Realistic or Modern Through the Valley

[lisbeth]

Through the Valley

 

[lisbeth]

Elizabeth moreau

“Is she coming back?”
Elizabeth choked. “Is who coming back?” She fiddled with the distressed button on his polo shirt. The loose threads held onto it, acting as fingers that grasped for life. Small tears were prevalent on the sleeves from tripping in games of tag. She had sewn the material shut several times before, but it was becoming tiresome for her. And paying someone else to fix the shirt was unaffordable. A hand-me-down from the second oldest sibling, Thomas, it covered Nathan’s small frame. One could fit a second body in with ease.
“Matthew, he’s new, he asked why he never sees mom pick me up,” Nathan responded. Their eyes lined up, and she observed the sweet innocence in her brother’s large, watchful eyes. Albeit, there was developing hopelessness. The more he aged, the more reality disrupted that innocent view.
“I don’t, uh, I don’t know.” Elizabeth stroked Nathan’s shoulder. Some letters still arrived in the mail and despite curiosity, she threw them away. Whatever the hollow shell of a woman said, Elizabeth barely cared.
“Do you not like her?”
“No, no, I do. But I told you, she just, she did a bad thing to papa,” she paused, “And to us. Besides.” Swifter than an eagle, suddenly, she lunged and caught him under her arm. Thunderous screams and laughter filled the compact room in a matter of seconds. “I’m still here and that’s all you need.” Her vocals wheezed as she spun around, clutching Nathan. Elizabeth launched him onto his bed and collapsed next to him. “We’re doing all right without her.” Patting his stomach, she left him to continue dressing.
She briskly descended the stairs, dust bounced off every step. A thorough clean was due, she thought. Music played fiercely from a radio in the kitchen which signalled her father was awake. She recognised the song, it was Bon Jovi’s ‘Living On A Prayer’. The pounding of drums and shrill guitar strings scratched at her ears. Thirteen years amongst American culture meant they accustomed their family to the comprehensible yet strange ideals; including music, eating habits.
Elizabeth emerged from the hallway into the kitchen. Her father sat cross-legged on a creaky wooden chair (facing the doorway), hands gripped a newspaper. His favourite cracked mug, which Elizabeth bought a few years ago, with coffee swirling around in it rested beside him.
“Salut (Hi) Papa.”
“Ah, bonjour (Good morning) Eli!” Gabriel went to stand and Elizabeth raised her palm to prevent him. “Comment ca va? (How are you?)”
“Ca va bien. (I am good)”
Elizabeth’s father let the newspaper drift onto his knees as he sipped the coffee. Remnants of it dripped off his lips, wiping them with his right sleeve, he said, "I see you’re keeping up with our language?"
A giggle passed her lips, and she nodded, “Oui.” Gabriel preferred to support the French culture, and kept his children up to date: sporadic language practises, information on French history, French cuisine. Howbeit, with Nathan’s young age and upbringing in America, they primarily spoke English. Despite it all, he had grown to enjoy America.
He gestured towards the toaster. “There are two slices in there already if you want them.”
“Are you reading something interesting for once?” Elizabeth leaned against the counter.
Gabriel held out the newspaper, “Someone’s gone missing, which hasn’t happened for a while. I don’t know them, you might do, I’m not sure. But it’s one less person in the queue,” He chuckled nervously.
“Papa, you can’t say such things.” She slapped his arm and retrieved the paper. Opening it, her eyes froze, then the rest of her body followed. A dark-skinned girl’s face plastered on the page. Striking brown eyes bore into her, and her once friendly smile sent a shiver down Elizabeth’s back. Pleasantry stripped and replaced with haunting eeriness. After processing who it was, her heart sunk further. Newspapers often emphasise the disappearance by using the entire page. This newspaper dishonoured her disappearance with an unnoticeable article positioned in a corner of the page. It seemed no one cared.
Sweat trickled down her forehead, her heart pounded, her legs quaked. Elizabeth stumbled and her father clutched her wrists. “You recognise her?”
“Meredith and I were friends with her. We hung out once or twice,” Elizabeth’s lip quivered.
Her father embraced the shaken girl, the newspaper caught between them and twirled a luscious curl around his finger. His hands danced within the mane until she quietened.
“I’m sorry Eli.”
The silence lasted between the two before Elizabeth resolved herself. “Please, can I forget breakfast? I need to tell Meredith. Nathan should be ready but I don’t know about Thomas.”
“Just be safe.”
The door flung open and the town materialised as she hurried through the streets. In the early hours of the morning, little to no cars or humans passed by. The usually bustling town felt like a plague eradicated all life there. Windows glistened from the beating sun, greenery fluttered in the breeze. It only appeared this beautiful in summer.
Soon, stone after stone beat against Meredith’s window - a slight rhythm occurred. “Mere, I need to talk to you! ASAP! Please open up.“

Spoiler: Mobile

“Is she coming back?”
Elizabeth choked. “Is who coming back?” She fiddled with the distressed button on his polo shirt. The loose threads held onto it, acting as fingers that grasped for life. Small tears were prevalent on the sleeves from tripping in games of tag. She had sewn the material shut several times before, but it was becoming tiresome for her. And paying someone else to fix the shirt was unaffordable. A hand-me-down from the second oldest sibling, Thomas, it covered Nathan’s small frame. One could fit a second body in with ease.
“Matthew, he’s new, he asked why he never sees mom pick me up,” Nathan responded. Their eyes lined up, and she observed the sweet innocence in her brother’s large, watchful eyes. Albeit, there was developing hopelessness. The more he aged, the more reality disrupted that innocent view.
“I don’t, uh, I don’t know.” Elizabeth stroked Nathan’s shoulder. Some letters still arrived in the mail and despite curiosity, she threw them away. Whatever the hollow shell of a woman said, Elizabeth barely cared.
“Do you not like her?”
“No, no, I do. But I told you, she just, she did a bad thing to papa,” she paused, “And to us. Besides.” Swifter than an eagle, suddenly, she lunged and caught him under her arm. Thunderous screams and laughter filled the compact room in a matter of seconds. “I’m still here and that’s all you need.” Her vocals wheezed as she spun around, clutching Nathan. Elizabeth launched him onto his bed and collapsed next to him. “We’re doing all right without her.” Patting his stomach, she left him to continue dressing.
She briskly descended the stairs, dust bounced off every step. A thorough clean was due, she thought. Music played fiercely from a radio in the kitchen which signalled her father was awake. She recognised the song, it was Bon Jovi’s ‘Living On A Prayer’. The pounding of drums and shrill guitar strings scratched at her ears. Thirteen years amongst American culture meant they accustomed their family to the comprehensible yet strange ideals; including music, eating habits.
Elizabeth emerged from the hallway into the kitchen. Her father sat cross-legged on a creaky wooden chair (facing the doorway), hands gripped a newspaper. His favourite cracked mug, which Elizabeth bought a few years ago, with coffee swirling around in it rested beside him.
“Salut (Hi) Papa.”
“Ah, bonjour (Good morning) Eli!” Gabriel went to stand and Elizabeth raised her palm to prevent him. “Comment ca va? (How are you?)”
“Ca va bien. (I am good)”
Elizabeth’s father let the newspaper drift onto his knees as he sipped the coffee. Remnants of it dripped off his lips, wiping them with his right sleeve, he said, "I see you’re keeping up with our language?"
A giggle passed her lips, and she nodded, “Oui.” Gabriel preferred to support the French culture, and kept his children up to date: sporadic language practises, information on French history, French cuisine. Howbeit, with Nathan’s young age and upbringing in America, they primarily spoke English. Despite it all, he had grown to enjoy America.
He gestured towards the toaster. “There are two slices in there already if you want them.”
“Are you reading something interesting for once?” Elizabeth leaned against the counter.
Gabriel held out the newspaper, “Someone’s gone missing, which hasn’t happened for a while. I don’t know them, you might do, I’m not sure. But it’s one less person in the queue,” He chuckled nervously.
“Papa, you can’t say such things.” She slapped his arm and retrieved the paper. Opening it, her eyes froze, then the rest of her body followed. A dark-skinned girl’s face plastered on the page. Striking brown eyes bore into her, and her once friendly smile sent a shiver down Elizabeth’s back. Pleasantry stripped and replaced with haunting eeriness. After processing who it was, her heart sunk further. Newspapers often emphasise the disappearance by using the entire page. This newspaper dishonoured her disappearance with an unnoticeable article positioned in a corner of the page. It seemed no one cared.
Sweat trickled down her forehead, her heart pounded, her legs quaked. Elizabeth stumbled and her father clutched her wrists. “You recognise her?”
“Meredith and I were friends with her. We hung out once or twice,” Elizabeth’s lip quivered.
Her father embraced the shaken girl, the newspaper caught between them and twirled a luscious curl around his finger. His hands danced within the mane until she quietened.
“I’m sorry Eli.”
The silence lasted between the two before Elizabeth resolved herself. “Please, can I forget breakfast? I need to tell Meredith. Nathan should be ready but I don’t know about Thomas.”
“Just be safe.”
The door flung open and the town materialised as she hurried through the streets. In the early hours of the morning, little to no cars or humans passed by. The usually bustling town felt like a plague eradicated all life there. Windows glistened from the beating sun, greenery fluttered in the breeze. It only appeared this beautiful in summer.
Soon, stone after stone beat against Meredith’s window - a slight rhythm occurred. “Mere, I need to talk to you! ASAP! Please open up.“​

