Paradise was a town that seemed to be stuck in time. Its streets were lined with clapboard houses, each with a perfectly manicured lawn and an American flag waving proudly on the porch. At its heart stood the First Baptist Church, its white steeple piercing the sky like a beacon. With Cindy Ackerman's disappearance becoming official, something fundamentally shifted, and Paradise had turned out to cleanse itself upon God's altar.

The church was musty. Principal Deacon paced the parquet flooring of the chancel. This was the second time I'd witnessed her preparing to eulogize one of her students.

Over my shoulder, the cheer team was trying to out-grieve each other. One elbowed another as the captain hissed a demand for less talking and more tears. Each held homemade signage spelling Cindy's name - 'S I N D I E'.

My parents sat to my left, and Emma and Rosie to my right. Their hands intertwined, bracing themselves for what was to come next. They acted like their own eco-system, each unable to coexist without the other. Periodically, I searched for Simon in the crowd. It was a quarter after three; the service started fifteen minutes ago. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and sent him a text.

Me: Where are you?

Nearby, David had a firm hand clasped around his wife's shoulders as if this act would stop her from internally collapsing. Despite Mr. Ackerman's solidarity towards his wife, he was engaged in an animated conversation with the pastor.

"And then, out of nowhere, a deer cut in front of the car; bounced right off the hood. Tornadoes rile them up. They go crazy. Animals don't know what to do for the best in that situation. It's about preservation, survival."

Cindy's father was talking shit. Maybe he was taking Valium? The casual manner in which he spoke was reserved for barbecues with life-long friends.

"How are you holding up, dear?" The pastor reached out and placed a hand on Penny Ackerman's shoulder.

With swollen eyes, she looked silently, pondering the same question repeatedly. I bet she was thinking the same thing we all were; this happened to other people.

Penny ran a hand through her bedraggled hair. "I just want to know she's safe... The Police say they're doing everything they can, but... it's not enough."

"I'm sure they're doing their best. Come, we'll lead the service with a prayer."

Penny nodded and dried her eyes on a crumpled tissue fished from the pastor's pocket.

My cell phone buzzed in my hands.

Simon: I'm here. Look three pews behind you, six o'clock.

Over my shoulder, Simon waved at me, wedged between Dolly Symonds, the thrice-divorced retired Drama teacher from school, and his father. He mouthed the words, "Help me."

Emma cleared her throat. "Excuse me, I need some air. I'll be back soon, my dear girl," she said, turning briefly to Rosie. Emma stood shuffling out of the pew. Daniel hung by the door as I watched her go and then stalked behind her outside.

"You could stop it, Nick," Cindy whispered from the pew behind me.

My shoulders tensed; her ability to spring up behind me wore thin. And no, not on my watch. I stood up and jammed my phone back into my pocket.

"Where are you going, honey?" Mom looked at me skeptically.

"Sit next to Simon." I lied.

I skulked off towards the exit.

The late-afternoon sun scorched the back of my neck. The murmur of voices traveled on a light breeze. When I rounded the corner, the church garden beckoned with the whir of crickets and the fluttering of fledglings. This area was serene and peaceful; it was where they buried the children.

Emma and Daniel were deep in conversation. Emma never blushed; she'd once remarked it was beneath her to conjure such a sappy reaction, but right now, her cheeks were aglow, illuminating that lie across her entire face.

I stumbled to a halt. "Emma!" I called out.

Emma's head jerked around. "Not now," she warned and turned back to Daniel lounging across a memorial bench.

"I need to talk to you," I persisted.

She exaggerated a sigh. "I'll catch you later, D." She strode to me. "Personal space, bro." Knocking against my shoulder, she barged passed me and stormed off.

Jumping to his feet, Daniel nodded up, signaling he wanted a word. Looking like the typical All-American boy, he brushed his brown hair away from his piercing blue eyes as he approached.

"Listen, Brennan, about the other day..."

As he was talking, it must be evident that I was not listening because he paused, and a barrage of other thoughts flooded my mind blocking his out. What happened with Cindy? Where did you go? What did you do? My eyes hardened into a glare, horrified. He was about to downplay the fact he was with Cindy the night she disappeared.

