Zoe Jones was just an ordinary 20-year-old girl living in rural Wachapreague, Virginia. She had lived there her whole life. She never would've thought there could be someone so sinister living in the small town of Wachapreague, Virginia. Until one day, she realized that something bad had happened in her hometown.

      It was the summer of '77, the year my mother went missing. And ever since then, I've been looking for her. I remember the day it all happened, just like it was yesterday. It was an ordinary day, May 11^th, about 11:00 A.M., I was sitting in my apartment watching TV. My mother Amie, who is a waitress was on her way to work. Little did I know that it would be the last day I saw her, or at least saw her alive.

      “Bye mom!” I said as I waved to my mom, as she went out the door on her way to work. I sat down on the couch and watched TV while I waited for my mom to come home like I always did. I fell asleep and woke up to a Ring! Ring! It was my cell phone.

“Hello?” I said tiredly.

“Zoe? It's Maggie.” Maggie said

“Oh hey sis, how are you?” I said

“Great, just great.” she said

“You're not really great, are you? What's wrong?” I asked

“Have you heard from mom? Is she home?” Maggie asked

“No, didn't she just go to work?” I asked

“Zoe, it's 3:00, she gets off of work at 2:00. She should be home by now.” Maggie said in a worried voice.

“It's already 3?” I said confused.

“Have you tried calling her?” I said worriedly.

“Yes, she won't answer.” Maggie exclaimed in a worried voice.

“Maybe she had to work late.” I reassured her.

“If she doesn't come home in an hour I'll call her work.” I said.

“Ok let me know.” said Maggie.

“Bye.” I said.

“Bye.” Maggie said.

      An hour had passed and still no word from mom. I finally decided to call her work and her manager said she had left 2 hours ago. Worry rushed over me while I was thinking about all the possible things that could have happened to her on the way home. I called Maggie and told her what I found out.

“Hello.” Maggie said.

“I called mom's work and they said she had left two hours ago.” I said.

“Oh no! Something could have happened to her!” Maggie exclaimed

“Let's not think of the worst.” I said reassuringly.

“Let's wait until tomorrow to call the police.”I said.

“Ok bye.” Maggie said.

      The next day, my mom still had not shown up. I called the police and filed a missing person report. Then I called Maggie.

“Hello.” said Maggie

“Maggie, mom still hasn't shown up so I filed a missing person report.” I said

“Oh no somebody could have taken her!” Maggie exclaimed.

“They are going to send a detective. He is going to meet with you and me tomorrow.” I said.

      The following day, May 13^th, my sister and I met with the detective, Detective Johnson. A tall, slim, middle-aged man approached us.

“Hello, I'm Detective Johnson.” said Detective Johnson

“Hi. I'm Maggie, Amie's daughter and this is my sister Zoe.” Maggie said

“Hi” Zoe said

“So, the last time you saw your mother was the 11^th?” he asked

“Yes, well that was the last time my sister saw her.” Maggie said

“And she was going to work. Correct?” he asked

“Yes.” I said

“Where does she work?” he asked

“She is a part-time waitress at Island House Restaurant & Marina.” said Maggie

“She works from 11:30 till 2:00?” he asked.

“Yes.” I said.

“You called her work and asked when she left?”

“Yes, I called at 4:00 they said she had left 2 hours ago.” I said.

“Ok well I and my fellow detectives are going to look around the route she would have taken and see if we find anything.” he said.

“Ok let us know.” I said.

      Days had passed and still no word from Detective Johnson. Until one day my phone rang.

“Hello.” I said

“Hello, this is Detective Johnson. Is your sister with you?” he asked

“Yes.” I said

“Are you sitting down?” he asked

“Yes.” I said

“We found your mother.” “But I'm afraid she has passed away.” he said solemnly

“What?!” Maggie and I said, horrified at the same time

“No this can't be!” I screamed

“I'm sorry for your loss. She was murdered.” he said

“How, how could this be?” Maggie asked

“We found her hidden in the woods near where she works. She was beaten to death. We are investigating the motive and are trying to find out who did it. We found some fingerprints near her and we are going to test them to see if they might be the suspect. We will let you know.” he said

“Ok” I said

      I hung up and my sister and I cried all night and day after that. They eventually found who did it and they put him in jail, but my sister and I still have to go to the trial. Ever since then I have been in a deep depression. My mother was everything to me, she and my sister were all I had. Now, all I have is my sister.

      After the trial, the man who killed my mother, James Williams, was sentenced to life in prison. I know the right thing to do is to forgive him and though it took me a long time I finally did. My sister, however, still hasn't but I hope she will one day. I have gotten out of my depression. Now it has been a year since my mother passed away. I try to go on with my life and I always think about my mother. Even though she is gone, she will always be in my heart.