This is just a concept I’m hoping for feedback on before I keep writing. Thanks!
Intro?
Charlotte Miller was your average popular small-town girl. She was prom queen, captain of the cheer squad, longtime girlfriend to the school’s quarter back and a straight A student. Now, I know what you’re probably thinking, she was probably a mean girl, right? Wrong. Charlotte Miller was the nicest person you’d ever met. She was the kind of girl who volunteered at old folk’s homes and taught kids how to read. So, when she went missing, the whole town was in shock.
Chapter 1
The TV in my new apartment blared “We are still on the search for Charlotte Miller. If you have any information, please contact the Oak Creek police department as soon as possible. A search party is meeting in half an hour at the town square to search for her. The 18-year-old was last seen in jeans, a white t-shirt and her Oak Creek High cheer sweater.” I muted the TV off and shook my head. This was the last thing I was expecting from my first day in such a small town. I never imagined this type of thing to happen in a place like this.
“I wonder what happened to her?” I said to my mom as we unpacked my last box. I had just moved to Oak Creek, Washington from Seattle. I was tired of the noise of a bustling city and remembered driving through Oak Creek once as a child. It was such a quiet place full of cute mom and pop stores, where everyone knew everyone. I had liked the idea of a place where people waved at their neighbors, and I could go to sleep at night without the sounds of people yelling outside my door.
“I honestly don’t understand why you want to move to a place like…. this”. My mother said with a disapproving sigh. Of course, my mother, life of the party and club owner wouldn’t understand my need for quiet. She thrived in chaos and could not stand silence. I sighed “I know you don’t get it, but I promise I will come and visit as often as I can. I just need to do this. And hey, if I hate it, I can always come back home, right?” She laughed and gave me a tight hug. “Of course, you can always come back home my sweet girl. Now I have got to get going. You know how Bo is if he has to run the club alone. I swear that place would fall apart without me. Bye baby!”
As I closed the door behind my mom, I sighed heavily and tossed myself on the couch. For the first time in nearly my whole life, it was completely silent. It had been such a long day driving down from Seattle, meeting Mr. Anderson, my new landlord and listening to my mom talk non-stop as we unpacked and set up my new home. It wasn’t long before I was passed out on the couch with just the glow of my TV lighting the room. I must have rolled over onto the remote because I was suddenly woken up by the news blaring. “This just in. The search team has found the body of missing Charlotte Miller. Charlotte was found near the old mill. A curfew has been set for all young women. It will be enforced until we find who did this. Please travel in groups and be indoors by 9 PM”
“Great.” I said, rubbing my eyes as I sat up. “My first day here and there is a murder. Now I’ll be afraid to go explore on my own.” While I had hated the sound of the noisy city, there was one thing I always loved. Night. I was looking forward to going out into the quiet night to gaze up at the stars that I never would have been able to see in Seattle. I got up and stretched my arms up high and decided it was time to go get into my new bed. “Maybe I’ll get a dog” I thought, when suddenly there was a pounding on my door. I rolled my eyes and imagined my mom standing there, she probably forgot something like she always does. “Hey mom, what did you forget this…” I swung my door open “time...” Standing in my doorway was not my mother, but a soaking wet Charlotte Miller. Her dirty blonde hair was messy around her face and her kind brown eyes looked scared. “Please Nataline, you have to help me.”
