Blink of Time

"Hello! My name is Tasha Dirby. I was a 15 year old, black middle school girl. I was in the eighth grade at the time of my kidnapping. I had thick, black hair, dark brown eyes, and chocolate brown skin. I was last seen wearing dark brown glasses with black tips, a blue top with nothing on it, a light blue jean jacket with matching jeans, and brown and white Nikes.

I was an A and B honor role student. I always did my work, even if it was late, I still did it. I had a lot of friends. I had one best friend. I had two sisters, one older and one younger. I had an adult cousin and a little cousin. I lived with my aunt, grandma, and dad. I was living pretty well. I had just caught a little crush on this one boy in my class named Jeremiah. So cute!

My family and I also had three cats; an orange one named Cheez-It, a ash gray cat named Dusty, and black cat with little random spots of white named Oreo. All boys. I know, right? They were menaces. Always getting into the most craziest things. One of my favorite animals.

I loved playing video games on my phone and tablet. Sometimes the Nintendo Switch. I sometimes would watch anime. My fave anime was CLEARLY Demon Slayer. I had others, but that one there? Oh yeah! I always loved watching random stuff on Tv with my siblings. My favorite food was pizza. My favorite desert was chocolate. Mmmm. Chocolate!

I had many dreams and things I wanted to try. Like, being a game developer, model, maybe even a singer. Like I said ,many things. I was still growing into my height. I was already 5"8, thanks mom and dad.

I was pretty sarcastic and loved messing with my family. I got on their nerves a lot, especially my oldest cousin. She was only 24 and acted like an old man so I just HAD TO, you don't understand. We play fought all the time. Most of it was my running away, though. But still.

I also had super powers! It is something that supposed to feel special, but literally everyone had them, so. But! I still felt special because I was the only one in my whole family with super hearing and speed. I think it was also kind of rare for someone to have more than one power. It's a pretty large percent, though. I got the super speed from my grandma and the super hearing from my mother. Genetics are crazy like that in this day and age.

I was having a great day today. I just got home from school after going on a field trip at school. After I came home, my oldest cousin and I fought, messed with our parents, and I had pizza. I figured I could relax when all of a sudden I heard my dad say he wanted to go to Randall's, a grocery. I instantly got excited! We haven't been there in forever! So, using my speed, I went straight into my room to change and back in my aunt's room to get ready to leave. My sisters were going with him as well.

As we made our way to the store, there was news on a radio station talking about how people with the powers of invisibility and memory erasing were causing a lot of bad things to happen. They were targeting teens and young adults somehow. I found that confusing because most people had outstanding powers, some of which felt very powerful. So, for them to be, possibly, taken down like that was odd. If that was the case. I know my powers aren't that great, but they allow me to hear things from very, very far away. Plus, I'm super fast. I can almost travel at the speed of light. I'm faster than a whip. "There's no way those horrible people could ever get THE Tasha Dirby!" is what I thought.

Well, fate just wasn't on my side.

My name is Tasha Dirby. I was a 15 year old black girl in the eighth grade. I was walking outside Randall's with my family when I was grabbed from behind and shoved into a van. Whoever had me put a black bag over my head, while another grabbed my legs to help the first man throw me in their van. I was hit twice in the back of head.

Dad, Aunty Bailey, Grandma Hills, my sisters Kiana and Ester, my cousins Mickey and Amari

If you are reading this letter...

Please. Share it. Share my story. And don't come looking for me. Because if you do-"

The letter stopped there. Mr. Dirby snatches the paper from Aunty Bailey's trembling hands. He flips the blood and tear stained paper back and forth, as if wishing there was more to see. That there could be a hidden message, something small. Anything! But, unfortunately, there wasn't anything else. His step sister is on the floor, surrounded by the rest of their family. What kind of sick bastards would force someone to write something like this?

Mr. Dirby can't help but to stare off into space. His face is devoid of any emotion, but his eyes are filled with hatred. Tears are rolling down his face in angry streams, the only sound is his racing heartbeat in his ears, drowning out the sorrows of his precious family.

He blames himself. How could he have been so clueless? He has the ability of blindsight. He should've been able to see his daughter's attackers.

Yet...

Things have been off lately. He remembers feelings a shift in the atmosphere a couple of days ago. Everyone had commented on it. They mentioned waking up and feeling weird. Their bodies felt heavy and light, their vison was blurry.

They're powers...

"Our powers," Mr. Dirby whispers amongst the chaos. He walks towards his family that have now gathered in the living room. He tries to steady his breathing. Tries to be as calm as he can before he speaks once more. He clears his throat, which gets everyone's attention.

"Our powers." He looks around at each of them. He takes a deep breath.

"I... Think our powers," He struggles to continue. His voice is wobbly with unshed tears as he tries to keep his sobs from coming out. Oh, how he wishes none of this happened. He blames himself. It's hard not to.

"Well, out with it!" exclaims Grandma Hills. The air is tense. Everyone is on edge, because of course they are. "What are you trying to say?"

"Our powers are gone." states Mickey. "Aren't they?"