It all started with the old cars hidden in the woods. I didn’t ever watch the damn news. Being a 37 year old office manager, somehow my agenda never made time for it. Oh hell, I lived in St. George, Utah, nothing happened there, why would I watch it?

Then how come 4 cars were lined up off to the side of the dirt road? I’d taken the long way home, missing the turn and Google Maps lousy directions, forcing me to take this route. Laura was probably breaking a sweat and it was barely 10 minutes after I should’ve been home.

But I hopped out of my car and looked at the row. The vehicles all seemed newer, the oldest made in probably 2020, so it hurt to call them old, but with the vines and moss rotting them, how could I not?

I would’ve driven on by if it weren’t for the adolescent decorations on the cars. Why in the world would teens cars randomly wither away in the woods?

But the most striking car was the one with no vines on it anywhere, and astonishingly, the oldest looking. The car with a hanging pink palm tree air freshener on the rearview mirror. The car with a way too familiar licence plate. It was my _daughters_ car.

Striding down the line, I approched the used Chevorlet steadily. My eyes scrolled over the licence plate another time. It really was Paige’s car.

I ran back to my car, locking the doors immediately after entering, pushing down on the accelerator much to fast for a winding overgrown dirt road.

Once I exited the forest, I slammed on the horn. I forgot to take a picture of the cars for authorities if it got to that. But I didn’t want to go back there. Not alone, at least.

Standing in the garage driveway was Laura, bouncing Logan on her hip, glaring at me.

“Dan! Where in the lords name were you?!” Laura stoked the toddlers head, keeping him alseep on her shoulder.

“Where’s Paige?” My eyes scanned the driveway. Her car really wasnt there, so I wasn’t imagining it.

“At a friends. Now Dan—“

“What friend?” Laura looked like she was going to smack me for interrupting her, but the desperation in my voice kept her silent.

“Cassidy Ballew maybe? Or Dimitri Rowe. But Dan, what this about?” Laura kissed my cheek softly.

“We need to call both of their families. Now.” I kissed her and Logan’s forehead and ran straight for the home phone.

***

I had no idea what Dan was playing at, but I didn’t like this stupid prank. Logan had kept me up all night, and now since he was alseep, and Paige was at some teenage hangout, I had been hoping for some peace and quiet. But God had other plans.

“…ank you, tell us she shows up.” Dan hung up, turing to me again. “She was supposed to be at the Rowe’s. They said she never showed up.”

“Dan, what in gods name did you see on your way home?” My voice raised in pitch until the last word came out choked.

“You might want to sit down for this.” Dan frowned, furrowing his brow.

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