August 10th, 1984

Andrew's Point of View

I walked into DJ's room, where George was sitting on her bed, squeezing a pillow in his arms. His eyes were red, and a bit puffy, and the bags under them were more defined now.

He was very still, like he was having a very vivid flashback.

I walked over and sat down beside him. He mumbled something.

"I'm sorry Yog, what did you say?" I asked.

"It still smells like her." He said. "the pillow."

I put my arm around his shoulder and squeezed him tight. "George, She's not dead, she's-"

"How would you know?" He snapped.

I opened my mouth to reassure him, but I didn't have anything to say. How would I know if DJ's alive?

"George, you need to eat something," I said. "You didn't each much of dinner last night."

"Because my girlfriend is missing!" He stood up and threw the pillow at the wall with a grunt. It made a loud thud.

He was panting, so I stood up and grabbed him by his shoulders. "George, look at me. Breathe."

He stood still for a moment before bursting into tears again. I pulled him into the tightest hug I could.

He cried on my shoulder. "What did I do, Andy? What have I done-"

"You did nothing, George," I said. "This is not your fault."

"B-but I'm the one who should've been keeping an eye on her. I was in bed with her. How could I have not felt her slip away so suddenly?"

"Yog, you don't have to watch her like a hawk. I'm sure we all thought we could've done something, but we couldn't have." I said, rubbing his back. "We'll find her, I promise."

I shouldn't promise anything.

My stomach churned at the thought. DJ is such a good friend. Almost like a sister to me with how close she and Jeena are.

Which, I guess they kind of are sisters.

Speaking of, she was starting to get worried. Jeena, I mean. She couldn't focus on the idea of how she was going to college so soon. She was much quieter anymore, and I held her tight some nights while she cried herself to sleep.

It's been four days, and still no word.

After George had contained himself, he backed up and wiped his face with his hands. "Sorry."

"Don't be," I said.

Suddenly, the phone started ringing in the kitchen.

George sprinted out of the room to answer it, but Jeena already had it up to her ear, "Hello?"

"Who is it?" George demanded.

Jeena held up a finger, and he did not like that. I had to grab his arm so he wouldn't yank the phone out of her hand.

"No, no word yet," she said. There was some silence for a few seconds, and a small smile grew on Jeena's face. "Oh really? That's very nice of you... you guys don't have to... well, I should be here for the rest of the day."

When she hung up, she turned to us. "That was just Amanda. She said she would bring over a bunch of food from the restaurant for us to have for the next few days." She said.

George huffed, stormed back to DJ's room, and slammed the door. Both of us flinched. She came over to me, and I took her in my arms. "Are we going to find her?"

I frowned. I didn't want to answer that. "We'll do our best. George has so many people working to find her. I'm sure it'll be pretty easy."

"He called a lot of people, didn't he?" She asked.

"Quite a few. I think he was up all night the first night she was gone. Now he just doesn't sleep because he can't."

"Poor guy."

I wasn't sure what to do. But he's my best friend. I should know how to help him.

I'm not sure how much therapy would do for him. Plus, I doubt he would even want to go.

DJ's Point of View

I stared at the ceiling, hoping it would collapse on me and end my pain. It wasn't just being held hostage but the fact that George didn't know where I was. I didn't know where he was. He could've fled the country to find Alexis-

No. I can't think like that. He would never do that again. He promised me.

He promised me.

Ever since the news talked about me, Dan and Helen acted extremely weird. I wondered if they started to not like me...

I'd catch them staring at me, and they would only ever make small talk with me when I wasn't the one starting the conversation.

But I couldn't help but think how something about them was familiar. Not in the voices, but in their faces...

"Do you guys not like me?" I asked finally when the silence was becoming unbearable.

Helen looked at me with a shocked face. "What a silly question. Why wouldn't we?"

"You haven't looked at me the same since the report about me came on TV." I snapped.

That shut her up for a little bit. After that, she would not look at me.

Dan spoke up. "We're sorry. Nothing is wrong. We're just wondering..."

"Wondering what?"

He ignored the question.

I felt a knot in my stomach, so I went to my sleeping bag to get away from them. Maybe I should nap...

I woke up to Helen shaking me awake. "DJ! DJ! Get up! You need to see this."

I stumbled over with her to the TV, showing George's black and white portrait on the screen.

I tried to convince myself that my ears were deceiving me when the reporter spoke the words of one of my biggest fears.

"Singer/songwriter George Michael has been found dead in his significant other's apartment after becoming so depressed with her disappearance..."

I choked on the air I was trying to breathe and began to scream...

Then I thankfully woke up for real.

I was still screaming, and this time Dan was at my side, trying to get me to stop.

I sat up sharply, almost banging heads with him.

