My Best Friend Disappeared, and No One Remembers Him. (Part 2)

The morning light sliced its way through my curtains and my alarm rang out. I got up and opened my curtains soaking my room in sunlight, even from here I could see the pillars standing dormant which I thought was a nice view but it was no Chicago skyline.

I got dressed and grabbed my bag knocking a pile of papers to the ground, a polaroid slid its way across the floor and I caught it with my foot. I knelt to meet the picture with my fingers and when I stood felt a wave of nausea force its way through my stomach.

I had bought a polaroid before we moved, thought maybe it would be fun to document the drive but with only eight polaroid's I had to be a bit selective and never ended up using the full amount. It was the first football game of the season for our new school and we decided to document it, the photo was Mason, myself, and a classmate who jumped in the photo last minute. I remember the pink pull over hoodie he wore, he draped his arm over my shoulder and the classmates. I pictured that night in my mind as I looked at the photo, it didn't match.

There was a blank space that swallowed where Mason once stood in the photo no sign that he had ever even been present.

I left my room and was kidnapped by the smell of bacon crackling on the stove top, my mom was in the kitchen making a buffet as my dad sat at the island buried in his laptop.

"Grab some before you head to school honey!" She gently pushed a plate on the island and motioned me over.

"Thanks mom, have you heard anything from Masons mom?" I sat down still wrestling with the nausea and gripping the photo in my hand.

My dad's rhythmic tapping on the keyboard stopped and my mom gave him a concerned glance that quickly morphed into confusion.

"Sam, you feeling alright champ?" my dad shifted in his seat and a not so subtle hint of judgment projected the words at me.

I glanced back at my mom looking for some resemblance of recognition but found wide eyes and a shrug.

"Sweetheart I'm sorry I don't know who you're talking about."

I dropped the polaroid onto the granite top and let it slide, watching my parents for any sign they might be joking or lying about this.

"I took this photo at the first football game of the season, it was me, whoever that guy is, and Mason Elliot from the next block over. My best friend, remember? We had his family over for dinner a week after we moved in here." I sharpened my tone to stir the pot a bit.

"I'm sorry honey I don't know who Mason is and I think I would remember having his family over for dinner. We had the neighbors over that nice older couple but they didn't have any children." My mom looked at me ignoring the picture entirely.

"The Murdocks, Gale and Paul." He chimed in to busy to look up.

"That's right, the Murdocks." she smiled and looked back at me.

I looked at her baffled, I felt a seed of doubt surround every memory connected to Mason. Was I really imagining a whole person? Why was I being manipulated into forgetting someone, and why was the only one who could still remember?

The school day was dreary now, I felt a heaviness weighing on my chest and I fought the urge to lash out in protest at every teacher when attendance rushed past the spot where Masons name used to be. I still wasn't used to his empty space, I suffered through lunch sitting alone, and gym when I got paired with the new kid. Finally the scream of last period set me free and I couldn't pedal faster away from school.

I stopped at the baseball fields and finally allowed myself to cry for the first time since he had gone missing. Tears popped on the photo as I sat on the bench. "On to bigger and better, Sam" kept slamming around the walls of my mind like a wrecking ball. Was this better?

"Mr. Parker, I never took you for a baseball guy." A steady and stern voice tore through the silence.

I turned fast and knocked my bag over, I dropped the picture in attempt to grab at my bag but ended up spilling note books and folders in the gravel.

I looked up at the man, his hair was well kept and contrasted with his patchy stubble that occupied his jaw and upper lip. The man was dressed in a black officers outfit with a golden name plate pinned to his chest, I recognized the name as the neighbors two doors down.

"Sorry Officer Keegan, I didn't realize anyone was here." Law enforcement made me uncomfortable, like when someone doesn't tip the waiter standing in front of them uncomfortable.

"C'mon son I told you, Mr. Keegan is fine." He chuckled kneeling to help me gather my things.

I allowed a cautious laugh to escape as I grabbed folders and notebooks. I noticed the photo as I lifted a folder and Mr. Keegan extended his hand for it.

"This the Felder boy? Oh what's his name.." He mulled the question around for a moment.

"Braden" I said shortly, reaching out for the photo.

Mr. Keegan twitched back with the photo.

"Didn't realize you two were pals, good to branch out and meet some other kids." He waved it tauntingly.

My eyes were locked onto the photo he was casually waving around. I started to feel the soft prying of an interrogation with every question he fielded my way, and noticed he was no longer looking at the photo but had settled his gaze on me.

"I wouldn't call us friends, just someone I met through Mason." I replied cautiously.

"Mason? I don't think I'm familiar with him. He take this picture?" Another pitch from the officer.

"No, you probably don't know him. Just a friend of mine, moved here around the same time as us is all." I stood throwing my bag over my shoulder and grabbing my bike.

"I should probably get going, moms making dinner and asked that I help." I steadied my voice and met his eyes trying to be intimidating.

Officer Keegan stood up and stared intently before gripping the middle of my handle bars firmly.

"Sam, we've been getting some calls about a couple of kids loitering around here after school hours, that's actually why I'm here I've been sitting here after school for the last week or so. I was looking out for anybody to show up when I saw you, I know you're a good kid so just make sure you guys keep moving when you come through here and there won't be any issues. Understood?" He placed a hand on my shoulder and gave me a pat signifying our interrogation was over and I was free to go. He extended the hand holding the photo and I gripped the corner of it but was met with resistance when I pulled.

"Yes sir, understood." I said and gave him a nod, he released his grip on the photo and I pushed down hard on the pedal once before dropping my foot to stop.

"When did you say you got that call?" I asked, my body started to vibrate and a swell of anxiety rushed through me.

"Pardon?" He said, he was clearly surprised by my question just like I was.

"The call you got, about the kids. When was that." I knew he probably wouldn't tell me.

"Last week, said it was just a couple teenagers after the high school let out." He responded without hesitation almost giving no thought to the implication.

I pedaled on toward the entrance of the baseball fields and turned back to see Officer Keegan staring at me. His answer meant nothing to him but everything to me. Since Mason and I started hanging around the baseball fields we hadn't seen any other kids that spent time there, and if he didn't know who Mason was why did he say *"you guys"*.