Disappearance…

I used to hang out every afternoon with Myles. We were the bad boys of the neighbourhood. Half the things destroyed in the neighbourhood were because of Myles, me and the rest of the gang. All together we were the Runaways. Our parents banned, grounded but it made no difference. I lived a great life, destroying, skating, laughing. Well I did live a great life… That was until New Myles came to town…

It all started with Myles disappearing. At first no-one thought much of it. Myles had been known to disappear and come back weeks later just to prank us. However, when Myles had disappeared for over three months, people started getting worried. Posters, reports and the back of cereal boxes began reporting Myles’s disappearance. Many people thought Myles had just run away but others thought that Myles had been kidnapped. Mrs Surrey told the TV cameras, “He was a bad boy, yes, but he always knew when to stop… Most of the time!” after seven months of Myles’s disappearance many people had given up hope, including the police. Inspector Harley could be heard telling Myles’s devastated parents, “Sorry ma’am, sir, but the boy is probably dead.” Everyone had given up hope and I’m sorry to say I had too. It was 10 months after Myles’s disappearance and still no sign of him.

Until Sunday.

It was 10:30 at night and my family were watching Groundhog Day. We were just up to the bit where Phil was put in jail when there came a knock at our door. My family and I rose as one, all wondering who was visiting us this late at night. We opened the door and standing on the ‘Welcome Stranger’ doormat was Myles’s mum and dad. But they weren’t alone. In the middle of them was Myles. I was so happy to see him that I almost didn’t notice Myles’s different features… Myles’s blond hair was usually messy, tousled but it was now straight and smooth, plastered over the left side of his face. His usually warm blue eyes looked cold, blank and staring. His smile showed only teeth and I could tell it wasn’t genuine. “Hello friend,” he said, and it wasn’t his usual smooth don’t care voice; his vowels were clipped, and he sounded robotic. I stood there staring wondering what had happened to him until Mum nudged me. “Oh bye, err see you at err school.” I stuttered, as Myles began to walk down the path his parents arms wrapped around him. As my parents went inside discussing the reappearance of Myles no-one except me noticed the way Myles’s head swirled around to face me, like an owl’s, or the way his face cracked into one evil smile….

Myles’s strange behaviour continued over the weeks, including school. He had given up smashing windows, being naughty. He was good, usually smart and still robotic. I decided to corner him after class to see what was going on, after all I wanted the real Myles back. After History I approached Myles and started to ask whether he was ok, but he cut me off. “You gave up. You forgot. You are going to punished!” He eyes spun as he advanced on me. I tried to run but my legs were frozen in horror. He put his hand on my heart, his icy hand and sucked every bit of love and warmth I possessed. I felt dizzy as Myles smiled and said, “Good Bye friend!” I had no warmth, no love as my hair straightened and my eyes turned cold. Myles turned and walked out the door and I followed him, ready to serve my new master at last…