AlexaJames was not back when we left Emma’s house so we locked the door and left the key under a flower pot for him. We bagged a pecan pie into a paper bag and took along with us to give Ava’s parents when we got there and a couple of apples and a slice of sandwich for the long road. Em noticed the weird looks sooner than I did on my way here. She asked me if I noticed it.“Yes,” I said. I had forgotten to tell her about them. The looks were more intense and openly sinister now. “What do you think they think we did?”She asked.“That we came home without a friend and refused to look for her.”Emma sighed, “That's true but these looks are too intense for that.” Em was right people had gone missing and the anonymity towards their friends were this open or unveiled something else that we don't know must be happening. We walked on in silence, the food in our arms as people went out of our way on the sidewalks like we carried a plague. They removed their babies and strollers from us like

AlexaThree weeks later and the town was still buzzing with the news of Hazel’s disappearance. The hate from people had gotten worse if only the manifestation was on their faces. Two weeks later we held a wake for her at the only church in town. Sophie and her family came back from their hideout to attend. Emma and I were not invited and we denied entry when we tried to sneak in to pay our last respects to her. Despite our best efforts to witness it. Ava tried livestreaming the service but the her phone was taken from her before the first bible reading. We had to content ourselves with watching it from the otherside of the road, far from the crowded church. Crying over memories of Hazel as we sat in Em’s tractor bed and munched on sloppy joes. The town held a mourning period of two days for her where every storefront and non essential buildings were closed. Mrs Harris wore going from house to house, thanking everyone for their attendance and wonderful memories of Hazel. When they aske

Four Years Later.AlexaI handed my son to Em. She was saying something I really didn't have the attention to listen to. I folded my clothes into the box on the bed. I graduated with first class honors last week and I was still yet to vacate the dorm room. I was only allowed to stay here this long cos I guilt trip the dorm porters to let me stay back on week. Moving out of somewhere I called home for almost half a decade is quite hard. Here at college I got to be a different person. I stopped being the bad girl who got pregnant outside wedlock. I got to be a girl, a woman and a high flying computer science major. Going back home came with a lot of anxiety and trepidation. I was going back to the place I ran away from. I was once going to be the girl who let her close friend go missing in a strange town. Then it turns out the best friend wasn't actually missing, rather she was vacationing on a tropical island. Em excused herself with Henry, saying something about getting a snickers b

AlexaHenry and Olivia were at the table when I came down for breakfast. I had slept in and the sun was bright outside and the air warm. I looked at the wall clock. Past 12. The day was half over.“You look refreshed, much better than last night.” Olivia said.I took Henry from his seat and set him on my lap. I smiled at her and thanked her again for hosting us. She smiled and served my breakfast on a ceramic plate. Bacon, eggs and bread. I ate as I went over my to do list for the day. Henry needs a bath first, then to set him up in his room, unpack our bag and then come back to help Olivia with the house. Then worry about my finances and how to get a tech job in this office. “Have you contacted any employers yet?” Olivia interrupted my thoughts. “Uh?” I was confused about her question. All the employers I reached out to had rejected me. Olivia looks to be under the impression I had a lot of offers from multiple companies to employ me.I told her as much. “I would talk to my collea

AlexaI couldn't believe my eyes when I got the email that notified me that I got the job. It was like all my deepest wishes had come true. I had given up hope I would ever get it since I had that horrible interview a few days ago. I spent the past days rotting on my bed. I got up to only feed Hen and spend time with him. I was utterly mortified and unconsolable. I would have spent a month on the same spot if I didn't have a child to take care of. I checked the email again and read it through. Scrolling past the bolden ‘Congratulations! You are hired” subject. My heart sank further down when I read the email. I was not hired to be a data scientist just like I suspected I wouldn't. Instead I was hired to be a secretary. Of all things. I was no more qualified to be a data scientist than I was to be a secretary. I sighed and sank back down on the chair. I knew nothing about being a secretary. I downloaded the 2nd pdf about pay and benefits ignoring the first one which was tagged for th