About fifteen minutes after waking up the next morning, Cleo and Edie were in the car and pulling out of Olivia’s and Noah’s driveway. Edie was driving as Cleo tried to blink awake. She knew they could stop for coffee at the general store before leaving New Winslow, but the last thing she wanted was […]

Tap…tap…tap… Hours later, Cleo opened her eyes. The sound of pacing had been coming from Noah’s bedroom for a little while now. She’d been dozing on his pullout couch next to Edie, but the noise kept pulling her out of any murky, light sleep she’d been able to catch. Not that she minded though. Every […]

A little while later, Dr. Degas walked back into the exam room. Noah was awake by now, propped up on the bed and slowly sipping a juice box. “How are you feeling?” Dr. Degas asked, still trying to shake that unsettled feeling that really hadn’t faded since she’d left. Noah looked up at her. “Fine,” […]

Cleo was sitting in an uncomfortable chair in the tiny alcove in the emergency room. They had taken her mother in for x-rays and for the first time since everything had started, Cleo was alone. And exhausted and close to tears. How had it gotten this far? What else should she have done? Should she […]

Dr. Degas followed Cleo out of the house as they heard the sound of Noah’s truck pulling up to the sidewalk. He was already parking as they got out there, opening the door and stepping out. Cleo briefly noticed how terrible he looked as she ran past him and over to the passenger side where […]

Noah had been in the woods for an hour or so by now. Or at least that was what he thought. His phone was dead from the cold, so for all he knew it had been twenty agonizing minutes. His fingers stung as he pushed branches aside and his voice was hoarse from yelling. Occasionally […]

Olivia drove slowly through the dark streets, looking for any sign of Cleo’s mom. She hadn’t seen the woman in a long time, but she’d looked the same since they were seven. Long silver hair, nice dresses. Very quiet and shy, even with Cleo. Her own mom had Mia right now. As soon as Olivia […]

Cleo stood by the front door of her mom’s house and waited for whoever the cops were sending. Her mom was out there. Alone, cold, probably confused. She’s had an hour’s head start on Cleo. Even on foot, that was plenty of time to get lost in the woods. Maybe lose her footing and fall […]

“I’ll be there in an hour,” Cleo said, looking under her bed for her sneakers. “You don’t need to,” her mother argued. “It’s fine, I don’t need any help.” “I know,” Cleo lied. “You already told me that. But I’m stopping by with some groceries and lunch, remember?” “I can get my own groceries.” “Mom.” […]

Olivia’s mother was sitting on the couch, reading a book as Olivia and Andrew walked in. She glanced over as the door opened. “Sorry I’m late,” Olivia said. “It’s fine,” her mother replied. “Is everything okay?” “Yeah,” she said. “It’s fine, I just had a…I had something happen on my way out. It’s fine though.” […]