Beyoncé Giselle Knowles
Summer of 1999
Beyoncé remembers the summer where everything went South. Literally. She remembers the tears that were shed, the constant glances and chatter, the fear that was intertwined with every individual in the small poor town of Lakewood.
She remembers the exact day; and the night before.
Beyoncé stared down at her summer reading homework with pure annoyance laced upon her features. She never understood the point of it, she could read. That was obvious. Why did she have to prove it every summer before she went back to school?
She was currently seated on her bed, but she fell back to take a much needed break. She did start senior year in just a week. She knew she definitely should have started this summer reading project when it was assigned. On the last day of junior year.
She just wanted to enjoy her summer. She sighed—but she could tell that there was a flicker in the corner of her eye. She sat up and looked through her white curtains and saw the flicker again after about 4 seconds.
4 seconds.
Beyoncé knew what that meant. She grinned, and sat up—she grabbed her flashlight from her desk that was ruined with crayons and color pencils. She then ran to her window, almost tripping on her clothes but managing to stay up as she grabbed a chair and sat at her window.
She flickered back, waiting a specific amount of time between each flick. She smiled as the flickers were returned.
"What are you doing?" Was flashed to her and she responded, "talking to my favorite dummy." She spoke in morse code, she snickered and then her eyes grew wide with excitement.
She grinned when she saw an angry Onika, with her hands on her hips. She flickered her own flashlight. "I'm not just some dummy!" She had said and Beyoncé snickered. She flickered back, "Yeah, you're my favorite one."
Onika clearly had scoffed, she then opened her window and whisper yelled. "I hate you!" She said and Beyoncé opened her window as well. She had heard it, she just wanted to tease Onika. "I love you too!" She sang and Onika fake gagged.
The two have been bestfriends since diapers, their families loved each other—they were long term bestfriends so it only made sense for their children to be as well. Beyoncé has known Onika since she could even form a coherent thought.
Onika lived right next to Beyoncé, they used to use a tree to climb into each other's room but ever since a certain incident involving Onika breaking her leg—they weren't allowed to anymore. And the tree was cut down.
Onika looked beyoncé up and down with playful disgust before smiling—she couldn't keep up her facade for long. She looked like she was about to say something before Beyoncé heard a faint thud on Onikas side. She looked past Onika—well she tried her best to. She mainly just saw her door and her pink devoted room.
Onika lightly gripped the window before looking back at Beyoncé, she quickly used her flashlight to send. "I love you." Before shutting her window and closing her curtains. Beyoncé was a bit confused, she assumed someone had caught her awake because she saw another silhouette in her room.
And then the lights were suddenly off.
Beyoncé frowned, she didn't get to say it back. More often than not, their late night conversations have been cut off short by someone entering Onikas room so late. Maybe her laughing was a bit too loud lately.
She sighed, the best part of her nights and summer in general was hanging out with Onika. She turned off her light, and placed her flashlight by her nightstand. She climbed into bed, hugging her plushie Onika had won her last year at the county fair. The same place they were supposed to be going tomorrow.
She smiled softly at her nightstand, she saw her flashlight—along with a photo of Onika and her with huge sunglasses and sunburnt bodies from when they were little kids.
That was her last sight before drifting off to sleep.
She remembers waking up that day, she was excited. She got up earlier than her older sister just to rush to the shower before her. She hummed her favorite micheal jackson song, before turning off the hot water and letting her honey curls bounce. She was so happy her mom allowed her to dye her hair blonde.
She grinned as she made it back to her room and picked out an outfit, red converse, jean shorts, and a tank top. She didn't bother eating breakfeast, she wanted her stomach to be full of carnival food. She spent the next hour waking up her father and forcing him to drive her and Onika to the fair in which he agreed.
The last job was to run over to Onikas and make sure she's ready, she ran down the stairs; proceeding to bump into her sister who yelled at her but Beyoncé didn't care. She ran out the door and made her less than a minute walk to Onikas house. Which was really just a few steps.
She knocked on her door, shifting weight on her leg over and over. It took a moment for anyone to respond, she knocked again and the door opened a bit cracked. She frowned, Onika usually greeted her with a huge grin or told her to get out. But she knew today she wouldn't do the ladder.
