My Best Friend

Anna and her father drove Jeremy to the police station, the lights and sirens of Michelle's police cruiser leading the way. They had searched both houses and yards thoroughly, but still no Violet. Anna knew she would never forget the cold desperation in Jeremy's voice as he broke down on the front lawn. No one seemed to be able to tell her what was going on. She expected the cold silence from her mother, but her father and Violet's father were both much too quiet. Did they really think Violet was gone forever? Anna couldn't believe it. She had to be just hiding somewhere. They always played silly games together like this. Anna was positive Violet was at home feeling guilty for scaring everyone so badly. There was no way her best friend, her soulmate, was gone.

Anna's father looked at her with a face she'd never seen before . . . a face consumed with fear. Were they not going to find Violet within the next few hours? She stared sightlessly out the window, noticing that it seemed like no one in the car blinked for the 15 minutes it took to get to the station.

Is my best friend gone? Anna thought to herself, as tears welled up in her light blue eyes. The police station loomed ahead of her, almost as cold and uninviting as her mother.

Anna saw her mom hurry up the front steps to the Monroe County PD building and straight to the Sheriff's Office. She, Jeremy, and Johnny tripped over each other trying to keep up.

"Sir, something's happened . . . it's Violet Redding, she seems to be missing." Michelle took charge immediately, stepping toward a stout, severe-looking man with cropped brown hair.

"You're kidding!" he shouted. It made Anna jump and she felt terrified that the sheriff almost looked sick.

"No, Sir. Jeremy is here. Should I send him in?"

"Absolutely Officer Johnston, thank you."

Michelle nodded and stepped back, waving Jeremy into the room. Anna watched him tearfully as he hesitantly continued forward, his eyes as wide as black holes.

"Please . . . you have to help me," Jeremy said. The sound of his voice was scratchy and hoarse, and he looked like he hadn't slept in weeks.

Anna's thoughts were racing hearing Jeremy's words become incoherent through his tears.

"Sheriff, I honestly don't know what happened! She was right there and then she was gone! I can't . . . I just . . . I am . . ."

"Hang on Jeremy, take a breath. Please."

Anna saw Jeremy look at the sheriff with a growing darkness in his eyes that she had never experienced. She couldn't even count the times she'd heard the famous line "this never happens here!" on crime shows her mom and dad watched. Anna never expected it to be used in this office, in this station, and referring to her best friend.

Anna snapped out of her maze of thoughts when Jeremy took a few steps back, stumbling into the wall. It made her jump as he clasped his face in his hands. Anna stiffened up and noticed the ugly green wall that held all of Sheriff Howard's awards and achievements. Anna had met the sheriff before through her mother and she knew he was a good man, but did these awards mean he was going to find Violet? She chose to hold on to that last glimmer of hope. They were going to find her, they had to find her.

"Is there anything you can do? Is there anything ANYONE can do?" Anna heard Jeremy ask with terror weighing on every word.

The sheriff let out a sigh. "Of course, Jeremy. We are going to scour every inch of this city until we find her. This is not over, and don't you dare give up. We need you."

"I think I've already helped enough," Jeremy said as he shook his head, a sad, sarcastic look on his face.

"Don't you do that," said Sheriff Howard. "You have done nothing wrong and I'll be damned if I let you leave here thinking this is your fault!"

"Howard, I—"

"No. You sit down and tell me exactly what happened. Now."

"Okay," Jeremy sighed. "At about six o'clock this evening, Violet ran over to the Johnston's house next door. It must have been nearly sunset," he said as he started to cry again. "It was too late, I shouldn't have let her go out, it was almost dark."

Anna couldn't listen to Jeremy blame himself any longer. She started towards Jeremy in the sheriff's office, but Michelle stood between her and the door, and shut it behind her.

"This is none of your business, Anna. Stay out of it," Michelle said. Anna looked at her mother like she had committed a murder.

"EXCUSE ME?" Anna exclaimed. "It is too my business! I need to be in there!"

"Hey!" Michelle said angrily, pointing a finger in her daughter's face. "You do not raise your voice in here, or speak to me this way! You are a child! There is nothing you can do to help find your friend except stay out of the way."

"But—"

"No exceptions."

"Mom, she is my best friend and Mr. R. has always treated me like a daughter, too! Which is more than I can say about you!"

"ANNA!"

"NO! Not this time, Mom. You can't tell me what to do. I'm sick of being treated like an afterthought! I'm done with you! Stay away from me!" Anna shouted as she ran toward the building's almost empty parking lot. She didn't care that her mom's cheeks were red with embarrassment.

"Mind your own goddamn business," Anna heard her mom say to her coworkers as she picked up speed.

Outside, Anna fell to her grass-stained knees, shoved her bright red face into her trembling hands, and began to scream. There were no words. This was the moment to find her strength, to be brave for her best friend . . . but she lost it.

