Hey there! It's been quite a few years since I've uploaded a story! Let me know what you think so far!

Disclaimer: All characters are rightfully owned by Craig Bartlett

Hillwood doesn't look like how it used to. Nope, in fact, it's very empty. 2 years ago, Hillwood's mayor made an announcement to the whole city that we needed to evacuate as soon as possible because of a tsunami that was going to drown the whole town. It never happened, however, everything turned into chaos as everybody tried to figure out where they were going. Phoebe and her family knew where they were going immediately, seeing as we all graduated the previous year, they decided to haul themselves back to their home in Japan. It was hard for me to say goodbye, but I knew that it was for the best. Of course, Gerald had to go with them too. He swore to always be by her side through the thick and thin. He didn't want to lose the only thing in his life that made him felt human. So the Heyerdahl's and Gerald packed their bags and headed to Asia to live out an extraordinary life together.

Phoebe contacts me now and again. Our time zones are different of course, but we always find a way to communicate with each other. She is a successful business woman who works for the Japanese government. I'm guessing her smarts and her ability to impress anybody with it got her such a high-scoring position.

Gerald isn't that far behind her, though, he is not working for the Japanese government, he is currently working for Nintendo creating new video games after being discovered at an art show. What a stroke of luck!

Me on the otherhand… Helga G. Pataki… I am a professional journalist who works for the New York Times. After running away from home during the mass chaos of the tsunami, I took advantage of the situation and booked a one-way ticket to New York before Big Bob could sucker me into working for him and his unsuccessful business. It was the best decision of my life next to being the one decision that I regretted the most…

Every now and then, I look on Facebook to see how my old classmates are doing. Some of them post very little information and some of them expose a little too much of themselves. Nonetheless, it helps to be connected to each other in some shape or form. Like, Princess Rhonda resides in California attending UCLA for her dedication to the medical field. Didn't see that coming, but she is good at what she does… Harold decided to go to a community college down in North Carolina for business management so he can help Mr. Green expand their chain of deli stores… Stinky and his family decided to go back down to Arkansas working with large animals and owning his own horse ranch… And so on and so on…

One person that I haven't been able to keep in touch with is someone who I've been desperately wanting to contact… Arnold. I've checked all social medias and still haven't been able to find him. He's either there I'm not looking hard enough or he just doesn't want to be found… I would do anything just to see what he was up to. Just to see what his life has turned out to be. Does he have kids? Is he in college?... Does he have someone to love?

I traveled down to Hillwood for a new article that I'm writing about abandoned cities of New York. And because I lived down in Hillwood a few years ago, I was chosen to enlighten folks about its hidden secrets and its old livelihood. I had one month to come up with a decent story and shoot a few photos to go along with it.

I walked up to the fenced up area formerly known as Hillwood and gave it a good stare. I just couldn't believe my eyes when I saw that the outside was already covered in moss and vines. A couple of patrol officers came towards me.

"What brings you down over here?" one asked. I examined his mustache. One that was overgrown and swaying in the light breeze. I handed him my permit and he and the other officer opened the gate to let me through. "Be careful in there. We let a young man in there the other day and he hasn't came out!" he said as he closed the gate. My eyebrowns furrowed.

"What do you mean, didn't come out? How long has he been in here?"

"Been about a week almost. He said he used to live down here a few years ago and was searching for something. He had a permit, though. Seemed like a good kid. If you find him, let us know!" the other officer said locking the gate with a metal lock and chain. I nodded and began my journey through Hillwood.

They might as well call it Ghost Town. I walked down the suburbs of Hillwood. Seeing all of the old houses that my peers and I used to hang out through felt a little surreal. I passed by Sheena's old house. I remember when she invited all of the girls in the 4th grade to her house and only me and Phoebe came down. Rhonda was too good to go to a poor girl's home. She had Nadine wrapped around her finger until senior year of high school when she finally had enough following. I chuckled at the thought of Rhonda losing her minions. Back then, it seemed like a big deal, but now it's nothing but a distant memory.

I took a picture of Gerald Field down by the old elementary school P.S. 118. The grass was overgrown, but the old tree house was still there. Probably in the best shape it has ever been in. I just wonder what creatures it has been inhabiting over the past couple of years. I took a photo of that as well and moved forward. I worked my way to the front of the school, snapping a photo of its boarded up doors and chained up fence. I wonder how many of my old friends still think about this old dump.

