~O N E~

A m b e r F l a m e

I sat in the back of the school bus, deep in my own thoughts. I looked out the window to my side, taking in all the surroundings. My mind began to fade into a topic everyone wanted to avoid.

How Mark Knight and Shannon Moon had gone missing a year ago.

I remember the last day I had seen Shannon, the last day I had spoken to her. It pained me, that day marked the day I was forced to let go of my lover. She no longer wanted me, but something seemed off.

"Shannon! Where are you g-going..?!"  I choked out as I watched Shannon storm off into the direction farthest from me. She looked back at me with a cold stare, my heart shattered.

"Far away from you! I HATE you!" Shannon spat, narrowing her eyes at me before turning back around, storming off. I sat in silence.

Shock kept hold of me as I stared in the direction in which Shannon had disappeared. I mustered up the strength left in my body and began to walk slowly in the direction of my house.

My head hung low as tears trailed down my face, dripping onto the cold cement ground. 

The bus stopped abruptly, knocking me out of the sorrowful memory. I blinked my eyes a few times, noticing I had been crying. I gently wiped the tears from my cheeks.

The bus monitor got up from her seat, walking out the small tall double doors of the bus. The other teenagers on the bus slowly piled out of the bus, leaving me to be the last one off the bus. 

I quickly went to my usual spot at a tree near the back of the school. I drowned out the loud shouts of the other teenagers with my music on blast.

I closed my eyes and leaned my head back against the tree, letting out a long sigh. A person's soft tapping on my shoulder forced me to open my eyes.

My friend Katana Kin had been tapping my shoulder repeatedly in attempt to try and get my attention. I pulled one of my earbuds out and lowered the volume on my music.

We talked for the rest of the time outside before the teachers outside called all the students into the school. Katana walked with me to my homeroom before walking off to her homeroom.

I sat at my desk, taking out whatever I'd need for the day before rushing out into the hallway where my locker had been.

||T I M E S K I P||

I felt numb, as if I couldn't feel anything. I sat in the way back of my math classroom. This time, the last memory of Mark came into mind.

"M-Mark... I'm sorry..." I wrapped Mark into a hug, comforting him.

"She broke me..." Mark bit his lip, fighting back tears. I hugged him a bit harder.

"I've got to go, Amber." Mark's voice cracked as he gently unwrapped my arms from around him.

Mark walked slowly in the direction of where he lived, his head hanging low.

"Hey Amber!" I was snapped out of my thoughts by my friend Matthew Write, who gently shook me.

"Why the hell do you look so lost? Are you okay?" Matthew's tone of voice sounded concerned. "I'm fine." I faked a smile.

Matthew sighed, looking back down at his art notebook. He continued his sketching while I took out my writing notebook, I began writing a new entry for my diary.

I don't know why, But I feel so numb. Is it because Shannon dislikes me? Is it because Mark was hurting? Why did this disappear? Didn't they just walk home? I miss those two.. They really made things interesting for the most part. It's been a year since they went missing, no one knew what time, where or why they had disappeared. I tried doing some of my own research but nothing helped. Why did this happen?

I let out a sigh and leaned back in my chair. I placed my hands over my face, shutting my eyes. Matthew placed something on my desk, I removed my hands from my face and looked down at my desk. It was a note.

"I know where they are."