My mother vanished years ago. Maybe I found her.

"Eat it!" Katie pushed Mary's face closer to the dog poop that was full of flies and said, "Eat it and be thankful!" Your dad was at the soup kitchen with my dad, so you must be hungry!" Behind Katie, there was a chorus of laughs. This group of pig-tailed, pony-tailed, and bob-cutted kids is from hell.

"You're hurting me!" "Please just let me go!" Mary begged. The droppings were getting touched by strands of her long brown hair.

"Enough, Katie!" I said, "Leave her alone, or I'll tell the teacher."

In a slow, deliberate way, Katie turned her head towards me.

"Oh, look who it is, peepee boy Jose!" "Did you run out of trousers to pee in yet?" her group yelled as she pointed.

"That was three years ago, we were in second grade!"

"You wanna know what my daddy said about you?" "He said your mommy didn't just skip town," she said as she took a step towards me. Her blonde pigtails bounced as she moved. He said, "Your dad killed her!"

"Quit it!" It's not true!" I went backwards one step.

"He said your dad got mad because your mum was sleeping with all the guys in town," He said, "Your dad doesn't even know if you're his child!"

I fell backward and tripped over Mary as she took her next step. My head hit the poop-covered ground.

The group laughed out loud, and Mary's voice joined in.

"Ew!" "I knew you were full of piss, I guess you're full of shit now too!" Katie laughed.

The crowd went crazy.

The sudden ringing of the school bell split the herd into several groups that ran towards the building, leaving me to care to my wounds.

Hearing her for the first time was hard because of the blow to the head.

"Bring her to me."

The voice of the woman made my blood freeze. The sound came from the tunnel fifty yards away at the far end of the playground. It was a low, raspy whisper.

I stood up and turned to the person who called.

She was skinny. She looked like a weak gust of wind could break her in half. It looked like her skin was going to fall off because it was grey and bowed. She called out to me again with her right hand. It sounded like her voice was coming from everywhere.

"Bring her to me."

I wanted to run away, but my legs wouldn't let me. I couldn't move my feet off the ground. I felt tears running down my face. I was about to speak again when my bladder let go.

"Jose!"

The sharp voice of my teacher woke me up and I turned around.

"The break is over!" Come over here now! Oh no, did you wet yourself again? I need to call your dad."

The class laughed and clapped from the window, as if I had given them an extra treat.

"We can't keep doing this." While he talked, my dad kept his eyes on the road.

"Dad, it was a mistake." I saw some-"

"Boy, I know it was a mistake, but you can't keep having them. Next year, you'll start middle school.

"Yes, dad. I meant not to. I noticed some-"

"Nobody ever plans to pee their pants." You just need to use the toilet more often. It's not always fun to go, but sometimes you have to. Do you get it?"

"Dad, I'm trying to tell you that I-"

"UNDERSTAND?"

"Okay, dad. "I get it."

When we got home, it was still early afternoon. I was by myself because my dad had to go back to work.

After a quick shower, I got on my bike and rode back towards the tunnel. The woman made me want to go back and see her even though I didn't know who she was.

I put my bike down on the tunnel side that faces the school. There were only a few trees in the big, empty field. There was no one else around except for some teens throwing water balloons at cars.

"Hello?" From ten yards away, I used my hands as a loudhailer and asked, "Is anyone there?"

The dark, skeleton figure started to bounce back and forth as it crawled down the tube. The woman had grey, bony arms that stuck out towards the walls. Because her knees were locked straight, she was shaped like a triangle. She was singing and laughing as she moved forward.

I got a sudden rush of chills that made my skin turn goose egg white. I turned around and walked away from the tunnel.

The woman moved faster and looked very angry about this. She began to make a noise that sounded like she was quickly licking and smacking her sore, cracked lips.

When I turned to run, I was pushed to the ground right away.

"What're you lookin' for, your mommy?" The person was a teen wearing a red shirt.

"You need to get out of here before you get hurt!" I yelled as I pushed myself up.

"Is that a threat, twerp?" "This kid is in the same class as my sister," he said as he pushed me down again. "She said he always pees in his trousers."

