𝐀𝐋𝐄𝐗𝐈𝐓𝐇𝐘𝐌𝐈𝐀, Robin Arellano

𝟎.𝟗

You froze, your hand tightly gripping the paper. It showed a picture of Robin, his description typed out underneath and a plead begging people to call if they have any information. He was last seen yesterday. Yesterday night.

"He was supposed to see some girl, he was talking about it at lunch." Finney said, noticing your expression.

Those words just confirmed your suspicions. This was all your fault, if you had just invited him in to watch a movie there instead of walking late out at night. If the two of you weren't arguing, he would be safe. He would be walking into school at this time. There was so many ways you could've avoided this— saved him, but you were so blinded by anger that you didn't realize there was a kidnapper out there and a 13 year old boy was wandering the streets in the middle of the night.

He could be dead. They never found Bruce. They never found any of the other kidnapper's victims. What if, they couldn't find Robin?

Guilt started swarming your stomach, a sickening feeling you've never felt.

You handed the paper back to Gwen silently, she didn't say anything, already knowing what you were thinking. She could tell by your face— it was as if she was looking at a reflection of herself. Sullen and guilt.

"I'm going home." You uttered, swiftly turning back to run home. You ran before they could say anything but you heard their shouts, telling you to be careful.

Your parents weren't home. They're cars weren't in the driveway and you knew if they were, they would make you go to school no matter what. You didn't care. You just wanted to take a hot shower and sob, try to scrub the feeling from earlier away.

It has been a few days since then. After your parents found out you didn't go to school that they, they were mad. They grounded you for a few weeks, but you were too numb to feel any sort of emotion. They were sort of surprised when you just nodded and went to your room— usually, you tried to convince your way out of grounding.

They forced you to go to school. You did, staying silent and not really talking to anyone. Moose made fun of you, picking on you more since Robin was nowhere to defend you. The same thing happened to Finney.

The teacher gave you an A on your project, giving you sympathy about learning that your partner was now missing and, was possibly dead. He could be.

It wasn't until one day, Gwen confessed to you about her dreams. Saying she was getting closer and closer each day until last night, she had no dream. It was blank. She said she was getting somewhere and Robin had to be alive.

You didn't believe her, shrugging her off and saying dreams were just fantasies.

"I'm telling you! I promise, I can feel it. He's alive, and soon I'll be able to tell where he is." She tried to convince you, explaining with her hands.

You just simply nodded, telling her you believed her only for her to shut up. You loved her really, but you think she was going insane. You think everybody was, everybody would be a little mental until the kidnapper got caught.

Soon, the Chief of the Police announced a curfew for everybody in town. Everybody had to be inside before 10 o'clock, or they will be taken into police custody.

The kidnapper was just going to strike again and again. The curfew wasn't helping anyone, but maybe. Just maybe, if the chief announced that before Robin got kidnapped, he would be well. Or he would've just dismissed the curfew, sneaking over to your house anyway.

You didn't want to believe that he was dead. But what else were you supposed to believe? Every person before him that got kidnapped was never seen again, assumed dead. They're bodies weren't even found.

But Robin knew how to put up a fight, he would be okay. Right?

"I had another dream last night." Gwen announced proudly, her cheeks brighter than usual.

"And what was this dream about?" You sighed, going along.

"Vance Hopper."

"Vance Hopper?" You laughed, truly not believing a word she said. Finney gave you a stern look.

"Tell us more." He pushed, hope glimmering in his eyes.

"Well, I saw him get into a fight with someone then get into a police car. He was then taken to this house... 7741." She whispered the last part, repeating the numbers softly so she won't forget them. "I'm gonna go look for the house after school."

"What?" Finney shrieked. "No— you can't! It's dangerous, and what if it is the grabbers house? What if you get kidnapped too?"

"He only kidnaps boys."

"He could have a change of heart and decide to take you!"

Gwen huffs, placing her hands on her hips. "I'm going to be fine! I just want to see the house and make sure I'm not delusional or something, then I'll call the cops. You guys can even come with—"

"No! We can't go, just tell the cops the address. They can do everything else."

"I don't even know if the address is real, I need to make sure it is!" Gwen screamed, throwing her hands up in the air.

"Okay, look." You stepped in, noticing how the Blake siblings were about to cause an argument. "I'll go with her, make sure nothing happens, okay?"

You wanted to believe her, but dreams were just dreams. This was real life. People were being kidnapped, killed. You can't just rely on dreams. You only told Finney you would go with her to calm his nerves and let Gwen have her way.

After school, she grabbed your arm almost immediately after she saw you. She explained how we were going to her house to grab her and Finney's bike so we can roam the streets.

You guys made it to their house, grabbing the bikes before her father can protest and you guys started the little scavenger hunt. The two of you were going down a street when she suddenly yelled, falling to the ground.

Your stopped, jumping off her bike to help her up. She looked terrified, eyes wide as saucers. She slowly turned her head to the left, her eyes widening even more if that was possible. "This is it."

"What?" You looked at the house, noticing "7741" on the top left by the door.

"We need to call the cops. Now." She mumbled, scrambling up to her feet.