The Recital of Terrance Reed

Chapter Thirteen

Six months later...

Kyle was declared missing by the police. He was reported missing in January. He had never made it back from Calgary. Nor has he contacted nobody in the last six months. Even his social media were deactivated. So Kyle had disappeared entirely from all radars of life on Earth. I had hoped this was not the case, but he was another Millie. And now, I had the worst six months of my life.

Within the first month, Sandy and I had hoped he would return. But those days became sour and hopeless. Sandy had flown to Calgary by the new year to start informing the police there. It was a big deal, and the search party in Calgary tried to find him. Unfortunately, Sandy and the search party were unsuccessful. It was such an impact on her. She decided to move there. So I said my goodbyes through text and told her to tell me if he was found. Contact me immediately. But otherwise, we haven't seen texted each other since then. But she posted stories on her Snapchat. I felt terrible for her because her once tight ponytail became frizzy and untamed. Her eyes became purple like a raccoon's. But I understood where she comes from. It is just sad to see her decline.

All I did when those six months. Well, I hid under my bed. I was drawing thousands of pictures of butterflies and wallflowers-even the faces of Kyle's emotions. I only drew those three things, and I kept to myself under my bed. I was so depressed that I became skinny and pale. I still went to school, but the once reputation I built at the Blooming Party went downhill. So I stuck to the walls like a newt and went from class to class. I stayed silent.

Even my friendships with Tyler, Colleen and Rachel became bleak. Sure, I still talked to them once in and while. But I completely ignored them and stuck to myself. I even stopped going to the GSA meetings. I knew they were still happening but did not want to indulge with other gay people. Or even make friends. Because I started believing I had some curse. That was the curse I had always made people disappear from the face of the planet.

The disappearance of Kyle had a significant impact on the school community. In his honour, a large assembly was held, which I did not attend, so I was unaware of what had happened in the assembly. The following vigil was filled with pictures of Kyle's face and personality. Although I tried to avoid it, I eventually visited the vigil when no one was around. I would discreetly replace the withered flowers, always opting for roses because of their symbolic meaning. I accepted that Kyle was no longer with us through this small act.

In the fourth month, I stupidly decided to visit his parents. I know I shouldn't visit Kyle's parents. But I still decided it was a good idea to pay my respect to them by giving them flowers and a drawing of Kyle. But when I saw his Father dumping his clothes, posters, and other stuff. I went ballistic on him.

"What fuck are you doing with his stuff!" I cried.

His father looked at me with a sneering glare. "What do yer want? I can do whateve' I want!"

"But that's Kyle's stuff!" I yelled, kneeling next to his clothes. "Can't throw that away!"
I heard a woman laugh behind his father, and it was his Mother. She was smoking a cigarette and holding a bottle of Budweiser in the other hand. Her bloated belly hung out, and her face looked like she had a stroke. "What are yer doing to do about it, Terrance?"

I stood up and crossed my arms. "He's your son. Doesn't it matter that he's fucking gone?"

She laughed. "No. He's a fucking faggot. He is prob' gone deserved it. Knowing him and his little arse!"

His Father stepped out of the house and went toward me. I held my ground because his big fat stocky body was the size of two football fields. His mean eyes twitched and squinted at me. I knew exactly what would happen, so I was prepared for anything. I held my chin high and crinkled my nose.