PigeonsinthePark

TherewasnothingleftofthemoneyinJulia'swallet.Sheletoutagroan.Stolenmoney
wasthecherryontopofaperfectlyhorribleday.
Ithadn'ttakenlongforthingstogoawry.Theneighbor'sdogsdecidedthat5amwould
betheperfecttimeforawakeupcall,andseeingasshecouldn'tgetbacktosleep,Julia'sday
hadanearlystart.Inclass,shereceivedanowgraded12pagewriteup,whichshehadspent
allofthepreviousweekendworkingon.Forherefforts,shewasgrantedagenerousB.
ProfessorHendersonseemedtohaveagleaminhiseyeashehandedherthepapers.When
shefinallygothome,itwastofindfourmissedcallsfromhermother.Immediatelyworryingthat
somethinghadhappened,Juliacalledherbackimmediately.Shereallyshouldhaveknown
better.Asitturnedout,hermotherhadjustbeenfeelingboredandchatty.Forthenextthree
hoursJuliahadtolistentoprattleaboutgardening,television,andDmitri,heresteemed
youngerbrother.Awesome.
Dmitriwasn'tabadbrother.Theygotalongjustfinethatwasn'ttheissue.WhatJulia
hatedwasthelurchinherstomachshefelteverytimehermother'seyeslitupatherbrother's
name.Itwasthesamefeelingshegotwhenevershewentbacktoherchildhoodhomeandsaw
thewalloftrophiesandcertificatesofhisthatherparentshadsaved,laidoutlikesomesortof
perverseshrine.Juliadidnothaveherownwall.Whenshefinallymanagedtoexcuseherself
fromthecall,sheletoutasighofrelief.
Afteradayoffeelingtiredanddisappointed,allthatwaslefttodowastakeawalkand
thinkdeeplyaboutlifeandallofitsproblems.That,andtoterrorizethelocalpigeonpopulation.
Juliatookasurprisingamountofgleeatkickingthepoorthingsawayfromherasshesatona

lonelyparkbench.Theywouldcrowdaroundher,hopefulforsomesortoffood.Shewashappy
tobreakuptheirparty.Afterhavinghadenoughfunwiththepigeonsforoneday,sheslowly
roseanddustedherselfoff.
Theparkwasremarkablyquietthatnight.Onlyoncedidshepasssomeoneby.Hewas
movingquickly,butitwaseasytonoticehisthickglassesandwavy,darkhair.Afterall,there
wasnooneelseinthepark.
Aboutaminutelater,Juliasuddenlyrealizedthatherpursewasnotaroundher
shoulder.Withasurprisingamountofspeedinheels,shesprintedbacktothebenchandwas
relievedtoseethepursestillthere.
Herreliefwasshortlived,however,asfurtherinspectionrevealedthatherwallethad
beenemptiedofcash.Sheimmediatelywhirledaround,scanningthearea.Therewasnoone
there.Theboyfromearlierhadvanishedandnooneelsewasaround.Therewereno
witnesses.Thepigeonshadgone,andJuliahadnothingtosubjectherragetowards.
Thenightwasunrestful.Julia'smindkeptjumpingbackandforthbetweenherproblems,
likeaslideshow.Shehadtriedtocalmherselfdownabouttheparkincident.Itwasonly$40,
andshewasluckyhercreditcardhadn'tbeenstolen.Itwasn'treallyaboutthemoney,though,
andsherealizedthisasshetossedandturnedthroughthenight.
Thebadthoughtslingeredthroughoutthenextday,andthenext.Hermoodseemedto
havebeenpermanentlydampened.WhenJulia'smothernextcalled,herpatiencewasthin.She
hadbarelygottenthroughanotherDmitrianecdote,whenshestoppedhermother.
"We'realwaystalkingaboutDmitri.Don'tyoucareabouthowI'vebeen?"Acoupleof
secondsofastonishedsilencetoldJuliathatthiswasamistake.
"Honestly,Julia...thisagain?Whydoyoualwayshavetomakethingsaboutyou?"