"Hey, you ready? My dads getting his keys as we speak." Beyoncé said and Onikas eyes widened slightly before nodding. The door wasn't all the way open, only half way. Beyoncé frowned and tried to get to budge but Onika had stopped her.
"I—I-It's stuck. Weird bolts. I'll be ready really soon, I woke up later than usual.." She mumbled. And Beyoncé just nodded with slight concern. "You alright?" She asked and Onika nodded, but she didn't look her in the eye.
Beyoncé was worried but she let it slide, Onika got in certain moods around her period. She shut the door on Beyoncé and within 10 minutes she was ready. Beyoncé looked at her a bit strange, she wore a normal t shirt but she was wearing slighty baggy jeans.
"Onika, do you know how damn hot is ?" Beyoncé asked and Onika just nervously laughed. "Yeah, I know. All my jean shorts were dirty. Let's just go alright?" She asked with a small smile and Beyoncé nodded—she still had hesitance in her actions.
Onika was acting weird.
When they had gotten into the car she didn't speak much, and Beyoncé was a bit thrown off. When they had reached the carnival Onika started to get back to her usual self, she was laughing, jokingly insulting Yonce—and smiling.
She liked this Onika better.
They were currently waiting in line to play a game, Beyoncé wanted to win something for Onika this year. Onika stood beside her, proceeding to fan herself because of how hot it was. She turned to Beyoncé, "Yonce, I'm gonna head to the bathroom." She stated and Beyoncé looked at her with disgust.
"The porta potty? Those are always so gross." Beyoncé stated looking at Onika and Onika rolled her eyes, "You think I wanna use that junk? I've been holding in my piss for ever. I won't be long." Onika said, she passed Beyoncé her slushie and the blonde proceeded to drink out of it as Onika walked away.
She heard her yell, "If I take too long—meet me at the fun house!" She shouted and Beyoncé gave her a thumbs up before she fully walked away and disappeared into the crowd.
Beyoncé watched her pink bow bounce in her hair as she left.
She moved up in line, she had her money ready to go to pay for the game. She hoped Onika got back here in time.
Time passed but Onika wasn't back, granted it had only been about 5 minutes and Beyoncé didn't even know where the toilets were—she guessed Onika was trying to navigate through the crowd.
She gave up her spot for some people so Onika could have more time to get back. Beyoncé was impatient though, when her turn came up for the 3rd time she decided to just pay the clerk and get to throwing the baseballs at the moving targets.
She had wasted two tries, both ending with a huff. It was her last ball, and she saw the smirk on the clerks face as she tried think of a plan. She watched the pattern of the moving ducks and then grinned, she threw the ball at the very end. No duck was even there yet—but by the time her ball had gotten there—the duck had gotten there.
She hit it, and she won.
She did a little dance of victory, drinking out of Onikas slushie once more. The clerk sighed, "What plushie kid?" He asked and Beyoncé didn't even have to think.
"The pink Unicorn please." She requested and she watched how he got the large unicorn off the rack and handed it to Beyoncé. "Oh Onikas going to love this." She mumbled as she walked away. She couldn't exactly see all that well with the unicorn in her hand—it was even hard to carry Onikas rapidly melting slushie.
She found a bench and decided to sit on it. Placing the unicorn right next to her. She decided to drink the rest of Onikas slushie. She knew her dad wasn't picking her up till the fair ended—which gave them about 3 hours of free time.
They were in there 2nd hour, the fair was about half an hour from closing. She wondered where Onika was. The bench she sat on was right near the game they were waiting in line at. Beyoncé kept a sharp eye out for Onika—but no Onika like figure passed.
She frowned and just decided to wait. She dug in her mini back pack and pulled out a lollipop—they were Onikas favorite but she decided to take one. She popped it in her mouth before continuing her wait.
She waited, and waited.
But she still did not see Onika.
The crowd started to get less dense because of closing time.
She picked up the unicorn and decided to try and find the toilets herself, she found them quickly. They were pretty close to where she was waiting. She saw a man standing at a mini booth—that charged a nickel to use the toilet. She thought it was a scam but she still went over to him.