 

[katsch_99]

MEREDITH SPRINGFIELD

Mood > Unsettled
Location > Home
Interaction > Heather/Eli

"For God's sake, Meredith! Let your sister have some time in there, would you?"
Muffled but familliar to Meredith's ears, her mother's voice sounded from the other side of the bathroom door. It was a common occurence, seeing as there was only one shower in their modest two-storey home, which the two girls had to share every morning. Her father had promised to renovate the closet-sized bathroom in the master bedroom, but Meredith had given up that idea long before her father had drunkenly reassured them of his plans almost a year and a half ago. For someone who swore on his word so often, he wasn't very good at keeping promises, she'd learned.
The blonde scoffed lightly as someone shouted again and pounded on the closed door, dragging her from her thoughts.
"Mere! Come on!"
"Yeah, yeah, cool your jets! I'm almost done!" Meredith called back, shaking her head. She unplugged her hair dryer and finally unlocked the bathroom door, expertly dodging a frustrated jab at her shoulder as she stepped out. She clicked her tongue and shook her head, flashing her little sister a grin.
"Jeez, Heather, get more creative," Meredith teased, playfully nudging the younger girl in the shoulder as she moved past her.
Heather growled and bit her tongue, storming into the steam-filled bathroom with a murderous glare cast back at her sister. "You're insufferable, you know that?" she grumbled, her voice falling. "Jerk."
"Hey! Remember who drives you to school, loser," the older girl retorted over her shoulder, twirling around and shutting her bedroom door with a smile as she caught Heather's irritated grunt from down the hall. The sound of the bathroom door slamming shut preceded an angry reminder from their mother about who paid the bills in the house, and how they really ought to be nicer to each other.
Meredith stood in front of the full length mirror in the corner of her room, scowling at her reflection. The blonde readjusted the cuff on one leg of her denim jeans, frowning as she realized she needed to fix the other so they were even. She rolled them until they rested just above the top of her worn, style #95 Vans sneakers - the pair she'd spent all spring staring at in the window of Cal's Shoes. They hugged her ankles and provided the adequate support the store's flyer had boasted, making them the perfect shoes for skating and the bane of her mother's existence. If there was one thing Barbara Springfield hated more than doors being slammed in her home, it was her daughter's skateboard. An accident waiting to happen, she'd say.
A number of discarded shirts lay strewn across an unmade bed, and would likely remain there until Meredith refolded them at her mother's request. The plain white tee she'd decided on fit tightly, leaving a small section of her midriff exposed. The top was partially hidden beneath a thrifted jacket that was slightly too big for her, but matched her navy and red sneakers perfectly. Meredith liked to feel put-together, and colour-coordinating her outfits was her favourite way to accomplish that by far.
Giving a satisfied nod at her reflection, Meredith touched up her lipstick before turning away from the mirror - if she wasn't downstairs soon, her mother would surely be on her about it. She slipped her compact and keys into her jacket pocket, grabbed her bag from beside her door, and nearly gave herself whiplash snapping her head towards the window as a stone bounced off the glass. Not three seconds later, another stone followed. Meredith made her way to her window as muffled yelling erupted from below, punctuated by a steady stream of rocks clinking against the glass pane.
Meredith recognized the insistent voice immediately. Yet when she pushed the window open, hung her head out and looked down, her eyes still widened at the sight of her friend - standing on the thin strip of lawn beside her house, arm pulled back to launch another stone, staring up at her with wild eyes. Meredith frowned, quirking an eyebrow in confusion.
"Elizabeth?"
Elizabeth Moreau was quite possibly the very best thing to ever walk into Meredith's life. She was funny, and smart, and pretty, and probably the most genuinely kind person Meredith had ever met. She laughed at all her jokes, and tiny dimples formed in both cheeks whenever she smiled (Meredith loved making her smile). She was also closer to Meredith than anyone outside of her own family, and as well-mannered as they come. Naturally, the Springfields all loved her.
Eli's mom had left when she was younger, so she lived with her dad and brothers. She didn't talk about her or their situation much, and in return Meredith didn't pry. She spent more time at the Moreaus' house than she did her own, and she was more fond of Elizabeth and her family than nearly anyone else in the world. Only Heather compared, really.
There were far too many good things about the other girl than Meredith could possibly name, but the best by far was that Elizabeth Moreau liked girls too. A constant in her life, she served as a reminder that Meredith wasn't completely alone in this suffocating town.
The topic of what exactly they were didn't come up much, but Meredith told herself she didn't mind; she adored her, and as long as Elizabeth wanted her, Meredith would be by her side in whatever way she'd have her.
Now, though, the girl she knew inside and out was stood beneath her window, looking like she'd just seen a ghost.
The expression she wore looked so foreign on her, she was for a split second almost unrecognizable to Meredith. Her heart sank with a sickening feeling of dread, knowing whatever news the stricken girl brought surely wouldn't be good. Casting a glance over her shoulder, she checked that her mother was still downstairs before poking her head out the window again. She held a finger up telling her to stay put before sliding the window closed and racing downstairs with her bag in hand.
Meredith slipped by the kitchen and out the side entrance of her house unnoticed, closing the door behind her as silently as the rusted mechanism allowed. She met her friend's eyes in the morning light, and the dread returned - Eli was colourless and teary-eyed, nothing like her usually bright self. Wordlessly, she crossed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around the brunette. "Hey, it's okay," she soothed, pulling back to meet her eyes again. Out of habit, Meredith reached up to the other girl's face and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear before continuing. "Eli, what's up?" she asked, her voice thick with concern. She hesitated. "Are you okay?"

