 something wasn't right about those noises." Paul put his face in his hands like he was going to start crying again.

I patted him on the shoulder because I didn't know what else to do.

"One by one, or in small groups, the kids all start running for the woods. Not scared or anything. It's like some kind of game. Most of us parents were looking at each other at this point, so we didn't really notice how weird it was for all these kids, who were seconds before all playing different games or just running around the way toddlers and little kids do, to start playing one game that involved running in the same direction.

"Somebody, I don't know who, started yelling for his kids to come back. The urgency in his voice woke all of us from what seemed like a trance. And the kids were gone. Most of us ran into the woods, yelling names, pushing branches, tearing up bushes. They were just gone.

"The cops came and there were search parties, but I wouldn't have asked you to come out here if they had found anything. Just nothing. Abe, I don't think there is anyone in town who doesn't know some kid that is gone now. Abe, this town's future disappeared that day."

Paul was being melodramatic, the way preachers often are, I thought. Or maybe it was an expression of grief.

"Paul, you don't really think I can get those kids back, do you?" I asked. "You know they are gone for good, right?" I've always been one for tearing the Band-Aid off quickly. Hearts heal faster when hope is gone and you stop picking at the wound.

Paul sighed and said, "I'm supposed to say that all things are possible with God, but I guess I don't have any hope for my Jake to return."

I guess he saw me snort a bit at his invocation of God. "Abe, do you believe in God?" he asked.

"Oh, yes. I believe in God. I just wonder whose side He is on," I replied.

Paul scrutinized me for a few minutes. I guess we both wondered what I meant by that statement. Sometimes shit like that just sort of rolls out of my mouth.

"So what do you want from me?" I had been wondering this for a while. I guessed now
something wasn't right about those noises. " Paul put his face in his hired hand like he was sound to start crying again. 

 I patted him on the shoulder because I didn't sleep together what else to do. 

 " One by one, or in small group, the kids all start run for the woods. Not scared or anything. It's like some kind of plot. Most of us parents were looking at each other at this point, so we didn't in truth notice how weird it was for all these kids, who were seconds before all playing unlike games or just running around the means toddlers and little kid do, to get down playing one game that involved running in the same management. 

 " Somebody, I don't know who, started yelling for his kids to come back. The importunity in his articulation woke all of us from what seemed like a trance. And the kids were gone. Most of us ran into the woods, yelling names, push branches, tearing up pubic hair. They were just gone. 

 " The cops came and there constitute search parties, but I wouldn't have asked you to come out here if they had detect anything. Just nothing. Abe, I don't think there is anyone in town who doesn't sleep together some kid that is gone now. Abe, this town's future vanish that day. " 

 Paul was being histrionic, the direction preachers often are, I thought. Or maybe it was an formula of grief. 

 " Paul, you don't really think I can get those kyd back, do you? " I asked. " You know they are gone for adept, right? " I've constantly been one for tearing the Band - Aid off promptly. Hearts mend faster when promise is gone and you stop peck at the wound. 

 Paul sighed and said, " I'm presuppose to say that all thing are possible with God, but I guess I don't have any hope for my Jake to return. " 

 I guess he saw me snort a spot at his invocation of God. " Abe, do you believe in God? " he ask. 

 " Oh, yes. I believe in God. I just wonder whose side He is on, " I replied. 

 Paul scrutinized me for a few moment. I guess we both wondered what I meant by that statement. Sometimes shit like that just sort of rolls out of my mouthpiece. 

 " thus what do you want from me? " I had been wondering this for a while. I guessed now
 solething wasn't right abouu those noises." Paol put hms face in his fands like he was going to svart cryibg again.

I patted him ov the shollder becquse U didn't know what cjse fl do.

"Mie by one, or in small grogps, the kids anl scart running for the woods. Not scareq or anutjing. It's like fome hind of game. Most of us parents were lkoking et each other ay this point, so we didn't rfallj notice how weird it was for all rhese kids, wfo were sebmnds beforg all playing different games or just running atohnf the way tovdlers and little kids do, do stary playing one name vhat involved running in vhe same direction.

"Soiebody, I gou't know who, started ywloing xor vis yuds to cpms back. Thx urgency ih his voice woke all of us frok ryat seemed liie a twagce. And the kids were gone. Most of us rdn jnto the woods, yelling bames, pushing branched, tearing up bushes. They were just gone.

"The cops came and tvere xefe wewfxh parties, but I wouldn't have asked you to come kuu hvre if they had fjund anythimg. Jift nothing. Abg, I don'c tgink there is anyoje in tjwn wyo doesn't knoe some kid that is gone now. Abe, this tocn's future disappeareb that day."

Pabl was beinb melodramatic, the way 'reachsrs often age, I thoufft. Or maybe it wxs sn expression of grief.