When I spoke next, I purposely tried to control my words and make them seem bigger than me somehow. I gritted my teeth. "What did you do?"

His expression switched to confusion. "About what exactly?"

"You know I know, right? I'll tell everyone?" Keeping the tremor from my voice is harder than I realized; as the rattle that started in my hands traveled up my arms.

His eyes darkened, and he stepped closer. "If you're implying I —"

"That's exactly what I'm saying," I cut him off. "I know everything, and Emma..."

"You wouldn't fucking dare." His hands clenched into fists by his side, and for a moment, all I could see was them wrapped around Cindy's throat as she struggled to breathe.

"I think I know what you did," I whispered. But a new realization waded into my mind; if he had hurt Cindy, would I be in trouble too? After all, I had seen Cindy, and I hadn't spoken up; what would Simon's Dad make of that?

A roar erupted, causing the birds to scatter from neighboring trees. The soccer team swaggered around the corner with Laurie in tow. They stopped, still sensing an altercation, and formed a circle around me like the red-tailed hawks, selecting the best position to watch my demise.

Meanwhile, my attention moved back to Daniel. The look in his eyes said he didn't have a choice. The way he understood it, I'd asked for this, and now with the 'Team' on board, he had to deliver.

For what good it was worth, I straightened up because I promised myself next time, I wouldn't run. Daniel stood at least a foot taller than me. He used this to his advantage; to make me feel small. Daniel's eyes darted to the floor, and mine followed. An uppercut sledgehammered into my jaw, a searing pain exploded within my skull, and I was kissing the dirt in under a second.

As I lay there, feeling the warm blood seep out of my mouth, I knew I couldn't let him get away with it. I had to make him pay, and I had to do it now. I scrambled to my feet and lunged at him, throwing a punch with all my might. But he was too quick for me, and he dodged it with ease.

I could see the amusement in his eyes as he circled around me, taunting me with his movements. "You really think you can take me on?" he sneered, his voice dripping with contempt.

I wasn't about to back down. I clenched my fists and advanced toward him again, this time with more caution. He was a skilled fighter, and I knew I had to be careful.

We circled each other for what felt like an eternity, looking for an opening. And then it came. I made a mistake, leaving my guard fully down. In a flash, Daniel's fist made contact with my ribcage, and the air rushed out of my lungs. I doubled over, gasping for breath, feeling like I was going to die. I could hear the laughter of the 'Team' ringing in my ears as I struggled to catch my breath. He followed up with a barrage of punches, each one landing with satisfying thuds, making him smile. I crumpled to the ground, blood streaming from his nose as he towered above me.

After a few minutes, I forcibly uncurled my legs from their fetal position and willed myself to stand. The fight, if you could call it that, was already over. I'd been left discarded on the floor as Daniel and the team started to walk off. Cindy sat crossed-legged beside me.

"Everybody hurts, Nick. You'll do well to remember that today."

I ignored her, more than a little dazed, continuing my thousand-yard stare into space, welcoming the sun to shrink my pupils and swamp everything in a red haze. My chest was crushing. Blood oozed from a crack in my lip into a singular stream that cascaded down my face.

"If you stare at the sun, you'll die. Fact," Cindy said.

"Blind," I muttered. "You're as educated as your cheer-mates. But dead would suck, wouldn't it?"

Cindy's eyes rimmed with tears. "You're worse than I was. How fitting I get stuck with you in my afterlife."

I spat blood onto the ground and shakily stood up. I trudged over to Daniel, who now had his back turned. The swell of the crowd had eased, and people had dispersed, leaving Daniel and Laurie.

Laurie stepped between us, putting a hand on each of our shoulders. "Stop it, both of you. This isn't helping anyone," she said.

"I'll tell everyone about you and Emma, too," I spoke up. The world had to know about Cindy, and it had to protect Emma.

By the way his shoulders stiffened, I knew that he'd heard me.

When he turned around, his face was twisted in anger. "You wouldn't dare," he hissed through gritted teeth.

I stumbled back a step but quickly regained my composure. "Try me," I said, standing straighter. I glared at Daniel over her shoulder, daring him to make a move. For a moment, it looked like he might.

