Page 2 of Soul So Dark

Canaan—The search is over for a Canaan High School senior who vanished one week ago. The Canaan Police Department confirmed that the body of 18-year-old Evelyn Maguire was located Friday just south of the Wyandot Nature Preserve. Authorities were notified Friday morning that Maguire was discovered inside a culvert by her stepbrother, Colson Lutz.

Officials say Maguire was reported missing on Sunday, May 3 by her family after she was last seen on CCTV the previous night at Circle K on Pinecrest Boulevard at the edge of Palomino Park. The search for Maguire began at about 4PM Sunday. A broader search was conducted throughout the day on Monday. According to the Canaan Police Department, several drones were brought into the area, as well as K-9’s and ATVs. The neighborhood, surrounding area, and a large portion of the park were searched.

Searches continued throughout the week, but Maguire could not be located until Friday, May 8, when 911 dispatchers received a call around 9AM from 18-year-old Dire Ridge High School senior, Mason Wilder, stating he and Lutz had discovered Maguire’s body in a wooded area south of Grisham Road.

Maguire’s body has been taken to Jackson County for an autopsy. Anyone with any information should contact the Canaan Police Department.

Maguire was bound for UCLA on a sports scholarship after leading the Canaan softball team to a state championship this year. Counselors are available for any student or staff member who may need assistance. Further information has not been released.

CHAPTER FOUR

Dallas

“Less is more, no matter what anyone says,” Evie sweeps a clean, black line across the edge of my eyelid, ending it in a sharp wing. “If your eyeliner is on point, no one cares about all that clown shit.”

I can only assume she’s talking about contouring, which I’ve already decided I don’t have the patience for anyway. And neither does Evie, as if she needs makeup anyway. She’s one of those people whose skin has the same glow, no matter what, but she swears by eyeliner and good mascara.

“Here, you do the other one,” she hands me the tube of eyeliner and lays back against my pillows with her phone while I stare into the folding mirror propped up on my bed. My right eye turns out shockingly well even though I’m bent in half and I have no idea how to hold the felt tip applicator.

“How hot do I look?” I shoot her a seductive look over my shoulder.

“Hot enough to come out with us tonight to the old railroad bridge,” she replies, returning her own devious look.

“Yeah, right,” I scoff, twisting the top back on the tube.

“Why not?” She sounds shocked that I would even question the idea.

“Colson would freak out if I did that.”

“He would not freak out,” she argues, “you hang out with Col and I all the time.”

“Yeah, you and him, not his friends.”

“What’s wrong with his friends? Mason’s fun, right? He’s also really nice.”

I’ve known Mason since he and Colson played soccer together in the elementary school youth league. He’s nice enough, but floats along like he’s perpetually high without ever taking any drugs. Alex and Aiden came along when he got to middle school and the four of them have been inseparable since. Sometimes they play Mario Party with me, but that’s about it.

“So’s Alex,” Evie continues, “he’s really sweet, I promise. And Aiden is…” she trails off, unable to hide the look of defeat.

“Exactly,” I shoot her a smug grin.

Sometimes I think Evie forgets that she’s one of them. They don’t let just anyone into their circle. And on top of that, I’m three years younger. When they’re loud and they start fights and they shoot off their guns in the woods, I don’t want to be anywhere near them. But Evie doesn’t see it because she’s Evie and I’m “Colson’s little sister.”

“Whatever, Lara Croft,” she chuckles, then picks up her controller and turns to the TV mounted on my bubblegum pink wall, “are you still going to show me how to get through this level?”

I peer at the screen and try to remember the best route through the temple ruins, but when I glance at Evie, she’s furiously tapping and swiping her fingers across her phone screen again.

“Who are you texting?”

“Just this guy,” she replies as a smile tugs at her cheeks, “this guy from school.”

???

I remember the moment I heard my mom said,hello, and then,oh my god, and then she screamed Colson’s name in a voice I’ve never heard before in my life. But he didn’t answer.

I thought the worst—or what I thought was the worst. I thought Colson was gone, too, killed in a car accident because he drives too fast or he did something so stupid with his friends that it finally caught up to him.

Fortunately, he’s still alive, but it was the Canaan Police Department on the phone, telling my mom that Colson just found Evie and pulled her decomposing body out of a creek. But I don’t find that out until later, when I realize I’ve stepped into hell. And hell doesn’t have to be loud and filled with fire and brimstone. It can be quiet, or completely silent.