Without a Trace

Heyy! This is my new story, I hope you enjoy! (:

~Prologue~

"Daniela, I-I'm not sure we're supposed to be here." The frightened 10 year old said to his best friend as he trembled at the edge of the sharp jagged rocks.

"Aww Conny you're being a baby, this is cool, don't you want to be cool on your birthday? I bet not another soul knows about this place." She snagged a branch from a near-by tree and began inspected the raging river.

Connor rolled his eyes nervously. 'That's the probelem' He thought to him self. Any normal 10 year old would be at home blowing out candles on their birthday. He watched as she got down on her knees and dipped a hand into the water. "See it's fine! I don't even think it's that deep."

Connor slowly began backing away as he said, "Dani, we should really get out of here."

"Watch where you're going punk!" Connor grimaced as he was shoved to the side by someone twice his size. He watched as the boy that he didn't know got in Daniela's face. "What are you two babies doing here anyway? No one knows about this place! Get the hell out of here right now, or I'll make you pay!"

'Please don't get mad. Please don't get mad.' Connor pleaded silently to Daniela, this guy looked like he could snap them both into. He closed his eyes when he realized his silent pleas had failed to calm her.

"You can't tell us what to do, you big dummy! We were here first, now if you don't MIND we'd like to continue enjoying our day, so GET LOST!" She turned back towards the river without a second thought to it.

Connor covered his eyes with his hands and waited for an explosion of some sort, but there was none. He opened his eyes and saw that the older boy was creeping up behind Dani as if to push her into the stream. Without a second thought Connor sprang into action jumping onto his back and clamping down on his ear. He may be a wimp, but when it comes to Daniela he had a couple tricks up his sleeves.

"Heyyy, cut it out! What-where-GET OFF ME!" The boy spun in circles trying hard to shake the small boy off, but he was hanging on for dear life. "You're dead meat! Both of you!"

With one arm the boy grabbed the back of Connor's shirt and hurled him off sending him flying to the edge of the rocks. 'Dani where are you?' Connor thought as he helplessy looked up at the bully that was closing in on him.

He closed his eyes, but quickly snapped them back open when an enraged scream filled the air.

"You get away from Conny!" That's all he heard before a big splash of water drenched him from head to toe. He looked up at a wide eyed Daniela who was staring into the river intently.

"Help! I can't swim! HELP!"

"Conny we have to help."

Connor tried to stop his head from spinning so he could see where Daniela was standing.

"Conny please get up!"

He slowly picked his self up, hobbling slightly from his injured ankle.

She was dangling a big stick in the raging water and she was leaning in a litte too closely.

He saw her foot slip before he heard the sickening thud as her head collided with the rocks and he watched as she tumbled into the raging river.

"DANIELA!" He screamed loudly as he raced over to the edge, being more careful than she was.

He searched the waters for any sign of her or the other boy...and saw none.

He wiped the steady flow of tears from his face as he tried hard to focus on the raging waters, to see any sign of movement.

"Dani please come back up! I-I'll listen to all your scary stories!"

Nothing.

"I-I'll tell your mom I broke her favorite vase!"

Silence.

"DANI! I-I'll do anything, please just come back!"

Connor lifted his tiny hands to see blood on them, Daniela's blood. He looked back to see that her blood was covering the rocks. He scrambled up and backed away from the rocks staring into the river as he backed. He thought he saw a glimpse of something, but he knew it couldn't be. He turned and ran into the trees, far away from the secluded spot.