as everyone else enters. A chill shivers down my spine when the door slams behind us all.

"Is there anything I can help you kids with today?"

When I look for the person the voice belongs to, my eyes land on the most gorgeous man I have seen. Shortly after, I ask myself how I can think that when Xander could be somewhere six feet under as my heart skips a beat for the gorgeous man.

"Not yet," I break my stare. "Thank you though" I say before Henry whispers among us that he thinks he found evidence. All of is take a look around when we all notice at the same time that there are scratches on the black and white tiled floor. Strange. It appeared as if something was trying to dig...or stay put. I drop my phone so I can get a good look at them without anyone staring at me like I was insane. While my friends are looking around the shop like they are looking for what to buu, I put my fingers into the scratch marks... There human size. I quickly pick up my phone snap a quick picture before putting it back into my pocket. I raise up from squatting down and I turn to see...Henry...ordering a box of chocolates.

"Henry!" I pull him away from the counter. I scold him quietly, "How the he'll can you order chocolate at a time like this?!"

I continue, "Especially when Xander loved chocolate?!" I say this and the man stiffens.
Henry gives me a look like he doesn't known what I am talking about.

"It's sad when your family and friends die, isn't it?" The man says to everyone.

And we all nod, that is all we could do.

"My mother just died from a heart attack. The doctors said she was as healthy as a apple. They did not know what was wrong with her." He says tears coming to his eyes...

Except the tears were not water tears, they were blood.

This makes my heart skip a beat and my stomach drop, quickly.

The man swiftly rubs them away and now has blood streaking a noticeably on his face.
My eyebrows form a frown.

Before a word could be said about it, the man hurries into the backroom.

I snap out of it, shake it off and get jellybeans to snack on. I put the money on the counter. Because something in me was not read to face him again. Even though, he was pretty gorgeous.

After this, we all leave. You would think it was because they were freaked out at what I thought was all saw. However, no one else saw what I saw. Strangely, no one say the blood, and no one saw nail marks either. I'm going to figure this out once and for all.

"That's enough for today!" I say a bit too loudly. "Let's go to the arcade." I say starting into a run before anyone could question my obviously strange behavior.

I win the race to the arcade. I put ten dollars into the coin machine. I run to Xanders's favorite game... I hate to be here. This was his favorite place to go during the summer.

Tears build up in my eyes as everyone else played other games. How could they?

Nobody notices me sneak out when I do, thank God.

I start into the direction to sneak back to my house. I sneak into the quick was which is an alley.

I am about two alley ways away from my house when, bam!

I hear something hit against something... hard.