Prologue

"June! June! June April Mai Clifford!! Where are you! C'mon June please! it's me! It's April! Your best friend and cousin! Please June, if you're there let me know!"

Everywhere April looked, there were lights. There were probably hundreds of people out there looking, and everywhere she turned she could hear the two words that were making her more frightened by the second.

"June Clifford!"

"June!"

"June where are you?!"

"June Clifford!"

April groaned and fell to her knees. One of the policemen, John, bent over her.

"Hey, Kid, Listen, I think you should go home"

"No" April said firmly. "She's my best friend. If anyone's going to find her, it's me. I know everything about her"

"Oh really?" Officer John asked. April nodded. She tried to get up, but fell down again. Officer John sighed, then tilted his head to the side in confusion.

"You look a bit like her, the missing kid. Are you sisters?"

"Not - exactly. Our mums are - 2/3 of identical triplets. Me and June - are just like sisters though, plus we - look alike, so we tell people we're - twins. In reality though, me and my brother - Carson are identical twins. But - he doesn't live with us anymore. - He looks like June too."

"Ok-Wait, 2/3 of identical triplets?"

"Yes. - My Auntie Rachel and cousins Mai and Mason - move around a lot, - so we hardly see them. - Mai looks just like me, - Carson and June too, - but she's not really nice to us"

"Ok. Thanks. Well, kid. Your knowledge may come in handy, but right now you're tired and in shock. I think you should go home to your parents and sleep"

"No, I'm...I'm fine" April whispered, forcing herself up. She looked up at Officer John and said firmly.

"I. am. not. - leaving. - until I know - that MY BEST FRIEND - AND COUSIN. - is home safe, okay?!"

"Look, kid, what's your name?"

"April."

"April. Nice name-"

"I know, - June's mum - made her middle names - April and Mai - after me and our cuz in - the hopes we would - be good friends. It happened with me - and June. Same - with my mum. - my full name - is April Mai June - Clifford"

"Jesus Christ Almighty kid. Listen April, I'm sure you're a smart kid bu-"

"I think I am. - Me and -June - are top of - the class - in Science - and Maths - and do - pretty well in - all the other - subjects - except - PE"

"Really?! I would never have guessed" Officer John muttered sarcastically, looking at the 11-year-old girl gasping for air after walking quarter of a mile through the woods.

"Hey! - I - have - asthma, - okay? So - does - June. Which - is - why - I - need - to - stay - here - in case - you - find - her - and - she's - having - breathing - problems"

Officer John sighed.

"Kid look at yourself! You can hardly say 3 words without gasping for breath! You are no use to anyone, especially June, if you're dead, okay?! Remember that! Now, go home and get some sleep. I know how to handle people with breathing problems and I can take care of your friend if we find her alive! Kid? Kid?! APRIL?!"

'If. If we find her alive'

She muttered the word "if?" and fell to the ground. She lay down, breathing heavily. Everything began to get blurry. She could feel tears running down her face and She could hear Officer John telling her to breathe slowly when it all went black.

2 days later.

April sat up quickly. She breathed heavily, looking around. She was lying on a white bed in what looked like a hospital room. She could see her mum, Dad, Aunt Monica, Cousin Jackson and Brother Carson sitting next to her...but no June.

"June? Wh-Where am I. Where's June?"

Her Dad sighed.

"April, you're in the city hospital. June's not here you idiot, remember? She went missing 4 days ago under your mother's watch and hasn't been seen since!"

"DAD?!" Carson yelled. April clutched her ears and looked at her Aunt Monica, who was crying, and at Jackson, who was close to crying. April tried to give them a reassuring smile, but failed, and they both sighed.

"Er, hi Jackson, Hi Auntie Mon"

Meanwhile, Her Dad glared at Carson.

"WHAT?!"

"What the hell is wrong with you?! You don't tell someone that their best friend is missing after they've been unconscious for two days! At least not that way! You have to say it calmly, not just come out with it!"

"Oi! Do not take that tone with me you asshole-"

"Shut Up!"