He looked a little confused when he saw her, "Hey kid. You gotta use the bathroom?" He asked and Beyoncé shook her head. "I'm looking for my friend. She's pretty short, she has black hair—she was wearing blue jeans and a light pink shirt." Beyoncé explained and the guy looked at Beyoncé with confusion.
"I haven't seen her. Are you sure she came here?" He asked and Beyoncé gulped before nodding. The guy stood up and scratched the back of his neck. "I honestly don't know what to tell you kid. Have you asked other people?" He asked and Beyoncé shook her head.
"I recommend doing that. I can help you if you want." And beyoncé explained how that would be appreciated. She saw him ask his coworkers and they all shook their heads, she went in the other direction and started asking lingering people and they all seemed clueless.
She walked up to a particular stand that sold pretzels and other junk food, her eyes widened when she saw Aubrey.
He seemed just as surprised to see Beyoncé, "Hey Yonce! What you doing here?" He asked and Beyoncé cleared her throat—her and Aubrey weren't the best of friends but he was friends with Onika so she knew him by default.
"I was here with Onika—but I can't find her. Have you seen her?" She asked getting straight to the point and she felt some relief wash over her when he nodded. "Yeah, like 20 minutes ago. She was asking me where the bathroom was. I told her and then she came back like 4 minutes later asking for a free pretzel. Which I did give her. Then she started walking towards the fun house." He explained and Beyoncé nodded at his explanation.
So onika did find the bathroom, and then she got a pretzel afterwards? It made sense why she was walking towards the fun house. That is where they agreed to meet up if she took too long.
She sighed with a smile, "Thanks I just..I thought I lost her or something." Beyoncé stated and Aubrey nodded. "I get it. Do you need help looking for her?" He asked and Beyoncé nodded. The two teenagers walked to the supposed fun house, she told the previous people she spoke to her that she needed help searching and they agreed without hesitation.
Nothing bad every happened in Lakewood, it was a small quiet town. The locals were friendly, kids went over each other's house without worry—a crime hadn't been reported in over 20 years.
When they had reached the fun house one of the adults stopped her.
It was the guy from the porta potty area, "This place is full of actors—just let us go in and explain the situation to them. They'll think you guys are just carnival goers." He explained and Beyoncé understood—Aubrey waited with her.
They watched as various adults walked in to the fun house, it was more of a horror attraction. It was full of underpaid teenagers being paid to scare other teenagers. She knew because her older sister Solange worked her before.
"I'm sure she's fine." Aubrey states and Beyoncé nods, "I'm sure she is—she's just small—and has bad sense of direction. Pretty bad combination." Beyoncé stated. She waited and waited patiently, feeling the unicorns fur against her skin.
When suddenly one of the works had sprinted out of the house, she thought he had good news. But she saw the look of pure terror on his face.
"W-Was she wearing—converse?" He asked with a shaky voice and Beyoncé nodded slowly—before directing her sight to the worn out glittery shoe in his hand.
She was confused. She didn't beleive that was Onikas. No way. She did wear glittery stuff but—she wouldn't even go inside the fun house without Beyoncé. She was scared of those places though she hated to admit it.
But a small sense of doubt formed in the back of her mind.
She watched the worker run out, past Beyoncé. "I'm calling the police!" He shouted and Beyoncé gulped in nervousness. She looked over to Aubrey and he seemed to be trying to connect the dots.
Beyoncé tried to go inside but she was stopped. Several times. The police shortly arrived and she tried moving past them. She kicked and screamed, she hit them—she tried sneaking past them but none of it worked. She didn't believe them. Not one bit.
Beyoncé was in a fog of denial.
"Get the fuck out of my way! I'm looking for my friend you pigs!" She shouted and the police officer sighed as he held her back, "They can't find her in there. Please calm down." He begged and Beyoncé was heavily breathing at this point. She was on the brink of tears.
"S-She's in there. I know she is she said that was our spot! We are going to meet there!" She shouted and he nodded in understanding. "I'm sure your friend may have just lost her way. Do you know her parents number? Or your own?" He asked calmly and she nodded while she shakily told them those very details.
