-1-

Time will not change me.

Breath will not chill me.

Light will not blind me.

Space will not lose me.

I woke up to a heavy knock on my door. "Dave, honey? I made breakfast."

I look out my window to the average weather as I stretched. "Okay mom. Be out soon."

I sigh as I hear hesitation in my mother's footsteps. After my older brother's body was found three years ago, my mom was afraid to leave me alone. She was terrified of having her baby snatched up like my brother was.

I quickly got dressed and I walked down the stairs and I took a left into the kitchen. My mom was tall, skinny and had beautiful blond hair that models would die for. She had unique green eyes and a natural hour glass figure.

"Morning love-bug." She kisses my forehead and smiles at me. When she turns away, I saw her wipe that smile off and that caused my heart to contract a little. I hate it when she puts on that fake smile to convince the world and herself that she's okay. I wanted to say something, but bringing up my brother would cause her to cry on the couch and not move for days. My mother is a single parent and raised me and my older brother by herself. She left the house a lot for work and that's when he would babysit me. We would play videogames and he would always call me "Little Bro", which would always make me smile.

"Dave?" I blink and look to my mom.

"Yeah?"

"You're thinking about him, aren't you…"

"…"

"Dirk. You're thinking about him…"

I tense at the name. I bet that name felt like vinegar when it dripped off her mouth and into the open air.

"I miss him too. It was a horrible accident…"

I grab my bag and head out the door without saying anything.

It was no accident. My brother was kidnapped and murdered by a psycho killer.

But my mom would never see it that way. No one would.

"Hey Dave!" I turn around to see John run up to me locker in excitement. His papers were all scrunched in his arms and his glasses lens was cracked.

"Dude, what happened to you?"

He smiles, showing a small gap between his two front teeth. "N-nothing, but look-!" he holds up the newspaper.

"Yeah… and?"

He groans and jabs his thumb at the bottom of the paper. "My column got published! In the town paper, see! By: John Eggbert!"

I smirk when I see the column. John's dream is to be a writer. After he found some old illustrations that belonged to his brother, he wrote stories to go with them and made a book. His brother and my brother were best friends, until they were both killed.

"Well I see you dorks still hang around the same troth."

The tone of voice and the smacking of gum instantly triggered a familiar sense.

"Good to see you too, Rose."

John smiles slightly. I look to my left to see dark purple lip stick, a black skirt and headband with dark makeup all mopped together in one girl; Rose Lalonde. Her sister was also part of the serial murders that attacked four families.

"Any of you dweebs seen Jade? Need to talk to 'er 'bout somethan'."

"Please make it a grammar lesson~!" I begged out loud. John chuckled.

"Ha, ha Stider. Now really."

I shut my locker and spin the dial. "I haven't seen her since Thursday." I got a bone chilling feeling. Today was Tuesday of the next week. Where was she?

The bell rings and the three of us split up like a murder of crows.

Dirk Strider, age 19. Jake English, age 19. Roxy Lalonde, age 18. Jane Harley, age 18. All four teenagers were found murdered after their disappearance two months ago. Their families still mourn as the suspect is still being scouted out.