"I can say what I like! I'm the adult! You and your sister are just two immature children."

"Shut. Up. Now."

"I can fucking say what I like you filthy asshol-"

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP YOU DICKHEAD!" Carson shouted. His father glared at him and clenched his fists.

"Don't you take that tone with me. YOU ARE STILL MY SON, ALTHOUGH YOU ARE A FUCKING. ASSHOLE."

"YOU DON'T GET TO CALL ME AN ASSHOLE ANYMORE, OKAY?! I LIVE WITH AUNT MON, JUNE AND JACKSON NOW, NOT WITH YOU! AND I SHOULD HAVE TAKEN APRIL WITH ME!"

The room went silent as the sound of a slap echoed around the room. Carson lay on the ground, glaring at his father. His left cheek was burning red. April gasped as her father started yelling again.

"WHAT?! YOU THINK THIS IS MY FAULT?!" April's Dad shouted. April's mum gently lead Carson and Jackson away to the other end of the room, then sat back down and started talking to Monica. April's dad glared across the room at Carson and continued shouting. "ITS NOT MY FAULT THAT YOUR MOTHER COULDN'T EVEN GIVE BIRTH PROPERLY AND ITS NOT MY FAULT THAT YOUR STUPID SISTER CAN'T CONTROL HER STUPID BREATHING PROBLEMS TO THE POINT SHE COLLAPSES! SO STOP TREATING ME LIKE SHIT BECAUSE I HAVE DONE NOTHING WRONG!"

The sound of another slap filled the silentness of the room.

"THAT IS NOT TRUE YOU BITCH!" April yelled, surprising everyone including herself. Her fathers cheek was now red like Carson's, and April's hand was red too. "YOU'VE DONE PARENTING WRONG! SCARING YOUR OWN KIDS TO THE POINT ONE OF THEM MOVES OUT AT THE AGE OF 8 AND THE OTHER ONE STARTS HAVING ANXIETY ATTACKS AT THE AGE OF 5? HOW THE FLIP IS THAT GOOD PARENTING?! YOU ARE THE WORST DAD EVER AND I WISH YOU AND MUM WOULD JUST BREAK UP ALREADY!"

April's Dad gaped at her. When he'd gotten over the shock, he lifted his hand and bent down. April closed her eyes, waiting for the punch. She could hear her mum and Aunt having a rushed, whispered conversation next to her.

"Should I?"

"You should do it, Pheebs"

"But Mon, can I? What if I'm not strong enough and he just hurts the children more!"

"Phoebe, darling, listen to me. It looks like your husband is going to kill little April right now! You need to stop him! Find the confidence within you! Find the bravery-"

April couldn't hear any more after that, as a small hand grabbed her wrist and pulled her onto the floor. April groaned as she opened her eyes and saw Carson sitting infront of her with his arms out.

April's mum suddenly grabbed her husband by the wrist and turned to Carson.

"Cars, I promise I'll be a better mother from now on, I swear. I'm done being scared and nervous all the time. So, if me and your father broke up, would you move back in and give me another chance?"

Carson was quiet for a few seconds before smiling.

"Yes, mum. I never left because of you, it was just Dad. I always regretted leaving you and April, I just couldn't stand living with Dad when he was constantly putting me and April down. And I didn't like seeing April so upset all the time, June had to work really hard every day just to get April to smile, which lead in her being exhausted all the time. So it affected her too. I tried to get April to come with me, but she wouldn't leave you. And then I hardly spoke to her because I thought it would upset me if I saw her, because she could be hurt. I know you said I was very brave, moving out, but in reality, I moved out because I was too scared. But I would definitely move back, if Dad was gone. I want to spend time with you guys again"

"Well, April, Cars, if you really want us to then. Dave, I'm breaking up with you"

She began to drag her husband out of the hospital room. April's Dad began to shout again.