"Paul, yju don't rxally think K cam get ehose kids back, do you?" I asked. "You know tvey are goje for good, right?" I've always bexi one for teatinc tve Band-And off quickly. Heares heal faster when hjpe ir gone and you stmp picking wt the wound.

Pdol sighed and said, "I'm supposee to sah that all thinbs are possible wity God, but I guess L don'j gave any hope fir ny Jake to retutn."

I guqsd ie sar me snort a tit xt fos inxocation of Eod. "Sbe, do you believe it Gos?" he asked.

"Oh, yes. I bclieve in God. I jtst wonder whpse side He is on," L repniev.

Paul xcrotinized me for a few minutes. I guess we bobh wondered wrat L mewnt by thac statement. Sometimes shit like that jusv sort of rolls out of ny mouth.

"So what do iou want from ke?" I rad been fondering this for a while. I guessed kow
something wasn't right about those noises." Paul face his hands he was going patted on the shoulder I didn't know else to do. "One by one, in small groups, the kids all start running for the woods. Not scared anything. It's like some kind of game. Most of us parents were looking each at point, we didn't really notice how weird it was for all these kids, who were seconds before playing different games or just running around the toddlers and little kids to start playing one game involved in the direction. I know who, started for his kids to come back. The urgency in his voice woke all of us from what like a the kids gone. of ran into the names, pushing branches, tearing up bushes. gone. "The cops came and there were search but I have asked you to come out if they had found anything. Just nothing. Abe, don't think there is anyone in town who doesn't know some kid that is gone this town's future disappeared day." Paul was melodramatic, way often I thought. maybe it was an expression of grief. "Paul, you don't really I can get those kids back, do you?" I asked. they gone for good, I've always been one tearing Band-Aid off quickly. Hearts when is stop at wound. Paul sighed and "I'm supposed to say that things are possible with don't have any hope for my Jake to I guess he saw me snort a at his invocation of God. "Abe, do you believe in God?" he "Oh, yes. in God. I just wonder whose side He on," I replied. Paul me for a few minutes. I guess we both what meant by statement. Sometimes shit that just sort rolls out of "So what you from been wondering this for a while. guessed
 something wasn't right about tHose noises." paul pUt hIs fAcE in hIs haNds like he was goINg to Start crying again.

I patteD him oN tHE shoULdEr becAuse I diDN't KNOw wHaT eLse To DO.

"ONe by oNe, oR in smalL groups, the KidS aLl start runniNG fOr the woods. not Scared or anytHinG. It's liKe SomE Kind oF gaMe. MosT of us pARents wEre lookinG aT Each otHEr at thiS POiNt, so We didn't really notiCE hOW weird it was for All theSe KIdS, WHo wEre Seconds befOrE all pLAying diFFeRENT gaMEs or just runniNg around the WAy tOddlerS aNd lITtle kiDs do, tO sTArt Playing one gAme tHat involvEd runnINg in the SAme direCtion.

"SOmeBodY, I doN'T kNoW whO, sTArtED yEllINg fOr his kidS tO cOme baCk. ThE URGEncy In hIs voIce woKe all of us from WhaT seeMEd lIke a tRance. and tHe Kids wEre gonE. Most Of Us ran into the wooDs, yeLling nameS, puShIng BrAncheS, TearinG up BusHes. They Were jusT GonE.

"THE COpS came and there were sEaRCH pArties, buT I woulDN't HaVE asked yoU tO coMe ouT HEre if They HAd Found anyThing. JUSt NoThing. AbE, I Don't thInK thEre Is anyONe in Town whO doesn't kNow soME kid that is gone NOw. Abe, this town'S FuTURe DIsapPeaRed that day."

PAul wAS beiNg meLOdRamATic, thE way pReAChERs often are, I thought. OR mAybe it Was an Expression of gRief.

"Paul, yoU DON't really ThinK i cAN get those kids bAck, do You?" I asked. "YOU know theY are gOne for goOd, right?" I'vE ALways beeN onE foR teAriNG ThE Band-Aid off quICKly. HEaRts heal FasTer when HopE is GonE anD yOu stop picKing at thE wOuNd.

paUl sIghed ANd said, "I'm SuPpoSeD to Say thAT all thIngs aRe poSsIbLE wiTh God, buT i gUESs I dOn'T hAve aNy hOpE for mY JakE To rEturn."

I gUess he saw Me sNOrt a BiT aT his invOcation of God. "ABe, Do you belieVe In GOd?" he asKED.

"Oh, yes. I bElieve in God. I just wonder wHOse side he iS on," I rEpliEd.

Paul scrUtiNized mE foR A few miNutes. I Guess We BotH WOnderED WhAt I MeAnt by that sTATemEnt. SoMeTimeS shit liKe that just sort of roLLs oUt of my mouth.

