𝑹𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝑭𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒕

01 | the disappearance

𝑰 𝒔𝒊𝒕 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 on my bed, my safe place, and let the tears roll down my face for the millionth time in the past three days. I can hardly comprehend anything. The only thing I know is that I'm alone, grieving my mother's disappearance, and a relative I've never met is supposed to come and take care of me until my mother is found. It's always been my mom and me. I can't believe she's disappeared.
            What Happened Three Days Ago:
                             (March 5, 2018)

The other day I came home from school around five thirty. I had to stay later and work on the yearbook. I had something important to tell my mother. But she wasn't home. I assumed she was having to work late so I called the nursing home and asked if I could talk to her.

"I'm sorry, Amanda is not here. She hasn't been here for a few hours."

The moment I heard those words my heart sank; she never goes anywhere without telling me. Usually, she makes me run all her errands. I doubt she'd go anywhere without letting me know. Anxious, I call her phone. No answer.

It's going to be okay Ember. She's probably just out getting groceries. She will be back.

I try to convince myself everything would be alright. After staring into space for a solid hour thinking of all the possible places she could be, I make pizza for dinner. I have maybe three bites but no more. I'm not hungry. I'm paralyzed with fear and worry. I decide to go onto bed thinking (and praying) that I would see my mom in the morning. I was horribly wrong.

                   •❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•

That morning I woke up and checked the time. 7:36. After getting dressed in black leggings and a sweatshirt, I went to the kitchen to eat breakfast. When I entered the kitchen and didn't see my mom with the usual coffee stain on her sleep shirt, I suddenly remembered what happened last night. I rushed to her room. Empty. I rushed out to the garage. Her car wasn't there.

Once again I called the nursing home. Her boss answered.

"Amanda's car is here, but I haven't seen her all morning. I actually think her car has been here all night."

I then tried her own phone but was left with no response.
That's when I made the decision.
I called 911 and reported my mother missing.

•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•

After I'm bombarded with questions from the investigators, they told me a relative of mine was in town and he will come to look after me until my mother was found.

I've never actually met any of my other family. It's always been my mom and me. She told me once that she had a rough family life. I didn't bother asking questions. She didn't like talking about her family.

The officials never told me who the relative was, but I was in no mood to ask. I wanted to cry my eyes out on my bed. And that's what I did.

Present Day
(March 8, 2018)

I still lie there on my mattress staring at the ceiling.
Where could she have gone? I keep asking myself.
And that's when I hear the doorbell.
Great. Here we go.
I wipe the tears from my face and open the front door.
There stands a black haired man with a smug smile on his face.

"Uh, hi. Can I help you?" I ask, although I know who he is. I mean I don't actually know who he is, just that he is some member of my family.

"Does Ember Hayes live here?" the man asks.

"Uh, I'm Ember."

"Oh, well, I'm Amanda's brother. Your Uncle James."