01|Jessica's Case
February 9th of 2022 is the day Jessica disappeared.
Now every February 9th Jessica's sister Mallory has to rethink about what could have happened to her.
The day she never came back to the apartment was the same day she called the police.
The police themselves said they were gonna take the matter of the case into their own hands but it's been a year already and nothing has been done.
Mallory always had a feeling that it was foul play in her disappearance.
From the moment she disappeared everything about it seemed off.
This morning when she woke up, all she could think about was her sister.
They were always so close so to not have her near anymore kills her.
Thinking about how last year had passed and her sister never got to return home kills her.
It's 2023 now she's on her own although her parents call her from time to time they never actually take the time to come visit her anymore.
Alot of things have changed since Jessica's disappearance.
She's not close to her family like she used to be. At least she's still close with a few friends at least that hadn't changed.
As she gets ready for the day she gets an unexpected call from her mother.
That's strange, it's two o'clock pm she's usually at work for all she knew.
She hesitantly answers.
"Hello?" Mallory spoke over the phone.
"Hi honey! How have you been?" Her mom asked in a weird tone.
"I'm okay... is everything alright with you?"
"Yea... everything is okay?" Her mom said sounding uncertain.
Mallory had a feeling something was off, she asked. "Mom why did you call?"
"Oh honey I just called to see how you are I barely see you." Her mom sad truthfully.
"Mom I know your busy with work but I always see you have an opportunity to come visit me, you and dad but you don't."
Her mom sighed with the truth bomb Mallory pulled.
"Honey don't take it personal, I want to see you I do but with work and your dad sick I don't have any time."
"Yea I get it." Mallory sighed.
"You know it's been hard for us ever since and things aren't the same anymore but that doesn't mean I don't care about you or miss you."
All Mallory could do was sigh. She knew her parents were in hell as she was too.
She couldn't take it personal as the unfortunate situation had nothing to do with her.
"I'm sorry..." Mallory cut her mom off before she could continue.
"It's ok mom, I get it I'm in hell too if you haven't noticed."
"Things aren't getting any easier." Her mom said sighing.
Her mom was right, things aren't getting easier.
"It's okay I get it. Hey mom I'll call you later I'm kinda busy."
Her mom sighed, her eyes looking down in sadness. "Alright honey take care."
As she hangs up the call, she sighs. She misses the way her family used to be so close.
As she heads out her apartment to go to work, her mind remembers how she used to live in the suburbs with her family. Now living downtown in an apartment by herself she doesn't miss the suburbs at all, although her family seems to miss having her there.
She shared an apartment with her older sister and now it's just her by herself.
She got used to living on her own though. If she had moved back to the suburbs her family would guilt her into staying with them. She preferred downtown Chicago over the suburbs any day.
As she walks to work, she observed the people walking by. She was always an observer.
Seeing happy families sort of makes her unhappy as she knows her family had fallen apart. Seeing siblings puts her down even more.
She works at a shoe store that requires her to walk from her apartment. Going to work is her therapy. If she didn't have work she would be stuck in her apartment all day and potentially go crazy.
As she arrives at work, her coworkers seemed to stop talking as soon as she came inside the door. She assumes they were talking about her as they resumed being quiet.
She never knew why but she was always talked about, good and bad.
Since high school she was always picked on while her older sister had faithful friends, it wasn't until after high school she started college she meet a few close friends that she has now.
Like I said she was always talked about, during high school, during college and now at her job.
She went to college full-time downtown along with her older sister.
She had no choice but to drop out of college. Her family couldn't afford anymore courses for her to attend.
If her older sister was still here, her older sister would still be in college.
As they went to the same college, leaving home to go downtown at the same time, they decided together to live in an apartment just the two of them as they both were sick of living in the suburbs.
The both of them were so close and were always a fan of downtown every chance they got they would go downtown together and explore, admiring the buildings, how beautiful it was. Better than the suburbs.
Now that her sister disappeared over a year ago, being in downtown doesn't feel the same.
There was a few times where her family wanted to come to her apartment and explore around but Mallory didn't want them to come. Not without her sister present. She doesn't know why but she always felt like Jessica was favored by the entire family.
While Mallory was the black sheep of the family. Mallory wasn't jealous though she just thought it was unfair. Jessica would get away with stuff and if Mallory tried to do the same thing she was immediately called out for it.
Favoritism at it's finest.
She misses her sister, it's not the same without her. Continuing on last year has been painful. As if it didn't happen, she forced herself to move on.