Thenextday,Juliaspentmoretimeatthepark.Herkickshadbecomealittlemore
impassioned,andthepigeonsscuttledawayinterrorwitheveryswing.Theparkwasalmost
emptyagain,andsothisritualcontinuedforanotherhalfanhourbeforeshedecidedshewas
tiredandheadedhome.
Afewnightslaterwaswhenshesawit.She'dbeeninthemiddleofmindlesslytypingup
aschoolreport,whenalocalnewsstorycaughtherattentiononhertelevision.Sheusually
tuneditoutbecauseshelikedbackgroundnoiseassheworked.Butanimageonscreencaught
hereyeassheglancedupandshewasimmediatelyjarred.
Itwasaplainlooking,standardschoolphotoofsomehighschooler.Hehadthick
glassesandwavydarkhair.Underneaththephoto,wordswererunningacrossthescreen:
LOCALTEEN,MISSING.Shequicklygrabbedtheremoteandturnedupthevolume.The
reporterspoke.
"16yearoldJasonBell.PolicesaidBellwaslastseenleavingFremontHighSchoolat
3:30p.m.onMay18th.Ifyouhaveanyinformation,pleasecall"
SheturnedofftheT.Vinapanic.Thatwashim.Ithadtobehim.Thatkid.Itwasthatkidfrom
thepark.Shehadburnedthatfaceintohermemoryasiftosomedayexactvengeanceifshe
sawitagain.Thatfacewasunmistakablythatsameboy,andherheartstartedpounding.She
pickeduphercellphone,anddialed.
Thephonerangonce.Shehadtotellthemwhatshehadseen.Itrangtwice.Asshe
thoughtaboutthis,anawfulrealizationcreptup.Shebrokeoutinacoldsweat.Threerings.If
shewerethelastonetohaveseenhim,itcouldlookverybadtothepolice.Whatwasthatkid
thinking,anyway?Hewasoutatnightalone,breakingcurfew.Hestolemoney.Hewas
probablyabadkid.

Thephonerangafourthtime,andanoperatorpickedup."Police,whatisyour
emergency?"
"Hello"Juliarelaxedalittle,andtookadeepbreath."I'dliketofileanoisecomplaint.My
neighborsdogs,theyjusttheywon'tstopbarking.
"Theoperatorsighed."Maam,thisnumberisforemergenciesonly."

Thenextweek,Juliafellbackintoheroldhabits.Shewouldgotoschool,gotowork,
andsometimesvisitthepigeons.Everynowandagainhermotherwouldpesterherwitha
phonecall.andshe'dinternally(andmaybealittleexternally)bemoanthesituation.Hermother
sometimeschidedherattitude,butJuliathoughtnothingofit.Thepastmonthhadbeenhellish.
Itwasnowondershewasfeelingalittlegrumpy.
TheairgrewthickandswelteringandbeforesheknewitJuliawasoutofschoolforthe
summer.Shehadaninternshipatalocallawfirmonmostweekdays,butotherthanthatwas
leftwithentirelytoomuchfreetime.
Muchofthisfreetimewasspentthinkingabouttheboyfromthepark,JasonBell.At
first,shethoughtabouthimeveryday,nervouslyrecountingeverydetailoftheirencounter.She
imaginedthepolicecomingtoarresther.Thenitwaseveryfewdays.Afterawhileshehadn't
thoughtabouthimatall.Thenonemorning,shegotaphonecallfromDmitri.
Hecalledearly.Hewantedtocomeoverandtalk.Juliawaspuzzled,buttoldhimabout
thesparehousekeyhiddenunderherdoormatandwentaboutherbusinessitwasaworkday
andshecouldn'tjustleave.Whenshefinallygothome,shewasunsurprisedtofindDmitri
sittinginherfoyer.
Shewasrelievedtoseehimalonewithouttheirmother,thoughsheknewhewasn't
cruelenoughtodothattoher.Hedidn'thaveacruelboneinhisbody.Heponderedher

brother'scharacterashewassitting,staringpensivelyattheceilingfan.Finallynoticingthatshe
hadwalkedin,hegreetedher.Itwasnotinhisusualcheerfulway,though.Hesoundedvery
tired. Hey,sis."
Julianodded."Hello."
Shehunghercoatup,andthenlookedathimexpectantly."So,younevertoldmeover
thephone.Whatdidyouneed?"
Helookeddown,andJulianoticedthedarkcirclesunderhiseyes.
"No,Iguessnot."
Afterapause,Juliaaskedhim"CanIgetyouadrink,orarewejustgoingtostand
here?"
Helookedupagain."Thatwouldbenice.Thankyou."
Theformalitytowardseveryone,includingfamily,wassomethingabouthimthathad
alwaysbotheredher.Todayseemeddifferent,though.Hismannerismsweremoredelayed,
unusualtohisdefaultofhurriedpoliteness.Avisittoherhomewasalsorare,eventhoughthey
livedcloseby.Theywerebothbusypeople,andhadlittletimeorpatiencetospareforone
other.That'swhatJuliatoldherself,anyway.
DmitrisatatJulia'stinykitchentable,andsheputakettleonthestove.
"Whatdoyouwant?"
Shegotnoresponseandsighed."Greenthen."
Dmitrilookedupather."Huh?Oh.That'sfine..."Herespondedasifhe'donlyjustheard
her.Whatwasthis?Whywashespacingoutsomuch?
Sheturnedthedialonthestoveandwenttositdown.
So,how'ssummerschool?"Shecockedherheadtotheside,feigninginterest.

