Candy Meant for Runaways

5

  I actually think the disappearances are happening faster now. I've decided to run to a fortune teller or something to help me. There was a narrow road, very old looking and delicate bricks running on both sides. There was a single person sitting on a dirty hole-filled rug, playing with a stick.

  "Do you know where the person is who can connect with the dead?"

  She pointed towards one of the boring sand colored buildings.

  "Thank you."

   I hurried over there before I "accidentally" find another candy wrapper. Once I entered, I took a seat on the pillow and slipped a twenty.

  "I would like to connect with a dead person who is the cause of the disappearing people. I don't know her name, but it starts with an a."

   "Is she in your past?"

   I tried to think hard about my memories. I can't remember anything before this school year, oddly enough.

  "I'm not sure."

  "I can look. Describe her."

  "Light brown hair, blue dress, pink leggings, and blue shoes."

  "Ah, Amaryllis Atlanta."

   I felt blood rush to my face.

  That's my last name.

  "Could you connect us?"

   "Yes."

   She took my hand, a book, and rested her palm on the cover. The lights started blinking, her brows pushed together deep in thought.

  "She says she'll only appear and talk to you if you leave a peppermint on your front porch."

   A pretty odd request, but I'm not one to judge.

   "Okay, thank you very much."

   "It's not a problem."

   I took off running towards the store. I looked for the sign that read 'candy' and rushed through the aisle, scanning for peppermints. I took the bag, power walking to self-checkout.

   Impatiently messing with my feet, I tried to look over at the checking isle. The woman was almost finished checking out her stupid milk, making me almost jump out of my shoes. When she left, I scanned the bag faster than Donald Trump could say anything about Mexicans during his run for President. Stuffing the peppermints in the plastic bag and shoving my money into the machine, I zoomed home and threw the whole freaking bag on the porch.

  It didn't take very long for her to show up, since it was dawn, I guess.

  "What do you want?" She asked rudely.

   "Why... why are you taking everyone?"

   "Taking?" She asked, unraveling a peppermint wrapper. "I'm simply training them."

   "Training?"

   "Yes. Soon, everyone will be trained to like you. It's much easier to live in a world where we all get along."

   "No! This is... wrong. I might not like them, but that doesn't mean they have to change their thoughts and personality just for me."

  "What do you mean? You were the one who said that "Well, maybe if the world was in my control, it would be a better place.""

   "When did I ever say that?"

   "When I was still alive. Possibly 5 years ago."

   "I can't think back even past 1 year."

   "That's right. You were in a coma after a car crash. I was kind of sad you didn't join me as a ghost, but I'm kind of glad you lived, because now we can finally make harmony."
  
    "Who even are you?"

   She gave me a baffled side glance as she reached in the bag for another peppermint.

  "You don't recognize me? Not even a bit?"

  "No."

  "Well you should. I'm your daughter."