Daniel Rivelli July 13th, 2017 2017 Chester Ln. North Carolina

Daniel was sitting on his butt, playing Madden 16 on his Xbox 360. His mom was cooking up some spaghetti and meatballs. The smell of meat and pasta sauce filled the room. The room Daniel was sitting in had two brown couches and a large coffee table. The couches were both separated to form an L­shape. There was a smaller coffee table that partitioned the two sofas. Underneath the larger coffee table, there was an even bigger rug that featured tan, white, and black flowers and vines, all with abstract shapes layered behind the floral designs.

Daniel got a phone call on his iPhone 6s. It was Payden, one of his best friends. “Yo.” Daniel answered. “What’s up?” “Dude, I’m finally going to pick up Rachel!” Payden seemed ecstatic. “Congrats, man!” Daniel said, excited and happy for Payden. Payden had been talking to Rachel on a long distance basis for quite a while now; almost two years of nearly constant romantic intermingling and neither of the two had ever gotten a chance to meet in person. Rachel lived in a completely different country, almost on the opposite side of the world. Daniel was slightly impressed at Payden’s constant persistence; Daniel could never do anything like that.

“Thanks, dude! I’m actually in Miles’ car right now. We’re on our way to the airport to pick her up!” He was so giddy, that Daniel could feel Payden’s excitement over the phone, figuratively speaking of course. Miles was one of Payden’s best friends and Daniel had only ever heard of who Miles was. He had never gotten to know Miles on a personal basis. “Okay, well I gotta go. We’re less than 5 minutes from the airport. I’ll talk to you later, man.”

“See ya.” He hung up the phone, realizing that he had just talked on the phone for the first time in ages. Normally, Daniel would just text someone, but he sort of felt obliged to pick up the phone, seeing as his phone was ringing and it didn’t make sense to just leave it alone and ignore the call.

Daniel’s stomach started grumbling, and he began to realize how hungry he was. He put his phone in his pocket and got up to check on his mom, see where she was at with the spaghetti.

As he walked toward the kitchen, he noticed that his dad wasn’t in his office. His dad’s office was a smaller room, built right next to the stairs, which he had to pass in order to get into the kitchen. The door to the office was slightly cracked open, and from

what Daniel could see, there was no sign of anyone sitting in the desk chair that his dad normally sat in.

Where is he? Daniel thought to himself. He entered his dad’s office, pushing the door open and searching the room for any sign of where his dad might be.

The desk chair, as he originally noted, was empty. But his dad’s computer was up and running, and it was open to his dad’s business files that he needed for his job as a financial advisor for TIAA. There was nothing else, despite his dad’s busy, but not completely cluttered, desk. His dad had obviously been there.

Must be napping, Daniel presumed. Back to food. He left his dad’s office and continued into the kitchen, where a pot of steaming water was perched upon the stove. It smelled great, but it was obviously not entirely ready. He looked around for his mom.

“Mom?” Daniel raised his voice above the noise of boiling water. Yet it was to no avail, seeing as his mom didn’t reply.

Where is she? Daniel continued to search for her. He walked past the pantry, which was placed in the kitchen area, parallel to the laundry machines that were oddly placed in the kitchen area. He continued to walk until he was at the front of his house, where there were two large windows, hidden by equally large red curtains. He parted the red curtains to see if his mom’s car was still parked in the driveway. And it was, along with his dad’s car. His mom’s SUV was still where it had normally been. His mom must surely be in the house somewhere.

He went into every part of the house. He visited the garage, the bathrooms, the closets, his bedroom, his sister’s bedroom, his brother’s bedroom, and his parent’s bedroom.

What the heck? Daniel was completely befuddled. He went back to where he had been playing his game, where the game’s Main Menu was flashing on his screen. He powered off the TV and his Xbox, and pulled out his phone again.

He decided, if anything, that his parents would most likely respond to a phone call. He called his mom’s cell, and waited.

After about 15 seconds of ringing, Daniel thought he heard someone’s phone ringing, other than his own. And it was awfully close.

His mom’s phone was vibrating and ringing on the countertop in the corner of the kitchen. Daniel picked up her phone and hung it up.

What the heck? Daniel was seriously questioning everything. He decided that he would just sit and wait.

Where are they?