Gone

Swiftwater, Pennsylvania

"Anna! Anna!" Violet screamed, running through the tall bushes that separated two cozy homes in the quiet city of Swiftwater, Pennsylvania. A two-story colonial the color of dark chocolate stood tall as the oldest home on the block, its rose bushes adding a hint of color around the ebony porch.

Next door stood a one-story, light-blue home with pastel-yellow shutters and a bright red door, impossible to overlook. The rocky walkway leading to the house was lined with bright yellow marigolds that continued to surround the perimeter of the home. For eleven years, the Johnstons and Reddings had occupied these homes and lived normal, simple lives.

"Anna! My dad is taking me camping this weekend, can you come? Please, please say you'll come!" Violet bounced with excitement.

Anna, with no hesitation, blurted out, "Hell yes, I'm in!"

"ANNA!" A voice from inside the chocolate-brown home bellowed with a twinge of laughter. Anna winced with a guilty smile on her face.

"Sorry, Dad! You're the best, love ya!" Anna's vibrant red hair and her girlish, charming smile glistened in the afternoon sun. She figured out quickly that it was a gift: one of those smiles that could get her anything, and she knew exactly how to use it. Eleven years old and she decided she was going to rule the world.

"Vi, are we going glamping? Or CAMPING?" Anna said with her hand on her hip.

"Anna!" Violet said.

"Look, I'm down for anything, you know that, but to be honest I'm not really jumping at the idea of peeing on a tree branch or something."

"Anna! That is NOT how it works, first of all!" Violet rolled her eyes before shooting a smirk at her best friend. "And if you must know, Dad has agreed to let us get our own cabin!"

"WHAT?" yelled Anna emphatically. "No freakin' way!"

The girls grabbed each other, squealing and laughing at the thought of binging on Milky Ways and Capri Sun and talking about stupid boys and which of those stupid boys they were going to marry one day.

"At no point will you be required to pee on a tree branch, I give you my word," Violet giggled as she placed her right hand over her heart.

"Well, I very much appreciate it, Vi!" Anna joined in laughing.

She smiled because her friend's laughter was always contagious. They were born a month apart: neighbors since birth, and inseparable. They decided long ago that it was their destiny to be best friends until the end of time — that's how they put it while crushing together their matching My Little Pony rings. Anna hugged Violet and watched her dash back to her house to tell her dad, Jeremy Redding, the plans for the weekend.

Anna slowly turned towards her house and creeped through the front door hoping to avoid her mother.

"Hey rockstar, get in here."

Anna let out a grateful breath seeing it was just her father.

Anna always made fun of her dad, Johnny's silly buzzcut and tattoos because he looked like a motorcycle rider, but she loved her father more than anything. His personality was friendly and enthusiastic, especially toward Anna. She knew how lucky she was to have a dad that treated her like a strong, capable woman and had always built her up to feel like she could accomplish anything. However, as wonderful as Anna's father was she couldn't ignore how strained her relationship was with her mother, Michelle. Anna's dad used to run his own construction business, but had been in a car accident a few years back, breaking the femur in his right leg. Anna cried regularly as she watched the healing process take its toll. Complications from surgery had left him temporarily disabled, and he was still fighting to gain his strength back.

Anna would never forget the day her mother, a Monroe County police officer, realized she had been forced to take over as the sole provider for the family, caring for her and her dad. That day, and every day after, she made it clear that she blamed her husband for their crippling finances and unhappiness.

Anna vaguely remembers a time when her mother's wavy red hair pulled into a bouncy, high ponytail. She would smile, laugh, and joke, and could command a room with charisma, not fear. Her light blue eyes were once full of life, but over the years they had darkened and emptied. Anna hadn't felt love from her mother in a long time, though she knew it had once been there. Anna remembered, but the memories were fading with each passing day. She feared that the person she'd known as her mother was gone, but barely bothered to think about her anymore. Anna had accepted the truth: her mother wouldn't change, no matter how badly she wanted her to.

"Hey, Daddio! What's shakin'?" Anna replied casually to her father.

