One-shots/Short Stories

Felix Ferne - Part I

Missing Girl - Part I

MISSING GIRL!
"PLEASE HELP FIND OUR DAUGHTER!"
-Amelia & Stephen Smith

Two days ago, Lisa Smith, daughter of Amelia and Stephen Smith, went missing during a school excursion in the forests of Bremin.

She was last seen at the entrance of the forest, and hasn't been found since. Locals have made search parties to find the ten-year-old, to no vail.

If you have any information on this case please contact number bellow.

Felix stared at the black-and-white photo of the girl in the old newspaper. He knew the girl. She was his neighbour to his family. His first friend. First best friend. First crush.
   He felt guilty for her being missing. He couldn't go to that excursion that day; he was sick and could barely stand straight without getting dizzy. Lisa had wanted to stay to take care of him, but he had convinced her to go without him and have fun.

Have fun my ass, Felix thought glumly.

When he had first heard the news, he had hopped out of his bed, ignoring the dizziness and ran in the direction of the forest to try and find her himself. But he never made it because he was too sick, and his parents had caught up to him easily.

Nothing was ever the same for him.

Sure he made a new friend with Ellen, but no one could replace Lisa Smith.

***

They walked around the town in their dirty clothes, befuddled as to why none of their family members knew them. But Felix was a tad bit happy though when he saw Oscar could walk.
   "This doesn't make any sense." Sam mumbled.
   "Where are we supposed to stay since we are basically strangers to our family?" Jake wondered sadly. They looked around the town when Andy noticed a place.
   "Look! A place for the homeless!"
   "No." the rest of the boys replied.
   "No way am I going in there -" Felix felt his breath get knocked out of him, his eyes widening. There was a girl at the place, setting up a sign saying '24/7'. She looked so familiar. Her brunette hair out naturally, her brown eyes gleaming in content, her small slim figure moving around gracefully, her smile warming his cold heart when someone would greet her on their way. He knew who she was. He remembered the last time he saw her six years ago. . .

"Lisa."

"What?" the boys stared at him confused.
   "You know that chick?" Sam asked him. Felix nodded ever so slightly, still watching her.
   "I-I mean, I'm pretty sure I know who she is." Felix stuttered. "It's just. . .she's been missing for six years."
   "No way!" Andy's eyes widened in disbelief. "Is she the missing girl? Lisa Smith?"
   "Lisa who?" Jake wondered.
   "Oh yeah! I remember!" Sam recalled. "She went missing during a school excursion in. . .in the forest." They all looked to each other with hidden hope. "Do you think she's from our universe?"
   "Possibly." Felix answered, a smile threatening to reveal itself. "I mean, we got lost in the same forest. Maybe that happened to her as well!" He turned to the boys fully. "Change of plan. We are going to the homeless place."

***

They all sat at a table together, while watching 'Lisa' work around. Felix couldn't help but admire her. Puberty did well on her; he remembered seeing her in pigtails, braces and such girly clothes. Now she looked mature and wore plain clothes that fitted to her like second skin. With her long-sleeves grey shirt hugging her, the ripped skinny jeans clinging to her outlining her curves. . .
   "Dude!" Felix was slapped behind his head by Jake. "Are you checking her out?"
   "No!" Felix denied, feeling heat go to his cheeks. "I'm just observing her. It's been six years since I last saw my first friend. First best friend -"
   "And crush from what we can see." Sam snorted. Felix scowled at them all, ready to retort back when a voice stopped him.
   "Hello boys, would you like to have something to eat?" Lisa stood behind Felix with a smile, pad and pen ready in her hands. Felix tensed when he could feel her body heat against his back even though they weren't even touching.
   The boys all agreed at her words. "We don't have to pay, do we?" Andy asked her. "Because we have no money."
   "It's a homeless shack." she explained to him. "We help the homeless by giving them free food and water and essentials to basically survive."
   "Good." Andy relaxed.
   "So! What would you all like to have?"
   The boys all said their orders after looking at the menu, leaving only Felix to tell his order. They all waited for him to speak. "What about you, hun?"
   Hun, Felix shivered. He remembered her calling him. They had watched a movie together when they saw a girl call her friend hun. Lisa absolutely loved the nickname and called him that, even saying a few other nicknames she created for him.
   "Um. . ." he skimmed through the menu, settling on just lasagna. He turned to tell her his decision. "I'll just have a lasagn-" Felix faltered when he saw a familiar jewellery hanging around her neck. It was a heart locket that he had given to her for her tenth birthday. Inside would be a photo of the two together smiling widely. He definitely knew that this was the girl he secretly loved and missed.
   "Lee?" Felix called her by her nickname and watched as she tensed at his words. The other boys stayed quiet, watching what was happening. "Lee, i-it's me. . .Felix." He hoped to God that his thoughts were correct about her being from their universe instead of the one they got stuck in.

And it seemed God had listen.

"Felix?" she stared at him in disbelief. "N-no, that can't be. I went to the Fernes and they didn't know -"
   "Lisa, it's me!" Felix stood up to face her fully. "It's me! Felix! Hun? Darkness? Magic boy?" He heard the boys snicker at the names he was throwing at her in an attempt to remember him. He definitely knew that the boys were going to tease him when they are alone.
   "Oh my God. . ." Lisa dropped the pad and pen she was holding and jumped into his arms. The two laughed in glee, Felix even twirling her around like a princess. They both had tears pouring down their face. "I have been so alone." she sobbed. "My family doesn't know me, and Oscar didn't know who I was talking about when I mentioned you -"
   "Shh, it's okay, it's okay." he held her tightly to him. "I'm here now. I found you. It's going to be okay."