Friend Forever

The Missing

"She's gone! Ok she's gone, just like Carly! How could you say this isn't my fault?! It is! It freakin is!" I yelled in the police station, sitting in one of the interview room as officer Harold and Michaels were seated across from me, a wooden table in between us. Their faces read something empathetic, no blame what so ever, however they did not need to blame me, for I had enough blame on myself to go around. I couldn't handle it. I was a reck. It had been a wild three days since Amber disappeared from our sleepover, no trace of her at all besides that trail of blood found in my basement that night. It was confirmed hers. It was all my fault again. For I didn't do anything, yet again.

"Mallory, please. It is not your fault. None of this is your fault," officer Michaels, the more sensitive one assured me, trying to calm myself down as her soothing tone would not work this time. I wouldn't let it, for I was already too wound up, too angry at myself, too ashamed for her to calm me down. It was too late for that.

"I don't believe you. How could this not be my fault? I was freakin right beside her when she was taken! She was taken in my own house! This is all my fault! I was so stupid! I didn't even hear her struggling at all! I was just in a deep sleep! How could I be so stupid?! Ugh!"

***
I called up the police as soon as I discovered Amber was gone, for my parents hadn't returned from their friends place just yet. Within seconds I heard the sirens, as officers Harold and Michaels were the ones who showed up. It seemed whenever I was involved with something, they were the ones on the job, for they knew me the best out of all the officers, knowing everything about me instead of all the rumours.

Taking my statement as they escorted me to the station, my parents met me there to pick up. They too had become a reck with this whole thing, their worrying instantly extenuating as they saw me at the station, my Mother running towards me and wrapping me in her arms.

"He was in our house, Mallory?! He got in?!" She asked me while both my parents were as freaked as possible, the story becoming more clear in their heads. Nodding my head in pity for myself, I began to sob over my Mom's shoulder, as the two of them wrapped me in their arms.

We had stayed there all night, police searching for evidence in our house, tapping it all off as a crime scene for two more days as we slept in a hotel close by, monitored by police just outside. On the third day they had gathered all evidence, letting us move back into our house, however it still seemed police followed us everywhere we went. Mostly me that was. It freaked my parents out more than ever, knowing this man could easily break into our house, stealing anyone he wanted. Which left the cops wondering, along with myself, a question very tricky. Why not just take me? That thought shook my fears up deep inside, causing me to be more jumpy, more fearful wherever I went. I couldn't get away from it.

  The only three days that went on seemed endless, with Amber's own parents and family practically living at the police station, wanting answers more than myself which I didn't think was possible. My continuous apologies towards her family that just didn't want to hear it at the time, for they seemed to be a greater reck than myself, if that was actually possible.

That very day, three days past, had been the first time returning to our home since she disappeared, as I wouldn't dare enter the basement, the same with my own parents. I couldn't stand looking down there, the last place I had seen my friend. My second friend, taken away while I was hanging around with them. Why was this happening? Why me? Why them? What's so special with my friends? Why do this? I didn't understand. Tears pouring down my face uncontrollably, I couldn't help it. I did nothing. My family and I did nothing for the past few days. My guilt kicking in further, as the police were the ones searching, trying to find leads in this new case, and we were told to sit tight. The same as Amber's family, for they seemed to be in the same boat as us. Maybe a boat filled with more grief, more fear than myself, however I still owned those feelings the same.