Kidnapped Heart

Chapter One

Alex sat on her bed, wearing a tight black dress, staring into nothingness. It had been three months, yet everything still felt numb. she woke up every morning and for a few sweet seconds, she would forget, but then she would remember, and it broke her heart all over again. Alex thought she knew pain. When her Father left her and her Mother when she was only five, she thought that was pain, but after recent events, she realised she knew nothing. Alex saw her face everywhere, on the television, in the street, but worse of all, in her mind. She couldn't shake her face from her head. Her laugh. Her laugh was contagious, and her smile could light up the whole room. Alex really didn't know how special she was until she was gone.

"Al," said her Mother, Diane, softly, entering her bedroom. Alex didn't move her gaze from the plain wall she had been staring at for the past ten minutes.

"Al, baby, we need to go."

"Whats the point in burying an empty casket?" she asked, frustrated, still not looking up. Diane took a seat next to Alex on her bed, it creaking slightly as she sat down. She placed a comforting hand on her leg.

"They've been searching for a body, for three months. People need closure Alex. I think it will be good for you."

"We don't know that she's dead though Mum. We can't give up hope," Alex said, almost pleading with her Mother.

Hearing this broke Diane's heart.

"Alex, sweetie. You've seen the video. You've seen what happened to her. there's no coming back from that."

Alex knew it was the truth, but she tried to hold out hope, that maybe she would be reunited with her best friend.

"I know you don't really want to go to the funeral Alex but you need closure. After today, you may be able to begin to heal."

Once again, Alex knew her Mother was right. She always was though wasn't she.

...

As Alex arrived at the church, she felt her chest tighten, she felt as if she was dripping in sweat and she felt the sudden need to leave. Her Mother's comforting hand on her shoulder, brought her back to reality.

"Just breath Alex. Your okay." Alex took a few deep breaths and soon began to calm down. Her chest felt less tight and she cooled down.

"Are you ready to go inside?"

Alex nodded. In reality, she wasn't and she wasn't sure she ever would be, but she knew she had to. To one day get over what had happened, she had to say goodbye, even if she wasn't ready yet.

They sat down on a pew, waiting for the funeral to begin. She knew the ceremony would be lavish, considering who her Mother was. Alex spotted her Mother sat at the front, with a few other family members that Alex didn't recognise. She looked over at her own Mother, suddenly grateful that she had her love.

"She doesn't look that upset," Alex said, still looking at the woman.

"Of course she will be upset Al, she's her daughter. Some people are just better at hiding it than others."

Alex considered her Mother's words carefully, until someone tapped her on the shoulder.

"Mind if I sit here?" asked Red. These past few months the woman had stopped dyeing her hair bright red, stopped applying her fierce makeup, and even though people still knew not to mess with her, she looked less threatening than she did before. She looked tired, fed up. Alex thought that this funeral would be good for Red. She thought that maybe it would be good for her too.