"What do you mean she's gone?" I asked incredulously. "What happened? Did you talk to my parents? What did they say?"

I peppered them with questions, my expression being one of huge anxiety.

"Let's get some food, we'll talk along the way." M said.

"Tell me what's going on!" I demanded.

"I did like you asked, I phoned your house and then asked for you." M explained."Your Dad said you don't live there anymore. So I asked if your sister was there. He said she moved too."

"Your stepdad is usually a dick but he gave me the creeps this time.  He sounded almost happy... That bites man." But that's not the weirdest part..." M said.

S piped up and said, "I called there last night to do the same thing.  Your number was disconnected"

By then, we had rounded the corner and arrived at McDonalds, we went over to an outdoor cement table, and I plunked down and lay my head in my hands.

"What am I supposed to do? Where did they go?  Where is she?" I wanted to know.

"Let's try lunch first." S suggested dropping a hand on my shoulder."Have what you want."

"Filet O fish meal with coke please," I responded. "Thank you."

M went into McDonalds while my S sat with me in companionable silence.

My brain stewed, and my thoughts raced but I had to figure this out, I had to know.

M returned with a tray full of food.

Despite my distress, my mouth filled up with saliva.  My stomach felt like it was caving in. The food in front of me smelled so good, I couldn't help but devour it and within minutes too.

I wiped my mouth and looked up and my two friends were giving me the Mr. Spock look with the classical raised eyebrows.

"Sorry guys, was hungry. Thanks, it was good" and wiped my mouth again.

"Obviously eh" S said. "Have you figured out what you're gonna do yet? Summers not gonna last forever. You probably wanna know what's up so, what do you think?"

"You said some things happened and you gotta walk in different. What's up with that? M asked.

I proceeded to tell them about the lady with the walking stick and her chubby son. How I first saw her and how I last left her.

My friend's got some laughs out of that but I wasn't feeling like laughing anymore.

Their amused expressions began to fade into one of concern.

M said, "That's kind of creepy someone crashin' around out there and seeing walkin' stick lady like that. You took a chance messin' with her and her son. But hey, kudos for getting it done.

"I think you need to split sooner rather than later." S offered."I can ask around and see if someone's got a room or somethin'."

"Ok," I said listlessly.

"I got you this bag of stuff. My mom seems to think I'm eating a lot lately. Dad said I'm a growing boy. I didn't say anything." M  remarked."

S pulled out another bag and said, "Mom was gonna take this to the food bank. I told her I'd take it for her but, I brought it here instead."

I looked up at my two friends so grateful for them that I almost broke down in tears.

I accepted the bags gratefully. "Thanks for everything, yer awesome dudes."

"We gotta take off, dude is going RVing with his family so he won't be here next weekend." I'll be here though." M said, "You can show me what's up. You alright walking back?"

"Yes," I answered distractedly.

We stood up and hugged each other and wished S a good time. Then we waved each other goodbye and began to walk up the street towards the park.

Instead of going straight through on the trail, I took a right instead. Then checking both ways, I jumped into the forest to continue to my camp.

The urgency to find out where my sister went, was paramount above and beyond what my parents were up to.

I couldn't go to the police. Going to them meant having to go back there and I couldn't allow that.

Despair had returned along with a deep frustration, a feeling of hopelessness, that my hands were tired. No resources to be had. No questions could I ask without risk.

This was too great a matter for my young mind to decipher but I tried anyway I tried to figure out what he would do.

My mother would just follow along like a sheep, but him? He was capable of anything...

All I could do was wait.  Wait until I could figure out a place to stay.  Ask in a roundabout way if they'd talked to her.

I don't know. I wish I knew, but I didn't. I'm not the wellspring of all wisdom.

But, some questions needed to be answered, had to be answered, must be answered. I'll find out, I'll find a way. 

Maybe not today, but it won't be for lack of trying...