​

Spoiler: Mobile

"For God's sake, Meredith! Let your sister have some time in there, would you?"
Muffled but familliar to Meredith's ears, her mother's voice sounded from the other side of the bathroom door. It was a common occurence, seeing as there was only one shower in their modest two-storey home, which the two girls had to share every morning. Her father had promised to renovate the closet-sized bathroom in the master bedroom, but Meredith had given up that idea long before her father had drunkenly reassured them of his plans almost a year and a half ago. For someone who swore on his word so often, he wasn't very good at keeping promises, she'd learned.
The blonde scoffed lightly as someone shouted again and pounded on the closed door, dragging her from her thoughts.
"Mere! Come on!"
"Yeah, yeah, cool your jets! I'm almost done!" Meredith called back, shaking her head. She unplugged her hair dryer and finally unlocked the bathroom door, expertly dodging a frustrated jab at her shoulder as she stepped out. She clicked her tongue and shook her head, flashing her little sister a grin.
"Jeez, Heather, get more creative," Meredith teased, playfully nudging the younger girl in the shoulder as she moved past her.
Heather growled and bit her tongue, storming into the steam-filled bathroom with a murderous glare cast back at her sister. "You're insufferable, you know that?" she grumbled, her voice falling. "Jerk."
"Hey! Remember who drives you to school, loser," the older girl retorted over her shoulder, twirling around and shutting her bedroom door with a smile as she caught Heather's irritated grunt from down the hall. The sound of the bathroom door slamming shut preceded an angry reminder from their mother about who paid the bills in the house, and how they really ought to be nicer to each other.
Meredith stood in front of the full length mirror in the corner of her room, scowling at her reflection. The blonde readjusted the cuff on one leg of her denim jeans, frowning as she realized she needed to fix the other so they were even. She rolled them until they rested just above the top of her worn, style #95 Vans sneakers - the pair she'd spent all spring staring at in the window of Cal's Shoes. They hugged her ankles and provided the adequate support the store's flyer had boasted, making them the perfect shoes for skating and the bane of her mother's existence. If there was one thing Barbara Springfield hated more than doors being slammed in her home, it was her daughter's skateboard. An accident waiting to happen, she'd say.
A number of discarded shirts lay strewn across an unmade bed, and would likely remain there until Meredith refolded them at her mother's request. The plain white tee she'd decided on fit tightly, leaving a small section of her midriff exposed. The top was partially hidden beneath a thrifted jacket that was slightly too big for her, but matched her navy and red sneakers perfectly. Meredith liked to feel put-together, and colour-coordinating her outfits was her favourite way to accomplish that by far.
Giving a satisfied nod at her reflection, Meredith touched up her lipstick before turning away from the mirror - if she wasn't downstairs soon, her mother would surely be on her about it. She slipped her compact and keys into her jacket pocket, grabbed her bag from beside her door, and nearly gave herself whiplash snapping her head towards the window as a stone bounced off the glass. Not three seconds later, another stone followed. Meredith made her way to her window as muffled yelling erupted from below, punctuated by a steady stream of rocks clinking against the glass pane.
Meredith recognized the insistent voice immediately. Yet when she pushed the window open, hung her head out and looked down, her eyes still widened at the sight of her friend - standing on the thin strip of lawn beside her house, arm pulled back to launch another stone, staring up at her with wild eyes. Meredith frowned, quirking an eyebrow in confusion.

"Elizabeth?"

Elizabeth Moreau was quite possibly the very best thing to ever walk into Meredith's life. She was funny, and smart, and pretty, and probably the most genuinely kind person Meredith had ever met. She laughed at all her jokes, and tiny dimples formed in both cheeks whenever she smiled (Meredith loved making her smile). She was also closer to Meredith than anyone outside of her own family, and as well-mannered as they come. Naturally, the Springfields all loved her.
Eli's mom had left when she was younger, so she lived with her dad and brothers. She didn't talk about her or their situation much, and in return Meredith didn't pry. She spent more time at the Moreaus' house than she did her own, and she was more fond of Elizabeth and her family than nearly anyone else in the world. Only Heather compared, really.
There were far too many good things about the other girl than Meredith could possibly name, but the best by far was that Elizabeth Moreau liked girls too. A constant in her life, she served as a reminder that Meredith wasn't completely alone in this suffocating town.
The topic of what exactly they were didn't come up much, but Meredith told herself she didn't mind; she adored her, and as long as Elizabeth wanted her, Meredith would be by her side in whatever way she'd have her.
Now, though, the girl she knew inside and out was stood beneath her window, looking like she'd just seen a ghost.
The expression she wore looked so foreign on her, she was for a split second almost unrecognizable to Meredith. Her heart sank with a sickening feeling of dread, knowing whatever news the stricken girl brought surely wouldn't be good. Casting a glance over her shoulder, she checked that her mother was still downstairs before poking her head out the window again. She held a finger up telling her to stay put before sliding the window closed and racing downstairs with her bag in hand.

Meredith slipped by the kitchen and out the side entrance of her house unnoticed, closing the door behind her as silently as the rusted mechanism allowed. She met her friend's eyes in the morning light, and the dread returned - Eli was colourless and teary-eyed, nothing like her usually bright self. Wordlessly, she crossed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around the brunette. "Hey, it's okay," she soothed, pulling back to meet her eyes again. Out of habit, Meredith reached up to the other girl's face and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear before continuing. "Eli, what's up?" she asked, her voice thick with concern. She hesitated. "Are you okay?"​

​

​

 

[lisbeth]

Elizabeth moreau

Elizabeth couldn’t hold it in anymore. Oceans filled her eyes. She spluttered incomprehensible words. Guttural sounds gurgled in her throat. Their bodies nestled together. Arms, like impenetrable chains, around each other. Meredith’s scent grazed Elizabeth’s nostrils. Citrus. Elizabeth gently breathed it in and her fast-flowing tears soon slowed. The sweet, familiar smell and Meredith’s tender arms eased Elizabeth. She rolled her shoulders back gently as Meredith pulled herself away.
“Are you okay?”
The tears blurred Elizabeth’s vision and she couldn’t see her friend visibly. “I-I had to come to you.” Her heavy breaths interrupted each word. “I’m sorry,” only a whisper followed. A nauseating dread twisted her stomach at the thought of disturbing Meredith; it wasn’t her fault.
She needed Meredith. She yearned her.
A void lived inside her whenever Meredith wasn’t with her. A bubble of emptiness, as if Meredith’s presence maintained her entire being. But Elizabeth refused to admit it. Saying those thoughts aloud meant no return. She forced them deep into her subconscious and remembered the newspaper. Her shaky hands fumbled around her jacket pockets; struggling to grip onto it. After some exasperated huffs, she retrieved it; tears soaked the crinkled paper. Elizabeth hurriedly searched for the news article.
Seeing it again wasn’t easier. Elizabeth slammed the paper on Meredith’s lawn, turning it towards her friend. Adelaide's expressionless portrait watched them, following their eyes. She knelt on the cold grass opposite Meredith. Elizabeth waited for her process it. Nibbling her jagged nails, Elizabeth’s teary eyes impatiently darted between both faces. The silence made her heartbeat deafening.
She thought she would explode.
“I didn’t think this would ever happen,” she bumbled, breaking the silence. Pointing at the article, she continued, “For someone who I know to go missing.” Elizabeth realised her leg was bouncing underneath her. Considering she spent most of her teenage years handling other’s issues, she had hit a roadblock. There wasn’t anything they could do aside from weeping. But Elizabeth had already spent most of her energy within five minutes. She caught glimpses of others passing by - running errands or begrudgingly heading to work. Some taking quick notice but carried on. Fortunately, they gathered in a secluded area.
Elizabeth scooted towards Meredith without making eye contact. It reminded her of every instance they spent in each other’s bedroom: discussing the future, complaining about boys, crying over their personal lives. Nostalgia suddenly washed over her. Her sorrowful gaze elevated slightly to Meredith. It wasn’t the same anymore. An obvious distance between them developed sometime. Elizabeth, deep down, knew it was her fault. She tensed her hand as to compel it from slinking onto Meredith’s.
“Do you find it strange that the article is small? A missing person article is big, right? Someone has gone fucking missing, and this article is invisible. Is this town that screwed up?!” she shouted the final question.
Wilkinson Valley fit the cliche. Everyone knows your business, be careful what you say or who you trust, word travels fast. Elizabeth’s opinion wrestled between loving or despising the town. Most residents were pleasant. She reached a point where she and a homeless man at the library had also acquainted. A World War Two veteran named Edward. His pencil-thin face owned a disfigured but charming smile - except he missed one or two teeth. He always wished her well, and she reciprocated. Every time she saw him, Elizabeth reminded herself that once she graduated, she’d buy a house for him. He deserved it more than anyone.
With minimal forethought, she collected everything together and stood rigidly. “I want to see her parents. Check how they are. Please come with me?” A desperate smile tugged on her lips.