I watched as the tall grass swayed in the spring breeze covering up what used to be the school's playground. The swings were no longer in use and the monkey bars were rusted over. You would never notice how much the school had actually kept up with tidying up the playground until you saw how empty and abandoned this school has come to be. I shook my head as I wrote down some notes in my notepad. "Pathetic…" I whispered to myself as I moved along the street. I decided to take the path of streets in which I used to walk home. Seeing the old deli that Mr. Green used to own brought back memories of how proud Harold was to be helping him and his dreams of owning a big deli business someday. According to Facebook, it seems that they are not too far from accomplishing their goals! I could almost smell a reminiscent scent of old bologna as I took a photo of the front of the old building and the logo 'Green Meats'. You would have never heard me admit it, but they had some of the best deli meat I had ever tasted…

I turned down to the street of my old residency. I approached my old home with angst creeping up my back. My heels clacked on what sidewalk is left, avoiding the cracks and crevices that could trap my shoes.

I looked at the old, ran down home I grew up in. Vines covered the blue building, windows broken from bottom to top. You would think it was a crack house, but it was a vacant tourist attraction. I opened the front door with ease and entered the tattered building.

The old wooden floors screamed as I set my feet down inside. I closed my eyes as my heart sank remembering how my family used to reside in this broken home. I wonder how Mirium is doing. I wonder if Olga has had a baby yet. Is Big Bob still as big and bad as he tries to make himself out to be? What did they think when I left?

All these questions filled my mind as I wandered through the empty halls. The kitchen was empty; cabinets were all opened with shelves all bare… I remember Mirium and her smoothies. We all knew she "spilt" a cup or two of vodka in the blender when nobody was looking. Looking back at it now, she did it quite often to try and hide the pain of the living in an abusive household with a man who she thought loved her at the beginning of their relationship. But as the years went on, she slowly realized that Big Bob wanted nothing more than somebody to have accompany him when he needed it. He didn't even want kids, but realized that when Olga was born, she was a money-maker. Her beauty and helpfulness was more than enough to keep him on his toes.

I sighed as I carefully walked up the stairs. Thinking about what horrors could have possibly done to my old bedroom. CRACK! A floor board snapped as my foot went through the steps. I picked up my foot and continued up the stairs. I reached the door of my old bedroom. It was plain and white. Didn't look touched. I slowly turned the knob to reveal the contents of my room. A twin bed and pink sheets were hanging from the mattress. My wooden vanity was covered in dust with a few of my old lipsticks still on it. I opened my closet door to find all of its contents emptied besides a small pink journal that resided on the floor in the corner. I picked it up and opened it up to reveal all of the secrets about a football-headed boy that a young 10th grade Helga Pataki used to mesmerize.

I read the first page,

Dear Diary,

Arnold and Lila are fighting again. It sort of made me happy knowing that their relationship may be coming to an end. Maybe I have a chance with him. Maybe he could recognize me for who I really am. If only I would let him… How can I let him in? Should I go for it?

I heard them arguing about how the senior Wolfgang was hitting on her at Rhonda's party last weekend and he saw them kissing. How could Lila even take advantage of Arnold like that? He is nothing but a faithful man to her! He doesn't deserve to have someone as trashy and disrespectful as her.

Arnold, if you could only come to your senses and realize that I'm still right HERE..

Helga G. Pataki

I flipped the pages, sighing as I scanned how full of writing the book was. A picture flew out and floated to the floor. I picked it up and examined the photo of me and Arnold in 6th grade enjoying the class picnic together. I remember I tried to tell him how I truly felt about him that day, but Lila beat me to it. Of course, I was upset, but I couldn't blame the girl. Who wouldn't want to feel the lips of Arnold's on their own. She was lucky. She got to be with Arnold since the 6th grade, but ever since she got caught cheating on him, Arnold didn't want to date anybody else.

I put the old book into my bag and walked out of my house, closing the door behind me. I guess nobody cared that I left after all… A chill went down my spine as the wind picked up. I turned my head as I heard the rattling of metal trashcans violently swimming across the street. I continued my walk down memory lane as the day was growing dimmer. I checked my watch to see what time it was; it was already 6 in the evening. The wind blew harder and my scarf flew of my shoulders causing me to chase after it. But a girl can only run so fast in heels.

I click clacked down the street as I ran after it. The scarf caught itself on a familiar green doorstep. I looked up to see Arnold's old home causing another chill to creep down my spine. I shuttered thinking about whether or not I should enter the home of the boy I once loved, but nobody was home, right? So what harm would it do?

I slowly walked up the stairs and grabbed my flashlight as I entered the facility. I flashed the light left to right as I saw that everything was just almost just as it was before they left. The only thing that was missing was the boarders, Arnold, and his family.

A memory came to mind in senior year when I ran out of my home after Big Bob smacked me across my face. Arnold was down the street and saw me running. He decided to chase me down.

"Helga?!" Arnold yelled out to me. I ran without noticing. I just wanted to be away from this whole mess. "Helga?! Come back!" he yelled out again. This time me hearing him. I slowed down and turned to see him chasing after me. As if my heart wasn't racing enough, it felt like it was popping out of my chest.

