Chemistry has just ended and the lunch period has begun. I manage to snag Minnie as she leaves the classroom. I’ve decided what I’m going to do.

“I want to help.”

“So… you’re in?”

“Yeah.”

Minnie’s right fist shoots into the air, celebrating her victory. Agreeing to help her investigate isn’t really much of a victory, but at least she’s happy. We’re currently in the corridor next to our shared Chemistry class.

“So, what have you done so far?”

Minnie pauses for a moment, then sheepishly answers, “Well… I talked with the lacrosse team.”

“Taylor played lacrosse?”

“Yeah, and she was super good at it too! Like, National level good!”

“What did they say?”

“They… uh… asked if I was lost, then took me to the office.”

“Like a kid?”

She blushes and I let out a snort. In return, she gives me a small glare. I don’t think she finds that as funny as I do.

“Did they remember her at all?”

“No.”

“Any other clues?”

“Not really, no.”

I’m getting the feeling Minnie’s investigation hasn’t been particularly fruitful, and what little she has done is gonna need to be retreaded. She needs my help more than I’d realized.

“Where does the lacrosse team practice?”

“The rear field from 3 to 5.”

“Alright, then let's meet up there at  2:50?”

Minnie gives me a slight nod, we exchange goodbyes, and I walk towards the next person I need to talk to.

As I walk across the campus, I idly look at the scenery around me. We’re deep into autumn now, and most of the trees around campus no longer have a single leaf on them, giving the whole school a monotonous brown tone.

I find Val sitting on a familiar bench, with her fingers rapidly pecking away at the number pad of an ancient phone. Some things never change.

I casually sit down next to her and wait for her to say something. I wouldn’t want to interrupt something as important as this.

After a full minute of silence, she says, “So... what brings you here today?” without looking up from her phone.

“Your lovely visage.”

She cracks a small smile, “Cut the crap. You, like, only talk to me when you want something”

For a moment, I’m taken aback. I come and talk with Val all the time! 

…Okay, maybe I want something from her most of the time, but not all of the time! Whatever. I can deal with this when a person isn’t missing.

“So… you remember Anna?”

She takes a momentary glance up from her phone, “I haven’t heard anything about her in a while. Are you, like, looking for her or something?”

“Kinda.”

“Well, it’s like I said, she’s been MIA for a while, and I can’t even get anyone to talk about her.”

“They pretend like she never even existed?”

“Totally! It’s like… I get it, but it seems a little extreme, y’know? There’s no reason to go that far!”

That damn near confirms it in my mind. If Val can’t get anyone to talk about Anna, it’s pretty much confirmed that they actually just don’t remember her.

Anna disappeared the same way as Taylor.

Suddenly, the knot in my chest is just a tiny bit tighter.

I knew that something like this could happen, but I didn’t think it would actually happen. I was incredibly naive. With whatever bullshit is going on behind the scenes of course people are gonna pull fucked up stuff like this!

I’m going to do my damnedest to get Taylor and Anna home, but who’s to say this isn’t the norm? People going missing and nobody remembering? Maybe there are people that disappeared who I don’t remember?

I’m in way over my head. I signed up for this shit thinking it’d be fun and games. Now I know that just isn’t the case. My trait protects Carolyn and Laura from other players, but everyone else is still in danger.

I look at Val.

“Sam? Are you okay?”

“...Yeah, why?” My voice is a little shakier than I would have liked.

“You’re a little pale.”

The only way I can protect people is to use my trait. If someone’s “My woman” then they can’t be stolen. I don’t know exactly what that means, but it seemingly offers a bit of protection. If it's to protect people...

Val gives me a weird look, “You’re staring.”

My eyes break contact with hers. I’d been staring at her for a while now. 

“Sorry...”

She lets out a sigh. “I have, like, no idea what’s going on, but you’re acting weird. Is something up?”

“... no.”

“Seriously, Sam. If something’s up-”

“Nothing’s up.”

Val completely breaks eye contact with her phone and looks at me. Her ears have gone red. “Why are you always like this?”

“... like what?”

“So. Fucking. Stoic. I want to talk about things with you, Sam! Every time you come over here it’s like a fucking interrogation! I tell you everything, and you give me nothing! I’m worried about you, but getting answers is like talking to a brick wall!”

Hooooly fuck. What set her off? I haven’t seen Val lose her temper like this in years.

“You don’t need to be worried! Everything’s fine!”

“And talk like that just makes me more worried! You’ve been super weird lately, Sam! Super fucking weird! I thought it was the suspension  and the cheating, but it’s been like, almost a month and you’re only getting worse!”

“I’m telling you-”

“Honestly, I don’t even know why I bother.” She stands up from the bench, grabs her book bag, and starts to walk away. 

I jump up and grab her shoulder to stop her, but she whips around, flicking my hand away. “Don’t fucking touch me.”

“I just want to know what happened to Anna. It's way too strange! How could she just disappear?” This is a half-truth, but I just need Val to calm down.

“... Who?”

“Anna? The one we were just talking about?”

Val wears a look of absolute confusion. She truthfully has no idea who I’m talking about.

My butt hits the bench hard as my shock knocks me off my feet.

What the fuck?