My alarm immediately woke me, as it does every morning. I turned it off when I shockingly heard my parents rush toward my room. They opened the door and gazed directly at me. They looked as if they were dazed and hadn't slept in years. Their faces were pale and tight as if they had just climbed out of a cold stream of water. They were trembling. They never even uttered a word before they left my room. My parents never say anything to me anymore. I feel as if our relationship is falling apart. I put the experience behind me and went to get breakfast, I always wondered why my spot at the table was no longer filled with a plate of food. They only care for themselves now. I was no longer hungry.

I started out the door, I wanted to walk on the hiking trails near my house that day. Being away from everyone and everything somehow makes me feel less isolated. I decided to take a trail I had never been down before. Exactly three minutes later, I was lost. I have never been lost before. I frantically started looking around, there was no path, and the leaves on the ground were untouched. I was no longer able to hold in my emotions. I paced without thought which led me deeper into the woods. I finally stopped and caught my breath, I looked up and saw what I had lost complete memory of.

It was our bench, it was still there. I dropped to the ground as memories flooded my body. I fell limp, I brought my legs to my chest as my teary eyes gazed at the rotting wood. I couldn't stop thinking. It was our old spot… the spot that belonged to my best friend and me. We lost our friendship a while ago, she acted like I didn't exist when I was around. Everyone I ever knew now just ignored my presence.

I gained the strength to stumble my way to the old, decreped, oak bench. As I walked closer, I spotted a small metal container resting on the seat. I cautiously picked it up, my name was carved into the lid. My mouth dropped as I opened the box, there was a bracelet and a note. I immediately recognized the pink weived bracelet… it was our friendship bracelet, the one that belonged to my best friend. My heart tore as I picked up the note which looked to be a scrap of newspaper. The scrap was faded but I could work out only the title, “Katie Carter Abducted And Killed.” I fell to the dirt below me as I mumbled, “That’s me, I am Katie Carter.”