The house sat alone, waiting for its family to return. Nothing changed. No broken windows or doors. Ivy lined the red brick wall and created a zig-zag pattern. A lone police car sat on the street. No one accompanied it. In fact, human life altogether was absent. One expected a rare event to garner more attention. Residents walked along the opposite pathway, tightly weaving their arms together and staring ahead, with a weary movement; as if a deity placed a direful curse upon anyone near. As Elizabeth stepped closer, a haunting chill slivered down her spine. An eldritch atmosphere enveloped the house as if a grotesque monster awaited them; hoping to kidnap more humans. Every window pursued her as she examined it.
Elizabeth attempted to move but a firm voice called from the side, “They’re down at the station if you’re looking for the family.” A police officer stood at the side of the house - the car presumably belonged to him. No older than the mid-twenties. Tousled ash blonde hair covered his forehead. The unidentified officer pushed it away. Symmetrical facial features complemented an equally chiselled facial structure. His fit biceps were tightly enclosed in the uniform. His veiny hands gripped his belt assertively. “Are you two friends?” Despite his commanding demeanour, concern sounded clear. If anyone suited this job, it was him.
“We go to school with their daughter. I only heard about it this morning.” Elizabeth kept her distance and watched him plod, across the lawn, towards his car.
“I wouldn’t say they’re ok. Their daughter has gone missing.”
She winced, “Do you know what happened yet?” Was she kidnapped? Ran away? Maybe started a new life? Two hours passed since Elizabeth read the article. Enervating theories already knocked at her brain, begging to enter and torment her. Adelaide had no reason to leave. Albeit, she and Elizabeth didn’t confide in those topics. Meredith held the title of Personal Information Sharer.
The officer solemnly shook his head. A deep worry hid behind his eyes. And for a mere second, Elizabeth recognised it. Elizabeth searched the shambolic web of memories. She knew him.
“Benny!” Everything she said was exaggerated today. The stunned man studied her. His eyebrows knitted in thought, the name triggered a memory.
“Elizabeth?” Ben answered.
Elizabeth lionized Ben as a child. He used to babysit her and her brothers for extra cash. And she may have harboured feelings for him. They had not spoken since he left for college. “Oh my God, I didn’t recognise you. With the whole police attire. When did this happen?” She unintentionally ogled him. “You look good.”
“Believe me, if you think I wasn’t recognisable,“ he tittered. “I haven’t been here long. Figured why not come back? I see my family and it means a crackhead won’t stab me in the city. Plus, I also get to see others faces… Like yours.”
Elizabeth’s heart skipped a beat. Was he flirting?
Ben’s radio crackled to life. A voice requested for his location. He took hold of it and answered. Ben focused on Elizabeth again. “I best be heading back. Nice to see you again.” He smiled at Elizabeth then nodded at Meredith.
“Actually, Ben, could you take us to the station? Just to see her parents? I totally understand if you can’t.”
Contemplating for several seconds, he responded. “Sure, but don’t take too long.”

Spoiler: Mobile

Elizabeth couldn’t hold it in anymore. Oceans filled her eyes. She spluttered incomprehensible words. Guttural sounds gurgled in her throat. Their bodies nestled together. Arms, like impenetrable chains, around each other. Meredith’s scent grazed Elizabeth’s nostrils. Citrus. Elizabeth gently breathed it in and her fast-flowing tears soon slowed. The sweet, familiar smell and Meredith’s tender arms eased Elizabeth. She rolled her shoulders back gently as Meredith pulled herself away.
“Are you okay?”
The tears blurred Elizabeth’s vision and she couldn’t see her friend visibly. “I-I had to come to you.” Her heavy breaths interrupted each word. “I’m sorry,” only a whisper followed. A nauseating dread twisted her stomach at the thought of disturbing Meredith; it wasn’t her fault.
She needed Meredith. She yearned her.
A void lived inside her whenever Meredith wasn’t with her. A bubble of emptiness, as if Meredith’s presence maintained her entire being. But Elizabeth refused to admit it. Saying those thoughts aloud meant no return. She forced them deep into her subconscious and remembered the newspaper. Her shaky hands fumbled around her jacket pockets; struggling to grip onto it. After some exasperated huffs, she retrieved it; tears soaked the crinkled paper. Elizabeth hurriedly searched for the news article.
Seeing it again wasn’t easier. Elizabeth slammed the paper on Meredith’s lawn, turning it towards her friend. Adelaide's expressionless portrait watched them, following their eyes. She knelt on the cold grass opposite Meredith. Elizabeth waited for her process it. Nibbling her jagged nails, Elizabeth’s teary eyes impatiently darted between both faces. The silence made her heartbeat deafening.
She thought she would explode.
“I didn’t think this would ever happen,” she bumbled, breaking the silence. Pointing at the article, she continued, “For someone who I know to go missing.” Elizabeth realised her leg was bouncing underneath her. Considering she spent most of her teenage years handling other’s issues, she had hit a roadblock. There wasn’t anything they could do aside from weeping. But Elizabeth had already spent most of her energy within five minutes. She caught glimpses of others passing by - running errands or begrudgingly heading to work. Some taking quick notice but carried on. Fortunately, they gathered in a secluded area.
Elizabeth scooted towards Meredith without making eye contact. It reminded her of every instance they spent in each other’s bedroom: discussing the future, complaining about boys, crying over their personal lives. Nostalgia suddenly washed over her. Her sorrowful gaze elevated slightly to Meredith. It wasn’t the same anymore. An obvious distance between them developed sometime. Elizabeth, deep down, knew it was her fault. She tensed her hand as to compel it from slinking onto Meredith’s.
“Do you find it strange that the article is small? A missing person article is big, right? Someone has gone fucking missing, and this article is invisible. Is this town that screwed up?!” she shouted the final question.
Wilkinson Valley fit the cliche. Everyone knows your business, be careful what you say or who you trust, word travels fast. Elizabeth’s opinion wrestled between loving or despising the town. Most residents were pleasant. She reached a point where she and a homeless man at the library had also acquainted. A World War Two veteran named Edward. His pencil-thin face owned a disfigured but charming smile - except he missed one or two teeth. He always wished her well, and she reciprocated. Every time she saw him, Elizabeth reminded herself that once she graduated, she’d buy a house for him. He deserved it more than anyone.
With minimal forethought, she collected everything together and stood rigidly. “I want to see her parents. Check how they are. Please come with me?” A desperate smile tugged on her lips.

