Missing

Missing

Sandra Sue Smith hadn’t heard a single word from her sister since September. She was becoming more and more concerned as the days turned to weeks. Suspicions of foul play weighed heavy on her mind. Samantha Sabrina Smith usually sent e-mails or called Sandra several times a week. Something sneaky was going on in Sturgis.

Saturday morning, seventeen weeks after the last conversation between siblings, the eldest sister decided to take serious action. She summoned her stepson, Steven Simpson, and requested he meet with her at Smokey’s Steakhouse, located on Shiloh Street, in Springfield. Sensing the urgency in the situation he agreed to serve in whatever capacity she found suitable

Stanford graduate, Steve, an accomplished detective who dabbled in the supernatural world of spirits, spotted Sandra sitting in a back booth and sat down beside her.

“Steve, I need your assistance. Searching for my sister scares me and I would rather have somebody else discover her fate.”

“So…are you sending me to Sturgis?” Steve asked.

“Simply put, yes, will you stop what you are involved in and snoop around down there; starting Sunday?”

“Sure,” Steve quickly answered.

“Southwest Airlines has tickets reserved in your name. Scouting the area shouldn’t take more then seven days. So much is at stake here, Steve, no sandbagging please,”

“Suppose I find a sad fate that Samantha succumbed to, are you stable enough to handle the news?” Steve asked.

“Sane and sensible is exactly what I am at this strenuous time, Steve. Spill everything you learn, even if it scandalizes the Smith name,” Sandra explained.


Sandra’s sister lived in Sturgis, Mississippi, but that isn’t where she was found to everyone’s surprise. Stepping lightly on Sturgis' streets, Steve scrounged around and searched the city's sector; seeking information.



“Sorry, sir, but you must insert several more coins to stay connected,” the operator explained from her safe and secure position at Southern Bell.

“Sandra?”

“Steve, is that you?”

“Score one for me, Samantha skipped town shortly after socializing with a shady character named Spade Solefoot.”

“Spare me the sordid details, Steve, where is she?” Sandra asked.

“She is safe and sound somewhere in the Islands of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.”

“Stop right there, Steve. Sugarcoating the sheer truth only shields me from suffering.”

“Sit down then. Seems as if Mr. Solefoot is a scheming scholar of Scientology and a man without scruples."

“Samantha….is Samantha in serious trouble?”

“She is innocent of any crime. She skipped town with Solefoot; after he secretly managed to steal every “S” from every computer in Sturgis and was working his way west. Someone discovered his plan and turned him in.

“Sounds like he is crazy.”

“Stupid and crazier then a loon. Stealing letters from computers was his way of disrupting the entire nation. Thanks to a lady in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, he was captured."

Prompt: "Sandra's sister lived in Mississippii, but that isn't where she was found..."

I hope the reader can see I played with the letter "S" in this story. I was prompted to use the letter 'S' the way I did, after a member of a writing group I belong to here at WDC, complained because the S key on her keyboard was sticking, which prevented her from entering any stories for the prompt. Of course, we all had quite a laugh with that excuse.