Missing

Memories

"Mom, dad, hi." We all hug as I walk through the door. I'm 23 but haven't been home in over 2 years.

My dad brings my bags upstairs to my old room.

It still looks the same from when I was a teenager.

There's blue walls with white outlining, light brown carpet, metal bed frame with blue blankets and white pillows, a desk, and a closet.

There's a nightstand next to my bed that has an alarm clock, a lamp, and a photo of me and my brother.

There's a bathroom next to my room that's also across from my brothers room which is right next to mine.

For some reason I decide to go into his room. It hasn't changed. It still looks the same from when he was 19, though he'd be 26 if he was alive today.

His walls are still light grey and he has a metal bed with a black blanket and grey pillows. His carpet is light brown, like mine, he has a desk and a closet. If I stay here for one more minute I'm going to cry.

"Livia, come downstairs!" My mom calls. "Coming!" I call back while making my way down the stairs.

"Yes mom?" She sees me walking into the kitchen and smiles. "Can you help me with dinner please?""Of course, what do you need?"

I throw my brown hair into a messy bun before grabbing a bowl my mom hands me.

"If you could make the salad that would be great. I'm working on the meat and corn. Thank you, dear." My mom hands me the lettuce so I cut it up and put it into the bowl before adding cheese, pecans, apple slices, strawberries, and the dressing.

Once I have it all mixed together I put it on the table and bring plates and silverware as well.

My dad walks into the kitchen, his short grey hair neatly done, and he smiles to me and my mother. My mother has grey hair that goes just above her shoulders.

"Let's eat."

We all sit down and eat. The food tastes great and it's nice to be back home with my family. Once we're done eating we all clean up dinner and decide to watch a movie.

We used to watch movies all the time when we were young but we stopped after my brother died.

Well, went missing, if we're getting technical. I guess he could still be alive but everyone assumes he's dead. We watch his favorite movie tonight and it made me think of our good times.

"I cannot believe you!" I laugh as I look in the mirror and see myself covered in whip cream.

All you can see are my blue eyes shining against the white whip cream. It's my hair, all over my face, and even on my shirt.

I grab a plate of whip cream and it at him. It lands right in the middle of his face and I burst out laughing.

It's all over him. On his face, his clothes, his hair. Like me, all you can see is his blue eyes. Our matching blue eyes.

"I'm gonna kill you!" He yells and starts to chase me.

I run as fast as I can across the backyard while he chases me. We are both laughing and running around.

Suddenly his hands push my back and I fall into the pool.

I hit the cold water and when I come back up I see Cal laughing at me.

"Jerk!" I yell before grabbing his ankle and pulling him in.

Once he reaches the top of the water he slashes me and we end up in a all out splash war.

All we do is laugh the entire time.

"Hey, we're gonna head to bed sweetie."

"Okay, night mom."

"Goodnight."

My parents head to their room and go to sleep. I run upstairs to grab my laptop so I can work on my project while I watch tv downstairs.

I'm in college and I have an essay I'm supposed to write and I'm supposed to write it on something I'm passionate about.

I don't know exactly what I'm passionate about but I'm trying to figure it out.

I'm majoring to be a teacher and I plan to teach 1st to 5th graders.

Wherever the school places me will be fine, but I'm avoiding middle schoolers at all costs.

They're scary quite honestly.

When I look at the clock I see that it's 3 a.m. dang, I thought it was 10.

I'm kinda hungry so I decide to make some food. I grab the cheese out of the fridge and slice it up before grabbing the crackers to eat.

Clink clink bam.

My head jerks over to the door as I hear the sound. The sound of the door being unlocked.

I grab a baseball bat and stand in front of the door, ready to hit whoever it was, but when the door opens I am left speechless.

Cal stands in the door frame, a lock picker in his hand. His eyes widen when he sees me, as if he wasn't expecting it, and tears swell in my eyes.

"You're alive?" It's barely a whisper but he hears me.

"Yes. I'm alive."

I drop the baseball bat and jump into my brothers arms.

I laugh as he holds me, my brother home at last. "Oh my gosh. Where have you been? I need to go wake mom and dad."

He sets me down before I say those things but when I go to wake up our parents he grabs my wrist.

"You can't, Livia."

"What, why?"

He looks like he's trying to decide what to say or what to do.

"You were never supposed to see me, Livia. They can't either, otherwise they have to deal with this too."

"Deal with what?"

I know my brother. I can tell when something is wrong.

"Deal with what, Calvin?"

He looks in my eyes as he says "now."

Something sharp is plunged into my neck and I gasp.

When the needle leaves my neck I put my hand to the wound. I look behind me in horror to see a man standing there with a syringe.

I don't recognize the man but when I look back to my brother he seems sorry.

"I'm sorry, Liv. You'll be fine, I promise."

I'm dizzy. What did you they inject me with?

I start to fall but Calvin catches me, I'm so tired.

"What did you do?" I whisper as a tear falls down my cheek.

"You'll be fine." Is all he says before everything goes black.