Their Last Summer

Tell Me Your Fears (2023)

I wake up, briefly forgetting about last night's events, but that doesn't last long. The letter has been burned to the back of my eyelids. Then the dream didn't make anything better. I wish this would all just be over, well what I really wish is for June to be here, but I know that's impossible.

I rub my hands over my eyes and look over at my phone. A notification pops up from Debbie.

Hey, are you almost here?

Oh no! I totally forgot about that coffee date I promised Debbie yesterday morning. I've been so focused on June. I can't let her know about the letter, she would probably tell me to ignore it. She'd write it off as a "dumb prank", but I just can't. I have a feeling this letter means something. I just don't know what yet.

I decide to text Debbie apologizing, and saying I'm really sick. I know lying about being sick because I forgot our date is a jerk move, but it's the only excuse that would be reasonable.

She responds saying it's alright, and asking if I'm ok. Of course. I feel bad, Debbie is so understanding, and I'm taking advantage of it.

I shut my phone off before I make myself feel worse. I get up and go through my normal routine, the letter never leaving my mind. As I'm brushing my teeth I hear a ding go off on my phone. Who could that be? Debbie? No, she wouldn't want to bother me if I was sick. I spit the toothpaste out and go to check.

It's an email from... that's impossible. It's June.

To find the Answer you'll need the key. You can find it within THEE: "See Under Nathens Shed, Hidden Is Nothing Exciting

I drop my phone. June just sent me an email. The June that hasn't been heard from and has been assumed missing from a camp trip she took with her friends since June 12, 2021. I have to double check the sender. There's no way. Is it possible that she's alive? Did she really just run away? I quickly respond to the email.

June?! Is this really you?

I press the send button and wait. It's been two minutes before I get a response.

Not June. Just someone who wants to help. Use the previous clue in order to get an inside look into June's head.

What? So whoever is emailing me isn't really June. Maybe this is a sick prank. The day June disappeared is coming up. I should probably leave this all alone now, but every time I go to click out the email I can't. The words of the riddle keep coming back to me. See under Nathan's shed? Is there a Nathan who June knew? Is he the one who murdered her? The clue should be used to get inside June's head. What about a shed would help me get into her mind?

I've been trying to think of what the riddle means for over 20 minutes. It makes no sense. I reread the directions for the hundredth time "You can find it within THEE". Why is the last word in all capitalization? It could mean that I should be focusing on it. Within THEE? Within? Is the solution inside the shed? Or is it inside the words that were sent. The most basic thing I can think to do would be putting all the first letters together.

I grab a sheet of paper and a pen. The first word is See, so I write out a S. The second word is Under, so I write down a U. I follow this pattern until I have written the word SUNSHINE on my paper. What am I supposed to do with that? Get into June's brain using sunshine? Maybe I should think outside of the box. OK. June's brain. Maybe a diary? That still doesn't make sense, I couldn't access her diary from here. Whoever sent me this knows that. Maybe something online dealing with June? Is sunshine an app?

I look up sunshine in the app store and see a bunch of motivational quote apps. I highly doubt this is what "Not June" meant. Thinking of "Not June" makes me realize something I had previously given no second thought. How did this person get into June's email? They must have the password. Could an email be considered June's thoughts? It wouldn't hurt to try I guess.

I'm at my computer and pulling up Spazzle's login page before I can give it a second thought. My fingers fly across the keyboard, typing the email address I already have memorized from the countless emails June and I used to send. I take my time with the password though, making sure each letter is right. Sunshine. An incorrect message pops up on the screen. I can't mask my disappointment. Trying her email wasn't a good idea anyway. I backspace the letters. I know I'll probably be wrong again, but I have to try. I type SUNSHINE in all caps. I hover over the enter button. I close my eyes and push it.

I convince myself it will be an error when I open my eyes, but to my surprise I'm staring at June's email account. There are at least 30 unopened messages.

The adrenaline from what I just did is pumping through me as I go down her email list. Majority of it is junk mail. I scroll down to two years ago, when June was still here. All of the emails have been read. I try to find anything weird, but it's mostly school assignments and subscriptions to random websites. How is this going to get me in June's head? I scroll down farther and see our old email thread. I can't stop myself from opening it. I read the last email June sent me.

i knwo thiis iis wired to say rihgt now but I rlly liek yuh.

I responded that night.

June? Are you ok? Are you drunk? Do you want me to come get you?

I have to stop myself from reading anymore. June sent that the night before she disappeared. It hurts to think that maybe if I had picked her up she wouldn't be gone right now. I know I can't blame myself, but I can't help the thoughts of what if. I also don't want to face what the email said. Had June really liked me?

I've gone through June's emails twice, before I give up. I shut my eyes and suddenly notice how hungry I am. I haven't been out of my room today, so I decide I should eat something before going back over everything. My parents are both at work, so I have the house to myself.

I pull all the ingredients out to make a sandwich. When finished, I take a seat at the bar top, and try to force my mind to focus on what's in front of me. It's no use. I can't stop thinking about why June's email is important. I need to look for June's thoughts. What am I not seeing? I've searched all the emails June has been sent. Wouldn't that be- I stop eating my sandwich. I jump up and run to my room. I'm at my computer and clicking on the emails June has sent when I see it.

My breath gets caught in my throat. There's a draft from the day June went missing. I waste no time clicking on it. It's to the Tell me your fears website.

I've been feeling like there's something off. I'm not really sure but it always seems like someone is watching me. I fear that I might not be safe, but I don't wanna tell anyone. After all, what could it be? This is a small town, everyone is so friendly.

I stare at the draft. June thought someone was watching her. She felt unsafe. Could June's disappearance be more than what we all think? If so, I need to figure out what happened. I know it won't bring her back, but it would give everyone peace of mind. I know she'd want me to do everything I could to figure out who did this.