It was a hot day in Starfield, Wyoming; 98 degrees from sun up to sun down the last few days. A small town, a place where everyone whispers your name behind your back, Starfield is not as glamorous as it sounds. The cloud burst of rain was steadily approaching to cool down the gossiping streets of the neighborhood just a bit so the residents of Starfield wouldn't lose their minds.
It was hotter still in the kitchen where Leslie Ellen sat in her leggings and "have you seen me?" T shirt; inside the only home she ever new. A rustic traditional family flat that had seen some rough yards. She sat there one dark kitchen, a leaky faucet dripping share net piles of dishes and soft buzzes of summer flies scattering around. Leslie's head rests comfortably on the cool wooden table and as a little under the weight of the world rested on her shoulders, as close as the cloudburst was it would not make in time for her sake.
"Rrring rrring!"
Leslie's head snaps up and she Shuffles from behind the table over to the wall mounted landline. She picks the receiver up dropping it with her firsthand swiftly scooping it up with her offhand placing it against her ear. Static echoes loudly, forcing her to pull away before she answers, wincing at the pain to her ears, squinting trying to make out who's on the line.
"Y...yes, hello? This is Leslie Ellen..is...is anyone there?"
She bellowed hoping whoever was on the other side could hear her over the waves of white noise. She even took the phone from her ear slapping it against her palm sliding in a "work dammit.." Before placing it back against her ear.
"Hello?"
"Les...Leslie?"
A distorted young male voice answers back.
"Leslie is it you? "
"Yes, who....who is this?
Leslie placed her hand on her hip, taken back by a voice she couldn't entirely understand, like talking to a ghost that knew who she was. It was unsettling being at a disadvantage, much like the last few years. Leslie's shoulders grew heavier and the muscles in her back grew tight with every second that passed where she heard only static. She let out a loud sigh after too long and asked again.
"Who is this?!"
"It's me,
The voice replied.
"Jacob!"
Leslie stopped; her frail breathing, her heart, the thoughts racing through her mind, the anxiety creeping up her spine, everything just stopped. Her little brother Jacob had been missing for exactly one-thousand-four-hundred-sixty-three days, and each and everyone of those days she had been on the street handing out flyers and going door to door looking for him. The heat of anger filled Leslie's lungs and the rest of her muscles grew tight.
"Look, I don't know who this is or if you thank this is funny but
don't call here again."
Leslie's tone was harsh, it had not been the first time a prank caller took advantage of her misfortune over the years, but the r cent heat wave had a peculiar effect on the cruel making them less so, or just deriving them of the energy to be so. It would seem they found their second wind,but Leslie didn't immediately hang up the photo be, what remained of her dwindling hope wouldn't allow her to do so.
"Leslie..I...I can see the house from here"
The voice called out yet again.
"You're sick!"
Leslie replied
"I can see dads volts-wagon!"
Leslie gasped as her head shot out the kitchen window not the drive way where the old rusty orange heap sat. Once again her entire world stopped. Jacob was only 5 when he disappeared, he wasn't great with his words; always mispronouncing certain names amusingly;"Lemonade was lemlade, seventeen was semteen, and Volkswagen was voltswagon". It's something no one would know, no one but her little brother.
"Oh my god, Jacob where are you?!"
Leslie cried as her eyes shot toward the door.
"Jacob, can you hear me?
"Y-yes....I think I'm outside"
Leslie rushed outside jerking the gate and screen door of the side of the house open so hard it rattled against the brick wall of the home. She ran out into the street frantic, her eyes searching for any sign on the little boy she carried on her hip everywhere she went.
"Jacob where are you, call out to me so I can find you!"
Leslie spun in circles analyzing every detail of her surroundings over and over again searching desperately, but not once did she see anything remotely similar to image of her little brother that was but into her memory.
"Can you see me Jacob? I'm right here! Jacob!?"
"I can see you Leslie...I think ...I'm falling "
The static grew louder and Jacobs voice began to fade in and out.
"Falling..? What did you say? You can see me?!"
Leslie continued
"Yes...look up "
"Look up Leslie"
Leslie stopped in her tracks and her eyes slowly rose to the sky terrified of what she might see. At first, an empty blue sky somewhat smoldering from the summer heat, but the heat grew more intense and in an instant a flaming ball of fire appeared in the sky; a comet, a falling star rolled through the air flying off Into he distance. Leslie could only stare in a mist confusion.
"Did you see me Leslie? I'm moving so fast. Can you catch me Leslie?"
"Leslie?"
End
Author: C.M. Edwards
@AtomoSK94
Homepage: CM Edwards 94
