adding story from 2023

make.jl

@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@ makedocs(
         "2024" => Any[
             "The Livestreaming Accident" => "content/2024/February/20.md",
         ],
+        "2023" => Any[
+            "The Read Message" => "content/2023/2023.md",
+        ],
         "2022" => Any[
             "The Commute" => "content/2022/August/01.md",
             "The USB Hero" => "content/2022/May/10.md",

src/content/2023/2023.md

@@ -0,0 +1,153 @@
+# The Read Message
+
+> Hey, it's been a while.
+> 
+> I just wanted to let you know that I left too. I couldn't take the abuse anymore.
+> After you left, Mom kept drinking and Dad worked himself to death. I mean, not literally to death, but, like, close.
+> I don't know if I've seen him at all this month.
+> 
+> We are 18 now. We don't need them anymore.
+> I left them a note on the counter and blocked them on everything except e-mail.
+> I doubt they'll ever read it.
+> 
+> Last year, I started lifeguarding and saved up.
+> I studied for the SAT and did quite well and got myself a full ride to UT.
+> Not sure what I want to study, but I'm currently doing a little road trip before settling down in the dorms tonight.
+> 
+> I'll give you the room number when I get there if you want to stop by.
+>
+> It's just...
+> It's been a year, uno?
+> 
+> I know you won't read this, but if you do
+> I love you!
+
+I sighed a bit and stared out into the WcDonald's parking lot, idly watching the cars filter through and collect their orders.
+My WcFlurry was gone, and I knew I had to get back on the road soon or I wouldn't make it to the university in time for check-in.
+So I left.
+
+The drive was quiet.
+I was alone.
+A few times, I found myself distracted by my own thoughts and tried to flip through a bunch of different radio stations to kick myself out of my funk, but I couldn't.
+It was just me and my junk rattling around in the back seat.
+
+I got to the dorms by 6, just before the office closed.
+The resident assistent welcomed me, showed me the ropes and my room.
+It was simple, but that was fine.
+Apparently I was lucky and given a single room because all the doubles were full.
+
+So I threw myself on the bed and stared at the ceiling.
+
+Just me and my thoughts.
+
+At some point, I remembered that I promised to give my sister my room number, and as I pulled out my phone, my heart skipped a beat.
+Right under the message I had sent earlier there was a single word:
+
+> read
+
+I launched myself out of bed and began pacing through the room.
+She saw the message.
+She saw the message!
+
+What was I supposed to do?  
+How was I supposed to react?
+
+I hadn't seen her in so long and she was the only family I had now.
+
+I didn't want to scare her off, so I simply put down the address as I promised:
+
+> 308 Parker
+
+Immediately:
+> read
+
+Some chat bubbles appeared and then:
+> coming
+
+That was it.
+My sister was coming.
+It had been so long!
+
+I immediately ran from the room, jumped in my car and picked up ingrediants for brownies and pasta.
+I had so much I wanted to ask her.
+
+How was she doing?
+Was she well?
+Where did she go?
+
+Why did she leave?
+
+It didn't matter. I would get all my answers soon enough. For now, I just had to play it cool.
+When I got to the store, I wrote:
+
+> cool. See you soon then!
+
+And that was that.
+I got back and made some stellar brownies.
+I mean, they might have been a little burnt on the edges, but I think the buttercream icing more than made up for it.
+I don't know wny, but even the pasta sauce tasted sweeter than normal.
+The vegan meatballs also held together well and my spicing was on-point.
+I dare say that meal was one of the best I had made in a long time -- not bad considering I didn't really know the kitchen!
+
+Then I waited.
+I had everything laid out on the table and sat opposite of her empty plate.
+I kept glancing to my phone, but there were no updates.
+
+8:30.  
+A bit late for dinner, but that's alright!  
+It's the thought that counts. I am sure she'll be happy to see the effort!  
+
+9:15.  
+Maybe I should unpack a bit more.  
+After all, I just got in today. Maybe she needs a place to sleep?  
+I should lay out an extra blanket for her.  
+
+10:30.  
+I'm quite hungry now.  
+Maybe I can just go ahead and eat the pasta?  
+
+11:15.  
+Should I send a message?  
+No I don't want to rush her.  
+She must be on the road now.  
+It's getting late, I hope she's alright.  
+I'll just foil up the brownies and store the pasta.  
+
+12:00.  
+The intercom rang.  
+It was her, I was sure of it.  
+
+I picked up the receiver, but before I said anything I heard a distinctly feminine, yet somewhat staticy voice, "Hello, Alicia? It's Alice."
+
+It was her.
+I was so nervous, I didn't say a word and just buzzed her in while waiting at my door and peeping out the hole.
+A few moments later, there was a knock at my door, but I didn't see anyone on the other side.
+
+Confused, I didn't say anything and stood completely still.
+I must have hallucinated the knock, right?
+There was no one there.
+
+Then again, another knock.
+This time, I thought I saw a somewhat large hand covered in a glove from the corner of my vision through the hole.
+
+A few seconds later, I got a text:
+
+> I'm here. 308, right?
+
+My phone was on silent, so I texted back:
+
+> Yeah, one moment, sorry.
+
+Another knock.
+There was still no one directly in front of the door, but I started getting a sinking feeling in my chest.
+Someone was waiting just outside of my field of vision and it was certainly not my sister.
+
+I quietly took a step back and texted one more time,
+
+> Really, sorry. You caught me right after I jumped in the shower. Can you give me like 2-3 minutes?
+
+I  Then crept into the bathroom and dialed 911.
+
+---
+
+[[WP] Your sister went missing exactly one year ago. You opened your texts to send her one of your many messages about missing her and wishing she was here. The message shows up as being read.](https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/comments/1791tqk/wp_your_sister_went_missing_exactly_one_year_ago/)