The house sat alone, waiting for its family to return. Nothing changed. No broken windows or doors. Ivy lined the red brick wall and created a zig-zag pattern. A lone police car sat on the street. No one accompanied it. In fact, human life altogether was absent. One expected a rare event to garner more attention. Residents walked along the opposite pathway, tightly weaving their arms together and staring ahead, with a weary movement; as if a deity placed a direful curse upon anyone near. As Elizabeth stepped closer, a haunting chill slivered down her spine. An eldritch atmosphere enveloped the house as if a grotesque monster awaited them; hoping to kidnap more humans. Every window pursued her as she examined it.
Elizabeth attempted to move but a firm voice called from the side, “They’re down at the station if you’re looking for the family.” A police officer stood at the side of the house - the car presumably belonged to him. No older than the mid-twenties. Tousled ash blonde hair covered his forehead. The unidentified officer pushed it away. Symmetrical facial features complemented an equally chiselled facial structure. His fit biceps were tightly enclosed in the uniform. His veiny hands gripped his belt assertively. “Are you two friends?” Despite his commanding demeanour, concern sounded clear. If anyone suited this job, it was him.
“We go to school with their daughter. I only heard about it this morning.” Elizabeth kept her distance and watched him plod, across the lawn, towards his car.
“I wouldn’t say they’re ok. Their daughter has gone missing.”
She winced, “Do you know what happened yet?” Was she kidnapped? Ran away? Maybe started a new life? Two hours passed since Elizabeth read the article. Enervating theories already knocked at her brain, begging to enter and torment her. Adelaide had no reason to leave. Albeit, she and Elizabeth didn’t confide in those topics. Meredith held the title of Personal Information Sharer.
The officer solemnly shook his head. A deep worry hid behind his eyes. And for a mere second, Elizabeth recognised it. Elizabeth searched the shambolic web of memories. She knew him.
“Benny!” Everything she said was exaggerated today. The stunned man studied her. His eyebrows knitted in thought, the name triggered a memory.
“Elizabeth?” Ben answered.
Elizabeth lionized Ben as a child. He used to babysit her and her brothers for extra cash. And she may have harboured feelings for him. They had not spoken since he left for college. “Oh my God, I didn’t recognise you. With the whole police attire. When did this happen?” She unintentionally ogled him. “You look good.”
“Believe me, if you think I wasn’t recognisable,“ he tittered. “I haven’t been here long. Figured why not come back? I see my family and it means a crackhead won’t stab me in the city. Plus, I also get to see others faces… Like yours.”
Elizabeth’s heart skipped a beat. Was he flirting?
Ben’s radio crackled to life. A voice requested for his location. He took hold of it and answered. Ben focused on Elizabeth again. “I best be heading back. Nice to see you again.” He smiled at Elizabeth then nodded at Meredith.
“Actually, Ben, could you take us to the station? Just to see her parents? I totally understand if you can’t.”
Contemplating for several seconds, he responded. “Sure, but don’t take too long.”​

 

[katsch_99]

MEREDITH SPRINGFIELD

Mood > Apprehensive
Location > Police Station
Interaction > Multiple

Meredith's heart continued to hammer in her chest as she watched the other girl. A startling mix of guilt and dread resided in the depths of her eyes -- eyes that were so often crinkled at the corners, sparkling with laughter. Eyes Meredith used to find herself getting lost in, yet found herself avoiding more and more these days. A long silence passed before she spoke again, her voice wavering slightly. "You're scaring me."
Elizabeth inhaled sharply before the words came tumbling out of her mouth. "I had to come to you," she managed between breaths, eyes wide and searching her face, "I'm sorry."
Whatever news she'd brought had clearly shaken the other girl to her core, which could easily explain the tension between them. Deep down, though, Meredith knew there was more to it than that. Something had definitely shifted between them -- so gradual it was barely noticeable, but there nonetheless. She saw it when she was alone on a Saturday night instead of blowing the savings from her summer job at the arcade downtown. When she instinctively went to order a second milkshake down at the diner, or turned to tell Jane something only Elizabeth would laugh at, only to realize they hadn't so much as glanced at each other that day. When she slept over at the Moreau's -- in the same bed, right beside her, and a whole world away. Lying awake, too afraid to confront the growing distance between them, knowing her answer might be worse than the feeling right now.
Perhaps it was the simple fact that neither of them were the same kids they'd been when they'd first met. They'd each grown immensely, and with that growth had come inevitable change. Nonetheless, drifting away from the one person she never used to go a day without speaking to was something she was still struggling to come to terms with.

Meredith's eyes fell to her friend's trembling hands as they frantically searched her jacket, eventually producing a crinkled news clipping from The Wilkinson Valley Register. The other girl dropped to her knees, thrusting the paper down on the dewy grass and dampening the knees of her pants in the process. Immediately, the greyscale photo on the page caught her eye, but she knelt down across from Eli to examine it further. Meredith's chest tightened when she recognized the smiling subject of the portrait almost immediately.

Adelaide Williams. 17 years old, a senior student at Wilkinson Valley High School. To Meredith, a friendly face in the halls, a member of the school track team...and according to the article, missing since late yesterday.

Meredith swallowed against a hard lump forming in her throat, gesturing to the photo. "That- that's Adelaide," she mumbled, dumbfounded. The smaller girl glanced up, fixing her friend with a troubled gaze. "Holy shit."
"I didn't think this would ever happen. For someone I know to go missing," Elizabeth said, more agitated than she'd ever seen her. Meredith exhaled slowly, her eyes glued back on the newspaper.
"Yeah," she breathed, "me neither."

Naturally, the idea that there was a potential criminal prowling the streets of Wilkinson Valley didn't exactly sit well with her. Her stomach churned even more at the thought that the culprit could be someone from inside the town -- someone they all perhaps recognized, but didn't truly know. It was easier to believe the girl had merely run away, but Meredith had seen enough episodes of Miami Vice to at least question whether that was really the case.

As far as Christians go, Adelaide's parents were just about as good as they come. The family gave to the church when they could, and were the type of people to spend their holidays down at the food bank serving hot meals to the less fortunate. They met neighbours and strangers alike with open arms, having always made it clear that their doors were open to all. Meredith frowned. What good reason was there for Adelaide to run away from a home like that? And yet, it didn't seem like the girl had a habit of making enemies either -- from what little time they'd spent together, Mere had found her to be quite cordial. What would somebody want from a sweet girl like Adelaide? From a family like hers?

None of it made sense.

"Do you find it strange that the article is small?" Eli interjected, pulling her from her thoughts. "A missing person article is big, right? Someone has gone fucking missing, and this article is invisible. Is this town that screwed up?!"
Meredith furrowed her brow, considering the question. She was no expert in journalism, but surely such a case warranted more than a tiny column in the morning paper. "No...something's definitely not right," Meredith agreed, thinking out loud to try and sort things out in her head. "I mean, maybe this was just, like, some kind of mistake. Or else..." she paused, hesitant to go on. Glancing up at her friend to gauge her reaction, she added, "...maybe...someone doesn't want this story to get the attention it deserves."

Adelaide's face stared up at the pair, unblinking. Meredith tore her eyes away from the haunting photo as Elizabeth wordlessly refolded the paper and stood up. The shorter girl remained on the grass, looking up to her friend expectantly. "Something tells me you aren't just gonna let this go," she remarked, green eyes surveying the unreadable expression on Eli's face.
Sure enough, Eli nodded. "I want to see her parents. Check how they are. Please come with me?"
Meredith sighed softly. Though her curiosity was getting the better of her, she couldn't ignore the apprehension gripping her. But the taller girl fixed her with a pleading look, and Mere knew then that Heather would be finding her own way to school this morning. "Well, you're sure as hell not going over there alone," she responded flatly. "Let's go."


