The Iron Room Read online

  The Iron Room

  Acknowledgments

  I’d like to thank my entire family, who has been nothing short of amazing. The support, and love that I have received is overwhelming. These books simply wouldn’t be possible without you.

  To my Parents,

  Thank you to you guys for sculpting and culturing my creativity.

  To Alexis and Lauren, my best friends,

  Your support is amazing. Thank you for proofreading this book chapter by chapter.

  To Andrew,

  I love you. The way you build me up has me feeling as if I can accomplish anything.

  To my Grandparents,

  To feel that you are proud, is all I ever need.

  1

  I heard voices surrounding me but couldn’t find the strength to open my eyes. I felt weak, and exhausted. My head began to throb until it became almost unbearable, but still, I could not open my eyes. I drifted into a black nothingness.

  Katie

  It was the first week of school, and to say I was excited would be pushing it. Normally, I looked forward to this day- fresh pencils, new binders, new books and especially new clothes. All of those remained, but there was a somber mood hanging in the air today at Prairie High School.

  The disappearance of a few high schoolers lately, had everyone in this small-town buzzing. There were fingers being pointed in all directions, from the creepy pharmacist to even Old Man Jennings. None of these leads panned out, but the rumors didn’t stop circling.

  About a month ago, a girl named Anna Lewis went missing. The local police assumed that she had run away from home, or maybe left with an older boyfriend. Her parents were persistent in that none of that could possibly be true. However, everyone else started to fall into that very same assumption. Anna was popular, and also a huge party girl. It didn’t seem that far-fetched to most of the town, that she had ran away from home. Her parents were conservative, and constantly chastised Anna for her less than proper behavior.

  Then, another girl went missing- Tara Brooks. Tara went missing two weeks after Anna. She was the same age as Anna- eighteen. The two girls couldn’t have been more different. While Anna spent her nights getting drunk and having fun- Tara had her nose in a textbook. She was at the top of her class, and in all the Honors and AP classes. She unlike Anna, didn’t seem very likely to run from home.

  People started to worry. Two missing girls? The cops were scratching their heads, and the townspeople had begun to suspect anyone and everyone. And then the “sightings” came in. Everyone had claimed they had seen either girl at some point out and about. There were even as many as two formal sightings being documented every day. None of those turned out to be true. I don’t think people were trying to lead police in the wrong direction, but rather saw it as their own personal way of helping out.

  My name is Katie- short for Kathleen. I’m seventeen- like Tara and Anna. My dad is Sheriff Johnson and has spent a few too many nights confiding in me about the case. It has this whole town stumped, as there were no clues of value left behind.

  Both girls had disappeared in the middle of the night. Anna was last reported being seen leaving a party, drunk. Tara’s mother claims she was in her room studying, and when she went to check on her later, she was gone.

  I had tried to do some digging of my own, but my dad is vehemently against it. The people who did this knew what they were doing. There were no witnesses and no evidence left behind. It makes sense why he wouldn’t allow me anywhere near it. The similarities we all share worry him too. Not only are both girls my age, but we all look alike- brunette with light blue eyes. Other than that, we had nothing in common.

  I was nothing like Tara, who excelled at everything or Anna, who was wildly popular. I fit somewhere in the middle- like a happy medium. I didn’t have straight A’s but was a solid B student. I went to parties every so often, but I certainly wasn’t the one throwing them.

  I did have a best friend named Amy, who was my twin, except having different mothers and different fathers. Her mom was best friends with mine, and they had both been right by my side when my mom died. It was three months ago. It was a car accident, and a drunk driver had side swiped her car.

  Her death was especially hard for me, because it wasn’t gradual, as if she had been sick or anything. I wasn’t able to prepare for saying goodbye. She was just gone, in the blink of an eye. She had died on the way back from the store to pick up some medicine for me, and a part of me always felt guilty- like it was my fault.

  Amy had tried to rid me of that guilt and was always there to remind me that the only person to be at fault, was the drunk driver.

  Easier said than done.

  Our families had remained close since the accident, and I felt practically like family. Amy had a brother named Mark, and he was the closest thing I have ever had to a brother. He was always there when I needed a shoulder to cry on and gave me some masculine advice from time to time.

  Nevertheless, I had a great support system, and a big team of people looking out for me. Having the sheriff as my father guaranteed that no one in this town ever messed with me. That made high school, and mean girls, a little bit easier.

  I was starting my junior year, and was excited to finally graduate, and leave this little town forever. Many people loved the idea of a small town, as it felt like a tight-knit family, and I had to agree. It was like a family. The problem with living in a small town your whole life is that it can begin to feel a bit suffocating. Everyone knows what you’re doing, at all times in the day. Nothing goes unnoticed in Prairie.

  Amy and I were nervous about our new creative writing class. We both shared a mutual love of reading, writing, and literature. That was one of the things that truly cemented our friendship. I was reading in the library one afternoon, and she was over to my right reading the same book. Who knew that Dickinson could bring people together?

