Chapter 6
Mila
"Listen up, everybody!" Sheelin shouted over the din. It didn't work.
"Oi, shut the hell up!" I shouted. That seemed to do the trick, "Now, you all know why we assembled you here," It was Thursday and we didn't have school tomorrow. I decided to call a meeting to discuss a topic that affected me, Lamai, Sheelin, Ben, and many more people across the country; missing and abducted children. "You all know that when you signed up to be a part of the Lakas, you agreed to help make a difference. Now is the time. Since we are teenagers, there's not much we can do without looking suspicious because obviously a group of teenagers is a gang and gangs kill people," I said that last part sarcastically. Some people laughed at this. Lakas for Life was larger than me, Lamai, and Sheelin; we had roughly 20 members.
"So," Sheelin said, "We have decided to have a vigil at the park tomorrow at dusk,"
"Nearly 800,000 persons under 18 were reported missing last year," Lamai said, she paused for effect, "That's a little more than 2,000 kids a day,"
"That's 2,000 kids too many," I said. I could see the information Lamai left for them to digest start to sink in, "The goal is to attract attention so guess what, we will try to look suspicious, but sophisticated at the same time. If possible, wear what would be considered 'aristocratic vampire'. No one around here is used to seeing people dressed like that. If you can't do that, then wear black. All black, because a teenager in all black will attract attention."
"I'll be bringing candles and matches," Sheelin said.
"And I'll be bringing... well, I guess I can bring food because it will be late," Lamai smiled. The meeting was over and we all went our separate ways.
"You have the dresses?" I asked Sheelin.
"Yeah," she asked, surprised, "You want to wear them tonight?"
"That's the plan; when else would we wear them?" I asked.
She shrugged, "Good point,"
Getting ready for the night was like getting ready for prom. I'll admit I've seen those movies where the popular girl has to hook up with the bad boy and they end up going to prom together. I know that's not what happens at all, but getting ready for tonight felt like a movie. We were all giggling like madmen and acting... normal. We didn't have memories haunting us and we were safe. It felt...unusual. I would've cried, but then my makeup would've run, so that wasn't a good idea.
"Sheelin," Lamai hollered from the bathroom, "I think I'm ready for my dress now,"
"Got it," Sheelin answered and ran to her sewing room. She handed the dress to Lamai through a little crack in the door.
Mila
"Listen up, everybody!" Sheelin shouted over the din. It didn't work.
"Oi, shut the hell up!" I shouted. That seemed to do the trick, "Now, you all know why we assembled you here," It was Thursday and we didn't have school tomorrow. I decided to call a meeting to discuss a topic that affected me, Lamai, Sheelin, Ben, and many more people across the country; missing and abducted children. "You all know that when you signed up to be a part of the Lakas, you agreed to help make a difference. Now is the time. Since we are teenagers, there's not much we can do without looking suspicious because obviously a group of teenagers is a gang and gangs kill people," I said that last part sarcastically. Some people laughed at this. Lakas for Life was larger than me, Lamai, and Sheelin; we had roughly 20 members.
"So," Sheelin said, "We have decided to have a vigil at the park tomorrow at dusk,"
"Nearly 800,000 persons under 18 were reported missing last year," Lamai said, she paused for effect, "That's a little more than 2,000 kids a day,"
"That's 2,000 kids too many," I said. I could see the information Lamai left for them to digest start to sink in, "The goal is to attract attention so guess what, we will try to look suspicious, but sophisticated at the same time. If possible, wear what would be considered 'aristocratic vampire'. No one around here is used to seeing people dressed like that. If you can't do that, then wear black. All black, because a teenager in all black will attract attention."
"I'll be bringing candles and matches," Sheelin said.
"And I'll be bringing... well, I guess I can bring food because it will be late," Lamai smiled. The meeting was over and we all went our separate ways.
"You have the dresses?" I asked Sheelin.
"Yeah," she asked, surprised, "You want to wear them tonight?"
"That's the plan; when else would we wear them?" I asked.
She shrugged, "Good point,"
Getting ready for the night was like getting ready for prom. I'll admit I've seen those movies where the popular girl has to hook up with the bad boy and they end up going to prom together. I know that's not what happens at all, but getting ready for tonight felt like a movie. We were all giggling like madmen and acting... normal. We didn't have memories haunting us and we were safe. It felt...unusual. I would've cried, but then my makeup would've run, so that wasn't a good idea.
"Sheelin," Lamai hollered from the bathroom, "I think I'm ready for my dress now,"
"Got it," Sheelin answered and ran to her sewing room. She handed the dress to Lamai through a little crack in the door.
