1. 2. 3.

I hear shuffling behind me.

4. 5. 6.

A door shutting.

7. 8. 9.

Giggling from down the hallway.

10.

Utter silence.

“I’m going to find you.” I call out into the darkness.

Starting with the most obvious places, behind doors, under beds, in cabinets, dang they’re good.

I hear the sound of a tin can falling from the kitchen and sneak inside.

I open the door and yell, “gotcha!” Right before a hand covers my mouth and another covers my eyes

______

Rosalie

It’s been ten minutes and I’m still hiding. Should I check and see if she’s ok? I would have thought I would hear or see other people looking right now. Jessie’s pretty smart and should have at least found one person right now.

I pull out my phone and start to text the group chat. I don’t care that it’s wimpy to use my phone during dark hide and seek, I’m getting scared.

_anyone still standing?_

-Rosalie

“Yes” comes up by six different people. No one is found yet.

_wait. No one’s found yet? Are we worried?_ -Jackson

I wait for a response.

_I haven’t heard her. Maybe she is outside and looking? Trying to scare us? _

-Tasha

_she’s not outside. I’m on the balcony and I haven’t seen her_

-Henry

_nobody knows where she is?_

-Mason

_guys, calm down. I’m sure she’s ok_

-Sophie

_idk. We should go though. Cops are on their way. Someone must have called on us _

-Sadie

_please tell me you’re joking_

-Rosalie

_I mean, she said it was a bad idea. Maybe she got scared and called them?_

-Jackson

Maybe he’s right. Jessie’s smart, but also not the bravest. She the kind to pull harmless pranks but still get good enough grades. Not exactly smart for her brains, but smart morally.

She knows when we’ve gone too far. She’s the kind of person your parents will let you go out with no matter how late at night because she just knows when to stop, but it’s not like her to completely leave without a word.

She can be loud. She can fight. When she wants to leave, she makes sure everyone leaves. She won’t leave you behind no matter how drunk, beat up, or high you are. She takes you as her responsibility. So where is she?

_I’ve called her twice. Nothing. Maybe we should just go?_

-Sadie

_shes definitely not here. I say make a break for it _

-Henry

We really are stupid teenagers. Stupid for playing a game where you split up in an abandoned building, but even worse for leaving somebody behind.