|HUM∆N|

"Here it is; the most horrible place known to man."

I looked up at the brick house in question. It was smallish, but it didn't look anything close to "The most horrible place known to man". In fact, it looked like a cozy little home, especially in the early morning light.

"What exactly makes it so horrible?" I asked.

"Many things my dear." He pointed at his ear. "Listen."

We both grew very silent, although I have no idea what we were listening for. I had almost given up when I heard the sound that had to be the one Larson was speaking of. Screaming. At least two people arguing. I couldn't quite make out what they were saying, but whatever it was, they were angry about it.

"It sounds like a constant replay for me; same people yelling, different subject matter." His face was stone cold like one of those on that important American mountain, the one whose name slips from me along with everything else.

Suddenly, the wooden door slung open, and a built man in a suit rushed out with a suitcase in one hand, and a set of keys in the other. He closed the distance between him and his Hummer in three long strides.

I didn't even have to ask my question...

"That's Ronald Jackson; hot shot business man by day, wife beater by night."

The awkward silence that happens when you feel like you need to say something, but you can't think of anything good, so you just stand there quietly happened between us.

Larson only allowed it to go on for a minute or so before he interrupted it. "Come on, let's go somewhere else until he gets home."

"Where?" I asked. Could he have yet another horrible place to visit?

"Wherever you want." He said with a casual smile. The Larson I know was slowly resurfacing, much to my relief.

"Well there is something I would like to try..."

He chuckled now, "I knew you would have somewhere in mind." He held out his hands to me. "Take me there."

The familiar white halls were around us in seconds, as well as hundreds of passing students rushing off to class.

"The school again?" Larson called over the masses of people chattering.

"There's something I want to try in the library." I yelled back. I left the hall, and appeared in the middle of the library.

I knew exactly where the book was. It's the one I used to beg students to pick up so I could helplessly read over their shoulder; my highschool yearbook. I had totally forgotten about it with everything that's been going on lately.

I removed the dark purple book from the shelf, and began shifting through pages until I got to the seniors section. My page flipping came to a quick stop when I found the page. 'Seniors 2015' was written in purple letters across the top of the page.

My eyes soured down the columns of faces that I didn't recognize. I went through two pages like this until I found someone I knew.

It was the boy from one of my first memories, my boyfriend I think. His name was Baylor, but that didn't ring a bell whatsoever.

I continued my search. I passed over many people that I didn't recognize. I was moving so fast, I had almost flipped the page without noticing him. The very last photo box on the page featured a very familiar face; the face of Larson Kale.

He didn't smile, in fact, he barely acknowledged that he was having his picture made. His shaded eyes seemed to be off in another world entirely.

"Watcha looking at?" I jumped slightly at the sound of his voice.

Speak of the devil.. "I didn't know you went to highschool with me.."

His smile morphed into a curious look altogether. He slid the book closer to himself. "Hmm, guess I did."

"You didn't know that already?" I asked.

"No, I mean I assumed I did since it's the only one in town, but I have no memory of it."

I looked back down at the boy in the picture. Judging by his expression, he was never really here.

"Must have been a pretty boring school... Looks like I hated it.." He chuckled. His picture obviously amused him. "Where are you?" He asked me.

I kept flipping through pages. Finally, I found myself. My picture was the same picture they had used in my memorial. I guess I know my name now.. "Harley Jamison." I repeated it a few more times in my head, but I couldn't get it to fit me. Maybe it's because I'm not that girl anymore, she's dead.

Larson flipped the next few pages when he saw that I wasn't going to. "Here you are again." He said.

I followed his pointing finger to the top of a pyramid of cheerleaders. There was the happy blonde girl I long to be.

He scanned through a few more.. "What the..." Larson shocked tone pulled me back to reality. "Harley, look."

My heart nearly stopped when I saw the reason for his shock.

The top of the page read 'Prom king and queen', and the picture featured a very enthused Josiah with his arm around a fake smiling Harley in a red flowing dress.
But I had a boyfriend... I thought. And Josiah wasn't in any other pictures... How? The storm of questions swirled around me.

"He just keeps showing up..." Larson said. A hint of anger lingered in his voice.

"He's not even in the senior class.." I said, sliding to the ground beneath the shelf.

I watched as Larson frantically turned pages. A sick feeling had begun to turn my stomach. "Right here!" Larson said loudly.
"Josiah McNally."

Beneath Larson's thin finger was a picture of Josiah; the very same guy that sat in the street with me that night.

The pages right before the cheer page also featured Josiah McNally. In fact, he was in several photos including the football, soccer, and wrestling photos.

"He did a little of everything.." Larson said quietly.

"Yeah, apparently.." My mind flipped through every conversation I had with Josiah that I can remember. I had totally forgotten about something he said that was pretty important. "Josiah isn't dead. He told me that."

Larson's face hardened as he remembered the conversation we all had in the cemetery. "How the heck is he here then, Harley?"

That's a question that has picked at me for a while now. "I have no idea, but it's impossible for the living to be here, right?"

His lips pressed into a solid line, "Maybe it's only impossible for living humans to be here.." I knew what he was getting at before he said it. "Perhaps our friend Josiah isn't what we thought he was.."

I glanced around the empty library; my eyes eventually fell on the row of computers. "Let's Google him." I said.

Larson's brow scrunched together, "Google him, why?"

"Who knows what may come up. Any information would be useful.."

He sighed, "Okay, I guess you're right... It's not like we don't have unlimited free time or anything." His grin returned.

It was strange using the computer. I could see my hands using the keyboard, but it was different somehow; the motions didn't seem real to me. Perhaps it's because I haven't done anything like that in a while.

I managed to get his name typed in on Google, and several links and images popped up. The first link was a newspaper article. A picture of Josiah in a football uniform was surrounded by columns of words.

I skimmed through the paragraphs. They were mostly about how he was very talented and led the team to victory. Only one word stood out to me. Unusual. The exact sentence was 'Josiah McNally is certainly not the average player, some have described him as having unusual talent on the field. The Knights are definitely lucky to have him as their captain.'

The second article talked about his speed on the soccer and track team.

Another sentence that stood out was 'McNally may have a thin frame, but he is packed with massive strength.'

"What is he?" Larson questioned. "Unusual talent, massive strength and speed.." His words grew quiet as they turned into just thoughts.

I removed Josiah's name from the search bar, and keyed in mine.

Almost nothing, in fact just one local newspaper article.
The title immediately sent a prickly sensation throughout my body. 'Local girl goes missing on her senior prom night.'