I crawl out from behind Al’s IPod. I stare up at it in a bit of awe. It’s just a simple IPod nano, but it looks simply enormous in comparison to me. I run my hands along the sleek machine and wonder if I will ever regain my old stature?

                “Bye Mom” Al shouted as she leapt down the stoop and ran across the yard.

                Al’s voice rumbled around me causing me to cover my ears as she flung the door open. I was starting to question my decision to sneak along when I felt Al leap into the air. Everything shook feverishly as she landed on the ground and took off running.  Al’s IPod tumbled towards me. I struggled to get to my feet grabbing fistfuls of fabric as I force myself up just as the IPod hits the floor behind me. I slink back down resting against the giant machine and look at the display. The name Ashley Tisdale scrolls across the LCD screen.

                I started to get use to fast paced rocking motion as Al ran to school. It wasn’t until I started to hear the thundering voices of godlike people everywhere that I discovered we were are at school. I felt a wave of relief as Al finally stopped moving. I figured now seemed like as good a time as any to get her attention as now that she was at school she wasn’t going to walk the three blocks back home to drop me off.

                I used the IPod for balance as I climbed the pocket. As I reached the rim of the pocket I was out of breath and gasping for air. I flung my arms over the edge and found myself looking straight into a locker. The inside door was plastered with celebrities and pictures of my sister’s friends.

                “Hey Al” I yell but I realize she still has the ear buds in. She is never going to hear me. I think to myself as I kick myself for not waiting a bit longer. It’s then I hear a loud yet familiar voice. I cringe as Al turns and I see my sister’s best friend bounding towards her. They immediately embrace. The impact is like a car accident. I hurdle through the air for a few moments and then I smash into a warm wall falling unconscious.

****Miranda****

                I pulled into the driveway of Jacen’s house. I took a deep breath and stepped out of the car. I was only halfway to the door when it opened up and I saw Jacen’s mom standing on in the doorway. She smiled at me and waved me.

                “Miranda, it’s so good to see you.”

                “Likewise” I reply as I am ushered inside as I drop my purse down on the inside wall as I have done a million times before. We talked at the kitchen table for a bit about this and that.  I could tell she was taking the Jacen situation about as well as I was.

                “I was wondering if it would be all right if I could go up to his room. I am kind of hoping it will help give me some closure you know. This is all just so hard.”

                “I understand. You don’t even need to ask. Take as much time as you like.”

                I excuse myself and trudge upstairs. I felt bad for lying to Jacen’s mother but when I discovered what really happened it would all be forgiven. Even knowing that, it didn’t make me feel any better. As lying was something I was never good at, especially when I am in pressure situations like this.

                I push the door open and tears come rushing down my face as memories pass through me. I walk towards Jacen’s desk and practically fall into the chair as I grab at a Kleenex.  As soon as I composed myself I started looking through the desk drawers. I needed some clue on where he would have gone.

                No matter where I looked I wasn’t finding anything until I sat down on Jacen’s bed. As soon as I sat down I felt something under me and stood back up and pulled what felt like his laptop free.  I unfolded the laptop and all around the edges I found a bluish substance. It had crystallized like nothing I had ever seen before. I was a little afraid to touch it, so I scraped some into an empty pill box Jacen had lying on his desk.

                This definitely wasn’t much but right now it was the only clue I had going for me. It looks like my next stop is going to be the science center on campus. If anyone can tell me what this stuff does it has to be them.

                I bounded down the stairs with a smile on my face for the first time in a while. I knew I was one step closer to finding where Jacen went and now, I was extremely curious on how this blue stuff fit into the whole equation.