"Vi . . . where are you? I can't do this without you," she said softly, looking across the parking lot. She could feel the tears welling in her eyes once more as sadness overtook her.

"WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?! VIOLET!! Violet! Violet . . ." Anna called Violet's name over and over until she could barely speak. Anna sobbed so loudly she was sure she was audible from inside the police station. She crumpled on the ground on the median of the parking lot. She knew her dad would come looking for her and moments later she felt him reach for her, but his touch brought her no solace. She knew he was staring at her as she stared at the pavement, and neither of them could find the right words. There was nothing left to say.

Anna was sinking into her own dark thoughts when she spotted the officers and volunteers gathering. A smile crept across her face as she stood up, confidently thinking that this is how she could help Violet. She could join the search parties. As she moved toward the waiting group of people, ready to prowl through the woods looking for her best friend, her mother stepped in front of her.

"Where do you think you're going?" Michelle griped.

"To help everyone look for Violet!"

"You're too young, you have to stay here."

"But mom, I—" Anna began, pleading.

"No, no buts. Your father's legs don't work, and you are too young. Stay here and wait with him." Anna watched her turn around militantly and head toward the last search party.

"Whatever," whispered Anna, looking down to the ground.

"Anna Banana," Johnny started.

"Dad, why is Mom such an asshole?"

"ANNA!" shouted Johnny with a laugh. "Enough with the curse words. I have no idea where you learn these things," he smiled as he nudged her left arm.

"Oh gosh, I have no idea, DAD." They both chuckled but stopped abruptly. Anna felt wrong laughing when Violet was possibly in terrible danger.

"Daddy, is Violet going to die?" Anna stared at her father, pain mounting in her heart.

Her father looked at her anxiously and she knew he wanted to hold her tight and tell her what she wanted to hear, but he couldn't. Anna knew he had no more hope than she did.

"It's going to be okay, Anna. It's going to be okay," he said with a shaky voice and a forced smile, but Anna could always tell when her father was lying. She grabbed his hand, leaned into his chest, and cried. He patted her head lightly and Anna noticed he was fighting back tears himself. She wished there was something he, or anyone, could do . . . but all they could do was wait.

After a few minutes, Anna and her dad went back inside the police station. They were met with Jeremy's tears continuing to fall softly onto the pale, scuffed up hardwood floor in the sheriff's office. It reminded Anna of the night Violet's mother, Maxine, passed away from breast cancer. It was only two years ago and now Jeremy had to endure Violet disappearing. Just like that horrible night when they lost Maxine, Anna had no idea how to comfort him and judging by the sheriff's face, he didn't either. Every cop in the room had rigid faces and cloudy eyes that said they had never seen anything like this. It scared Anna more than she wanted to admit. Every few minutes, she couldn't stop herself from wondering what would happen if they never found Violet, but each time quickly shook the thought out of her head. She wouldn't allow that to happen. She couldn't let that happen.

Jeremy looked weak as he sank into the unstable black folding chair.

"We're going to find her, Mr. Redding. We are going to find her." Anna watched the sheriff put a hand on Jeremy's shoulder but she knew he couldn't make him that promise.

Anna shook her head watching Jeremy almost crawl out of Sheriff Howard's office. He sat on the bench by the front door of the police station looking too distraught to even notice the sad and worried looks coming his way. He looked like he had been beaten down to his death and slowly but surely, life was seeping straight out of his eyes.

"Alright, everyone! We have an emergency situation — Violet Redding is missing. Let's get the search party organized, and fast!" Sheriff Howard's authoritative voice filled the station as gasps filled the air. Because of Michelle, many of the officers already knew Violet and Jeremy.

"Jeremy will be sending along a photo of her, for those who don't know what she looks like. In the meantime, she is Caucasian, jet black hair, light green eyes, and about four feet tall. Now let's get moving!"

Anna moved in Jeremy's direction as she watched officers from all over the station jump to their feet and grab their jackets and flashlights.

"Barbara!" The sheriff called to the receptionist. "Call the TV stations — we need people on the lookout immediately!"

"Of course, Sir, I'm on the line now," Barbara answered.

"Stevens! Take your team out now and make a border. No one gets in or out of this place!" Through iridescent eyes, Anna could see Sheriff Howard continuing through the station, giving orders to every officer on how to make sure the search ran with smooth efficiency.

The word spread like lightning, and less than an hour had passed before the search party had grown to include fifty civilians as well as the police task force. Anna felt some relief and sensed Jeremy did too. With this many people they were bound to find Violet. Still, she was painfully aware that these situations don't normally end well. At least from what she'd seen on TV. She felt the tiny sliver of hope retreat from her heart once more, falling to the floor with her tears.