The person who was with him laughed as she spoke.

"Bring them to me."

She seemed to be breathing in as she called.

"Please!" I yelled, "do you not hear her? We need to leave!"

"The only thing I hear is a little boy about to pee his pants."

As soon as I got back up, I got hit in the gut and fell down.

While I was lying on the ground, redshirt jumped on my bike and rode off. The friend threw a water balloon at me and then ran away, hitting me right in the behind.

The woman wasn't there when I looked towards the entrance. I heard a weak, bubbling growl somewhere deep inside.

I jumped up and ran back to my house. Without my bike, the trip would take even longer.

When I got there, my dad's car was ready to greet me in the garage.

Before I even got to the steps, he pushed the door open.

"Where the hell were you, Jose?" "You think today was some kind of reward?!" he yelled. That you could do whatever you want while running around town?"

"Sorry, Dad! I need to tell you something please "

"Oh my god, did you pee again?" Two times in one day?"

"No, Dad! Someone threw a water balloon at me, and I-"

"A balloon made of water?" You thought it was okay to go have a water balloon fight during the school day, right? Go to your room right now!"

"Dad, there was a wo-"

"NOW!"

I limped into my room and hid under the covers.

That night, I toss and turned. My heart beat fast with every sound of the floorboards creaking and the wind whistling.

At some point, sleep's sweet relaxation saved me.

The next day at school, I could hear the other kids laughing and talking behind my back. Every time I turned a corner, I jumped.

It felt like a weight had been taken off my shoulders when I heard the last bell ring.

When I left school, I planned to take a long way home. That's when Mary came up to me.

"Hey Jose," she said, "I'm sorry I made fun of you the other day." My only goal was to fit in.

She got up and walked towards the playground.

"Oh, uh, it's okay, I guess."

I started to follow while not being aware of it.

"You know, Katie's not so bad once you get to know her. She was having fun.

She began to walk faster.

"Well, she kind of is." I've been picked on by her since second grade.

I kept up with her.

She stopped suddenly and turned to face me. "Well, either way," she said. "I wanted to thank you for standing up for me."

Slowly, she turned her face towards mine.

It felt like my heart was beating fast.

She moved towards him, eyes closed.

I slowly leaned back.

I shut my eyes.

Just as our lips were about to touch—

"EW!"

Her voice was like a bullet going through the air.

"I said he'd come if you told him to." Peepee boy really likes you!" She was amused.

Mary took a step back, put her hand over her mouth, and laughed.

I opened my eyes and saw that we were only a few feet away from the cave.

"You really thought she was going to kiss you, didn't you?" She laughed and said, "I found another dog poop. This one is just for you."

I was held still by Mary and another girl while Katie walked towards me with a wet mess in her hands.

"Bring them to me."

Now, the voice sounded stronger and clearer than ever.

This time, I didn't think twice.

When I turned my head to the side, I hit Mary in the nose. Then I pushed Katie's hand into her face.

"UGHHH!" "GET HIM!" she yelled.

The girls were right behind me as I ran into the tube.

I was never by any means the fastest runner in my class, but the tunnel wasn't very long.

I pushed myself as hard as I could, but each of their steps was the same as two of mine.

Their grip on me was getting stronger.

My lungs started to hurt.

One of them touched the back of my shirt.

I was almost at the door.

Someone pushed me on the shoulder, and I fell face first to the ground.

I curled up into the foetal position and automatically put my hand over my face to protect myself. Then...

There's nothing.

When I woke up, I was lying in the field, just outside the exit.

When I turned around to face the tunnel, it was empty.

Oh no, Katie. Not you, Mary. Not even the old woman.

The cops questioned me because I was the last person to see the girls before they went missing.

They thought I was telling them a joke. The girls ran away, and I went looking for them.

I told them the tunnel was where I last saw the girls.

When they shut down the school and searched the hole, they only found my mother's bones hidden inside.

However, they still don't know who killed her or buried her there. However, I believe I have a clue.

To make up for lost time, school started summer lessons today.

A low, low-pitched growl came from the cave when my dad came to pick me up.

"Bring him to me."