A full day had passed since Anne vanished.
Mira paced outside the school gates, her phone clutched in her hand, her nerves fraying. Brittany arrived in a cloud of perfume and impatience, sunglasses perched on her head like a crown.
"This is ridiculous," Brittany snapped. "She's not answering. She's not posting. She's not even lurking. That girl lives online—something is wrong."
Mira nodded. "We need help."
The Eastbridge police station smelled like stale coffee and disappointment. A single fan spun lazily overhead, doing absolutely nothing.
Behind the front desk sat a rotund officer in a wrinkled uniform, one hand buried knuckle-deep in his nose.
Mira cleared her throat. "Excuse me?"
The officer blinked, wiped his hand on a napkin, and leaned forward. "Yeah?"
"Our friend is missing," Mira said. "Her name's Anne Waters. She hasn't been seen since the fair."
The officer squinted. "We'll try to find her."
Brittany's jaw dropped. "Try?"
The officer shrugged. "We'll put out a notice. Maybe check the woods."
Brittany stepped forward, hands on her hips. "Listen, Officer Nose-Digger, we didn't come here for a motivational poster. We came for action. You're the police, not a part-time potato."
Mira winced. "Brittany…"
"No," Brittany snapped. "He's sitting here like he's auditioning for a role in Lazy Cop: The Musical. Our friend is missing, and he's giving us 'meh' energy."
The officer blinked. "I'm doing my job."
"Your job?" Brittany scoffed. "Your job is to protect and serve, not pick and swerve."
Mira grabbed her arm. "Let's go."
As they stormed out, Brittany muttered, "I swear, if I ever go missing, just skip the cops and call Netflix. At least they'll make a documentary."
Scene: Brittany's Mansion
Brittany's mansion was everything Mira expected—and more.
Marble floors. Crystal chandeliers. A staircase that looked like it belonged in a royal palace.
Mira gawked. "The only thing I have this big is my anxiety."
Brittany tossed her bag onto a velvet couch. "Welcome to Casa de Drama."
Just then, a voice piped up from the hallway.
"Brittany! What are you doing here?"
A ten-year-old girl with pigtails and a glittery unicorn shirt skipped into the room.
Brittany groaned. "Lily. Why are you here?"
Lily beamed. "Mom went to Paris in her jet. She said you have to babysit me for the day!"
Brittany blinked. "Ugh."
Lily twirled. "I made slime!"
Mira stifled a laugh.
Scene: The Plan
They gathered in Brittany's sunroom, Lily playing with glitter glue in the corner.
Mira pulled out her notebook. "I've been researching the disappearances. There's one thing in common—fog. Thick fog. And the creature always vanishes with it."
Brittany frowned. "So what? We chase fog like it's a celebrity?"
Mira leaned in. "We go to the forest. We follow the fog. It's the only lead we have."
Brittany crossed her arms. "And how do we find Anne in all that mist?"
Mira hesitated. "My mom used to worry about me getting bullied. So she gave me a necklace with a tracking chip. I gave Anne one—at the fair. Just in case."
Brittany's eyes widened. "You microchipped her?"
Mira shrugged. "I call it love."
They looked at each other.
To be continued…