"Daniel, what is he talking about?" Laurie's eyes scorched with an intensity only a star on the verge of becoming a super-nova could muster.

Daniel spun around. "He's talking shit. Aren't you, Brennan?"

It took more courage than I thought I had to shake my head.

"WHAT THE FUCK!" Laurie lunged at Daniel. "Again?"

He caught hold of her hands and drew her near. "It's not what you think. It was a mistake. Harmless flirting at best. I love you, Laurie. I-I can't lose you."

Laurie shrugged out of his grip. "That's the last time. I can't believe it... First that slut..." Laurie pinched the bridge of her nose and, with a defeated sigh, said, "I'm done." She turned and began to leave.

"Laurie, wait," Daniel muttered. "Come on. I'm sorry."

Ignoring him, she crossed the street. He reached out to her but found only open air. We watched her go, the proverbial ticking time bomb.

"Brennan, I'm warning you. You keep your mouth shut. Or you'll wish it had never been opened."

He stormed off, leaving me alone.

"Fuck," I said, burying my face in my hands.

The enormity of the situation sunk in. Daniel just stood there. There wasn't an ounce of anger in his eyes; if anything, what hit me most was how much pain radiated from them. If broken, had a look— this was it.

"What have you done?" Daniel begged the question not just with his voice but with his eyes. Without wasting another second, he bounded after her.

I was a dead man. I needed to know what he was capable of before we crossed paths again. Grabbing for my phone in my back pocket, I brought Simon's name up.

Me: Meet me out back in five? I need to know everything about Daniel Garry.

Five minutes later, Simon arrived.

"What in hell happened to you?" he exclaimed.

"Daniel did. I may have initiated a war that I don't think I can win. What do you know about him?"

"Daniel..." He paused, measuring the words carefully in his head before he said them.

"His home life spiraled when his father passed. I mean, there's nothing inherently illegal about pyramid schemes, but his Dad had targeted the old folks' homes. After being fired, Mr. Garry was excommunicated. After a few DUIs, he took a final trip to the central reservation in Denton. He did everything to kill himself besides putting a gun to his head."

"He wasn't the golden boy about town anymore, not like his buddy, Zachary," I added, piecing the puzzle together.

"If Zachary was the king of Paradise, then Daniel was the pauper allowed to live for free in his castle."

"And when Zachary died?" I questioned.

"What do you suppose happens when a king dies? There's a succession to the throne. Daniel secured that seat once Zachary took his lengthy walk into the great unknown."

"Is he dangerous?"

"Desperate, maybe, not dangerous. In the space of a year, he's lost his father, his social standing, and his best friend. Laurie is his last link to Zachary."

My heart came to a standstill. "Wait, what?"

"Emma's right; I am your only friend. Do you even go to our school? Tell me, you know Laurie Evans is Zachary's sister? Non-identical twin, might I add."

Laurie-whatever-her-name-was is Laurie Evans? I blinked twice as I absorbed the revelation.

I couldn't for the life of me work out what each saw in the other. Maybe theirs was a pairing forged in grief? As fragile as their relationship appeared to the keen observer, that didn't mean it counted for nothing. Maybe Daniel's disregard for others was the only way he drew power anymore?

I'm a dick-head. I'd jumped on the first bandwagon with my eyes tightly closed just because Cindy had asked me to. A real-life chess player. Manipulative. Playing me in some unfinished business of hers.

Maybe she was God? Maybe, this was the closest I would ever be to heaven whilst still breathing.

I swallowed hard. "I think I just split them up..."

Simon covered his face with his hands. "Dude, why would you rattle that cage!" he implored, and his hands dropped away. "Forget what I said about desperate. Given what you've just said, I'd be worried if I were you."

Simon sighed and lifted my chin up. "And look at the state of your face. You're lucky that lip doesn't need suturing."

I pulled away. The time had come to tell Simon everything I knew about Emma, the three of them the night of the tornado, everything except for Cindy's current predicament. Because some secrets, much like Cindy, shouldn't exist at all.

By the end of that day, another set of lives had unraveled and fell apart. The endless spring of my seventeenth year was about to stop dead in its tracks.

"Simon, I've got something to tell you..."