Brave Grave

Chapter four

1964|Author's POV

The sky was dark with a crescent moon slightly lighting up the sky. Blue and Red lights reflect on the windows of Mrs. Micheals house as she stands in the doorway in tears. Judith, Thomas's grandmother, Thomas himself, and Eddie all stand by her side as a policeman approaches them with an emotionless expression on his face.

"Ma'am, I received your call about a missing person. May I come in to discuss?" The policeman asks taking off his hat out of respect.

"Yes, please come in."Mrs. Micheals sniffles.

"I'm detective Ross, It's a pleasure to meet you all."

They all gather around the small wooden table that sat in the middle of the kitchen.

"My son Gregory is missing." She utters miserably. She never thought she would ever have to say that.

"What is his full name, his age, and description?"

"Gregory Petri Micheals. He is eleven years old." She swallows a hard lump in her throat before continuing to answer the question.

"He is 4'6, with short auburn hair. His eyes are blue and has fair skin." She finishes trying to hold herself together. She gets up from the table and grabs an envelope that was addressed to her husband, it had a recent photo of Gregory inside.

"This was about three weeks ago. I took it of him while he was getting on the bus for his first day of school." She slides the Polaroid in front of them and a tear sneaks out of her eye as she glanced down at her son's smiling face.

"I will need this for the investigation, I'll make sure to get it back to you when we are done with it." Detective Ross explains. "When is the last time you recall seeing Gregory?" He adds as he stares at the photo in sorrow.

"This morning. I put him on the school bus and told him to come home as soon as he gets his chips and coke from the store because his friends will be here." She explains, while placing her hand on Thomas's shoulder.

"I saw him today, I go to school with him." Eddie breaks his silence.

"When was the last time you recall seeing him?"

"At the end of the school day when he was getting on the bus." He replies.

"And that was around three o'clock am I right?"

"Yes sir."

Detective Ross continues to write down all of the information onto his notepad and then closes it when he was done.

"I have all the information I need to know from you. I am going to investigate further and question the man at the store down the street to see if he knows anything and I will update you. We are going to find him Mrs. Micheals. You all take care." Detective Ross heads to the front door and makes his way to his police car while putting on his hat.

"Oh Gregory, I hope you are okay." Mrs. Micheals whimpers to herself.

"Everything is going to be okay, If you need anything hun, I am here to help." Judith says trying to comfort her.

"Thank you, I really appreciate it." She forces a smile onto her lips.

Judith, Thomas's grandmother was a wealthy woman. She lives in Trenton along with her husband who is a plastic surgeon, Dr. Dillard. He is known for his marvelous work all around the state of Connecticut. They live in a well put together home with a Corvette parked in their driveway. What else would you expect from a plastic surgeon?

**

The Next Day

The sun was peaking over the horizon while the sky grew lighter by the second. Mrs. Micheals was sitting on the sofa, shaking her leg uncontrollably. She hasn't slept a wink since Gregory's disappearance. Judith and Thomas decided to stay over so she wouldn't be going through this alone.

"I made you some coffee dear." She says, placing the hot mug in front of her on the coffee table. Mrs. Micheals was so out of it and extremely exhausted, mentally and physically. She thanks Judith and takes a sip from the mug. She curls her long brown hair behind her ears and closes her eyes in distress. All she can think about is Gregory and what can possibly be happening to him.

A knock on the door interrupts her thoughts. Judith opens the door letting Detective Ross inside. Immediately, Mrs. Micheals jumps off the couch and greets him, hoping for good news.

Detective Ross removes his hat and holds it to his chest. He looks into Mrs. Micheals jaded eyes noticing she didn't get any sleep since he visited last.

"I have some news." He says, clearing his throat afterwards.

"Good or bad?" Mrs. Micheals voices softly.

Detective Ross heaves a lengthy breath and motions towards the sofa.

"I went to the store on the corner here and showed the man at the register the photo of Gregory. He said he that he came in and purchased a bag of lays and a bottled coke and left." He pauses. "He then told me that he saw Gregory on the ground with three older boys standing over him. He confronted them and Gregory took off running into the woods and that was all he knew." Detective Ross finishes.

"Three boys? I don't understand. What were they doing to him and why was he on the ground?" Mrs. Micheals exclaims.

"That is something I don't know, but how the guy explained it, they were trying to take his snacks from him. Gregory had to have felt threatened, so he ran."

"My poor Gregory." Tears start to flow out of her eyes and stream down her cheeks. Judith rubs her back to comfort her.

Detective Ross sits his brief case on the coffee table and opens it, reaching inside to take out an enclosed plastic bag.

"My partner found this in the woods." He hands Mrs. Micheal's the bag that contained Gregory's backpack. With one glimpse at it, she lost control of her sobbing.

"I am so sorry Mrs. Micheals, I really don't want to have to tell you this because I know you don't want to hear it..." He chokes on a sob that tried to escape his lips. Mrs. Micheals eyes widen with fear at what he was going to say.

"We found him in the Cedarmills Cemetery... locked in a coffin. He didn't make it through the night."

"W-What? He's... dead." Mrs. Micheals utters not believing the news.

"I am so sorry for your loss."

Her world fell at her feet and from that day forward,

she was never the same again.