Before She Was Found(64)

“I’ve found saying sorry works most of the time,” he said, handing me a tissue from the box on his desk. “Especially if you truly feel bad and it’s obvious you do. It will all blow over.”

Well, it didn’t blow over. At lunch I tried to sit down next to Jordyn so I could tell her sorry, but she moved over so I couldn’t. I looked at Violet for help but she pretended she didn’t notice and kept right on eating her peanut butter sandwich. Everyone else gave me dirty looks and scooted over so I couldn’t sit next to them, either.

I looked around for Mrs. Morris, knowing that she would find me a place to sit, but she was busy yelling at a table of boys who were smashing their ketchup packets. I ended up just leaving the cafeteria and went to Mr. Dover’s room instead and asked him if I could sit there until the lunch period was over. He said sure and corrected papers while I tried not to cry.

The rest of the day was just as bad. Everyone whispered and gave me dirty looks when I walked by. Even the teachers looked at me funny. The worst part was I didn’t get a chance to apologize to Kaley. She must have gone to the nurse’s office or something because I didn’t see her the rest of the day.

What made it even worse was that now everyone knows I think Joseph is real. It’s so embarrassing.

I tried to call Violet and Jordyn a million times but they won’t answer their phones so now it’s holiday break and everyone hates me and I don’t have anyone to hang out with. My mom keeps asking me what’s wrong but I can’t tell her. She’d be so disappointed. Even Kendall noticed and tried to cheer me up by inviting me to watch Christmas movies with her and Emery.

I haven’t been back on DarkestDoor, either. I want to be mad at Wither. I mean, he kind of made me add Rachel Farmer to my presentation. I think I should probably just forget about him. This is going to be the worst Christmas ever.



Beth Crow


Tuesday, April 17, 2018


Once we arrive at the hospital, a nurse is there to greet us. She explains that the doctor will check Violet over and then I can come back to be with her. I give Violet another kiss and promise I’ll see her soon.

The nurse directs me to the emergency waiting room where a young woman is sitting behind the counter and she is in no rush to look up from her desk to acknowledge me. I tap on the glass partition and with infuriating slowness she lifts her heavily mascaraed eyes. “Can I help you?”

“Yes, my daughter was just brought in by ambulance.” I look around for any sign of Max. He hasn’t arrived yet.

“Your name?”

“Beth Crow and my daughter’s name is Violet.”

“Insurance card.”

“We were just here the other day. Can I just go in back and see that she’s okay?” I’m begging now and it isn’t fazing this woman. I guess she’s used to seeing people on their very worst days and has to stay unemotional and businesslike. I still hate her.

“The doctor will let us know when you can go back and see her. Insurance card, please.”

“I don’t have insurance,” I say, feeling my face go hot. At my office supply job in Algodon I had decent insurance but the convenience store didn’t offer family coverage and I sure as hell didn’t make enough to pay the premiums. I know the hospital bill will probably bankrupt me but what am I supposed to do?

The woman sighs as if she is just tolerating me. “Please take a seat and I’ll let you know as soon as information is available.”

Instead of sitting, I pace. I have no idea what’s been going on with Violet but somehow she has gone from being a victim to being hauled away in an ambulance.

Once I know that Violet is okay, I plan on raising hell with Officer Grady. There must be policies and procedures on how to question child witnesses. Violet could have been killed by a maniac. As far as I’m concerned, the police department can foot the bill for this emergency room visit.

Finally, Max comes through the entrance carrying the glass jar filled with slips of paper. “Is she okay?” he asks. “Have you seen her?”

“No, I haven’t heard anything yet. This is ridiculous. She isn’t hurt, she’s scared. We may as well sit down until they call us.”

We sit and Max reaches his hand inside the narrow opening and pulls out a piece of paper, unfolds the slip and begins to read.

“I can’t wait for Friday! What should I bring with me? I hope we go somewhere warm. I’m tired of the cold.”

“Weird,” Max says, tilting the paper so I can look at it. The handwriting is large and embellished with loops and hearts and exclamation points. A young girl’s writing but not Violet’s, thank goodness. He pulls out a handful of slips and begins to read one after the other.

“I think my mom will miss me but I don’t know about my dad. He hardly knows I’m here, anyway. My sister won’t care at all. I guess I should be sadder, but I’m not. Do I need to bring a coat? What about food?

“I think I’ll bring my journal. That way I can write about our trip. I wish I could bring my cat. Do I need to bring money? I have about two hundred dollars saved up.

“It sounds like whoever wrote these was planning on running away,” Max says as he scans the final scraps of paper.

“Are they all written by the same person?” I ask.

Max nods his head. “It looks like it. What do you think is going on?”