Opening Up

Ch 1: Gone

It's funny how, as people, we are so wrapped up in the tedium of our lives, we don't even notice it changing around us, until one day we look up and see what we took for granted isn't even there.  Perhaps this is what allowed Jay Thompson to be absent without warning for three days. Nobody, even for a second questioned why the AP student with perfect attendance had such a long unexcused absence.  It wasn't until the missing person posters started popping up like weeds, and her parents made public their fears, that an uneasy feel descended on James Buchanan high school. 

It was one of these gloomy days that Anna found herself sitting on the curb at the end of her street, getting soaked through with warm April rain.  She had run out of the house several minutes late, forgetting to grab an umbrella, and didn't stop until she saw the big yellow bus pull out of her street and to the next stop.  Trying not to let this ruin her day, the short girl stood up, pushed fluffy, fiery-colored hair out of her face, and decided to make the short walk herself.  After grabbing an umbrella from home, of course.  She didn't want to become any more waterlogged than she was.  

"Slept late again?"  A femininely dressed, tan boy fell into step with Anna just as the warning bell rang. "How could you tell?"  The remark prompted him to grin, and fire back a sarcastic answer.  "You forgot your super organic food-grade lipstick."  "Shut UP, Adam," the still soaked girl shoved her friend with one shoulder.  He laughed, and peeled away from his path to unlock his locker.  Anna offered her friend a wave before ascending the stairs, and approaching her own locker.  Something flickered in the corner of her eye for a second, making her turn.  Nothing was out of place.  Probably just another student rounding the corner.  Everyone was a bit on edge the past couple of days.  

Anna's short-nailed fingers twisted the combo in easily.  It occurred to her casually that she could probably do it with her eyes closed.  As she opened up the metal door, something fell out of her locker.  It was a small, plain envelope.  She carefully leaned over and picked it up, mind briefly flitting to the sophomore dance.  The other years each had a dance before senior prom, and most students' minds were geared towards who they were going with.  It didn't matter that they had over a month.  Anna didn't particularly care, if she was being honest.  It was just the first thing she expected.  Then again, there was......

Never mind that.  The girl mentally shook it off, and opened the sealed envelope.  Ever curious, she pulled out the sheet of printer paper, folded in threes.  Upon opening the page, neat lines of black pen were revealed.  The handwriting was impeccable.  Anna was pretty tempted to read it right on the spot, but the bell was about to ring.  She would read it at lunch.   Adam, whom she usually sat with, had band practice every Friday, so she would be alone.  A ton of students took band in their first two years just to cover some art and music credits.  Anna preferred chorus.  But right now she was on her way to homeroom.

Lunch couldn't come fast enough.  The letter burned a hole her cardigan pocket as she sat through verb conjunction, biome study, and quadratic expansion.  The kind of things you somehow already know at that point, and will probably never need it.  Finally, FINALLY, the bell rang for fifth period, interrupting a heinous speech about Roman warfare.  Or something.  Lunch was the only thing Anna could focus on.  When the bell rang, she almost ran to the cafeteria.  She couldn't however, considering how crowded the high school was.  Oh, well.  She'd be there soon.

Anna dropped into her usual seat, and pulled a plastic container out of her little white lunchbox. The top came off with a satisfying pop, and she fished around for a fork.  It was finally time.  She unfolded the mysterious page, and absentmindedly put a popped a tomato into her mouth.  The little cherry tomatoes are the best.  Anna took a deep breath and began reading.

Anna,

You see them, too, don't you?

She choked.  Her face turned red, and she glanced around the cafeteria.  Who was this? What was their aim.  How did they...  she would have to read the whole letter.   Her mind flitted to tye hall earlier, when that familiar movement, just out of focus had caught her eye.  She continued reading.

Anna,

You see them, too, don't you?  Anyone you told dismissed you as crazy.  Even the rainbow of therapists you've tried decided you couldn't be helped.  How do I know this?  Well, let me tell you a secret.  I saw them too.  And they spoke to me.  So I listened.  I followed them.  And now I'm in a greater place than I ever was.  I feel healthy, Anna.  People like us don't get that often.

And you can feel healthy, too.  Follow them.  Trust me.  You have more allies than just I.  You deserve it.  Trust them.  You may have noticed the beginning of my journey coincided with a full moon.  You need to wait until the new moon.  Roughly a week.  Until then, you speak of this to nobody.  When the new moon arrives, wait until nightfall.  They will instruct you.  Just have faith, and you can be fixed.

I will be waiting.

                                                                                                                                                                   Jay M. Thompson

Anna broke down.  Right there in the cafeteria.  Jae had dissapeared doing what she herself had been attempting her whole life.  A chance at normalcy?  She had to half-run to the girls bathroom.  Anyone on the outside would think Jae had gone loony.  That she had dissapeared for good.  But Anna knew.  Because she lived that reality.  And it wore her down every day.  So maybe she was selfish.  But it was decided.  She would set off in a week.  To save her own sanity, and to find Jae.

                                     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ack this is really bad but I'm posting it anyways.  Second chapter as soon as I can?