Vestige Read Online Free Page B

and her heart pounded. She opened the door, half-expecting to find a bunch of people on the other side, but instead, she found no one. She heard whispers coming from the kitchen, so she walked back. There, she found Mary sitting alone at the table with her face buried in her hands. The whispers came from the TV.
    “Mary...”
    Mary looked up at her. Clarke couldn’t decide whether Mary looked worried or angry.
    “Clarke…thank God, you’re okay. I called the high school several times but no one picked up. Where’s your dad?”
    “He’s not with you?” Clarke’s voice cracked and her hands began to tremble.
    “What?” Mary looked confused.
    “I don’t’ know where he is. It’s like he disappeared.”
    “So he’s missing…” Mary put her hands on the table and pushed herself up from the chair. She looked as if she couldn’t support her own weight. “Are you sure? Have you looked for him?”
    “Of course I looked for him. I looked everywhere. I even checked the pool.”
    “What’s going on?” Mary mumbled.
    “When I woke up this morning, he was just gone.” If Mary only knew about her prayer…
    Mary stared at Clarke for several seconds.
    Clarke could taste her guilt. She felt as if she was going to be sick. “I swear...I didn’t do anything. He was just gone.”
    “Why didn’t you call me?” Mary asked.
    “I did, but you didn’t answer.” Clarke stepped towards the table. “What did the police say?”
    “I didn’t call the police,” answered Mary.
    “I did. I called them after I called you. The woman said that they would send someone over when they could. She said that they were really busy.”
    “No one ever came,” said Mary.
    “I don’t understand why they didn’t send someone. I told them that he has MS.”
    “Have you heard the news today?” Mary asked.
    “No. Why?”
    “Here…sit down, and I’ll make you something to eat. PB and J okay?” Mary motioned for Clarke to sit and then crossed the room to turn up the volume on the old 9” TV. She played with the rabbit ears for a second, trying to get a better picture.
    “Sure.” Clarke focused on the tiny screen as Mary went to the counter.
     
    We are here in front of Park Elementary School where none of the students under the age of thirteen reported for classes today. School officials tell us that they have talked to the parents of the absent students, but they won’t disclose the details of those conversations.
     
    According to an anonymous source within the police department, almost all the children absent from school have also been reported missing.
     
    In about ten minutes, the chief of police and the village president will address the community. We hope to hear about what they think has happened to the missing children, and how they plan to look for those children.
     
    “What’s she talking about?” asked Clarke.
    “It seems that all the kids under thirteen have vanished. No one seems to know what’s happened to them.” Mary placed the sandwich in front of Clarke without looking at her.
    Clarke stared at Mary for a moment trying to read her face. “Do you think my dad is with all those kids?”
    “Eat your lunch,” said Mary.
    Clarke picked at her food as they listened to the news. When the press conference with the chief of police began, Mary turned up the volume some more.
     
    We have been receiving calls all morning reporting missing children. We have talked to many parents and the area schools, and it seems that all the children under the age of thirteen are, indeed, missing. We are doing our best to locate the missing children. We have all available officers working on this, but many of them are missing children of their own. Those officers who have a missing child or children have been removed from the investigation. Furthermore, we cannot expect help from the neighboring towns because they are going through the same thing...
     
    “What about my dad? Mary they aren’t saying anything about