Now this year is even harder. It's been a year since her disappearance. She disappeared in 2022 and now it's 2023. So a year. Her whearabouts are still unknown. But she can't do anything about it. The cops who were working on the case told her not to worry about it. The question is, were they still working on her case like they said or have they dropped it completely and hadn't told her that they stopped.
It's been a year and nothing has been done so in that conclusion she assumes they have stopped altogether.
She can't do anything about it now.
All she has to do is continue on with her life even though it's painful.
If Mallory were in Jessica's situation, she would want Jessica to continue with her life. She was sure Jessica wanted that for Mallory too even though she would say no.
As she's organizing shoes that have been misplaced, two coworkers have spread their condolences.
She didn't like her coworkers that much since she pretty much figured out that they talk about her ever since she started working there.
It didn't help that these two coworkers knew about the disappearance of her sister. She was hoping the rest of her coworkers didn't know about the situation, she can handle two but she doesn't need their condolences at all.
"Hey Mallory I know we don't talk, but if you ever need someone to talk too, we are here." The second girl spoke as the first girl just nodded.
"Thanks I'll be fine." Mallory replied unfazed.
The first girl didn't take that response to well. She rolled her eyes in response as both girls started walking away to do their jobs.
If you ever need someone to talk too, we are here. Yea right. She thought.
She knew those girls weren't welcoming so to take that advice from them is a joke in her eyes.
"Until six o'clock and then I leave, I can do this." She whispered to herself exhausted.
○○○
As she gets off from work, she was exhausted. The situation that had happened at the shoe store was a mOk ess.
The two girls who gave their condolences ended up fighting each other that one of them decided to quit on the spot.
She didn't know what had happened as she was on the second floor. The second she came down she heard yelling and stuff being thrown.
She assumed the situation was stupid when it comes too those two in particular.
As she seen them fighting before but this time it was physical along with verbal.
Later when she was gonna leave her job, it was confirmed that the first girl had quit her job after a stand off with her supposed bestfriend. She hoped that she wasn't gonna work double but to her luck she is starting next week.
Work couldn't get any worse. As she made it to her apartment by walking she was exhausted.
Wanting to end this day entirely.
If only her older sister was still here, she would make her day so much better.
She puts her keys on the kitchen counter putting her back against the sink.
She looks around her apartment and sighs. Things are not going to be the same. Tears come out of her eyes of tiredness and sadness. She thinks to herself not to cry. If her older sister was still here she would tell her to keep her head high and keep on going no matter what happens. If only she could commit that to herself.
○○○
Later that night she took a nap. Waking up, she, for the first time, looked at the picture above her night stand.
It was a picture of her and her sister when Mallory attended the graduation ceremony from high school for Jessica.
In the picture they were all smiles. That was a happy time.
Jessica graduated while Mallory was preparing to graduate. The whole family were still close. Everybody in the family arrived from their mom's side to their dad's side.
It was a whole party. For Mallory though she didn't get the same treatment for her graduation. She didn't care though, Mallory and Jessica still remained close.
The day they planned to go to college was much rather challenging for the parents.
Both sisters decided to go to college and live in the downtown area to make it easier for them.
Their parents were against the whole moving to downtown part.
Her parents were strict when it came to curfews. Their dad and especially their mom thought that if they go live near downtown, the sisters would be goofing around and spending all their time outside, meaning they won't have a curfew anymore.
To which at the time both sisters were pleased to find that out. There was no stopping them. As they already graduated high school and further wanted to study. Instead of studying near the south side of Chicago, they wanted to study in downtown.
Columbia College Chicago.
Mallory enrolled for Film and Video Editing while Jessica enrolled for Graphic Design.
Both passionate about their career choices despite their parents not agreeing with their career paths either.
Going to college, they were excited for but it all changed when Jessica disappeared.
Then Mallory had to drop out as she gave up on her career and had no money left to pay for more courses.
Ever since Jessica's disappearance nothing has been the same.
She just hopes and prays that somewhere out there, her sister was still alive. She honestly thinks that her sister is dead at this point.
But she didn't want to think that. That will be the worst nightmare of her life.
For now it will remain a mystery and she will wait until the police notifies her and her family.
Or else she would have to take matters into her own hands. She doesn't want this case to be closed forever. But there will be consequences if she does something about it herself.
She thinks to herself if it's worth the risk. Right now it seems worth it.
TO BE CONTINUED