If You Would Only Believe

Mrs. Lane's Opinion

 “McKenna Selena Washington!” I cringed as I came into the house through the back door. “Yes, Uncle Abe?” When Uncle Abe uses my full name it’s never a good thing. "Do you know what time it is?" Uncle Abe asked as I came into the living room. "Yup." I answered. “Time for me to go to my room and not come out until you say so." "Right" Uncle Abe said as I headed towards the stairs. "We'll talk about this tomorrow." I hoped tomorrow would never come.

 Contrary to my hopes, the sun rose up as it always does the following morning. I rolled out of bed and got ready for school. Uncle Abe was waiting for me when I came downstairs for breakfast. "I'm listing, McKenna." He said as I grabbed a banana from the fruit bowl. "I didn't think bananas were that loud." I said as I tried to avoid answering him. Uncle Abe grabbed my elbow and ushered me to a seat. "I'm waiting for you to tell me what you were doing last night at nine thirty." "Was it nine thirty?" I asked. Uncle Abe rolled his eyes. "McKenna, I want an answer, now." My mind raced to think of an explanation. I got lost? No, that's never happened before. I sprained my ankle? I hadn't been limping at all last night. The truth? Not an option. Uncle Abe was getting impatient. "I-I-I was working on a dam." I blurted out. There goes one secret. "Dam." Uncle Abe repeated. I nodded. “Um…yeah. You see, there’s a creek that runs through the woods and today I decided to start on a dam. I worked later than I thought I would and when it got dark I got up to go but then I slipped and fell into the water. I didn't want to tell how or where my pants got wet so I waited until they were dry before starting back..” I said. There, now he knows about the creak and the dam. Uncle Abe stared at me for about a minute. “And you thought coming home when it was dark out would work out just fine, huh?” he asked finally. I bit my lip. Uncle Abe took a deep breath. “McKenna.” He began.

I got on the bus that morning with a frump on my face. Uncle Abe said I wasn’t allowed outside until further notice. I had to figure out some way to see Emily and Adam; for now, I was stumped. When the bus got to school I went to class as quickly as I could. I didn’t want to meet up with Ida or Miley.

 "Good morning, McKenna." Mrs. Flanders said. She was sorting papers at her desk. I simply nodded. "You won't have to worry about Ida or Miley anymore." Mrs. Flanders continued. I picked my head up and looked at her. It seemed almost too good to be true. "I heard them talking just outside the classroom after class finished yesterday." Mrs. Flanders continued. "Ida was talking about the note. She said that she put it there and she was trying to think of other ways to get you in trouble. I stepped into the hallway just then and said Ida, Miley, I think you need to come to the principal's office just now." Mrs. Flanders smiled at me. "Ida has been suspended for three days and Miley will be serving detention because she had a part in it." I stifled a groan. Miley and Ida were going to be worse than before; I was sure of that! "Thanks." I mumbled. This is the beginning of the end.

Was I ever right! Later, at lunch that day, I got my food and sat down at an empty table. I got up to go to the bathroom and when I got back Miley was sitting two tables away. She scowled at me and then turned back to the group of girls that she was eating with. I ignored her until I bit into my sandwich. There was a beetle in it! The girls started to giggle as it spit out into a napkin. Gross. I wiped my mouth with another napkin but there was ketchup in the folds of it and ketchup was smeared all over my chin. Miley laughed. "Having trouble, Kenny?" She called. I picked up my food tray and moved to the other side of the cafeteria. I ignored the number of people that laughed at the ketchup on my face as I sat down at an empty table. I got some new napkins and cleaned up my face. I don't believe in love, but I think I do believe in hate.

When I got home later that afternoon I did my homework then slouched on the couch to watch the news. "The community is stunned at the disappearance of four-year-old Emily Drucker, sister to the missing Adam Drucker. The kidnapping occurred at about 8 pm last night. We spoke with the parents." I sat up and looked at a camera scene of the Drucker backyard. There were police cars and men walking around. Mr. Drucker was speaking. "She was in her room and I heard something outside. I went to check and as soon as I came out of the house my wife screamed that Emily was gone." Mr. Drucker said as he looked sorry and put an arm around his wife. Mrs. Drucker was sniffling into a handkerchief. "I went to check on her and she was gone! The window was open! My poor baby!" She bawled. I rolled my eyes. "If she was such a baby why did you treat her the way you did?" I asked the TV screen. "Though kidnapping is strongly suspected, no ransom note has appeared for Adam or Emily. The parents still insist that Adam ran away but the lack of clues is baffling to the police." The news reporter went on. "A watch dog was on the premises but he barked only for a short period before becoming silent and returning to the house. It is therefore a theory that someone that knows the Druckers is involved." I thought about the escape route that we had made. Through the woods in the back of the Drucker property, down the road then back to the woods. We waded downstream in the creek, cut through the back of the old church on Griffin Road, then back to Mrs. Lane's property. I was pretty sure we wouldn't be able to be tracked but the nervous know in my stomachs would not go away. I didn't want to hear anymore so I shut off the TV.