When Jane Madarang's neighbor Natalie kills herself and leaves behind cryptic instructions, it's up to Jane and her classmates to unearth deadly secrets. ***** Natalie Driscoll is dead. She threw herself out a window and left her neighbor Jane to unravel their town's darkest secrets. Following Natalie's instructions leads Jane to three other high school students who all have something to hide. The four of them must carry out Natalie's final errand while solving the mysteries written in her diary. But the secrets they unearth may be far more dangerous than what they ever imagined. Content and/or trigger warning: This story contains scenes of suicide, violence and murder that may be triggering for some readers. [[word count: 100,000-150,000 words]]

makeup enhances what is already there... ©prettyexcuse #627 in Random!

When orphans vanish, Nick Sperry takes on the case. What do the missing children have in common? IQ's higher than Einstein's. P.I. Nick Sperry investigates the disappearance of Sidney Ryder. Nick's girlfriend, Melissa, brought the child to Sunshine Children's Home, D.C. eight years ago. Nick isn't fooled when the federal orphanage claims to have no record of Melissa's son. As an ex-CIA agent, Nick understands the immoral capabilities of the US government. Fueled by his suspicion, he discovers Sidney isn't the only lost orphan. Moreover, an unidentified man claiming to be their uncle took the children away from their foster families at a very young age. Meanwhile, Dr. Jack Kerwin begins to work with Tabula Rasa, a highly effective think-tank based out of the Center for Interactive Research and Solutions, or CIRAS. Under the direction of Tabula Rasa, Jack's research on childhood leukemia could save countless lives. But, his enthusiasm recedes when he notices strange things lurking behind the center's shiny walls.

Angie, a grieving expectant mother, must help the spirit of a little girl find the remains of twelve other children who mysteriously disappeared three years ago. ***** After the death of her twin brother, Angie Abernathy immersed herself in her painting to help her deal with her overwhelming grief. When her husband, John, finally convinces her to sort through some of Cory's belongings, she unexpectedly finds the closure she needs in the form of a map and a journal full of cryptic notes. When the notes lead her to the bodily remains of six-year-old Mary Drake, the first of thirteen children who went missing three years ago, Angie finds herself caught up in her own investigation and quickly starts to believe that Mary's bones aren't as dead as they seem to be... Content warning: This story contains mature themes, including references to the murder of children