Missing

12

Chapter Twelve

The Next Wednesday

It was ten thirty in the middle of my English lesson when my phone rang, I turned bright red and went to turn it off but stopped when I saw who was dialling. It was the police station. Almost screaming out in relief, my teacher was still watching on disapprovingly and my classmates were chuckling.

"Miss, can I take this call? Its from the police," when I had said it she nodded slightly and I ran out of the room to hopefully get some good news. Since I had discovered the invisible notes in the diary, I had been bombarded with phone calls telling me everyday that they couldn't find him. I was praying that it was the call I had been waiting for.

"Kansas," the person on the other said gruffly and I recognised it to be the man who had questioned me so patronizingly when I had first gone to the police.

"Speaking," I replied quickly, I just wanted to know the news.

"We have him," with that I fell down to the floor in relief, sitting against a wall gently sobbing. It was all over, or at least that's what I thought.

"Where was he?" I asked and the police officer sighed down the phone.

"Can you come down to the station, I've already called your headmaster and he said it was alright," when he hung up I was confused. Why would I have to go to the station if they had found him? Surely when I solved the case, I could relax and forget about it completely?

After telling my teacher about why I had to suddenly leave, I walked out of the school doors and into the silent car park. Hopping into my car, I began to drive towards the police station- a place I had become well acquainted to. There was no traffic as I drove, which meant I could allow myself some peace before I was thrown back into a world a chaos. At least this time I wasn't finding someone.

The cold air hit me as I stepped out of my car and I rushed inside to see what was causing so much chaos; I minute I stepped into the station I was bombarded with facts.

"He's a madman,"

"He was found naked lying in a bush,'

"We don't know what happened but it must have been something bad,"

Placing my hand up, the three officers stopped talking and looked at me waiting.

"Can I see him?" I asked quietly and slowly, one by one, they nodded. The lady at reception began to lead me through the various corridors until we were at the back of the building- where people were kept till they were put on trial.

We walked down to the end cell, my shoes clacked against the shiny floors and I played with my fingers to stop my nerves. I was terrified about what I would see, what I would find, what demons from the past would be ignited. The kind lady gave me a sympathetic smile and began to turn the key in the lock, with every turn I felt my heart beat more.

Then the door opened and finally got to see the boy I had been searching for, the one who haunted my dreams and caused me constant torment. He was lying on the bed staring at the wall, he looked so peaceful you'd think he was merely a statue because he didn't move at all. When he heard the noise of the lady's cough, he bolted up and stared at me with wide eyes.

He looked dreadful, it was obvious he had been taken from the wood and straight into his cell because he looked and smelt like he hadn't showered in weeks. His hair that I had seen in a styled quiff was matted along his forehead with dirt mixed in, his skin seemed to be covered in a dried mud. The muscle that he had worked on building for so many years had wasted away and he looked so thin you would guess he hadn't eaten at all since he had gone missing.

"Hey Mark," I almost whispered, scared about what he would do. It was like he was a wild animal;his clothes all ripped and dirtied, his teeth a dark yellow.

"Hey," he murmured, looking around the room with wild eyes. I heard more footsteps come down the hall and an officer stood behind me meaning the lady could leave- I had protection.

"Do you know who I am?" I asked slowly and quietly, he looked at me fully for the first time with his intense gaze.

"How could I forget Kansie," he gave me a sly smile that made the hairs on my neck stand on end.