Hisexpressionwassteely."It'snotsummerschool,justplayrehearsal.AndIdidn'tgoin
today."
Juliaraisedaneyebrowatthis."Whatdoyoumeanyoudidn'tgo?Youmissingschool?
Momwouldhaveananeurism."Shechuckled,butDmitrididnot.
Helookeddown,andafteramomentspokeveryquietly."Icametotellyou..."Hisvoicegot
evenquieter."Myboyfriendwentmissinglastweek."
"What?"
"Myboyfriendwentmissinglastweek."
"Boyfriend?"
Thewordcameoutofhermouth,butshedidn'tfeelasifshe'dspokenit.Boyfriend?
SincewhenthehelldidDmitrihaveaboyfriend?Whenhadheeverbeeninterestedinboys?
Momwasalwayscooingaboutwhataladiesmanhewas,althoughasfarasJuliaknewhehad
neverbeenonadateinhislife.Asfarassheknew.Howmuchdidsheknow?Teenagerswere
soconfusing.Shetookadeepbreath.
"Areyousure?"
Henodded."Yes,hisfamilyhasn'tseenhim.Andthepoliceareinvestigating,buthehasn't
beenseenanywhere."Hisvoicedgrewmorestrainedwitheveryword.Everyword.
Juliablinked.Missing.Missing.She'dbeensofocusedonboyfriendthatshe'dsomehow
forgottenaboutmissing.Shetriedtoremaincalm.
"Doesmomknow?"Shewasglancingdownnow,asiftocarefullyexaminethetileson
thefloor.Hermindwasracing.
Dmitriletoutastrangelittlelaughthatsoundedmorelikehewaschoking."Ofcourse
not."

WhenJulialookedup,shewishedshehadn't.Hiseyeswereredandhisbreathingwas
shaky.She'dneverseenhimlikethisbefore.
That'swhyI'mtellingyou."
That'swhenthepiecesclickedtogetherforher.Missingboy.Missing.Lastweek.Julia
feltherstomachdrop.Shedidn'twantananswer,butsheaskedhimanyway.

"What'shis

name?"
Jason."
Thekettlestartedscreaming.
Dmitriwenthomelaterthatday.She'dtriedtoconsolehim,buteverythingaroundher
feltdistantlikehermindwasfarawayfromherbody.Throughoutthisshehadsomehow
managedtoconvincehimtowaittotelltheirmother.
"Shewon'treactwelltosomethinglikethis.Youknowhowsheis."sheexplained."Andwedon't
knowwhathappenedyet.Maybehejustranawayfromhome."
"Withouttellingme?"
Juliahesitated."Wejustdon'tknowyet."Shecouldn'tlookhimintheeye.
Lifesomehowcontinuedon,andthedaysgrewshorterassummercametoanend.Julia
triedtokeepmorebusythanusual.Afterpreparingforclassesthatwerestartinglaterinthe
week,shedecidedtotakeabreakandgoforawalk.Shefoundherselfwalkingtothepark,
almostlikearitualandshewastootiredtostopherself.
Itwasthenthatsheheardvoices,andsawthepolicetape.Shestopped.Thiscouldn't
bewhatshethoughtinthebackofherminditwas.Couldit?
"No."Shespokequietlytoherself,andtookafewstepsforward.

Therewasasmallgroupofmeninuniformwalkingaroundthescene,markingthingsand
talkingwithclipboardsandcameras.Theyweresurroundingwhatlookedlikesomegarbage.
Wasthatgarbage?Juliasteppedcloser.
Apoliceofficerwalkeduptoher."Ma'am,thisisacrimescene,pleasestayback."
Aftertakinganotherstep,Juliarecognizedtheshapeofthegarbageassomething
horriblyfamiliarandspecific.Herheartstopped.
Theofficerwaitedforhertomove,ordoanything.
Shespokecarefully,unsureofherownwords."HisnamewasJason."
Bewildered,theofficerresponded."Excuseme?Ma'am,whatdoyoumean?"
"HisnamewasJasonBell."