Her mother had arrived shortly along with her dad and sister. They hugged her briefly, she looked up to them with tears in her eyes. "They can't find Oni." She said quietly. They seemed worried themselves, her father tried to comfort her. "I'm sure she's okay Beyonce. This is a safe town." He assured and Beyoncé nodded. Trying her best to stay calm.
She clutched the unicorn in her hands.
The next few days—weeks—and months were torture.
The crying she saw on the news from Onikas parents. Begging for whoever to bring back their precious baby. Beyoncé helped pin up missing poster flyers—she went to school just to do so even though her parents made it clear that she could take some time off.
She was determined, and though someone clearly took Onika away from her—they could not even begin to touch her determination.
She rode around the neighborhood on her bike, she could tell it had shook the town. Kids weren't outside as often—or they seemed more cautious. A gloomy dome had been placed around the town of Lakewood.
Beyoncé stopped every now and then to pin up posters, she saw Aubrey throwing out newspapers—he was the paper boy. And Beyoncé saw Onikas face on each and every one of them. Her lip quivered but she wouldn't allow herself to cry. She knew Onika was out there. She was okay. They'd find her.
Until they didn't.
They came close. During a search party in the woods near the carnival, Beyoncé allowed her dog to smell a piece of Onikas clothing that the girl had left over her house. She saw flashes of flashlights as various people from the town attempted to find Onika.
She walked by herself in the woods, her dog seemed to sniffing around. "Come on Hex, come on.." She chanted and his head sprung up. He was now running—and Beyoncé was trying her best to keep up. What did he smell?
She tripped over branches, the forest got less dense as the dog ran. She could see a meadow as she descended deeper into the unexplored forest. When she had finally reached it, out of breath and very tired she sighed. Her dog probably just wanted to play in the field.
"Hex, this isn't the time!" She said, clearly frustrated. Her dog paid her no mind as he continued to sniff the grass. She sighed and turned around, beginning to walk back. "Come on Hex." She mumbled. She thought she had finally found something.
She stood and stared at the trees, "Hex." She called, her voice was strained now. She couldn't bare to look at him—because she knew she'd cry.
Her dog barked, and she turned around and groaned. "Hex, can you please just fucking—" She cut her own self off as she stared wide eyed at what her dog had discovered.
She got closer and closer, and her legs had gotten weak. She fell over and stared at the item.
A light pink bow, with a dried red substance at the tips.
She screamed, as loud as she could. Adults quickly came running towards the sound, the first one she saw was her older sister who seemed just as terrified at the new found evidence. Beyoncé had allowed herself to cry, sob, and scream as she hugged her sister. The older one of two let a few tears shed as well.
Before then, there was no proof that the shoe was Onikas. It wasn't even Onikas shoe size.
But this—this bow definitely was Onikas.
Beyoncé learned very quickly that the first 48 hours were crucial in a missing persons case.
But Onikas 48 had passed and they had no leads.
They interviewed Beyoncé and she told them everything she knew. She sat in the room with the officer as he took notes.
"..And then she said she'd go to the bathroom—I held her slushie for her and she went. She said if she takes too long we should meet up at the fun house. I even let some people skip the line because she was taking awhile. When my turn showed up again I just played the game—and then I won her this big unicorn plushie." Beyoncé explained, she tried telling every single detail.
"I then sat on a bench for like half an hour waiting for her; when I couldn't find her I went to the bathrooms. This guy said he hadn't seen her when I asked and he even helped me search. He went into the fun house. I found Aubrey—the kid that was in here before me right? He was working a pretzel stand."
"He said he saw her, he gave her a pretzel and then she went to the fun house correct?" He asked and Beyoncé nodded vigorously. He sheriff leaned back in his seat before letting out a heavy sigh. "What?" She asked and he looked hesitant to state anything.
"The fun house was supposed to be closed when they found that little girls shoe. She had just fractured her ankle and she had to go home from the carnival early. I'm not sure if the clerk you talked to knew that." He revealed, and Beyoncés eyes widened.