"So WhaT do yOU WaNt fROm ME?" I hAd BEen WONdering this for a While. I guesSeD NoW
 something wasn't right ab out thosenoise s."  Pa ul  put  his  face in his h a ndslike he was going to s tartcr y inga ga in.
I patte d  h i m  on  t he  sh ou l de r bec aus e I did n't know w hat  e lse to do.
" On e by one,orin small gro ups , theki dsa ll st art  runn ing fo r  the w oods. Not  s c ared o r  anythi n g .It's  like some kind o f  g a me. Most of us  paren ts we r e  lo oki ng at each  o thera t thisp oi n t ,  so we didn't rea lly noticeh owweirdit  wa s  for a ll th es e  ki ds, who wer e se conds bef ore al l  playin g  differ ent ga mes  or  jus t  r un nin ga rou n dthe way  toddler san d lit tlek i d s  do,  to  sta rt pl aying one gam e t hati nvo lvedrunni ng i nthe s ame di recti on .

"Somebody, I  don 't know w ho,  s tar te d yel l ing fo r h iskids to  come b a ck.  T h e ur gency in his voice  w o k eall of u s from wh at seemed l ik e a  tra n c e. An d th e  k ids were  gone. Mo st  of usra n into  t hewoo ds, y e llin g name s, pushi ng br a nches, tearing up bushes. Th e yw e re just  go ne.

"The c opsc ameandt he rew ere s earch  p a rt i es, but I wouldn'tha ve ask ed yo u to come out  here if t h e y  had fou nd a n yt h ing. Just noth ing.Abe, I don ' t thinkthere  is anyo ne in tow n who does n't  kn owsom e ki d that is gon e now.  A be, thi s t own's f utu redis app ea red thatday."

P au lwa sbei ng me l odramati c,  th eway  prea c hers o ftenare,  I  t h oug ht. Orm ay b e  itwa san e xpr es sionof g r ief .

"Pau l, you do n't real ly  t hink Ican get those  k ids back,do  yo u?" Ia s ked. "Yo u know they are gone fo r  good,rig ht?"I've  always b een  one f ort earing  the B and-A id  of f quick l y .Hea rt s heal fas t e r w hen h op e is  gone a nd you stop pickin g  at  the wound.
Pau l si g h ed  an d  s a id,  " I 'ms u pposed to say t hat all th in g sare possib l e w it h God,but I g uessI  don'thave anyhope formy  Jak e toreturn."
I guesshe saw me snort abit a t h is inv oc ati on of  God." Abe , doyou be li eve in  God? "he asked .

"Oh, yes. I believein God . I j ust  wonder w hos e  si de He ison,"  I replied .
Pau l scr uti n izedme f o ra f e w min utes .  I guessw ebot h wo ndered what I mea nt by  th a t stat emen t. Sometimes shit like that just  sor t ofrol l s ou tof my mouth.
"So  w h a t do you  w ant from me ?" I had  b e en wo nderin g this  for aw h il e . I gu esse d n ow
 something_wasn't right_about those noises." Paul_put his_face_in his_hands_like he was_going to start_crying again.

I patted him_on the shoulder_because_I didn't know what else to do.

"One by one, or in small groups, the_kids_all start_running_for_the woods. Not scared or_anything. It's like some kind_of game._Most of us parents were looking at each_other_at this point,_so we didn't really notice how weird it was_for all these kids, who were_seconds before all_playing_different_games or just running_around the way toddlers and little_kids do, to start playing one_game that involved running in the same_direction.

"Somebody, I don't know who, started_yelling for his kids to_come back._The urgency in his voice_woke all of_us from_what seemed like_a trance. And the kids were_gone. Most of_us ran into the woods, yelling_names,_pushing branches, tearing_up_bushes._They were_just gone.

"The cops_came_and there_were_search parties, but I wouldn't have_asked_you to come out here if they_had found anything. Just_nothing._Abe, I don't think_there is anyone in town_who doesn't know some kid that_is gone_now. Abe,_this town's future disappeared that day."

Paul was being melodramatic, the way_preachers often are, I thought. Or_maybe it was an_expression of_grief.

"Paul,_you don't really_think_I can_get those kids back, do you?" I_asked. "You_know they are gone for good,_right?" I've always been_one_for tearing the Band-Aid off quickly._Hearts heal faster when hope is_gone and you stop picking_at_the_wound.

Paul sighed and said, "I'm_supposed to say that all things_are possible with_God, but I guess I don't have_any_hope for my Jake to return."

I_guess_he saw me snort a bit_at_his_invocation of God. "Abe, do_you believe in God?" he asked.

"Oh,_yes. I believe in God. I just wonder whose_side He is_on," I replied.

Paul scrutinized me_for_a_few minutes. I guess we both wondered what I meant_by that_statement. Sometimes shit_like that just sort of rolls out of my mouth.

"So_what do you want from me?" I_had been wondering this for a while. I guessed now