  Mr. Grander, the teacher for the creative writing class, is new. He moved to Prairie a few months ago, and new people are usually accepted with open arms, and usually a tuna casserole or two.

  Given the timing of his arrival, and then the soon following disappearance of two high school students set off “alarms” and raised a lot of suspicion towards our new teacher.

  My dad looked into him, and even got enough for a warrant, but Mr. Grander was as clean and cookie cutter as they came. He checked out.

  And so, it went, townspeople were slowly but surely being checked off the list. There were no suspects at the moment, so the townspeople were creating their own suspects. Fingers were being pointed in all kinds of directions, and it created a rift in Prairie.

  My alarm to get up rang and rang, and I decided to finally bite the bullet and get up. I couldn’t hide in my room anymore. Summer was over, and it was time to start living my life. I wouldn’t let my mom’s sudden death, or the disappearing teenagers scare or intimidate me any longer.

  I picked out a new outfit I had just bought- navy jeans and a delicate floral blouse covered with orange and pink blossoms. I paired it with a cream-colored converse and pulled my hair into a loose ponytail. I was going to do my makeup, but my mood only allowed for me to attempt mascara. Once that was done, I grabbed my bag, phone, keys, and headed downstairs for some breakfast.

  “Hey Katie! Are you ready for the first day of school?”

  “I guess. No more special than any other day- besides the fact that it’ll be my first public sighting since summer,” I joked.

  “You were dealing with a lot. Plus, you know I rather have you at home these days anyways. It’s just not safe.” He said shaking his head.

  I sat down just as he scooped eggs onto a plate and dropped a slice of buttered toast onto my waiting plate. I hated to cook and would prob
ably eat one meal a day if he didn’t cook breakfast and dinner.

  We had become co-dependent since the passing of my mother. We relied on each other to help us through the day and turned to one another when we needed to talk.

  With the help of my dad, Amy and her family, I was ready to face anything.

  My dad poured himself a cup of coffee and headed into his room to get ready for work. I had to leave soon, as I started school an hour before he had to go into work. Why he didn’t wait until later to get up blew my mind. I would sleep until the very last minute if I had the option to do so. He claimed that it was, “wasting the day”, and that he would rather do something productive- like cooking me breakfast.

  I knew my dad wanted me to embrace this year with open arms and make the best of it. I wanted to allow him to see me at least try, so that’s exactly what I planned to do. He didn’t ask much of me, even less so since her death, and if this was the one thing that I could do to make him happy- I would do it.

  Today was a new day. It was the first day of school, and even thought it was September I planned to encompass a “glass half full” attitude this year.

  I finished up my breakfast and reflected on the summer. Losing my mom was the hardest thing I have ever gone through, and there were times where I didn’t know if I would survive it. It nearly broke me in half and did a number on my dad. It was a miracle he was still able to get up and go to work every single day. In a way, I feel like the missing girls and all the attention surrounding it have given him an outlet for all of his energy. He is able to keep his mind busy and focused throughout the day, and when he gets home at night- he deals with his feelings. It seems to work for him, and maybe it would work for me too.

  This year, I would aim to become a straight A student. I didn’t necessarily care about grades, but getting straight A’s is no easy feat. It would take all of my focus, time, and energy. It was exactly what I needed. I texted Amy and let her know I was coming to pick her up.

  Amy: Sounds good, what are you wearing?

  Katie: The outfit I showed you last week! Got to dress the part, lol.

  Amy: I love that one! See you soon. Xoxo

  I yelled out to let my dad know I was leaving, and before I reached the door, he jogged over to me, and gave me a big hug.

  “Be careful, Katie. It’s not safe.”

  “I know dad, I will be- I promise.”

  He kissed my forehead, and I was out the door. I understood how he felt, especially since the girls that disappeared looked similar to me. Maybe they did run off, or maybe they were taken.

  If that’s true, then you should be careful.

  I will admit that the three of us looked similar. But that doesn’t mean anything. We don’t have anything in common.

  Neither do Anna and Tara…

  I brushed the negative thoughts to the back of my mind- where they rightfully belonged. I wasn’t going to let myself have a bad first day worrying about this alleged kidnapper, who at this point we had no proof that he or she even exists. Until we did, I wasn’t going to worry.

  Once my car was warmed up, I started off to Amy’s house. She only lived five minutes away, so the drive was a breeze. Or, it would be, if the traffic wasn’t so bad. Honestly, I didn’t know what I expected, especially with her house being right next to an elementary school.

  Parents there didn’t like to slow the car down and let the child out. No, an elementary school was a full stop, wait until they get inside deal. It took forever and made any drive past it horrendous. Better safe than sorry, I guess.

  I arrived at Amy’s house within ten minutes. She was standing on her big white wrap around porch patiently waiting for my arrival, like always.

  Naturally, she was dressed to the nines in a navy blazer, complete with a white blouse, and a pair of white skinny jeans accented with sky high wedges. She had incredible taste, and a very large bank account to back it up.

  Her dad owned the only bank in town, and also did loans. He was probably the wealthiest man living in this town, but he was also incredibly humble. That was something I always admired about Amy, and her family. They were never boastful or looked down on others due to their financial status. Amy climbed into my Jeep.

