Team8s and Counting Onwards

Thread was sitting in her classroom, waiting for all the kids to arrive so that the teacher could start the day. Flare usually showed up after she did, since she often got driven in by her mom before she got to work. Thread waited and waited, thinking that Flare would eventually show up, and class would start, just like she always had.

But today was different; Flare never showed up.

Thread instantly got worried. Flare seemed fine at school just the day before. In her memory, Flare had never missed a day of school.

Maybe she just got sick? Thread thought.

Out of curiosity, Thread went up to her teacher, Ms. Citrus, and asked her about Flare. "Ms. Citrus, where is Flare?"

Ms. Citrus glanced up from her attendance sheet, her expression softening. "Flare's not coming in today," she said gently.

Thread's stomach twisted. "Is she okay?"

Ms. Citrus hesitated, just for a second, before offering a reassuring smile. "I'm sure she'll be fine, sweetie. Sometimes people just need a little time."

Something about that answer didn't sit right with Thread. Maybe with the exception of getting really sick, Flare was never the person to miss school. In fact, Flare would tell her about how much of a break school was from her own house. Regardless, Thread went back to her table, and the teacher started the day.

Throughout the morning, an uneasy feeling lingered with Thread. It became hard for her to focus during class, but she tried to hide it as best as she could. Her mind started to wander off, thinking about the sleepover the two had with Bookmark just a week prior. She remembered watching Pencil and Match, but mostly Pencil, on Flare's phone. Flare had talked about the possibility of telling her parents about what happened.

That's when Thread's stomach dropped. No. she thought to herself. Of course, Flare had probably told her parents about it. What if...what if something bad happened to Flare because she talked to them about it. Flare thought that it might make her relationship with them better...but now Thread was fearing the worst for her friend.

Thread tried to take deep breaths. Okay...Bookmark has her phone number, right? Maybe she knows what happened! That was enough to get Thread through the rest of the morning until Ms. Citrus brought her class down to the cafeteria for lunch.

Thread ate her lunch, or at least as much as she could stomach in that moment. She was anxious, anxious to know if her friend was okay. Minutes felt like hours as Thread ate her lunch alone. Eventually, after what felt like forever, the kids were let outside for recess. Finally. Thread thought.

Thread wheeled around the blacktop and towards the sandbox, waiting for Bookmark to meet her there, just like they always had. She waited..

and waited...

and waited.

Bookmark never showed up.

Thread's heart pounded. First Flare, now Bookmark? Something was wrong. She knew it.

She scanned the playground, hoping—praying—that maybe Bookmark had just gotten caught up somewhere. Maybe she had to stay behind to finish her lunch. But no matter where Thread looked, she couldn't find her.

Her stomach twisted again, even tighter this time. She could brush off one of them being absent—Flare might have been sick, sure. But both of them? On the same day?

That wasn't a coincidence.

Thread tried to push the thought away, but it kept creeping back in. What if something bad really did happen? What if Flare's parents were mad about the show, just like they had feared? What if Bookmark got caught up in it too?