The lot was eerily still when they arrived. The birds seemed to have found somewhere else to sing this morning. No insects hovered around the garden, and only the slightest breeze whispered through the overgrown grass by the porch. The quietness of the scene was bizzare-- surely there should've been a full blown investigation taking place by now, yet the only sign of life on the property was an abandoned police cruiser parked on the street. Thankfully, her father was still in bed after working a night shift, ruling him out as a potential driver. Nonetheless, Meredith stuck close to her friend, keeping watch around them whilst Eli examined the exterior of the house.
"You know, Eli, it's times like this that I wish I could say no to you" she mumbled, more to herself than the other girl. Keen eyes scanned the deserted area warily, and Mere readjusted the bag digging into her shoulders. "Like, dude...say she's actually dead. If something happened to her here, that makes this a crime scene. I mean, do we really wanna get mixed up in something like --"

"--They're down at the station if you're looking for the family," a voice coming from the side of the lot called, making them both jump. The speaker revealed himself to be a young police officer, as he stepped out from beside the house and headed towards the pair with an air of authority that the uniform lent him. Instinctively, Meredith's hand gravitated towards Eli's, their fingers brushing as she eyed the approaching the stranger uneasily.
"Are you two friends?" the officer asked, coming to a stop a few feet in front of them. Meredith hesitated, looking to her friend for support before nodding.
"We go to school with their daughter," Eli replied, "I only heard about it this morning."
Surprisingly, the short answer seemed to satisfy the officer. Meredith's eyes tracked his movements as he gave them a nod and brushed past, apparently in some sort of hurry. She turned briskly, swallowing and managing to find her voice as he neared the parked cruiser. "Hey, wait!" she called, raising her voice to get his attention. "What about her family, are they ok?"
He looked over his shoulder, fixing her with a calculating gaze before shrugging. "I wouldn't say they're ok. Their daughter has gone missing," he answered. Meredith blinked at the blunt response and glanced away, quietly studying the unkempt lawn. She folded her arms across her chest and followed Eli back towards the street.
"Do you know what happened?" Elizabeth persisted. He wordlessly shook his head, and she fell silent in defeat. The other girl's hands restlessly fidgeted with each other at the grim response, and Meredith thought of reaching out to settle them when she saw her friend's eyes widen suddenly with surprise.
"Benny!"

The exclamation evidently caught his attention, and he regarded her with a puzzled expression for a few seconds. A look of recognition lit up Eli's face and his soon after, everything clicking into place for them in that moment.
"Elizabeth?"
"Oh my god, I didn't recognize you. With the whole police attire. When did this happen?" the brunette excitedly continued, crossing the distance between them with a slightly flustered Meredith in tow. She stopped in front of him and paused, looking him up and down with an unadultered fondness that answered several questions in the other girl's mind. "You look good," Eli smiled.
Meredith stood awkwardly, keenly aware of how out of place she looked. As the two bantered back and forth, she couldn't help but catch the subtle glances they exchanged. The way the blond's eyes lingered on Eli a few seconds too long for a friendly gaze. The way Eli reciprocated. There was history between them, that much was obvious, but Meredith could only attempt to fill in the details. Likely a childhood friend of Eli's, perhaps something more. A shadow seemed to flit across her face at the thought, and she found a sudden interest in the cracked pavement of the road behind the officer.

A distorted voice soon came over Ben's radio, cutting the tender reunion short. "I best be heading back," he said, nodding politely at her before turning to Elizabeth, "Nice to see you again."
Meredith offered a tight-lipped smile in return, green eyes lingering on his uniform before shifting to her friend. With Adelaide's family downtown, there wasn't much left for them to investigate here -- not without getting into any trouble, anyway. As far as she knew, citizens poking around an active crime scene was generally frowned upon by law enforcement. Meredith was fabricating a lie to cover her absence in first period when Elizabeth spoke up to ask a final favor of her friend: to take them downtown to see the girl's family. Ben, to her delight, nodded after a brief moment. "Sure, but don't take too long," he told them.


"Your friend always this talkative, Eli?"
Meredith had been silent in the backseat for most of the trip, turning the details of the story over and over again in her mind. She glanced up to meet Ben's eyes in the rearview as he spoke.
"Sorry, what?"
"You're awfully quiet back there, that's all," Ben repeated. He paused, glancing over to Elizabeth. "Sorry, I know you're both a bit rattled by all this. Were you close with this girl?"
"Not really," Meredith shrugged, glancing to her friend. "I guess this kind of thing just doesn't really happen around here."
Ben nodded, returning his eyes to the empty street ahead. "Nothing much happens around here, does it?" he joked in a futile attempt to lighten the mood. "Guess one thing's stayed the same since I've been gone."
"Tell me about it," Mere sighed, slumping back against the seat. Ben shifted a curious gaze first to Mere, then to Eli. He looked like he wanted to say something, but they pulled up outside the station before he got the chance.


Ben led the way into the building, the girls trailing close behind him. "Like I said, don't be too long. I've been here less than two weeks and the chief's already on my back," he told them, ushering them inside and heading off to the bullpen with a wave goodbye. To her surprise, the station seemed as quiet as always. The shutters on the Chief of Police's office were drawn, though she was able to make out the shape of a few individuals through the frosted glass on the closed door. Behind the front desk sat Dorothy Callahan, the department's practically ancient receptionist. Meredith knew her well enough through her father's work, though they hadn't spoken directly since she was young. The withered woman continued to tap away at her keyboard, only looking up when Meredith approached the counter to greet her.
"Excuse me, Mrs Callahan?"

"Goodness gracious, Meredith!" she exclaimed, readjusting her glasses. She peered fondly up at the pair from the office chair she was perched in, her milky eyes shifting back and forth between them curiously. "I hardly recognized you, look how you've grown!"
Meredith hummed her agreement. "It's been a while," she replied, smiling politely.
"What brings you girls down here?"
"Well, we don't want to keep you, but Elizabeth and I heard some troubling news about our friend, Adelaide Williams?" she soberly explained. "She's missing, I'm sure you've heard."
"Why yes, I certainly have. The poor girl's family was just around here..." she trailed off, scanning the otherwise deserted room, "...I haven't a clue where they've gone..."
Meredith sighed, turning to Eli expectantly. But before either of them could make a move, an outburst from inside the chief's office drew all their eyes to the door.
"--absurd, sir! Our daughter is missing, that should be your first priority! No, hey! Hey--!"
"--Let him go, please! Sir, we only want to know--"
Meredith jumped and stepped aside as two uniformed officers emerged from office, dragging with them the very people they'd come to find.
"Oh my!" Dorothy exclaimed, wheeling her chair backwards in surprise. She turned back to Meredith after a moment, only to realize that the girls had followed the pair of officers back out of the station. "Well, there you are-- bye now!" Dorothy called after them, returning to her work with a satisfied sigh.


Mr Williams' outcry disrupted the peace of the morning, attracting stares and strange looks from passersby. His wife clutched onto his arm, merely shaking her head as the police retreated inside. Meredith hung back until she was sure they'd gone, then nodded to Elizabeth and slowly walked up to the girl's parents.
"Mr and Mrs Williams?"

