Lost and Found - Book 1

Prologue

The weatherman predicted a storm. But currently the sun was still on duty, doing its best to suck up all the moisture from the land. This was the 'calm before the storm'. Despite its name, the air was humid and heavy, and it held an escalating anticipation in its weight.

Two teenage girls, going by the names of Rex Reynolds and Mik Bender, walked in the center of the street, fanning themselves as they neared the end of their journey. Their mutual silence broke with sighs of relief as their poorly dressed feet met the grass of their friend's yard. The grass crunched as if it had no water at all. It was hot. So hot that the top of the asphalt was melting. Their flimsy slippers had stuck to it with each step, almost as if the road was trying to hold them back from where they were going.

"This sun is proof of the devil," Rex said.

"Your mom's proof of the devil," Mik responded without hesitance. They entered the shade offered by the porch and knocked impatiently on the front door.

"Does Alm even know we're here?" Rex asked as she knocked again.

"Shit." Mik flinched at the immediate look of discontent that appeared on Rex's face. "I forgot to call. But here, let me try something." Reaching down, she turned the doorknob. It opened and Mik's hand retreated. A prompt gust of hot, dry wind eased the door open a few inches. The two girls shrugged to each other and entered without consent, having enough manners to lock the door after themselves.

Alm Johnson sat at the bar counter connected to her living room, earphones in and music loud. They could hear the muffled sounds of jazz before they even saw her. They crept up behind her and grabbed her by the shoulders. Alm jumped, ripping her earphones out but not before releasing the kind of warped sound one makes when they can't hear their own voice.

"How did you guys get in here?" Alm questioned, bewildered.

"You can't keep us out, especially if you don't lock your doors." Mik snorted, carelessly tossing her bag off her shoulders and kicking off her shoes in any general direction. Rex followed suit, dropping her bag and removing her shoes in a slightly neater but just as aggressive manner. Alm cringed as they created mess in record time.

"Where is everyone?" Mik asked, finding a spot on the couch.

"You mean where are the people that actually live here? Beats me. It is a Saturday." Alm responded, desperately trying to refocus on her computer.

"Yeah, it is. So why are you locked up in here like a shut-in?" Rex asked, finding the TV remote lodged between some cushions. The batteries were dead, so she had to get up to turn on the television manually. Distracting herself, she began to go through the DVDs that sat near the TV stand.

"I'm doing homework, don't you slackers have any?" Alm asked, typing away, one finger at a time.

"Of course we do, but it's a long weekend. I'm saving that shit for Monday," Rex said, graduating from one pile of neglected DVDs to another.

"I don't even have homework," Mik teased. "My teachers love me."

"Yes, well. Unfortunately for me, private school teachers are too busy pushing you to have time to love you." Alm said, still typing.

"Ooh, score one for the nerd. No, no. Don't bother getting up, I know where you keep your ice," Mik mocked. "But seriously, you are 16, you know. You need to lighten up once in a while."

"What holiday even is it?" Alm asked, turning away from Mik and silently rejecting her suggestion.

"A bank one, most likely," Rex shrugged, still digging through Alm's things.