He breathed heavily. "Are you alright?"

I touched my cheeks; they were soaked with tears. "Just... just a nightmare, that's all."

He nodded. "Well, I figured I'd let you know that dinner has been served."

"I don't want to eat. I'm just gonna go back to bed." I lied back down and buried myself as much as I could under the sleeping bag.

He didn't protest and left.

Sleep didn't come as fast as I would've wanted, even with the light off. I was so scared if I woke up again, I'd be told the same news over and over.

August 27th, 1984

I was knocked out of my daze when I heard somebody at the door.

It was quite late. Or, early, maybe. I could tell from the clock on the wall when I checked—nearly five in the morning.

I wasn't sure how the banging didn't wake up Dan or Helen.

I walked up the stairs lazily and opened the door slowly, wondering who would be behind it.

"I need all of you to be quiet." Of course, it was the man.

"Why?" I asked.

"If you guys wake up, be quiet. For, I don't know, a few minutes. Maybe longer. Just don't make any noise."

The door slammed in my face, and yet it didn't wake up my new friends.

And possibly my only friends for the rest of my life.

George would move on, he'd find someone new, and I'd become a distant memory...

I shivered, realizing I'd be unable to sleep for a few more hours. But there wasn't much to do, and I felt terrible to wake anybody.

Then I heard talking coming from upstairs.

I stood up and went over to the stairs and pressed my ear to the door.

I could only pick up some of the conversation. "...She's been missing since August fifth. Have you seen her?"

Silence.

"Who are you?"

"Officer James..."

A policeman.

There was more talking I couldn't hear. So I strained my hearing as much as I possibly could.

"We were told there was suspicious activity here in this neighborhood the night before she went missing."

"I've been keeping up with the news every day. Poor girl, her parents must be worried sick."

I chuckled.

After more silence, the officer spoke up. "Right... anyway, we just wanted to let you know this neighborhood will be observed for a while. You're sure you haven't seen anything?"

"Nope."

I gasped. I started banging my hands on the door again and screaming. "Help! I'm in here! Please let me out!"

"What is that?" Officer James heard me. I knew he could. I didn't even look behind me to see what Helen and Dan were doing. I knew they were awake.

"It's just the TV, don't worry about it. Thanks for stopping..."

The door shut.

The stomping of feet led up to the door, and it swung open. "What the hell was that?"

"I know they're suspicious." I panted. My hands were beat red. "They're gonna find us. You're gonna get sent to jail, and we're going to get out of here."

He chuckled. "So you think."

"I know." I spat in his face.

The door slammed in my face, and if it weren't for the railing, I would've fallen onto the concrete below.

"What was that about?" Dan asked.

"There was an officer at the door," I smirked. "I guarantee they'll find us."

"They never do." Helen sighed. "It seems like the door is hidden."

I nearly choked. "What do you mean hidden?"

"Police have come by here twice before."

I almost exploded. "And what did you do about it?"

"Same thing you did. We kicked and punched at the door and screamed. No one hears us." Dan sighed.

"How is that possible?!" I yelled. "The front door is right there!"

They both shrugged.

"And if they've had to come to this house multiple times, they wouldn't find this suspicious?" I asked.

Dan scoffed. "You would think."

I wanted to get on the floor and throw a tantrum, but I knew that wouldn't help.

Maybe this time I thought. Perhaps this time, they'll find the basement. Third time's a charm, right?

I had little faith anymore that I'd get out of here. But, I still prayed that I would. Or, we will, anyway.

They might be treating me weirdly now, but they've been here too long.

I hope I'm not here that long.

I shivered at the thought.

Jeena's Point Of View

College was starting in about two weeks.

If we couldn't find Deej by then, I'm not sure how I would survive.

Sure, Andy would be a big help, but that's my best friend.

My sister.

I was sitting with my back against my bedroom door, my tears drying my face. I didn't have much left in me.

Andrew knocked on the door, making me jump. "Jeena, can you open the door?"

It took me about thirty seconds to stand up. I wiped any water around my eyes and watched as Andrew's face met mine when the door opened. He handed me water. "You're going to dehydrate yourself."

"Maybe DJ is dehydrating," I mumbled. "Or starving."

I gasped, almost falling to the floor, but Andy caught me and the water and pulled me into a hug. I was only sobbing. No more tears were able to form.

He let me sit there and cry for a while until he started to laugh.

"What?" I asked.

"It's not the best thing to say right now. You'd get mad at me."

"Just say it." I snapped.

"This might not be the best thing to say, but..." he started. "It gets exhausting taking care of you and George."

At first, I stared at him with a blank expression. But then I also started to laugh. "Yeah. I understand that. How's he doing?"

Then there was a loud bang and yelp of pain.