"A-Arnold?" I stammered out of breath holding on to my face where Big Bob smacked me. Arnold caught up to me, heavily breathing and holding on to his knees. "Wha-what are you doing here? Why did you follow me?"

"I heard a scream! Moments later, I saw you running out of your house! Are you okay?" he asked concerned with a hand behind his head. I removed my hand from my cheek to reveal a large red handprint steaming from my face. Arnold eyes grew wide in shock and sighed.

"I know…" I sighed back, not saying anything else. He walked over and gave me a hug. I melted in his embrace, accepting his kind gesture. He has known for years about how Big Bob was abusive and never told a soul to anyone else. I told him about it sophomore year after he broke up with Lila, seeing as I wouldn't pose as much of a threat if I came into contact with him.

"Helga, why don't you just move out of your house and come stay at the boarding house? I have an extra room you could stay in. You're 18 now. You can legally do whatever you want!" he offered as he was still holding on to me. I sighed and pushed him off of me gently.

"Look, Arnold. It's nice of you to offer, but I can't afford to pay rent at your place. I can barely afford to live as it is." I explained. He looked into my eyes with fire in his soul. I looked away. "It's easier said than done."

"I just can't see how you want to live like that when you have a simple solution. My grandpa even said you can stay without paying rent for a while. I'll even help if you need it!" he growled throwing his hands in the air. He cares so much about me. I don't know why, but he does. "Why don't you just stay over tonight in my room? I was on my way home anyways." I blinked for a few seconds. Me? Staying at Arnold's place? In his room? Alone? "Are you down?"

"Um…"

"C'mon…" he grabbed my hand and we began to walk to the boarding house. I was still in my pajama dress and slippers. But Arnold didn't care. The night was growing cold and I began to shiver as the wind began to pick up. Arnold took notice and placed his jacket over my shoulders.

"Thanks…" I muttered. He smiled as we quietly approached the back of his where he climbed the later to his roof. He offered for me to go first and waited for me to climb to the top before he followed behind. We climbed down into his bedroom where I haven't been in quite some years. Everything practically was the same except for the new laptop computer and flat screen TV. He pulled out his wall couch and prepared a bed.

"You can sleep in my bed." he said pointing to his king size mattress. I blushed.

"Are you sure? I can sleep on the couch. I don't want to kick you off of your bed or anything…"

"Helga, it's fine. Get some rest!" he smiled as he took off his shoes and stripped himself into his boxers. His chest was exposed with a six-pack of abs. I blushed even harder at the sight of his 'manlihood'. He had to have seen my face turn to a cherry red. You could barely even see where Bob had hit me! I wish he would have came over to me and took me right then and there, but he was too much of a gentleman. He plopped into the cushions of his couch and turn off the light as I snuggled underneath his bed sheets and began to close my eyes. "Helga?" he asked. I lifted my head from out of the covers and looked over at him. He was staring out into the night sky above us.

"Yeah, football-head?"

"Night." he whispered. A smile crept up on my face and I lowered my head back into the pillows.

"Night."

I remembered the next morning he took me to school. Everybody was shocked of course, only because Arnold Shortman was so popular and only known to hang out with the "cooler" people. I guess I outgrown my old friends. But Arnold didn't see stereotypes. He saw people. Which is probably why most people swooned over him. But even I saw he was a good person since preschool. Guess it doesn't matter much now that everybody has moved on. But a part of me still feels bitter that people thought of me as weak and undeserving of someone like Arnold due to my lack of popularity.

I began to look around some more. CREEEEK! I looked up to hear something from upstairs. It was probably an animal of some sort. CREEEEEK CREEEEK CREEEEK CREEEEK! That actually sounded like footsteps! My heart began to race. Why was there someone in Arnold's old house? Wait a minute! They did say that someone was here in town trying to find something. What could there be in Arnold's house that they needed?

"Hello?" I asked swinging the light up the stairs. CREEK CREEK CREEK CREEK CREEK! The footsteps moved closer to the top of the staircase. I began to walk backwards and stumbled over a wooden frame on the floor. I flashed my light on it and saw it was a picture of Arnold and Gerald in middle school. I flashed my light towards the stairs again with my back against the wall.

"Hello?" a low manly voice called back out to mine. I started to shake. There was actually someone in this house. "Is somebody there?" he asked. I didn't respond. My flashlight dropped out of my hands as the man walked down the stairs. He shined a flashlight down as I, myself dropped to the ground in fear. What was I thinking? "Hello?" he asked again. It was slightly dark inside the house. All I could see was the figure standing in front of me. He heard my shallow breaths and shined the light at the floor where I was sitting. I put my arm up over my eyes to shield the blinding light. He kneeled to the ground and gazed at my face. "Helga?" the voice questioned in shock.

I put my arm down to see the man flashed the light to his own face. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw who this man was.