The Missing Link

He had promised that he would come. Night was falling. The sky was slowly turning purple and stars were beginning to appear.

"Minnie, it's time to go," the weary woman said, staring at the child in front of her.

"No," the child replied stubbornly for the hundredth. "Drake promised he would come and I'm not leaving until I see him."

The little girl took tiny bites of her banana split licking the spoon cleanly after every scoop. When the sky was dark and the ice cream parlor half-empty, a boy with platinum-blond hair entered the room with a woman who looked much like him.

"Drake!" The little girl jumped from her seat and the brightness of a thousand suns lit up her eyes. She hugged him tightly, but his face was melancholy.

"I can't stay long, Minnie," the boy said as they let go. "I only came to say goodbye."

"Where are you going?" the girl named Minnie asked. Once again, the light was gone.

"I can't say," the boy, Drake, replied.

"How are we supposed to be best friends if you're leaving?" Minnie asked, crying.

"Don't cry, Minnie. I'll write to you, I promise!" Drake said, giving his best friend a goodbye hug. He shoved a silver bracelet with a D charm in her hand before finally leaving.

For the rest of the week she made a bracelet for Drake, waiting for the day when the mail carrier will finally give her a letter from him and she could send one back, including the bracelet of her own making.

Five nights later, an owl swooped down on the skies of England.

Minnie, after crying herself to sleep once more, heard the faint rap on her window, but she assumed it was only from a dream.

Rap! Rap! Rap! The sound became louder. She awoke and saw the owl fluttering outside her window. She opened it and the owl flew in, landing on a book on Minnie's study table. It presented its claw and she saw the small piece of paper tied to it. Minnie gingerly untied the letter and after she did, it didn't fly away. It was waiting for her to read and reply.

"Dear Minnie," the letter began in Drake's clumsy handwriting.

Don't worry about me. I am fine. I am still in England, though I can't say where. Father said I must prepare for school soon. Strange things are happening to me and Mother said we only moved away so we can't harm other people.

Anyway, Minnie, how are you? I know, it's only been five days but I already miss you. I'm afraid this is the only way we can communicate. Father said that the mail doesn't reach where we are.

I really, really hope I could see you soon. I haven't got any playmates here. :(

Love from Drake

Minnie excitedly clutched the letter to her chest. Seeing that it was already five in the morning, she fumbled for paper in her drawers. Hands shaking, she wrote a reply for Drake.

Dear Drake,

I'm so glad that you're okay! The kids in my school never get tired of bullying me. They've made up a new nickname for me. This week, they started calling me "Buck Tooth Granger." I'm not going to do anything about it, though. I'm just going to show them that just because I don't have straight teeth and straight hair, doesn't mean I'm stupid.

I miss you terribly as well, Drake! I can't finish one banana split by myself. :(

Take care always.

Love from Hermione. xoxo

P.S. I made you a bracelet. I wasn't able to give you anything when you left. I hope it still reaches you.

Minnie rolled the small piece of paper and tied the bracelet to it as securely as she could. She tied the small package to the owl's leg before setting it free.

Every week the same owl would flutter in and give Minnie a letter. Minnie will write a reply as it waits.

But after several weeks, the owl did not come back. It didn't come back the week after. It didn't come back the week after that.

Minnie kept on writing, though. She knew that even if the owl didn't come back, she still had a best friend. She knew it would come back someday. Even if she didn't know whether her best friend was still alive, she kept on writing.

She never lost hope.