The Sketchpad

Investigation

"Mom! I'm taking the car!"

"Okay, Alex. Where are you-" The door slammed before her mom finished her question. "-going?"

Alex ignored her mom and raced down the front steps, holding a drawstring bag holding some select supplies. Snacks, water, flashlights, rope, a First Aid Kit, a pocketknife, her cellphone, and of course her sketchbook and a few pens and pencils.

She hopped inside of her truck and turned the keys, which were already in the ignition.

A satisfying VROOM accompanied her, and she tossed the bag into the passenger seat, pulling her seat-belt across her chest and clicking it into place.

Five minutes later, she was pulling into the Woods' driveway, where Eli and his family had lived for as long as she could remember. She knocked on the door, then stood back, clasping her hands nervously.

The door creaked open. "Eli?" A face peeked out from behind it. "Oh, Alex! Sorry, I thought you were... never mind. Do you need something?"

Alex greeted Eli's mother with a sweet smile, trying to cover up her own concern. "It's okay, Mrs. Woods. I was just wondering... is Eli here?"

"No," she said with a sad frown. "He... I haven't seen him since this morning. He didn't come home from school, and he won't answer his cellphone. Why, have you seen him?" She concluded hopefully.

"No, I'm sorry." Mrs. Woods' face fell as the words reached her. "But I think I know where he might be." Eli's mother looked at Alex hopefully. 

"Would you like to... come in?" She asked.

Alex thought for a second. "Um... yeah. Can I see his room?"

Mrs. Woods nodded. "I haven't been in there since yesterday, though."

"It's fine." Alex smiled and stepped inside, wiping her feet on the rug before veering down the hallway to the plain brown door at the end. She steeled herself for what was to come, and placed her hand on the silver doorknob. Taking one last deep breath, she pushed the door open and waited to see what she would find.