"Anna, I'm overjoyed that you are going to be outdoors this weekend and not buried in your phone. However, I need you to promise me you will be careful."

Anna stepped back giving her dad a goofy, fake look of shock on her face. "Why, Father! It almost sounds like you love me!" she teased.

Johnny rolled his eyes and grabbed her. "Smartypants! Be safe or I'll have to toss you out when you get back here!"

"Don't even think about it, Pops!" yelped Anna, fighting uselessly to get away.

They laughed hard until they heard the front door snap open. Everyone in that house knew that the snap of the front door meant to quiet down, go to your room, or stay out of the way.

"What the hell are you two doing in here?" growled Anna's mother. "I can hear you outside. For God's sake, we have neighbors!"

Anna and her dad looked at each other awkwardly, not sure what an acceptable explanation would be.

"Sorry, Mom." Anna tried to approach her mother, but before any other words could come out of her mouth, Michelle brushed past her like she wasn't even there.

"Rockstar . . ." said Anna's father softly, but he was interrupted by the phone ringing.

"It's fine," said Anna shortly as she walked to the phone, picking up to see who rang her little hell hole.

"Hey, kiddo! It's Mr. Redding."

"Hey, it's the R-Man, what's up?" Anna raised the pitch of her voice hoping to sound happy.

"I was wondering if you could send my gal over here. Dinner is about ready and apparently she is unaware that I've ordered pizza."

"Oh shit! I mean, shoot! If she knew that I'm sure she wouldn't be anywhere else!" They both shared a chuckle, and Anna continued. "But she isn't here! Last I saw her she was running to tell you about this weekend."

Anna thought Jeremy seemed a bit confused as he slowly said, "Huh, that's strange. She said she was running back over to tell you something. Maybe she snuck past me to her room! She's probably listening to music. Sorry to bother you folks! Have a good night."

"You too. Tell her if she's listening to that boy band crap I'm gonna take her iPhone again!"

Jeremy chuckled. "I absolutely will. Bye now."

Anna hung up the phone with a slight twinge in her stomach. She was certain nothing could be wrong, but still, she didn't like the feeling in the air. Something was off in Jeremy's voice, something felt strange.

She walked over to her dad and asked if he would come with her to check on Jeremy and Violet. They knocked on the Redding's door seconds after the phone call, but once Jeremy let them in, there was an inexplicable chill settling in. Beyond the three of them standing by the door, there was no movement, not even a breeze from the window. Anna thought Jeremy looked pale.

"Violet? Violet sweetie, dinner is almost ready," Jeremy said softly, turning towards the back of the house.

With nervous smiles their eyes darted around waiting for a response. The silence was deafening. Anna slowly realized that Jeremy looked worried. The fear he was clearly attempting to subdue was quickly pouring out into the room. Seconds felt like an eternity, and when Jeremy walked slowly down the hall to open her door there was nothing. No Violet. Anna wanted to ignore her growing anxiety until they checked the entire house, but it wasn't working.

Kitchen . . . no Violet.

Bathroom . . . no Violet.

Backyard . . . no Violet.

They checked every inch and there was no Violet. With increasing speed, they started walking around the house and backyard. Soon, everyone was yelling Violet's name with a terrifying urgency.

"Violet!! Violet!!"

Anna yelled louder and louder as she ran from one end of the house to the other, watching her dad and Jeremy triple-check each room, every possible hiding place. Anna ran outside, looking under every tree and bush that they played around. The reality of the situation seemed to be sinking into her dad and Jeremy's eyes, but Anna couldn't tell what they were thinking. She didn't understand.

Anna could nearly feel Jeremy losing his sanity. His voice sounded as though he was being suffocated, he was blinking obsessively and his eyes appeared to dim until finally she watched him fall, screaming on his front lawn.

"VIOLET! VIOLET!"

And nothing happened. She didn't come. She didn't answer. A few neighbors joined Anna and her father, surrounding Jeremy with concern swimming in their eyes. Anna saw a tear fall from his face into the freshly cut grass while he sank to his knees.

"Violet. I … I can't find her."

He put his shaking hands up to his head, grasping his hair on both sides.

"I … I think she's gone."