Among the Stars (Shidge AU) [Book 2]

Chapter Eighteen

Matt was sitting on the bus as it started. The thing was, he didn't see Katie come on the bus. Maybe she did and he didn't see her. She also typically sat next to him on the bus, but she wasn't there. They had been for the past three years. Though he didn't want to sit next to her today anyways. He was still frustrated. He shrugged it off as the bus drove away from school.

But deep inside, he had a bad feeling.

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Once the bus than reached his house. He got off the bus, but Katie hadn't gotten off the bus with him. Okay, so she wasn't on the bus.

He walked to his house as the bus driver headed to the next bus stop. Once he entered, he placed his backpack down in the entry way. He knew his mother didn't like it when he did that, but he did it anyways. He was too lazy.

"I'm home!" He called as he walked though the house.

Once he entered the front room, his mother was sitting on the couch. She had a smile on her face as she held two letters in her hand. "Guess who these letter are address two?"

A smile appeared on his face. "Is it from the Garrisons?!" She nodded as he immediately ran and sat on the couch. He than grabbed the letter addressed to him as he took a deep breath in, then released his breath. He looked at the envelope and smiled, "I can't believe our entry exam scores came in!"

"Open it!" Colleen smiled.

Matt than hastily opened it as he pulled the letter out and started to read it out loud. "Mr. Matthew Holt, we are pleased to announce you had scored 46 points on the entry exam and have here by been accepted into the Galaxy Garrison program. You will start the 26th of August of the year 2032." The points were out of fifty, meaning he had gotten one of the highest scores for a sixth grader. He looked up at his mother with excitement. "I'm in!" He exclaimed.

His mother smiled. "Now where is Katie, so she can open hers?" She asked.

His smile fell. "I don't know. She didn't come on the bus today." He shrugged.

"What?" She asked again. "She didn't come on the bus?"

Matt shook his head. "No, she didn't."

"Did she even go to school?" Colleen asked.

"Yes." He replied. "I even saw her as we were exiting the building, but she didn't get on the bus."

"I have to call the school."

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The school confirmed Katie's attendance all day. They got a hold of the bus barn who confirmed there was no sleepers on any of the busses, so that eliminated the possibility that she slept through the stop. The principal got a hold of the teachers who were watching, making sure everyone got on a bus and they claimed they had not seen Katie. Colleen's next choice was the police. It had already been two hours of talking to school officials and they had nothing. Katie wasn't home and Colleen was worried. She called the police as she reported Katie missing.

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"Please describe your child, ma'am." The officer requested.

"She's about 4 foot 3 inches. She has medium length light brown hair. She wears light purple tinted wired glasses. She has bright hazel eyes." Colleen described nervously.

"And what was she wearing?" He asked.

Colleen didn't know so she looked at Matt and quietly asked, "What was she wearing?"

Matt was nervous as he tried to recall. He than answered. "A light green long shirt with black leggings, and black tennis shoes."

"A light green shirt with black leggings and black tennis shoes." Colleen answered.