Dear Diary

28th August, 1996

Hi, my name is V! Short for Victoria. I’m 8 years old. I got a new home today and my own room. I now live at 2158 Logan Drive with my mom, my dad, my sister, my dog Perro and my new friends Johnny Way, Elizabeth, Zara, and Keisha, and now you Diary! I’m in the second grade. I love to play with my barbies and play soccer. My favorite color is red. My favorite food is my mom’s spaghetti and meatballs. YUMMY! My mom says it's time for bed. Goodnight Diary! I can’t wait to talk to you again tomorrow.

1st September, 1996

Hi Diary! Tomorrow is the first day of school. I am so excited to meet new friends and my new teacher. I hope everyone is nice to me. My mom bought me a new outfit to wear. I’m going to bed early tonight so I can have LOTS of energy tomorrow. I stayed up till 11pm last night! That is WAY past my bedtime, as mom would say. I stayed up listening to my new friends tell me all about them. But not Zara. He just looked at me from his dark corner the WHOLE TIME. I hope me and him can become great friends soon! Well goodnight Diary!

2nd September, 1996

Diary! Today was AWESOME! My teacher Ms. Grant was so nice. And I made a new friend named Stephanie! She loves barbies just like me! We sat next to each other at lunch and shared my pack of cookies my mom packed. At recess, we played on the monkey bars! It was so much fun until David came and pushed me off. Boys are so yucky! I’m so happy about my new house and my new school! I hope me and Stepahnie can be best friends forever! Goodnight Diary!

4th September, 1996

Hi Diary! Today was a great day! I made two more friends and received a golden star for good behavior in class! David asked to hold my hand today. I said okay. But only for 5 seconds. It made me smil...

5th September, 1996

Sorry Diary. Last night the lights in the whole house went out. Dad said it was only our house. I was really scared. But Zara held my hand the entire time. I couldn’t see his face until dad put candles in my room. He’s small like me but has a face like grandpa and stinks like when mom burned the apple pie last Thanksgiving. He’s still not talking to me. But I learned something new about him. HE HATES FIRE! Dad put a candle in the window first. Zara blew it out. Daddy looked really afraid when it happened. I laughed! Dad tried two more candles. But Zara did it again. Mommy finally gave me a big flashlight to sleep with. Zara slept in my bed. I hope he does again tonight. I’m happy we can finally become best friends. Goodnight Diary!

7th September, 1996

Mom found me sleeping in the basement last night. I don’t remember falling back to sleep. I just remember Zara waking me up. He pulled my hand to get out of bed. We went into the basement. He whispered in my ear a lot of words I never heard before. I don’t remember anything else. And I haven’t seen Johnny, Beth and Keisha in a while. I hope they come back soon.

9th September, 1996

I did something really bad today Diary! But I don’t remember doing it. My teacher told mom and dad that I hit David in the eye with a pencil. I CAN’T REMEMBER DOING THAT! I just remember seeing a lot of blood on my hands and Ms.Grant yelling at me and David crying really loud. I DIDN’T DO IT DIARY! I just remember hearing those words Zara whispered again. Did he go to school with me? I CAN’T REMEMBER!! I don’t know why he doesn’t like David.

16th September, 1996

Dad is very upset at me. I got mud all over the living room rug. I don’t remember doing that. I woke up with my boots on. And they had mud all over them. We can’t find Perro either! His collar was on my floor when I woke up. I hope he comes back home soon. Zara’s a great friend. He has never left me. He’s always there for me. He’s my best friend in the whole wide world! Goodnight Diary

16th September, 2006

My name is Rebecca. I’m 16 years old. My therapist says this is a great way to express what’s really going on in my head. I don’t think it will but here goes nothing. The reason I am being forced to talk to you is because there’s no talking to my parents. After they divorced a couple years back, I resented them both for once again ripping our family apart. I have no friends. I don’t have anyone or anything. But my sister. Well I had a sister. Her name was V. She’s been missing now for 10 years today. I remember that night so vividly. I was in my bed falling asleep when I heard V walking down the hall. So I jumped up and ran to my door to see what she was doing. With her was the same strange figure that followed her everywhere. He was the same height as V and looked like a really short old man. He had stringy black hair that hung in his face and smelled like something was burning. They both walked down into the basement as I followed, trying not to be seen. Once in the basement, the man started to whisper something into V’s ear. As he did this, her body slowly began to fold backwards until her head reached the floor. Then it was as if the man disappeared into V’s body. She then stood up and walked out of the basement out the front door. But before leaving the basement, she whispered to me “I am Zara, your sister’s best friend in the whole wide world.” After that night, nothing was ever the same. I still get chills sent down my spine just recalling that petrifying event. It changed my life for the worse.

All I have is her diary. I found it two years ago. It was left on my pillow. I still wonder, was it it V?! But the note on top of it says otherwise. It read “She’s safe with me”...