The Belleville Mystery

It was Melody's sixteenth birthday. Amelia waited for almost an hour before she walked outside. She didn't see her friend waiting for her like she did every morning, which caused Amelia to wonder what had happened.

Later she texted her from their home room, hoping that Melody would answer and let her know that everything was fine. At lunch she looked around the cafeteria for any sign of her. Melody wasn't seen anywhere. After lunch Amelia sat in her sixth period when a student walked into her class. She simply delivered a pass to the teacher and left once again.

Mrs. Dunn looked up, "Amelia, you're wanted in the principal's office."

Amelia gathered her things and walked to the principal's office. She found the office in a mess. The secretary was on the phone and a few teacher's aides were thumbing through the file cabinet while another was busy answering the phones.

Amelia was simply pointed to the principal's office. She knocked on the door and it was opened by Mrs. Segal, the principal. "Come in Amelia."

Amelia entered the room and found her friend's parents in tears. Mrs. Williams' blond hair hung in messy strings and her face shined from the tears. Her head was hung low with a hand holding a tissue to her nose. Her husband had brown hair that was messy and his face looked like he hadn't touched a razor in days.

Her parents were also there, and turned to her with a sorrowful look that made her heart plummet. "What's going on? Why are you guys here?" She asked as she felt her heart beginning to race.

"Amelia, why don't you have a seat?" Asked Mrs. Segal as she motioned towards an empty seat in the room.

Amelia pushed her arm away, "What's going on?! I want to know what is going on? Why are you here?!" She exclaimed as she kneeled by her mother.

Her mother looked at her through a veil of tears, "Honey, it's Melody. She's been missing since yesterday. Did you see her after you guys came back from the mall?" Asked her mother as she held her daughter's face in her hands.

Amelia felt her chest tighten up, "No... No! It's not true! I walked her home! She said she was going to bed. She said she'd see me today because we're going to see that stupid movie that she wanted to... I-I c-can't b-b-b-brea--" Amelia stopped when she fell to the ground as her eyes rolled up.

Later that night Amelia awoke in her room. She looked around and found her mother sitting next to her on the bed. She sat up and looked at her mother.

"I didn't mean to disturb you. I just wanted to see how you were doing." Her mother stated gently while she pushed some hair out of Amelia's face.

Amelia nodded, "I just can't believe what had happened. First Anna, and now Melody? What if they happen to come for me?" Asked Amelia as she looked her mother in her eyes.

She nodded, "I know. That's why you're father and I have decided to take you to school each morning and pick you up afterwards too. I would hate to lose you." She added as she caressed Amelia's cheek.

Amelia nuzzled into her mother's hand and felt the tears begin to pour down her face, "I want Melody back. We're supposed to go see a concert for my birthday in three days. But I guess, I'll be alone."

"Your father and I will be here if you need anything, alright? Try to get some rest sweetie." Said her mother as she kissed Amelia on the forehead and walked out of the room.

Amelia sat there in the silence. She didn't know what to do. But suddenly she remembered the night of the party.

*Flashback*

"You're Melody's friend, aren't you?" Gerard asked as he knelt down in front of her. He softly touched her cheek, but she pushed his hand away from her. "What's wrong? You're not afraid, are you?" He asked quietly.

Amelia looked up at him, "How do you know Melody?"

"We have our ways. We've been waiting for her." He simply replied as he grabbed her hand. He pulled it closer to his face and held her wrist under his nose. He inhaled deeply as if he were smelling for something.

She violently pulled back her arm and held it to herself, "What the fuck are you doing?"

"It seems that we must await for you too. Forget about tonight. Don't say a word to anyone about Anna. We must keep her a secret. And if you don't then you will find that your little world will be turned upside down. Got it?" He asked as he leaned closer.

*End Flashback*

Amelia then gasped. Tomorrow, I'm going to see what those creeps have done to my friend.

The next morning Amelia stalked up to the school. No one was there yet. Just a janitor who whistled as he mowed the lawn in the front yard of the school and the principal. Amelia took her post just outside of the doors of the high school. She sat between the two staircases leading up to the front doors.

She seen a big gray suburban roll onto the school parking lot. Four boys jumped out of it and began walking towards the school. Amelia stood up and stalked towards them, "What did you do with Melody? Where is she?"

Gerard stopped and nodded for the other boys to leave them. "What are you talking about? I've heard that she was missing." He stated as he gently held her arm and opened the door to his suburban, "Get in." He then got in on the driver's side.

Amelia stared at the open door and looked at him, "I'm getting in there with you." She said in a harsh tone.

Gerard stared intently into her eyes, "If you don't get in, I won't tell you about your friend."

Amelia inhaled sharply. She wondered what he knew about her. "Alright, only if you talk."

Gerard smiled, "You have my word."

Amelia slowly got in and sat down. She held her bag between her legs and looked at Gerard, "What do you know?"

"Close the door. We're going for a ride." He said as he turned on the engine.

Amelia obeyed and closed the door as she began to put on her seat belt. She looked up at Gerard, "So what do you know about Melody?"

Gerard sighed, "She's alright. We didn't hurt her."

"What do you mean? You've kidnapped her?" Amelia asked as her voice began to strain.

Gerard nodded, "We're saving her from herself right now."

Amelia frowned, "What do you mean exactly by saving her from herself? She's not some kind of monster or anything like that!"

Gerard chuckled as he turned to the left, "Yeah, well she is now. Not by choice I assure you."

"What do you mean?" Amelia asked as she looked up in wonder. She couldn't figure out anything that her friend could have possibly done to have her labeled as a monster. Melody was the sweetest girl alive.

"I know that it's hard to think of Melody as a monster, but that's how life goes. Sometimes there are things that are beyond our control." Gerard added, as he noticed Amelia getting extremely quiet.

Amelia turned to him, "What do you mean? She's not in trouble is she? I can easily slick about five thousand from my parents if she needs bail money. Or my mom can represent her if she needs some serious legal consultation."

"No, it's nothing like that." Gerard smirked as he let a laugh fall from his lips. "It's more of a genetic thing. It happens to certain kids when they turn sixteen."

"What kind of thing? What are you talking about?"

Gerard sighed as he pulled up to an old abandoned house. It was just outside of Belleville, and planted right in the middle of a meadow. The house looked like some kind of plantation ranch, there were three other houses close together. But all of them were hidden behind huge weeping willows that let their branches blow lazily in the wind.

"This is where she's being kept. She's fine, but under close supervision for now. It's way too dangerous to let her out yet. And this is where you will be residing since your birthday is soon." Gerard said as he put a piece of cloth over her mouth.

Amelia tried to wriggle from his grasp, "Mmm... Let me," was all she managed to say before she slipped into a world of black.