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him.
    “Come on, Micah. He’s just screwing with you. Calm down,” Cody said.
    Micah’s chest heaved in an out as he glared at Dustin. Micah felt as if he were teetering on the edge of sanity. He didn’t need Dustin’s shit right now.
    “Micah, why did you ask about Jess’s parents?” Amber asked.
    Micah paused before he answered her question. He wanted to find out what was going on, but he didn’t want to talk about his family situation. “I don’t know...I guess I’ve heard that other people are missing. You know, not just kids and dogs.”
    “My asshole father is still here. Too bad he didn’t disappear,” Cody said.
    “My dad’s missing,” Dustin muttered.
    “What about your mom?” Amber asked as she jumped down from the swing. “My mom has been gone since last night. She left with her bible and rosary. I just figured she spent the night in church, praying for those missing kids. I wonder if she’s still there.”
    “My mom is still here,” answered Dustin.
    “What about your parents, Micah?” Cody asked.
    Micah turned away from his friends before he answered. “They’re gone and so is my brother.”
    “I’m going to the church to see if my mom is still there. Who’s coming with me?” asked Amber.
    “Don’t look at me. I might burst into flames when I walk through the doors,” Cody joked.
    “Yeah, I’ll take a pass too,” Dustin said.
    “Micah?” Amber asked.
    When Micah looked into Amber’s eyes, he recognized her panic. Did his eyes look the same? “Sure, might as well, I have no place else to go.”
     

Chapter Six
     
    Clarke felt free as she glided through the air, her mind clear and unburdened. The sun warmed her cheeks, and the air provided little resistance. She had forgotten how much she enjoyed the swings. When Clarke was a little girl, her dad would bring her to this park every Saturday. He would stand behind her and push her back and forth without a single complaint. As she soared, she pretended to be a bird flying up to the sun. That was a long time ago.
    Now, she didn’t need her father’s help. She had the strength to do it herself. She pumped her legs back and forth, and the swing climbed higher and higher. A whooshing sound filled her ears. On her way up, she squinted her eyes against the blinding sun. On her way down, she opened them wide, taking in the whole park. The steel of the swing’s chains felt cool in the palm of her hands. She leaned back farther so that she could swing even higher. She imagined touching the clouds.
    When Clarke first noticed the woman at the far end of the playground, she tried to ignore her. But every time Clarke looked, the woman was a few steps closer until she stood in front of the swing.
    She gazed at Clarke and smiled. “Hello, my sweet girl.”
    Clarke slowed herself by dragging her feet across the ground. When the swing came to a stop, Clarke studied the woman. She was petite maybe even smaller than Clarke was. She had short, spiky red hair and tiny features. Her dark eyes and mischievous smile made Clarke think of a pixie or a fairy. Clarke knew her voice and recognized her eyes but couldn’t place her.
    “Don’t tell me that you don’t remember me. I’ve only been gone for a few years,” said the woman.
    “Mom?” Last time Clarke saw her mother, she looked different, nothing like this woman looked. Clarke remembered her mom as unhappy, run-down, old. This woman looked vibrant, put-together, young.
    At first, Clarke swelled with excitement and relief. Her mother was back. She wanted to jump off the swing and throw her arms around the most important woman in her life. But within less than a millisecond, Clarke’s joy turned back into bitterness. She remembered how she wanted to feel about her mother. She remembered her anger. She remembered her pain.
    “Oh honey, don’t be angry with me. Come over here and give me a hug.” The woman opened her arms, inviting Clarke in.
    Clarke stood and took a single step