Two pairs of gleaming eyes were turned onto them, first narrowing, then softening slightly with recognition.
"Meredith, Elizabeth..." Mrs Williams breathed, fiercely swiping at the tears streaking down her cheeks. "What on earth are you girls doing here?"
"We heard about Adelaide, ma'am...Elizabeth wanted to make sure you were both okay," Meredith earnestly admitted. She glanced to her friend for support. "We're really worried about her."
"What do you know of her case?" Mr Williams asked suddenly, curling an arm around his wife as she struggled to hold herself together. Meredith frowned, trying to call to mind the details of the article.
"Well...the paper said she'd been missing since last night, that someone had last seen her near her home, that if anyone had any information they should to call the police... and I suppose that's about it," she said.
The older man scoffed. "That's about all we know as well," he replied, glowering in the direction the officers had gone. "Those men refused to give us any further information on the case! They said she most likely ran away, can you believe that? 'No evidence of foul play', that's what they said -- they hardly ran an investigation!" he shouted, less to the girls and more to the curious bystanders gawking at the four of them. His voice wavered as he went on. "You two...you knew her...Adelaide would never scare us like this. She would never run away, not our little girl..."
His voice broke and tapered off as he turned away. He bent his head and began to weep into his hands.
Mrs Williams wiped her eyes again and leaned into her husband, her face a pained mess of emotion. "Something's happened to her, I'm certain of it," she declared, regarding the blonde then with a desperate, pleading, and mildly hopeful look. "Meredith, sweetheart...your father is on the force, is he not?" she asked.
Meredith nodded, raising a hand to gently quiet the older woman. "Mrs Williams, I'm already on it -- I'm going to get him to look into this right away." Without a word, she stepped forward and hugged Adelaide's mother. "We'll do everything we can to help find her," she whispered firmly. Pulling away, she nodded at Adelaide's father, who had since regained his composure.
"We appreciate your girls' concern, bless your hearts, but you ought to be in school now, not worrying yourselves over this," he solemnly reasoned, his wife nodding in agreement. "Why don't we give you a ride over there?"
Meredith opened her mouth to protest, but it was Mrs Williams who held up a hand this time.
"Please, it's the least we can do," she insisted.

Spoiler: Mobile

Meredith's heart continued to hammer in her chest as she watched the other girl. A startling mix of guilt and dread resided in the depths of her eyes -- eyes that were so often crinkled at the corners, sparkling with laughter. Eyes Meredith used to find herself getting lost in, yet found herself avoiding more and more these days. A long silence passed before she spoke again, her voice wavering slightly. "You're scaring me."
Elizabeth inhaled sharply before the words came tumbling out of her mouth. "I had to come to you," she managed between breaths, eyes wide and searching her face, "I'm sorry."
Whatever news she'd brought had clearly shaken the other girl to her core, which could easily explain the tension between them. Deep down, though, Meredith knew there was more to it than that. Something had definitely shifted between them -- so gradual it was barely noticeable, but there nonetheless. She saw it when she was alone on a Saturday night instead of blowing the savings from her summer job at the arcade downtown. When she instinctively went to order a second milkshake down at the diner, or turned to tell Jane something only Elizabeth would laugh at, only to realize they hadn't so much as glanced at each other that day. When she slept over at the Moreau's -- in the same bed, right beside her, and a whole world away. Lying awake, too afraid to confront the growing distance between them, knowing her answer might be worse than the feeling right now.
Perhaps it was the simple fact that neither of them were the same kids they'd been when they'd first met. They'd each grown immensely, and with that growth had come inevitable change. Nonetheless, drifting away from the one person she never used to go a day without speaking to was something she was still struggling to come to terms with.

Meredith's eyes fell to her friend's trembling hands as they frantically searched her jacket, eventually producing a crinkled news clipping from The Wilkinson Valley Register. The other girl dropped to her knees, thrusting the paper down on the dewy grass and dampening the knees of her pants in the process. Immediately, the greyscale photo on the page caught her eye, but she knelt down across from Eli to examine it further. Meredith's chest tightened when she recognized the smiling subject of the portrait almost immediately.

Adelaide Williams. 17 years old, a senior student at Wilkinson Valley High School. To Meredith, a friendly face in the halls, a member of the school track team...and according to the article, missing since late yesterday.

Meredith swallowed against a hard lump forming in her throat, gesturing to the photo. "That- that's Adelaide," she mumbled, dumbfounded. The smaller girl glanced up, fixing her friend with a troubled gaze. "Holy shit."
"I didn't think this would ever happen. For someone I know to go missing," Elizabeth said, more agitated than she'd ever seen her. Meredith exhaled slowly, her eyes glued back on the newspaper.
"Yeah," she breathed, "me neither."

Naturally, the idea that there was a potential criminal prowling the streets of Wilkinson Valley didn't exactly sit well with her. Her stomach churned even more at the thought that the culprit could be someone from inside the town -- someone they all perhaps recognized, but didn't truly know. It was easier to believe the girl had merely run away, but Meredith had seen enough episodes of Miami Vice to at least question whether that was really the case.

As far as Christians go, Adelaide's parents were just about as good as they come. The family gave to the church when they could, and were the type of people to spend their holidays down at the food bank serving hot meals to the less fortunate. They met neighbours and strangers alike with open arms, having always made it clear that their doors were open to all. Meredith frowned. What good reason was there for Adelaide to run away from a home like that? And yet, it didn't seem like the girl had a habit of making enemies either -- from what little time they'd spent together, Mere had found her to be quite cordial. What would somebody want from a sweet girl like Adelaide? From a family like hers?

None of it made sense.

"Do you find it strange that the article is small?" Eli interjected, pulling her from her thoughts. "A missing person article is big, right? Someone has gone fucking missing, and this article is invisible. Is this town that screwed up?!"
Meredith furrowed her brow, considering the question. She was no expert in journalism, but surely such a case warranted more than a tiny column in the morning paper. "No...something's definitely not right," Meredith agreed, thinking out loud to try and sort things out in her head. "I mean, maybe this was just, like, some kind of mistake. Or else..." she paused, hesitant to go on. Glancing up at her friend to gauge her reaction, she added, "...maybe...someone doesn't want this story to get the attention it deserves."

Adelaide's face stared up at the pair, unblinking. Meredith tore her eyes away from the haunting photo as Elizabeth wordlessly refolded the paper and stood up. The shorter girl remained on the grass, looking up to her friend expectantly. "Something tells me you aren't just gonna let this go," she remarked, green eyes surveying the unreadable expression on Eli's face.
Sure enough, Eli nodded. "I want to see her parents. Check how they are. Please come with me?"
Meredith sighed softly. Though her curiosity was getting the better of her, she couldn't ignore the apprehension gripping her. But the taller girl fixed her with a pleading look, and Mere knew then that Heather would be finding her own way to school this morning. "Well, you're sure as hell not going over there alone," she responded flatly. "Let's go."


The lot was eerily still when they arrived. The birds seemed to have found somewhere else to sing this morning. No insects hovered around the garden, and only the slightest breeze whispered through the overgrown grass by the porch. The quietness of the scene was bizzare-- surely there should've been a full blown investigation taking place by now, yet the only sign of life on the property was an abandoned police cruiser parked on the street. Thankfully, her father was still in bed after working a night shift, ruling him out as a potential driver. Nonetheless, Meredith stuck close to her friend, keeping watch around them whilst Eli examined the exterior of the house.
"You know, Eli, it's times like this that I wish I could say no to you" she mumbled, more to herself than the other girl. Keen eyes scanned the deserted area warily, and Mere readjusted the bag digging into her shoulders. "Like, dude...say she's actually dead. If something happened to her here, that makes this a crime scene. I mean, do we really wanna get mixed up in something like --"

"--They're down at the station if you're looking for the family," a voice coming from the side of the lot called, making them both jump. The speaker revealed himself to be a young police officer, as he stepped out from beside the house and headed towards the pair with an air of authority that the uniform lent him. Instinctively, Meredith's hand gravitated towards Eli's, their fingers brushing as she eyed the approaching the stranger uneasily.
"Are you two friends?" the officer asked, coming to a stop a few feet in front of them. Meredith hesitated, looking to her friend for support before nodding.
"We go to school with their daughter," Eli replied, "I only heard about it this morning."
Surprisingly, the short answer seemed to satisfy the officer. Meredith's eyes tracked his movements as he gave them a nod and brushed past, apparently in some sort of hurry. She turned briskly, swallowing and managing to find her voice as he neared the parked cruiser. "Hey, wait!" she called, raising her voice to get his attention. "What about her family, are they ok?"
He looked over his shoulder, fixing her with a calculating gaze before shrugging. "I wouldn't say they're ok. Their daughter has gone missing," he answered. Meredith blinked at the blunt response and glanced away, quietly studying the unkempt lawn. She folded her arms across her chest and followed Eli back towards the street.
"Do you know what happened?" Elizabeth persisted. He wordlessly shook his head, and she fell silent in defeat. The other girl's hands restlessly fidgeted with each other at the grim response, and Meredith thought of reaching out to settle them when she saw her friend's eyes widen suddenly with surprise.
"Benny!"

