You Did, I Didn't

Part I The Pull of the Void: Prologue-Sophia

I've circled this aisle three times now, pretending to look for the size the customer wants–even though I told her five times already, we don't have it. She's convinced it'll magically appear if I just "check again."

As I pass the stock room door again, I spot Judy grabbing a shoebox.

"Hey Judy, how's it going?"

She grins. "Hey Sophia. It's going well. I see you're making your second lap."

"Third, actually," I correct her, deadpan. "This lady refuses to believe we don't have her size."

Judy chuckles. "Ugh, I hate when that happens. Good luck." She walks off, balancing the box on her hip.

I wait a few more minutes in the back, giving the illusion of effort, then head out and tell the woman that the size isn't available.

She mutters a curse under her breath and storms out of the store. Finally.

The rest of the day drags, barely any customers. I get to leave early and catch the bus, zoning out the whole ride home.

When I walk through the door, I find Mom, Nancy, and Matt lounging in the living room, watching some random movie.

Mom stands up right away and fixes me a plate of dinner. I toss off my coat and smirk. "Hey losers."

Nancy and Matt wave me off without looking up. I give Mom a hug and thank her before sitting down to eat.

She joins me at the table. "So, how was work?"

I take a bite of the chicken. "Great," I lie, not daring to bring up the stubborn customer. Last time I mentioned an issue, Mom marched straight to my job to complain on my behalf.

She smiles anyway. "And school? Is it interfering?"

I shake my head, swirling rice with my fork. "No, it's fine. I'm a little behind on some reading, but I'm going to do some of that tonight."

She squeezes my shoulder. "Good."

After dinner, I clean my plate and crash on the couch with them before heading to my room to do homework. That's when Nancy nudges me.

"Hey, did you hear about the four missing reports?"

"Oh yeah, they were all from my high school," Matt adds.

"It was our high school too," Nancy reminds him. "Soph, they graduated the same year as you. Did you know any of them?"

She hands me her phone. I scroll through the article.

Four Missing Teens in One Week: Gwen Stewart (21), Ryan Foster (20), Jackson Alcantar (21) and Luke Mendez (20)

My breath catches, I know all of them.

Jackson and I shared a class. I gave him back his wallet once. He seemed nice. Ryan was my first crush freshman year, until he started dating Gwen and it broke my heart. Watching them break up and make up every other day convinced me I dodged a bullet. And Luke, we had homeroom and two other classes together. Junior year, Mr. Paige sat us together for a whole semester. I always wondered if he liked me too. We laughed a lot, but nothing ever happened. I still regret not trying.

Matt leans forward. "So? Did you know them?"

"Yeah," I say, still reading:

Mendez was the first to be reported missing on April 7th after his family hadn't heard from him for two days—behavior they described as unusual. Stewart's report followed on April 9th, Foster on April 11th, and Alcantar on April 13th. Foster and Mendez had returned home from college for spring break—UCLA and Harvard both issued statements expressing condolences. It is unclear if the cases are connected, according to Seattle Police Department Chief Daryl Lopez. Principal Martinez will lead a school search party this week. Anyone with information is urged to contact the SPD department.

I hand Nancy her phone back.

"Do you want to go to the search party?" she asks.

"I don't know."

Mom sighs. "You should, Sophia. You knew them. I'm sure your manager will understand."

"They weren't my friends. I just...knew them."

Mom's voice softens. "I didn't know them either, but I'm still going. If it were my child, I'd want all the help I could get."

I give her a small smile. "I didn't say no."

Matt smirks. "It was kind of implied."

I glare at him, raising my voice in a mocking tone. "Uh, it was kind of implied."

Then, quieter "What if whoever took them shows up?"

Mom hugs me. "Then they better watch out for me."

Later in the night, I head upstairs with a strange heaviness in my chest. My blinds are drawn, but I peek out anyway. All I see is my own reflection starting back at me. That article is getting to me.

I crawl into bed, pull the blanket to my chin, and leave my nightlight on.

***

I don't sleep much. By 7 a.m. I'm crocheting a blanket to keep my mind busy. At 7:30, we're all seated in the school auditorium, listening to Principal Martinez speak.

"Thank you all for showing your support. We will bring justice to whoever is responsible and restore safety to our community. Please welcome SPD Chief Daryl Lopez, who will explain the search party and group assignments."

As he speaks, Mom leans over. "Got to use the bathroom. Stay together."

She disappears into the main office. Nancy nudges me, eyes wide. "Oh my God, it's Richie! I haven't seen him in forever."

Nancy gets up from her seat. I grab her arm. "Mom said to stay together."

"I'll be back. Watch Matt." She goes off with Richie.

I look around. Matt is already drifting toward a group of his friends. Great.

My phone buzzes. Mom's calling. I answer, but all I hear is static.

"Mom? Hello?" I step out of the auditorium near a few lunch tables. "I don't know if you can hear me, the signal's bad. I'll call you right back."

I hang up and start to dial again, then stop. There's a shadow a few feet away.

"Hello?" I call out.

It's a boy, hunched over, clutching his stomach. He stumbles up the stairs and collapses. I hurry over.

"You okay?"

He turns. I freeze.

"Jackson?"

He looks up, eyes wide. "Sophia?"

I didn't think he'd remember me. But he does.

"You need to help me. Help us. I need to get the rest out. Come on."

He's alive. They're all alive.

"We have to call the police," I say, already reaching for my phone.

"There's no time!" he begs, struggling to stand.

I help him up. He's thinner than I remember, could just be my imagination.

He points to a barely visible door along the wall, the same color as the bricks. No knob. It's wedged open with a sliver of metal. Even with my glasses, I almost miss it.

He lets go of me. I open the door slowly. Inside is a narrow, dust-covered hallway, lined with spiderwebs.

A knot tightens in my stomach. "We need to call the police," I say again, firmer.

"They won't help," Jackson says flatly.

I'm losing my patience. "How would you know? You've been gone for over a week!"

I pull out my phone. "Unlike you, I'm doing the right thing."

As I dial 911, Jackson chuckles behind me. "Ha, I'm starting to see it now."

I turn, confused. Jackson shoves me hard. I fall through the doorway. The door slams shut behind us. Darkness. Total, swallowing darkness.