My sister Junie
My sister Junie went missing on the 6th of July, 2009.
A day before our birthday. She was 12 years old.
Junie and I were twins. Identical. You could never tell us apart.
We had the same long, thin mousy brown hair, the same emerald green eyes with the exact same eye shape. The same body structure, thin and petite. The same dewy olive complexion.
The one and only reason you could tell us apart (besides of course when we wore different clothing) was when we spoke, there was an obvious difference in personalities.
I was Jamie, the loud obnoxious bratty twin, the outgoing one. I only did things out of impulsive desires as a child and never thought through any of my decisions. My stupidity gained me popularity with everyone, so there was never a shortage of boredom in my world. I always had a friend to play with growing up.
Junie, though, was a quiet introverted soul. I don't believe majority of my friends even knew her name, always calling her “Jamie’s Twin”, “Jamie’s sister” or “The shadow”
Junie had trouble making friends, I don't think she cared that much to be honest, she was always fine drawing in her journal.
It wasn’t like her to just pick up and leave. She was 12. She wasn't a trouble maker, she kept to herself.
There was a massive search party that went on for weeks, months. No sign of her, no sign of any remains if there was any.
Junie just disappeared. And I think I know why.
My parents want me to come home for my 21st birthday, wanting to throw a massive party for me.
When Junie was gone, I began to hate that house, I moved out and started flatting at 16. My parents understood, the house had a negative vibe to it. It was cold without Junie.
I didn't want to go back, I’d rather not be under the roof of that house ever, but for years I’ve been putting off going to visit my parents, and honestly, they haven't done anything wrong, so I decided that one weekend wouldn't hurt.
Both my parents were waiting outside, waving fondly at me. I sighed. One weekend.
“I am so glad you’re here” My mum cried with delight as I embraced her with a hug.
My dad patted me on the back. “Welcome back Jamie”
The house was the way it was when I left. Dark, cold, musty.
I clambered the staircase to get to my old room, the last one at the end of the hallway.
It was the exact same as I had left it, Mum obviously dusted the room as it was clean. I sat my things down and went to walk out of my room, stopping suddenly. The room opposite mine was Junie’s. The door was closed shut and curiosity got the better of me as I went to open it. It was a struggle let me tell you. The door was so stiff, it obviously hadn't been opened in years. Probably since the day she went missing.
As I successfully got the door opened, a cloud of dust was disturbed after sitting there for 9 years.
9 years since Junie went missing.
Her room was exactly as I had remembered it except with a blanket of dust covering every inch of the room. Her bed was always made, she never went out without making her bed. Her room was spotless under that layer of dust, nothing was ever out of place.
I noticed her laptop was sitting on her bed opened. It looked ancient. It was ancient. I laughed at how chunky it looked, how laptops are more slimmer in design nowadays.
I went over to it, and pressed a random button. It was dead, obviously but I was nosy wondering what her internet history may of been like.
I joked to myself that she could have a secretive life.
I took the laptop into my room, got the ancient charger into it and waited for it to reboot. It took a wee while but when it finally turned on I wasn’t surprised about her password, lovelyfairies123. I mean she used that name for everything.
It was still on the pages where she last left it when I got on, an essay for school, her iTunes, google. I wasn't surprised about this all and went to log off, when I heard a ‘ding’.
It was coming off the internet browser. You know I clicked to the source of the sound.
It was a private messenger page, the user lovelyfairies123 was talking another user l8nite_.
I knew Junie was lovelyfairies123 and I just casually scrolled through to the top of the messages.
It was just casual back and forth conversations, mostly about art and certain anime they were both into. This l8nite_ user said they were a 15 year old male and in his first year of high school. Was kind of weirded out by the fact he was chatting with a 12 year old but It seemed like a clean wholesome chat.
But the more I read, the more uncomfortable I was feeling.
This guy would always pester my sister into meeting in real life, but she always said no she was too young to go out by herself. He didn't stop pestering her.
Then came the messages where he started threatening suicide if she didn't meet up.
Junie stopped replying after that, it turned into a spam of messages from this guy. Apologies about his actions, he won’t do it again, then more threats. Angry threats. Threats that he would hunt her down and murder her threats. He would kidnap her and rape her threats.
I was sick to my stomach. Is this the reason she disappeared? My heart sank.
There was one last message from Junie. A message that told him to meet up with her. I was suddenly angry. The evidence was all on this damn laptop, but of course, no one was educated enough about the dangers of the internet back then, why didn't they even think to look in her room!?
I then noticed a little online symbol next to l8nite_, he was active. This predator was online and I wasn't going to let him get another victim.
I made an account under the name babypink101, and quickly typed a message to him.
He responded in no time and we begun conversation swiftly and promptly. I said I was 12 years old and lived in the neighbourhood. He replied saying he was 15. Sick disgusting pig.
I wasn't quiet like Junie, I wanted to catch this guy. I knew he killed her. I wanted my revenge.
I was flirtatious and luckily for me, he was responding the same.
We talked all the way through the weekend, it was my birthday and I wanted to see this guy.
“I need some booze can I have some money?” I asked my parents.
“I can take you, I have to run some errands” My dad replied.
“I can drive myself dad” I said
“No its fine, let me take you sweetheart”
So I hopped in the car with my dad. Not going to plan. I started to message l8nite_ on my phone, asking where to meet up.
I put my phone face down in my lap.
Dad’s phone dings. That all too familiar ding that I knew.
