*** at Band Camp

After the break we change into lighter clothes and head back to the field. Roll was called and we marched the first 16 drills for 30 minutes. After that we headed in for supper. Supper lasted about 30 minutes although most people were cleared out of the cafeteria before then. Fifteen minutes before we have to leave to go to a different building to have a full band rehearsal, my room was packed with 12 girls. 3 per bunk. We sat and chatted the whole time. After we had finished our conversation, we headed down to that other building, having a different conversation.

We all head out, grab our instruments and music. While we got to our seat, my eyes lingered on Kris's chair for a few seconds, and then I looked around, checking out everyone to see if they were still there. As I looked around I noticed that a freshman clarinet seat was empty. See Roeder, the band director has it set up that the different grades sit in certain spots in their sections. That bothered me. In less than 24 hours, two band members went missing, and nobody could explain it.

Julie was at the far left of the band room scoping out the widowind section, but letting her eyes linger on the two empty seats for a few seconds. She was sitting with the other guard members, and they were getting a lecture on something or another, nobody seemed to be paying any attention to the guard captain. They all seemed to be listening to our music playing and our lesson.

At the end of practice, I walked up to the clarinet section leader, Shane. "Hey, who's the missing freshman in your section?" I ask. He looked surprised that I brought it up. "You noticed? Her name is Nessa, and she went missing before this. She was at break, on the field, at break and at supper. I don't know where she could be. I hope I don't get gigged for this. Has Sammi gotten gigged for Kris being missing?"

"Nope, not that I know, you noticed that she went missing too. She was at the mall with us, we split up to go get food, and then when we regrouped she wasn't there. Hasn't been here since. I'm a little worried about her. She isn't answering her phone either. She always answers her phone. You think something happened to her?" I asked, a hint of worry in my voice.

"Nope, although, I don't like the fact that a member of each of our sections have gone missing and nobody seems to care about them. I really think that you and I are the only two people that care that kids are going missing. Well, we should be heading back, want to walk together?"

"Yeah, sure thing Shane. Hey if anyone else in your section goes ghost, let me know, and I'll let you know for the flutes, how's that sound?" I ask, as we headed for the main building, side by side. "That sounds like a great idea." He said, kind of pushing me to the side in a joking way.

We get back to the building and Shane goes into the boy's wing of the building, and I go into the girl's wing. It's about time for showers. I turn around as soon as I get to my bunking area, and head to the nurse. I needed to take my medacine. I get there take my medacine and head back. I was in my room getting my stuff and there was a shrieking scream that came from the bathroom. We head there, and we see why Angel, a sax player screamed. There, hanging from a noose in her bikini top and some shorts, was Nessa, the missing clarinet freshman. Carved into her slim belly was the words 'why me' deep. It looked like suicide, but I don't believe that.

I holler for an adult and here comes Angel's mom. She herds us out of the bathroom and calls Roeder into the room. He goes into the bathroom and, from the crack I see him take the noose off of the pipe it was tied on, lay Nessa down on the floor and cover her up with a long beach towel. He takes out his cell phone and calls the police. When the police get there, they make all of us girls leave out of the wing and into the lobby of the building. They don't talk to anyone about what happened and when the morgue worker got here, they took her body, cleaned up the blood from the floor and left. Nothing was said from the police. The only thing the police said was that from the angel of the knot of the noose, and the carving in her belly, that she had indeed committed suicide.

I still didn't believe that.