"YOU BITCH! YOU WONT SURVIVE WITHOUT ME! I HAVE THE JOB, I EARN THE MONEY AND I DO ALL THE DAMN WORK! YOU WERE JUST SUPPOSED TO WATCH OUR TWO KIDS AND YOU COULDN'T EVEN DO THAT! JUNE WAS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY THAT DAY AND SHE WENT MISSING! OUR DAUGHTER WAS IN THE WOODS LOOKING FOR JUNE AND YOU HAD NO IDEA-"

"DONT. YOU. DARE." April's mum screamed. "I MAY BE CLUMSY AND SCATTERBRAINED BUT AT LEAST MY KIDS ARENT SCARED OF ME TO THE POINT OF MOVING OUT AND HAVING PANIC ATTACKS AT REALLY YOUNG AGES! AND I CAN GET A JOB! I CAN GET MONEY! I CAN DO WORK! I CAN DO EVERYTHING YOU DO! I WANTED TO GET A JOB BUT YOU. WOULDN'T. LET ME! I CAN MAKE MY OWN DECISIONS, OR DOES THE 1928 PEOPLE ACT MEAN NOTHING TO YOU!! AND AS A MATTER OF FACT! WHAT HAPPENED WAS YOUR. FAULT! YOU HEARD JUNE AND JUST SAID 'OH WELL, JUST START THE MACHINE ALREADY!' I TRIED TO TELL YOU IT COULD BE DANGEROUS BUT NOOOO! YOU NEVER LISTEN TO ME YOU BASTARD! SO GET THE HELL OUT OF MINE AND MY KIDS LIVES RIGHT NOW!"

"FINE! BUT DONT COME CRYING BACK TO ME WHEN BOTH OUR KIDS DIE BECAUSE YOU CANT HANDLE THE PRESSURE OF TAKING CARE OF THEM YOU BITCH!"

"GET. OUT. NOW. GET OUT OF MY HOUSE, GET OUT OF MY LIFE. GET OUT OF THE COUNTRY FOR ALL I CARE. JUST STAY. AWAY. FROM MY FAMILY."

"What are they talking about? What happened to June? Machine? Dangerous? What happened?!"

"I wish I knew sis, I wish I knew" Carson muttered. April groaned and patted the area next to her on her hospital bed. Carson nodded and sat next to her, placing his arm around her shoulders. April looked out of the widow and rested her head on Carson's shoulder.

"I really miss her"

"I know sis, I know. I do too. But hey, now that Dads leaving I'm moving back in with you guys. And we can get to re-know each other and spend time together, like when we were younger"

"Really?" April said hoarsely, clutching her throat. Carson nodded and gave her a watery smile. April sighed.

"All that stuff you said...about being scared for me. Is that true?"

"Yes. I should never have stopped talking to you after I moved out. I was just worried about having to see you hurt. But we can start again, get to know eachother, and then when June's found, the three of us can be best friends! just like when we were younger."

"And" Jackson interrupted. He had come over with Carson when he saw April's father raise his hand above April. "If it's okay with you guys, and June too, maybe I could join in. I'm sorry for acting like I was above you when we're the same age. I want to be friends with you guys and my little sis. I mean, If that's okay."

"Of course it is, Cuz" Carson said, shaking Jackson's hand.

During this speech, April felt a sharp pain in her chest and started breathing quickly and panicky. Carson and Jackson looked at her in concern as she nodded and wrote down in her notebook,

'Okay. I'd love that!'

Jackson smiled and Carson put his arm around April as their Aunt laughed.

"You two are just so funny. Honestly I'm surprised it took you this long to make up. Oh, but I'm sure June would be so happy to know that you finally made up . . . I mean, who knows, . . . she may be listening in this room right . . . Now"

April's hand flew up to her mouth and she made a noise somewhere between a a squeak and a scream. Jackson had tears falling down his face and Carson was staring at his Aunt in shock.

"No" April squeaked. "No. No, okay?!"

She squeaked again and placed her hand on her Aunts. She then gave her a watery smile and whispered into the quietness of the room,

"June. Is. Alive. And we're going to find her. We're going to find her and bring her home."

April stared at the doorway and replayed her parents conversation in her head. She frowned.

"My parents know something about June's disappearance. And I'm going to find out what it is"