Michael Guerin sat in the booth at the Crashdown. They had closed thirty
minutes earlier, and Maria was finishing her cleanup. Isabel was drinking a
cherry coke across from him, and Kyle sat in a chair at the end of the
table. They all looked up as the door chimes played and Max walked in. Mr.
Parker had allowed Max to come to the Crashdown again after Liz had left
six months earlier, and the gang met there every Friday night to go to a
movie. Jessie, Isabel's husband, usually joined them after the movie for a
late dinner as he worked in Alamogordo on Fridays. Max walked over to the
booth and sat down next to Isabel.
"Max, are you okay?" Kyle asked.
Michael looked up at his best friend when he heard Kyle. Kyle was right in asking, Max looked terrible. All the blood seemed to have left his body. He was whiter than his t-shirt, which was pretty white. "Max, what's wrong?" Michael asked as Maria sat down with them.
"I got a letter from Liz." Max said quietly.
"And that's why you look like you've seen a ghost." Maria said skeptically
"Read for yourself." Max said handing her the letter.
"Alright. "Maria said opening the letter. "Dear Max, Hey, how are you? I hope all is well. I'll get right to the point instead of beating around the bush. This is my last letter. I'm not going to be writing anyone anymore. Please tell the others goodbye for me and ask Isabel not to try and find me. I know she will immediately. I have my reasons. Don't try to reach me at the school; by the time you get this, I'll already be gone. My parents should receive their letter not long after you. Please show them this so they know your not involved. I'm sorry. Goodbye Max. Liz."
"Oh my gosh. What's going on?" Isabel asked shocked.
"I..I don't know. I'll go get the Parkers." Maria said getting up and leaving the letter. "And some cedar." she mumbled as she walked away.
By the time Jessie got to the Crashdown that night, everything was in an uproar. The Parkers had received a similar letter that day, asking that they not look for her. They had called the school to learn she was gone. She had been there at dinner the night before, but a complained of a headache, so they didn't think anything of her not showing for breakfast, assuming she had slept in. No one realized she was gone until classes started. They had just been getting ready to call the Parkers when they called there.
The police were looking for her, but unfortunately, the last picture they had of her was over six months old, from just before she left home. Also, the headmistress said she had changed in appearance; she had grown a bit taller and lost some weight. She had also cut her hair so she looked quite differently than when she had first arrived. Now they waited to see if the police would find her.
"Max, are you okay?" Kyle asked.
Michael looked up at his best friend when he heard Kyle. Kyle was right in asking, Max looked terrible. All the blood seemed to have left his body. He was whiter than his t-shirt, which was pretty white. "Max, what's wrong?" Michael asked as Maria sat down with them.
"I got a letter from Liz." Max said quietly.
"And that's why you look like you've seen a ghost." Maria said skeptically
"Read for yourself." Max said handing her the letter.
"Alright. "Maria said opening the letter. "Dear Max, Hey, how are you? I hope all is well. I'll get right to the point instead of beating around the bush. This is my last letter. I'm not going to be writing anyone anymore. Please tell the others goodbye for me and ask Isabel not to try and find me. I know she will immediately. I have my reasons. Don't try to reach me at the school; by the time you get this, I'll already be gone. My parents should receive their letter not long after you. Please show them this so they know your not involved. I'm sorry. Goodbye Max. Liz."
"Oh my gosh. What's going on?" Isabel asked shocked.
"I..I don't know. I'll go get the Parkers." Maria said getting up and leaving the letter. "And some cedar." she mumbled as she walked away.
By the time Jessie got to the Crashdown that night, everything was in an uproar. The Parkers had received a similar letter that day, asking that they not look for her. They had called the school to learn she was gone. She had been there at dinner the night before, but a complained of a headache, so they didn't think anything of her not showing for breakfast, assuming she had slept in. No one realized she was gone until classes started. They had just been getting ready to call the Parkers when they called there.
The police were looking for her, but unfortunately, the last picture they had of her was over six months old, from just before she left home. Also, the headmistress said she had changed in appearance; she had grown a bit taller and lost some weight. She had also cut her hair so she looked quite differently than when she had first arrived. Now they waited to see if the police would find her.