Sep
Captain Uni
Fallenreaper
Echotech71
Bingelly
Abby Davis
North Rawyn; The Prom. 11:21AM
The posters had become redundant weeks ago. Rawyn wasn't only a small town; it was boring. Filled with bored people living small lives. Everyone within a hundred kilometers knew that Olivia was missing, and could probably draw her face from memory. The local paper had just stamped out another article that morning, mentioning the case had gone cold. As if that had given it any sort of finality. But Olivia's picture had been there too, the exact same ones as on the posters Abby had been tasked with replacing after the mid-week storm. Pointless. But the expression on her mother's face when she'd suggested she leave for Sunderland for the next semester had twisted such guilt in her, she'd taken one of the piles laying throughout the house and given a promise to remain in town. At least until the new year. Eighty days, she'd calculated between re-plastering every hydro-pole in North Rawyn. Callous she well knew, but months had passed, and Abby wasn't doing anything. She'd told the police and her parents all the secret hide-outs and friends when she came home to no avail. If Olivia ever came back she'd skewer her sister for outing so much. When Olivia came back.
Abby stopped outside of the Rothford's Thrift store. One of the posters was stapled to the billboard outside. The water-stained picture showed a smiling Olivia, a perfectly sweet teenager. That was how people spoke of Olivia too, far from where they thought Abigail could hear.
"Couldn't have happened to a nicer girl"
"Would never have expected it, always such a darling child."
Except Olivia wasn't sweet, refined, darling, or any of the other soft words they used for her. It infuriated Abigail. Her sister wasn't some missing saint who quietly went to class, did her chores, and said her prayers every night. The picture on the posters wasn't someone Abby knew. On a sudden impulse, she tore the wet paper from the billboard, only to reveal another, different one underneath. She blinked at it for a moment, it was a dry lined scarp of paper, as though torn from a notebook.
....Refreshments will be provided.
Lucy was a name she recognized. Olivia's friend before she'd disappeared. They'd run into each-other at the station a few times in the early days, but never really spoken. Abby had silently resented her; she was part of the new life Olivia had kept secret, even from her, and had been no help in the investigation apparently.
"Abigail!"
Abby jumped, and stuffed the scarp of paper in her jacket pocket as Ms. Rothford approached her.
"So good to see you child!" The graying woman embraced Abby, apparently oblivious to the girl's stiffness and reluctance to awkwardly pat her in return. She smelled of lemon bleach and powders. "The circumstances are horrible of course, but we're all so glad you've come back to us." It seemed hours before the woman's arms released her captive.
"I'm not really back." Abby mumbled quietly, but then changed the thought before Rothford could ask her to repeat herself "Good-morning Ms. Rothford, how is the store going?"
The woman waved her words away. "Please my dear, you're old enough now to call me Helen. I don't suppose you have time to come in for a cup of tea?"
Abigail's heart thumped in panic, fortunately an excuse was already clutched in her white knuckles, she displayed the posters. "I'm a little busy today I'm afraid." Rothford's face fell at the sight.
"Of course, I really am so sorry Abigail. We all miss Olivia dearly." Abby recalled four summers prior when Olivia had gone into the store completely plastered and hurled in the donation bin.
"Thank you Ms.-Helen."
"You know, you were such a help when you were in school here. I'd be happy to have you if you're looking for work." Reflexively, Abby almost declined, but the words got caught in her throat. She wasn't back. Her mind however was caught on the thought of the tiny room in a tiny flat she was paying for but not living in, and the letter regarding her scholarship that remained unanswered by the university. She swallowed the rejection and forced a smile instead.
"I'll think about it. Thank you again." This was good enough apparently, Rothford beamed at her own charity and turned to return to her store.
Abigail stapled the poster on the now empty space of billboard and fled. The note in her pocket forgotten until her return home that evening.
Abby stopped outside of the Rothford's Thrift store. One of the posters was stapled to the billboard outside. The water-stained picture showed a smiling Olivia, a perfectly sweet teenager. That was how people spoke of Olivia too, far from where they thought Abigail could hear.
"Couldn't have happened to a nicer girl"
"Would never have expected it, always such a darling child."
