CHAPTER 4: THE SEARCH BEGINS…

A panic-stricken Charlie Brown, along with Abigail, Tyler, Marcus, and Snoopy and Woodstock went searching for Sally. He saw a note she left on her bed stating that she was moving back to Sparkyville and now everyone was trying to find her and talk her out of her plan. Charlotte, Josie, and Claudette also was helping in the search but went a different direction of the group. Charlie's parents were looking by car.

Charlie Brown and his group had made it to the bus depot, but had no idea Sally had been there. They went inside to see if anyone in there had seen her. Charlie Brown went up to the clerk.

"Yes, ma'am," he began, "have you seen this girl?" The clerk said she tried to buy a one-way ticket to Sparkyville, but was turned away because she didn't have enough money. They also stated that when they tried to ask her for her parents number, she took off before they could do anything. Other employees who weren't bus drivers had been searching for her ever since. Charlie Brown called his father's cell phone and the parents met up with the kids and scooped them up to continue searching for Sally.

Somewhere on two-lane highway, Sally was walking. She was tired and wanted to rest up. She saw a house with some kids enjoying the warm fall weather and playing in the leaves that were raked into piles. She decided to talk to them for a bit. The kids looked up and saw the newcomer.

"Hello," said a young blonde-haired boy.

"Hello," Sally greeted back.

"What's your name?" asked a pig-tailed brunette girl.

"My name is Sally. What's yours?"

"I'm Mason," said the boy.

"And I'm Sarah," said the girl.

"Nice to meet you," said Sally. The two kids noticed her suitcase.

"Are you heading somewhere?" asked Mason.

"Trying to get back to my old town," Sally replied. "I hate it here in Kansas City!"

"Why do you hate it here?" asked Sarah.

"The kids hate me at my school, I'm failing in my class, I get constantly bullied, and I'm TOO STUPID!" The kids noticed Sally starting to cry.

"We're sorry that you're having a bad time here," said a concerned Sarah. "We were about to have lunch. You're welcome to join us. I don't think mom will mind."

"Really?" asked Sally.

"Sure," said a smiling Mason. "Sarah's mom makes the best deli sandwiches this side of Kansas City!" And Sally accepted the invitation and joined them for lunch. Sarah's mother was a bit concerned about Sally running away and had a conversation with her about her problems. The mother convinced Sally to call her parents and let them know that she was all right. She also managed to convince Sally to go back home and that her parents probably missed her very much. After lunch, the mother called the Browns and gave them the address to her home. After about an hour, the Browns showed up and hugged Sally. They also reprimanded her about running away and scaring them like she did. Sally explained to her parents about the troubles she was having at school. Not even Charlie Brown had that many problems back in Sparkyville. Sure, he had his fair share of issues himself, but at least he had a few people that had his back. Sally didn't even have that. Before they left, Sarah and Mason said that she could come back any time she wanted, provided she wouldn't try to run away again.

Once they got back home, Charlie Brown and Sally had a talk of their own. Charlie was concerned about Sally and wanted to know what was going on with her.

"You know how Lucy and some of the other girls would pick on you?" Sally began. "Well imagine a whole school like that."

"Sally," Charlie Brown replied, "it wasn't just Lucy, Violet, and Patty, a lot of kids picked on me or laughed at me. Even some of the kids who liked me would laugh at me on occasion. And yes, a lot of time I got depressed and sad, too, but I had good days. Sure there were more bad than good, but when they were good, they were excellent. And you will have some good days, as well. But one thing that happened for me here was my self-esteem was built up because, at least in my case, there were more good kids than bad. And even here, I ran into some kids who were jerks and just as mean as the ones back in Sparkyville, but it wasn't as widespread. And I was blessed to have some of the decent kids as friends, and also with Charlotte, who was one of the gang back in our old town. Plus I also landed Abigail as a girlfriend. And she actually liked me and didn't play games, and she knew I existed, which is more than I could say for the little red-haired girl, who never knew who I was, let alone existed, with us being in the SAME CLASS!"

"So you think things will be better for me, big brother?" asked Sally.

"They can't get any worse," said Charlie Brown. "And don't worry. Even in Kansas City, I'm still the king of failures. As it turns out, Kansas City is also filled with kite-eating trees! One ate my kite the other day." And the two siblings started laughing. Sally began to finally feel better. She promised Charlie Brown and their parents she would never run away again and deal with her problems head-on.

NEXT CHAPTER: ANOTHER FATEFUL DECISION