Jess yelped as the door swung open and the brunette pulled her in and slammed the door shut.
"Wills? Are you okay?" she gasped as the poor girl in front of her panted.
"THE NEWS!" she screamed, dragging Jess into the family room. The news was on T.V., paused. Jess's eyes widened.
"T-T-Thats..." she trailed off.
On the T.V. screen was two pictures. Jess's and Amanda's school pictures from last year, with big red letters underneath.
"MISSING! Report to police if spotted."
"Ooooooohhhh crap!" Jess squeezed Willa's arm.
"Have you found Amanda?" Willa asked, turning away from the T.V.
"No! What if they got her already?!" Jess asked, getting nervous.
"They couldn't have. I have been non-stop watching the news. They would have mentioned finding her," Willa pointed out. Jess nodded.
"Any update from Philby?" she asked. Willa shook her head.
"He can't find her. He told Charlie and Maybeck, since they most likely do not watch the news. He expects Finn's mom to watch that channel, though, so he knows she would be right on it," she explained.
"Oh. Okay."
"How long do you need to be here?"
"Just tonight. I need to get out early tomorrow."
"Why is that?"
"I have a sister to find."
Finn walked nonchalantly back into the room, caring two sodas in the crook of his elbow and a pizza box in his hands. He carefully let it down on the table.
"Yeah?" he mumbled, opening a can.
Amanda raised a shaky finger towards the T.V. "A-A girl..."
"A girl?" Finn questioned.
"A girl...she talked t-to me..."
"Did you sit on the remote?"
"No..." Amanda shifted to check again. Nope.
"What came on screen?" Finn asked, sitting next to Amanda and putting his hand on her knee, sending shivers down her spine.
"Eyes...large, sad green ones. She said 'you feel my pain...' or something like that!"
"You don't think all the pressure has gotten to you?" Finn asked after hesitating, obviously uncomfortable with asking the question.
"Finn Whitman! Do you think I am going crazy?"
"No! It's just...maybe a little...hallucination...or something...?" Finn winced after saying that.
"I AM NOT HALLUCINATING! I SAW HER, FINN!" Amanda screamed, grabbing him by the shoulders.
Finn's eyes widened. "Amanda, you just need to relax..."
"I'M SERIOUS!" the tears welling up in Amanda's eyes made Finn's heart melt. He couldn't bare to hurt her feelings any more.
"I believe you."
"Uh...what?"
"I believe you, Amanda," he whispered again, pulling her into a hug. "But whatever it is, it can wait until we-" he cut himself off.
"Finn?" Amanda muttered. No answer. She pulled away. "Finn?"
Finn, eyes wide, stared over her shoulder.
"Finn, are you okay?" Amanda put her hand on his shoulder.
"Finn? Finn?! FINN!"
He blinked and pointed at the front door. "T-There was..."
"There was...?" Amanda urged him on.
"A-A face...pale...a child's...roughly 10..." he whispered, eyes never leaving the window on the front door. Amanda walked over and pressed her face against it, looking around.
"I don't see any-"
She was cut off as a pale face pressed itself against the window. Amanda screeched, grabbing the closet thing to her, a lamp, and holding it above her head.
"Play...with...me..." the girl whispered, almost...scary.
Amanda shook her head. "N-No t-thank you..."
"NO ONE WANTS TO PLAY WITH ME! I AM NOT A WITCH!" she screeched. The door blew open, sending Amanda flying into the wall.
"Amanda!" Finn yelled, running over, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. Chills went down her spine, and she blushed.
The feeling went away quickly as Finn paled, pointing at the window.