The exclamation evidently caught his attention, and he regarded her with a puzzled expression for a few seconds. A look of recognition lit up Eli's face and his soon after, everything clicking into place for them in that moment.
"Elizabeth?"
"Oh my god, I didn't recognize you. With the whole police attire. When did this happen?" the brunette excitedly continued, crossing the distance between them with a slightly flustered Meredith in tow. She stopped in front of him and paused, looking him up and down with an unadultered fondness that answered several questions in the other girl's mind. "You look good," Eli smiled.
Meredith stood awkwardly, keenly aware of how out of place she looked. As the two bantered back and forth, she couldn't help but catch the subtle glances they exchanged. The way the blond's eyes lingered on Eli a few seconds too long for a friendly gaze. The way Eli reciprocated. There was history between them, that much was obvious, but Meredith could only attempt to fill in the details. Likely a childhood friend of Eli's, perhaps something more. A shadow seemed to flit across her face at the thought, and she found a sudden interest in the cracked pavement of the road behind the officer.

A distorted voice soon came over Ben's radio, cutting the tender reunion short. "I best be heading back," he said, nodding politely at her before turning to Elizabeth, "Nice to see you again."
Meredith offered a tight-lipped smile in return, green eyes lingering on his uniform before shifting to her friend. With Adelaide's family downtown, there wasn't much left for them to investigate here -- not without getting into any trouble, anyway. As far as she knew, citizens poking around an active crime scene was generally frowned upon by law enforcement.
Meredith was fabricating a lie to cover her absence in first period when Elizabeth spoke up to ask a final favor of her friend: to take them downtown to see the girl's family. Ben, to her delight, nodded after a brief moment. "Sure, but don't take too long," he told them.


"Your friend always this talkative, Eli?"
Meredith had been silent in the backseat for most of the trip, turning the details of the story over and over again in her mind. She glanced up to meet Ben's eyes in the rearview as he spoke.
"Sorry, what?"
"You're awfully quiet back there, that's all," Ben repeated. He paused, glancing over to Elizabeth. "Sorry, I know you're both a bit rattled by all this. Were you close with this girl?"
"Not really," Meredith shrugged, glancing to her friend. "I guess this kind of thing just doesn't really happen around here."
Ben nodded, returning his eyes to the empty street ahead. "Nothing much happens around here, does it?" he joked in a futile attempt to lighten the mood. "Guess one thing's stayed the same since I've been gone."
"Tell me about it," Mere sighed, slumping back against the seat. Ben shifted a curious gaze first to Mere, then to Eli. He looked like he wanted to say something, but they pulled up outside the station before he got the chance.


Ben led the way into the building, the girls trailing close behind him. "Like I said, don't be too long. I've been here less than two weeks and the chief's already on my back," he told them, ushering them inside and heading off to the bullpen with a wave goodbye. To her surprise, the station seemed as quiet as always. The shutters on the Chief of Police's office were drawn, though she was able to make out the shape of a few individuals through the frosted glass on the closed door. Behind the front desk sat Dorothy Callahan, the department's practically ancient receptionist. Meredith knew her well enough through her father's work, though they hadn't spoken directly since she was young. The withered woman continued to tap away at her keyboard, only looking up when Meredith approached the counter to greet her.
"Excuse me, Mrs Callahan?"

"Goodness gracious, Meredith!" she exclaimed, readjusting her glasses. She peered fondly up at the pair from the office chair she was perched in, her milky eyes shifting back and forth between them curiously. "I hardly recognized you, look how you've grown!"
Meredith hummed her agreement. "It's been a while," she replied, smiling politely.
"What brings you girls down here?"
"Well, we don't want to keep you, but Elizabeth and I heard some troubling news about our friend, Adelaide Williams?" she soberly explained. "She's missing, I'm sure you've heard."
"Why yes, I certainly have. The poor girl's family was just around here..." she trailed off, scanning the otherwise deserted room, "...I haven't a clue where they've gone..."
Meredith sighed, turning to Eli expectantly. But before either of them could make a move, an outburst from inside the chief's office drew all their eyes to the door.
"--absurd, sir! Our daughter is missing, that should be your first priority! No, hey! Hey--!"
"--Let him go, please! Sir, we only want to know--"
Meredith jumped and stepped aside as two uniformed officers emerged from office, dragging with them the very people they'd come to find.
"Oh my!" Dorothy exclaimed, wheeling her chair backwards in surprise. She turned back to Meredith after a moment, only to realize that the girls had followed the pair of officers back out of the station. "Well, there you are-- bye now!" Dorothy called after them, returning to her work with a satisfied sigh.


Mr Williams' outcry disrupted the peace of the morning, attracting stares and strange looks from passersby. His wife clutched onto his arm, merely shaking her head as the police retreated inside. Meredith hung back until she was sure they'd gone, then nodded to Elizabeth and slowly walked up to the girl's parents.
"Mr and Mrs Williams?"

Two pairs of gleaming eyes were turned onto them, first narrowing, then softening slightly with recognition.
"Meredith, Elizabeth..." Mrs Williams breathed, fiercely swiping at the tears streaking down her cheeks. "What on earth are you girls doing here?"
"We heard about Adelaide, ma'am...Elizabeth wanted to make sure you were both okay," Meredith earnestly admitted. She glanced to her friend for support. "We're really worried about her."
"What do you know of her case?" Mr Williams asked suddenly, curling an arm around his wife as she struggled to hold herself together. Meredith frowned, trying to call to mind the details of the article.
"Well...the paper said she'd been missing since last night, that someone had last seen her near her home, that if anyone had any information they should to call the police... and I suppose that's about it," she said.
The older man scoffed. "That's about all we know as well," he replied, glowering in the direction the officers had gone. "Those men refused to give us any further information on the case! They said she most likely ran away, can you believe that? 'No evidence of foul play', that's what they said -- they hardly ran an investigation!" he shouted, less to the girls and more to the curious bystanders gawking at the four of them. His voice wavered as he went on. "You two...you knew her...Adelaide would never scare us like this. She would never run away, not our little girl..."
His voice broke and tapered off as he turned away. He bent his head and began to weep into his hands.
Mrs Williams wiped her eyes again and leaned into her husband, her face a pained mess of emotion. "Something's happened to her, I'm certain of it," she declared, regarding the blonde then with a desperate, pleading, and mildly hopeful look. "Meredith, sweetheart...your father is on the force, is he not?" she asked.
Meredith nodded, raising a hand to gently quiet the older woman. "Mrs Williams, I'm already on it -- I'm going to get him to look into this right away." Without a word, she stepped forward and hugged Adelaide's mother. "We'll do everything we can to help find her," she whispered firmly. Pulling away, she nodded at Adelaide's father, who had since regained his composure.
"We appreciate your girls' concern, bless your hearts, but you ought to be in school now, not worrying yourselves over this," he solemnly reasoned, his wife nodding in agreement. "Why don't we give you a ride over there?"
Meredith opened her mouth to protest, but it was Mrs Williams who held up a hand this time.
"Please, it's the least we can do," she insisted.​

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