PROLOUGE

I stared at the bright yellow caution tape surrounding my best friends, Finian's house. I stared long enough to the point where the amber colour became familiar. It brought back a memory, although how faint it may seem it meant a lot to me, considering it was one of my best times I've experienced with Finian.

Just like the caution tape surrounding Fin's house, the sun that Monday morning about 7 years ago was bright, to the point where I had to wear sunglasses, when of course Fin was too careless. As we swung on the swing set, our legs kicking up and down, I can still remember the smiles on both of our faces. Only seven years old and yet it still felt like we were on top of the world.

"Cathy, I think I can see the Greendale sign from here," Finian exclaimed frantically kicking harder in hopes he'd go higher.

Greendale, our beloved town that we'd spent practically our whole life in. Except partially for me. Six year old me moved to Greendale with my Uncle after my parents were assumed missing for two years, making the police proclaim my parents dead. Recalling the first day I moved made it feel like a blur. Standing in front of the grey bricked town home with a huge lawn which my Uncle had told me "Lots of fun to play in,". Most kids as young as me don't really have that much emotions except for angry, happy, sad yet all I could feel was loneliness. I mean, really, who else did I have instead of my Uncle and Aunt who I'd barely known until' two years ago. This feeling only lasted a few seconds when a boy tapped me on my shoulder. Me unexpecting it, jumped as I turned to the sight of a young kid smiling, holding what from the looks of it was a remote control in one hand, and in the other a neon green toy car. This was the first time I've ever seen Finian. His light brown hair and piercing blue eyes standing out like a beam, somehow I had a feeling this wasn't going to be the last time we would see each other. "Finian Miller, nice to meet you," I remember him saying, his arm pulled out, expecting a handshake as if he was some business accountant or lawyer. That is one of my favourite things I've always noticed about Fin. He knows when there's a time and place for formal sayings unlike other teenagers our age who would rather be caught dead than seen talking traditional. "Wanna play with me?" he finished.

I can't remember a time where Fin and I weren't together. Fin and I were and still am almost inseparable. Doing matching halloween costumes, having sleepovers, late night adventures, we basically do everything you could with your best friend.

"Fin, you're right! The Greendale sign is right over there!" I responded, pointing at the navy blue billboard written 'Welcome to the Town of Greendale, where all is Pure." Not knowing the truth behind Greendale, I thought what was written was the truth. But soon, I'd figure it out to be not what it seems.

"Cathy, you good?" I opened my eyes, still rendering the setting I was in instead of that clement day on Fin's old swing set seven years ago. There, standing in front of me was my uncle, clearly concerned. Probably about the fact that I had my eyes closed for about five minutes. Yet what he didn't know was instead of me grieving about losing Fin, I was more concerned about where he could've gone.

"Listen, Fin's disappearance Thursday night has worried all of us but the police and detectives have come to a conclusion with enough evidence to prove his state, and I'm not sure you're going to like it so much," My uncle always knows how to tell a good joke, but this felt anything but his usual jokes he makes. You could tell from the way he bit his bottom lips and how his wrinkles on his forehead were more prominent than I'd ever seen on him. His fingers fumbling on his sleeve almost as if he didn't want to tell me, made me sure he was being serious.

"Well, I think it's best if I know what they've concluded about my best friend whether I'm going to like it or not." I said, preparing for what my uncle had to say. I looked around at the scenery one last time. Finian's beige bricked house stood out in the night. His house where I spend half my time, talking with Fin, studying, laughing but never have I ever thought I'd be here for the purpose of his mystery.

"The police have found that there's enough evidence to point to a suicide. Fin committed suicide, Im so sorry, Cathy. I want to do something to help you, I can't imagine how much pain you must be going through."

My mouth dropped to the words but before I could respond my Uncle drew me in a warm hug. My uncle's arms pulling me in tightly. But I wasn't in pain for what happened. Because I knew Fin better than that, he wouldn't do that. He had told me how much life was worth saying there are so many adventures and people waiting for each one of us, but most of all, Finian wouldn't leave me behind. Finian Miller leaving Catherine Santos, his best friend behind in this world undiscovered? That would break his heart, there was no way I was going to believe their accusation. The police prove what they want to prove and for Finian, he was no exception. Enough proof for Finian is considered finding a rope hanging from the ceiling with a perch under it, meaning it was a suicide and that Fin had most likely gotten a friend, or someone to dispose of his body. Although, who would've helped Fin commit his own death? His only friends that could've helped are me and his Soccer team mate, Ryan. And I know for a fact, neither of us would have assisted him. Thinking about Finian more, it made me realize how cunning he is. Finian is more slick and scheming than anyone I know, if he would take his life he would have done it in a way no one could know, not for the whole town to see and judge his "evidence".

Somehow, I know Fin's out there. He's still alive and I can feel it, I need to do something, I need to find him and bring him back home. One of the biggest mistakes you can do as a best friend is to leave the other behind and give up on them, and I was not going to let myself do that to Fin.

I, Catherine Santos was not going to leave my best friend in the dark. I will find him and do whatever it takes.