Vanished

Memories

I touched the picture like it was really her.

It hurt.

It hurt to look at her.

To look at her smile.

Ruining the moment, my phone rang.

I looked on the screen.

Unknown number.

"Hello?" I asked, wondering who it could be.

"Jeremy! Help me!" A familiar voice screamed.

"Ari?" I shouted into the phone.

"Follow me, Jeremy!" She laughed.

My heart broke then and there. That was the last thing she said to me before she disappeared.

"What kind of sick joke is this?" I screamed.

The phone clicked, leaving nothing but a buzzing noise on the other end.

"Hello?" My blood felt like it was about to overboil.

I threw the phone across the room, leaving a dent in the wall.

"Shit!" I laid my head in my hands.

Before I realized it, tears were crawling out of my eyes.

"Ari, COME HOME!" I shouted at the ceiling.

Suddenly, the lights flickered and shattered.

"Hello?" I said as someone grabbed me.

*flashback*

"Ari, can I move?" I said as I sat in a pose for Ari's painting.

"No!" She laughed with paint smeared on her nose.

I got up anyway and went over to her. I wrapped my hands around her waist and kissed her forehead.

"I told you not to move!" She pouted.

I pecked her forehead repeatedly.

"Stop," she whined. "I can't concentrate!"

I laughed as I pulled her onto my lap and watched her paint.

*end of flashback*

"Who are you?" I stammered while rubbing my eyes. It felt like I was just waking up.

"Want to see the love of your life?" A deep voice asked.

"Brittany? She's at home, waiting for me!" I replied.

"No, we are talking about Arianna. Arianna Tristine."