"It's safe to say he didn't know seeing as he was rambling when he found the shoe and he thought someone had died. He was a suspect but he was cleared quickly. Because through that small window of time where Onika went to use the bathroom no one was at that stand. So of course he didn't see her." He mumbled, he seemed frustrated.
He eyed Beyoncé before asking he another question. "Did Onika seem troubled? Any family issues?" He asked and Beyoncé shook her head quickly.
"She wouldn't run away." Beyoncé said immediately and the man sighed, "Maybe she wouldn't. But I'm just asking. Did her behavior change the days leading up the carnival?" He asked. Beyoncé tried to think, was she acting weird?
"Well..she became a bit more—weird. Not her normal weird. But weird weird. Whenever we'd hang out she'd cut it short, her mother started working late nights a few weeks ago and her older sister had just gotten a new apartment. So her dad was the one she was home with most of the time. Ever since that change she's been a little odd but.." Beyoncé trailed off trying to understand.
"I just don't get whyd she run away. Especially if we were in the middle of hanging out. She wouldn't leave me. I just know she wouldn't." Beyoncé said confidently and the officer nodded, he still seemed conflicted himself. "Alright, Thank you Beyoncé." He said quietly and Beyoncé left the interrogation room feeling unsatisfied.
She continued putting up posters, staring at Onikas window praying that one day the light would just turn on.
But it never did.
Days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months.
And she watched the officers stamp Onikas file as a cold case.
Beyoncé was lost through her last year of high-school. She didn't bother making any new friends and just kept to herself. Not a day went by where she didn't think of Onika. And where she could possibly be.
Beyoncé managed to pass senior year, she decided that she'd move out of Lakewood. She couldn't handle staying there anymore, the memories connected were too strong. She moved to California where her grandmother and older cousin resided.
She was happy to move in, she said her goodbyes to her parents just a week after senior year ended. She said bye to Carol, Onikas mother. She attempted to say bye to Robert—but—he avoided eye contact with her.
She went to California—the more northern part. It wasn't as hot there. She spent her summer getting a job, and signing up for community college. She was moving on with her life—but..she couldn't forget Onika.
Her mother refused to hold a funeral for her. She didn't believe her baby was dead. Dna was found on the bow they had discovered in the woods, it was Onikas and someone else's. That's all she knew.
Beyoncé had thought her life was finally on track. She went to therapy, she worked a nice job for her age and she was going back to school in the fall.
She worked as a intern at a police station, she worked around the detectives more. She wanted to be one, so she decided to work for some. She wasn't let in on many cases unless she overheard some—but she saw how the place was ran.
She was coming from her therapist office, she was walking down the quiet hallway while quietly humming. She looked down at the carpeted flooring, and she had bumped into someone.
She looked up quickly and attempted to apologize but her words had gotten stuck in her throat.
She stared at the woman beside her, Beyoncé felt as if she was stuck. She felt as if time had stopped, as she let her eyes wonder the woman's features.
The woman's eyes shifted immediately and she tried to continue walking, But beyoncé wouldn't allow it. She grabbed onto her wrist, but she wouldn't look at her.
"I suggest you let me go." She said quietly.
"That same voice.." Beyoncé mumbled, she knew it. This was her. This had to be her.
"Whoever you think I am—I'm not. Now let me go. I'm not a fan of being touched." She said lowly snatching her hand away from Beyoncés grasp and the blonde was conflicted. Was this her? It sounded like her. It looked like her. The woman continued to walk, and Beyoncé tried to use her last weapon.
"Oni!" She shouted and the woman halted, as if she had froze. Beyoncé now had no doubt. That had to be her. She looked the exact same, the same bump in her nose, the same height, she had dimples even when she wasn't smiling—the same long black hair—it has to be her.
"What happened to you? Where were you—I was—"
"Leave me the hell alone." The woman stated cutting Beyoncé off before walking away quickly, and disappearing behind the corner.
Little did Beyoncé know asoon as she disappeared behind the corner the woman had broke down at the carpentered flooring, as she sobbed and tried to control her breathing.
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this is a scrap i decided to post i have so many unpublished oneshots and chapters 😭