Found

Chapter One

"She wanted more, she wanted to penetrate deeper into the mystery of herself, and after a time the wanting became needing, which turned then to craving."-Tim O'Brien ________________________________________________________

Sidney Anderson had been sitting in her room reading for the past few hours. She put down her worn, dog-eared copy of The Things They Carried, she could easily quote characters such as Tim O'Brien, Mitchell Sanders and Rat Kiley. And to the dismay of her friends and family, she did. Often. Sidney swung her legs off the bed, the springs under her mattress groaning in protest at the sudden weight shift.

It was the summer before her senior year at Copper Valley High and Sidney was alone. She had already accepted the fact that she wouldn't be doing much over the summer, her job, at Myron's grill and steakhouse, practically became a second home, but with all of her friends on family vacations she didn't mind. The forced socialization helped her avoid sinking back into her anti-social ways. It helped her avoid a repeat of last summer.

It was quiet in the Anderson house which was a strange and rare occurrence seeing as how her siblings would far too often make the Heavens above quake with how loud they were. Sidney being the oldest of the three Anderson kids, was often apologizing to neighbors about the noise. Walking out of her room she knocked softly on her sister's door. Her sister Mackenzie, the second oldest was nothing but the exact opposite of Sidney. Mackenzie was only a few years younger than Sidney and was already heading to be the most popular girl of the sophomore class. After waiting a few seconds with no answer, Sidney assumed the kindhearted socialite was out with her friends. Walking down the unlit beige hallway she heard the Dylan, the youngest Anderson children, singing along to the Duck Tales theme song.

Following the voice of her little brother Sidney stiffled a giggle as Dylan jumped around the living room still in his pajamas. He looked at her and stopped jumping, his big brown eyes widening at the sight of Sidney standing in the entry way. "Sid! Wanna watch Tales with me?" Sidney looked at the six year old and sighed. 

"Alright, scoot over." The little boy cheered as Sidney picked him up and put him in her lap as they cuddled together on the couch. "Dylan, where's Momma?" The little boy shrugged and stared intently at the TV as Huey, Dewey, and Louie talked to Gyro Gearloose. 

Sidney pulled her phone out of her pocket and sent two texts. One to her Mother, Cheryl, thanking her for making Sidney aware she was leaving. And the other to Mackenzie reminding her that Sidney had to work later in the evening and not to stay out too late.

She sighed and put her phone on the old coffee table, unbeknownst to her that one of those texts never met the receiver's eyes.

While two of the Anderson kids sat safely in their home, the same could not be said for the third. While not too far from her home Mackenzie Anderson had vanished.