Except Olivia wasn't sweet, refined, darling, or any of the other soft words they used for her. It infuriated Abigail. Her sister wasn't some missing saint who quietly went to class, did her chores, and said her prayers every night. The picture on the posters wasn't someone Abby knew. On a sudden impulse, she tore the wet paper from the billboard, only to reveal another, different one underneath. She blinked at it for a moment, it was a dry lined scarp of paper, as though torn from a notebook.
....Refreshments will be provided.
Lucy was a name she recognized. Olivia's friend before she'd disappeared. They'd run into each-other at the station a few times in the early days, but never really spoken. Abby had silently resented her; she was part of the new life Olivia had kept secret, even from her, and had been no help in the investigation apparently.
"Abigail!"
Abby jumped, and stuffed the scarp of paper in her jacket pocket as Ms. Rothford approached her.
"So good to see you child!" The graying woman embraced Abby, apparently oblivious to the girl's stiffness and reluctance to awkwardly pat her in return. She smelled of lemon bleach and powders. "The circumstances are horrible of course, but we're all so glad you've come back to us." It seemed hours before the woman's arms released her captive.
"I'm not really back." Abby mumbled quietly, but then changed the thought before Rothford could ask her to repeat herself "Good-morning Ms. Rothford, how is the store going?"
The woman waved her words away. "Please my dear, you're old enough now to call me Helen. I don't suppose you have time to come in for a cup of tea?"
Abigail's heart thumped in panic, fortunately an excuse was already clutched in her white knuckles, she displayed the posters. "I'm a little busy today I'm afraid." Rothford's face fell at the sight.
"Of course, I really am so sorry Abigail. We all miss Olivia dearly." Abby recalled four summers prior when Olivia had gone into the store completely plastered and hurled in the donation bin.
"Thank you Ms.-Helen."
"You know, you were such a help when you were in school here. I'd be happy to have you if you're looking for work." Reflexively, Abby almost declined, but the words got caught in her throat. She wasn't back. Her mind however was caught on the thought of the tiny room in a tiny flat she was paying for but not living in, and the letter regarding her scholarship that remained unanswered by the university. She swallowed the rejection and forced a smile instead.
"I'll think about it. Thank you again." This was good enough apparently, Rothford beamed at her own charity and turned to return to her store.
Abigail stapled the poster on the now empty space of billboard and fled. The note in her pocket forgotten until her return home that evening.
South Rawyn; Community Center. 10:53PM
The smart thing to do would have been to go to the police. If Lucy knew something, they should too. But what exactly would Abby have to tell them? That she found an ominous note while posting pictures of her missing sister all over town. The missing sister who's case had been dismissed just the week. No, everyone in the town was already treating her like she might break from the slightest breeze, no reason to let them think she'd completely lost it.
Her footsteps felt very loud in the dark and empty hallways. The last time she'd been in the community center it had been with Olivia. A 'surprise going away party', she'd called in. In truth the two of them had broken into the place after midnight with a stolen bottle of their father's whiskey and spent the entire night reminiscing and whispering their dreams for the future. They seemed like promises at the time. It'd been a long time since Abby had thought about that night. Things had changed when she moved away, a little at a time. So gradual she'd hadn't even noticed until Olivia had stopped calling her completely. But that night they'd been true sisters, best friends, and confidants. Her pace slowed and she cleared her throat loudly to chase away the silence and burning behind her eyes.
There was a man's voice echoing out from the gym. Abigail hesitated for barely second before brushing past him, squinting at the figure in the dark.
"Lucy?" It was half question, half accusation.
Her footsteps felt very loud in the dark and empty hallways. The last time she'd been in the community center it had been with Olivia. A 'surprise going away party', she'd called in. In truth the two of them had broken into the place after midnight with a stolen bottle of their father's whiskey and spent the entire night reminiscing and whispering their dreams for the future. They seemed like promises at the time. It'd been a long time since Abby had thought about that night. Things had changed when she moved away, a little at a time. So gradual she'd hadn't even noticed until Olivia had stopped calling her completely. But that night they'd been true sisters, best friends, and confidants. Her pace slowed and she cleared her throat loudly to chase away the silence and burning behind her eyes.
There was a man's voice echoing out from the gym. Abigail hesitated for barely second before brushing past him, squinting at the figure in the dark.
"Lucy?" It was half question, half accusation.