  “Are you excited? It’s our first day of junior year!”

  “You know what? I actually am! Fresh start, here I come.”

  She squealed and reached out to give me a hug. I put my foot back on the gas, and we started over to Prairie High.

  I could do this.

  It was about ten minutes until first bell when we arrived. I swiftly parked and we started up the steps. I felt my nerves racked but decided to take it all in stride. Deep breaths.

  I’m ready.

  2

  Amy

  I was so glad that Katie seemed to finally be getting out of the rut she was stuck in all summer. Not that I consider losing a parent to be a rut, but still. Jenna’s death took a toll on all of us. We all knew and loved her, and when she unexpectedly passed, it broke our hearts.

  Katie took the loss the hardest, but Sheriff Johnson was a close second. Katie worried that her dad may be overdoing the extra hours as work and using them as an excuse to not have to deal with his feelings.

  Knowing Katie, she would soon follow suit. She would do absolutely anything to stop feeling as bad as she does. Poor girl even blames herself for the accident, as if it was her fault in the slightest. That has been one thing I have desperately tried to break- her guilt. It will eat away at her, until it destroys her.

  Katie is my best friend, and I love her. However, one of her downfalls is that she is empathetic to the point of self-destruction. She feels everyone around her and takes the world on her shoulders. One day, it will crush her.

  This morning seemed to be different. She seemed lighter, happier. I hadn’t seen my best friend in this state in months, and I genuinely hoped that it was because she was finally beginning to heal properly and not just glossing over old wounds, pretending they didn’t exist. She was known to do that too.

  “Meet you at first break? I have math first, and it’s on the other side of the building.” Katie said voice full of optimism and cheer.

  “Of course. See you then… and good luck!”

  We gave a quick hug and started in our separate directions. We had creative writing third period, so that was a bonus. The class was being taught by a new teacher this year, Mr. Grander. Katie and I bonded over a love of books, and writing. When the class became available this year, it was a no brainer. I was excited to see that Katie had seemed interested in it. I wanted her to focus her energy on something positive, and I have always felt that writing gives you a sense of control in your life. That’s something I think she truly needs right now.

  I walked into Chemistry, and my brain immediately shut down. I never did good with any type of science class as it just didn’t interest me. I always did well enough to pass the class, but my interest was instantly diverted the second they started talking about plant cells.

  The class was your usual run around of introductions. Of course, the teacher didn’t give us a day to dip our feet in the water but decided to throw us right in the deep end- but with a smile of course.

  We had already been given our first assignment. It was a five-hundred-word essay on chemical bonding, and what we knew so far.

  How much could I know about chemical bonding? It’s the first day of school!

  The bell rang to move to the next class, and I just about died of happiness on the spot. The thought of sitting through another minute of Mr. Aryn’s lecture, would have been inexplicably painful. Mr. Aryn was a young pinched face man who always looked incredibly pissed off. I heard he wasn’t the fairest teacher either.

  I headed over to my next class, and nearly ran over my brother in the process. His sandy blonde hair looked like he just got out of bed, and his green eyes looked panicky.

  ” Mark, where’s the fire? Slow down!” I scolded, but did a terrible job at doing
so, because Mark broke into laughter.

  “Really Amy? Where’s the fire? You bumped into me! I need to go,” he said, and with that he was off and out of sight.

  My family was so weird.

  I wanted to check how Katie’s first class went, so I sent her a text.

  Amy: Was your class as boring as mine? I nearly fell asleep!

  Katie: My head is spinning. What are numbers again? And when did they start adding letters?!

  Amy: I have no clue. Good luck with Chemistry, my teacher sucks. See you in Creative Writing! :)

  I entered the Calculus classroom and found a seat close to the back. Math wasn’t exactly my strong suit either, so I wanted to be able to hide myself as much as possible. The teacher, Mrs. Callun opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by the loudspeaker.

  “Hello everyone. This is an administrative announcement, from Principal Kern. Hi everyone, it’s Principal Kern here. I know it is the first day of school, and it is a Friday. I encourage you all to have a safe weekend, and to be on the lookout for your surroundings. Students Anna Lewis, and Tara Brooks are still missing, and we don’t want any others to go missing. So please, be careful, and have a great first day and an even better weekend!”

  We don’t any other people to go missing? What an idiot. How about you actually do something besides sit behind a desk and bark orders? The people in this obnoxiously small town were beginning to hold grievances towards Katie’s dad, Sheriff Johnson.

  I don’t really understand how that makes any sense, as he is the one leading the investigation and working tirelessly day and night, but that was how small minded these people’s minds were.

  They felt that the kidnapper, if there was one, should have been caught by now, and that the girls should have been found. Apparently, the lack of findings indicate not that we have a smart suspect, but rather that Sheriff Johnson was incompetent. Unbelievable.

  “Amy Puntzer? Did you hear me?”

  I looked up. Oh crap, she was doing roll call.

  “Here! Sorry, Mrs. Callun.”