Chapter One

No one knows the reason for Tabitha's death. Or Tobi's disappearance. The police say they're looking for them but I don't think so. No posters bare the name of kids who have been missing for so long. This whole town is ignoring those disappearances, just because they were not "important" to society. But what exactly makes someone important or unimportant to the world?

That's what I was thinking as I washed the dishes. I don't like cleaning, but something about washing dishes is so therapeutic sometimes. The sound of my front door opening broke me out of that almost zen mode. Hesitantly, I turned off the water before drying my hands, calling out my mom's name to see if she was there. No answer.

There are tons of break-ins in my neighborhood, so I like to keep a bat in the living room by the kitchen. Picking it up I could feel the cool metal and the familiar weight of it. I felt someone tap my shoulder, the feeling making me jump out of my skin. Without thinking, I spun around, bat raised.

"Woah, woah. Baekla, calm down," they said, effortlessly catching the bat in their hands.

I relaxed my tense muscles before saying anything, trying to catch my breath. My heart was pounding in my throat, making me light-headed. I had set down the bat, letting out a small scoff. "Warn me next time you're gonna scare me. You know how bad it is around here, and I don't want to accidentally hit you and have a situation here."

My friend shrugged. "You need a new lock. I was totally able to pick it. You'll be dead in about, I don't know, three days?" Her cheeky smile appeared, making me roll my eyes.

I turned away, setting the bat back in it's corner of the living room. "Geez, thanks a lot. You sure do bring me joy."

Marra kept smiling for a second before her expression turned a little more serious. "You know, it's been awhile since the last time you talked to your mom. Don't you think it's only fair to talk to her now?" I stayed silent before she sighed and pulled a board out from her bag. "C'mon, I know you love playing this game together. I'll be there too, what's the worse that could happen?"

A lot, apparently.

* * * * * *

The only way for me to rid of my stress is by talking to my mother. Or, it used to. Sometimes it's hard to talk to her when she remembers so little. Marra and I went to her room, dimming the lights. My mother was sleeping, but woke when we came in the room.

She had beautiful strawberry blonde hair and stormy gray eyes, that sparkled anytime she saw me or Marra.

"Guess what, Mom. We brought your favorite game to play," I said, setting the board down. She looked at me, a soft look in her eyes. "I thought you were done playing this game. And how long does it take to come visit me?" she laughed softly.

"Yeah, well, I thought you'd like it if we could play again." I set the game up, placing my piece onto the board. Marra sat next to me, her eyes closed. My mother closed her eyes as well, looking very peaceful, before beginning to talk to herself, to soft for me to hear. I watched the two of them as it grew quiet, the board set up by now.

"Mom?"

She muttered a soft, "Hmm?"

"Uh, did you hear about the disappearances that have been occuring all around town?" I questioned, almost doubtful she wouldn't have heard of it.

Her eyes flew open when I said that. Her face's expression was filled with confusion.

She hesitated before speaking, almost as if she was choosing her words carefully. "Disappearances? There haven't been a single missing person in this town since my grandma was a kid."

My mom studied me carefully. Her eyebrows knit together when she saw my frustrated look. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing just… I hate the fact that there are people going missing practically every hour and you don't seem to know." Marra looked at me and placed her hand on my shoulder.

"It'll be okay," she said. "I mean, I'm always thinking, hey what if it was you and not me?" I don't know what I would do. But then I shake off the thought and get back to life. And give your mom a break, it's not her fault she can't remember some things.

I smiled weakly at Marra. "I guess you're right. It just frustrates me you know?"

I was gonna continue when I heard another voice coming from the door of the room.

"Who are you talking to?"