The Grave Shadows

40. Disappear

Everett leaned against the desiccated oak, kicking the colorful stars of leaves. Three children passed him, a little girl on a tricycle and two boys who were shooting her with the squirt guns. Those boys should stop acting tough, for they would beg the girl not to break their hearts fifteen years from now.

Glowering at his watch, Everett chewed his lips. The Coopers' small driveway was empty, baked in the warmth of the afternoon. Everett and Cyan should have been at a pumpkin patch by this time. The Coopers had a colorful Halloween tradition. This year, after much persuasion, Cyan agreed to dress up as a hot vampire. She even asked Luke to join the party, but Everett had a trick or two to disinvite that little brat.

Everett paced under the tree, the leaves crackling under his boots. Another fifteen minutes went by without any response on the phone. Cyan would have let him know if she was going to be late.

Suddenly, the children flew back. Animated and loud, the boys drenched the girl's blue frock. The tricycle tumbled her onto the Coopers' lawn, and she screeched.

"Leave her alone, freaks!" Everett rushed to the girl and scooped her from the yellow grass. She writhed away from him, giggling and twisting the dress with her bruised hands.

Everett's heart went to his feet, sharp pain flickering in his head. A big smile with missing teeth hung between the girl's cheeks, and a jet of water from a gun in her hand hit his. The boys returned, one wresting the girl and another snatching the tricycle. Everett groaned and wiped his face when the trio cackled and sprinted away onto the sidewalk. He promptly reminding himself why he disliked immaturity. And when his frustration faded, the children was dispelled.

Right then, Everett made another call, this time to Colt's science faculty.

***

Twenty minutes later, Will, Simon, and Luke arrived at the Coopers' lawn. Cyan didn't show up for her test, and nobody had seen her since last night. At that moment, Everett knew in his veins that another accident had happened.

Managing to hide his worry, Everett called John, who was still on the road. He beat around the bush, omitting the complication, to know that John hadn't spoken to Cyan this morning.

Fumbling to his truck, Everett waved for Luke to follow. They took on the university route while Simon and his Mercedes swerved toward the lake, Will and his WATTSBOY3 to Coopers' Clock Store.

"You didn't see that?" Everett pointed at the white Toyota on the side of the road. Cyan's piece-of-junk was so rotten that it looked like the actual junk. The first time Everett was near Cyan came back to him.

"Cyan!" As the truck squealed to a stop, Luke ran to the Toyota.

Emptiness blinked back. Luke rang Cyan's cell phone again, but there was nothing. Everett shivered, knowing how clueless and reckless the girl was. She saw what she chose to see, heard what she wanted to listen to, and trusted her own blood so much that she forgot other possible injuries worse than bleeding.

"Let's go!" Everett's heart raced, his black shirt wetter than the little girl's blue dress.

***

At the clock store, Will were shouting at his phone. He tossed his head upon seeing Everett and Luke.

"Keeping an eye on her. That was supposed to be your job!" Will unbuttoned his shirt cuffs.

Another car halted behind the truck and spat out Angelica. She marched to the brothers—her outfit was interesting.

"John doesn't know, so let's keep it that way," Angelica said with the more pronounced transatlantic tone.

"Know what?" Will rolled up his sleeves. "And what are you doing here?"