Vanishing Light

     The vintage film flashed across the screen. Every once in a while, a crack and flash would split the screen, revealing the quirks of the obviously ancient VHS tape. As I intently watched, a short blond toddler stood front and center. Her blue/green eyes shone brightly with her wild blond hair. As the tape rolled she hopped and skipped, talking playfully to the girl behind the camera. Each time she turned, she revealed a sun swept smile. It ruled her face and peaked to her cheeks, revealing her small dimples.

     As she spoke her small voice was slurred in what could only be that of a little girl. Delightfully she spun in several circles then continuing to bend down and pick several daisies at her feet. In one heap, she plopped down into a cross position and continued to twist the flowers into a wreath. Smiling at her handy work, she placed it on her head proudly and smiled exuberantly. “So innocent.”, I whispered to myself. 

     As the tape came to an end, I was brought back to the real world. My eyes adjusted to the fact I was not in the movie with the little girl, but simply surveying from the outside. Slowly I adjusted my seat and sat upright on the all-to plump sofa. Swiftly wiping my black hair away from my face, I thought on what I’d just seen. 

     It was in fact, the first time I’d seen my sister in 16 years. I hadn’t realized it at the time, but the film had brought me more joy than the pain I had expected. After all, the only reason I came was too find some more films and pictures for the investigators. 

     I still remember the day that light left my world. I was ten at the time and overwhelmed by the burden of my four year old sister. My parents, being nonexistent as they were, basically left her upbringing in the hands of ten year old me. Most of the time I wondered how I alone survived childhood. However I did try, but I didn’t make much of a role model.

     Teaching always fascinated me, so I preoccupied myself with my very first student. Every afternoon I would drill little May on her numbers and alphabet, making sure she would be at the top of her class when she went to school.

     One such afternoon I fell ill, and therefore shirked my responsibilities of watching little May. Without mother home to care for me, my fever took control and I refused by any means to do anything. 

     At about 3:00 in the afternoon little May came running into my room, telling me to get up and come with her. My fever being bad as it was, had me in a sort of haze. Everything was blurry and the words she was saying were’t fulling making it to my brain. Confused, I kept telling her no till she left. Then my mind went fuzzy and I fell asleep for several hours.

     After three long hours of sleep, I woke up. My fever was gone and I felt better until little May’s voice came to my mind. I immediately rushed into the living room calling her name. After several moments of no response I started screaming for her running through every part of the house. In the rush of the moment I flung open the door and screamed her name to the entire neighborhood, only to be answered by the silence of careless world. That was day I lost my sunshine.

     “Hey Angie, you ready to go?” Chris called.

     “Ya just give me a minute.” I replied.

     I just received the call last week, they had a new lead on finding my sister and needed more photos and videos. It was painful to bring back the memories but if I finally received some closure, it was all worth it. 

    As I stood to leave I glanced back at the living room of my childhood home. So many afternoons we spent together there, just embracing our lives as sisters. Yet all in vain to be taken away in one quiet afternoon. It always surprised me at how quiet it all was. The world went on as normal, as if the most important person in the world to me had not vanished. It was simple, no one cared.

    Turning slowly I walked on the tiled floor, stepped out the door, and shut it swiftly behind me. I was going to find the person who took her, if it was the last thing I ever did.

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