Before She Was Found - Heather Gudenkauf Page 0,51
After I go to bed I make up conversations in my head. He always says the right things. He’s always there when I need him. I can almost feel him lying there next to me.
Case #92-10945
Direct message dated December 1, 2017,
via DarkestDoor
Corareef12:
Hey, I tried a green river. It was good!
JW44:
I TOLD YOU SO. DID YOU SHARE IT WITH SOMEONE SPECIAL?
Corareef12:
Just Jordyn and Violet.
JW44:
WE’LL HAVE TO HAVE ONE TOGETHER SOMETIME.
Corareef12:
Yeah, right.
JW44:
WHAT DO YOU MEAN? YOU DON’T THINK WE’LL EVER MEET IN PERSON?
Corareef12:
I think that once I’m done with the school project you’ll probably just forget about me.
JW44:
NO WAY. I’D NEVER LET THAT HAPPEN. HOW IS YOUR PROJECT GOING? I THOUGHT OF SOMETHING THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO INCLUDE IN YOUR PRESENTATION. SOMETHING THAT NO ONE ELSE KNOWS ABOUT. ARE YOU INTERESTED?
Corareef12:
Okay, tell me.
JW44:
WHAT WILL YOU DO FOR ME?
Corareef12:
What do you mean?
JW44:
IF I TELL YOU MY SECRET YOU HAVE TO TELL ME ONE OF YOURS.
Corareef12:
I don’t have any secrets.
JW44:
COME ON, EVERYONE HAS SECRETS. I’LL TELL YOU MINE IF YOU TELL ME YOURS.
Corareef12:
I don’t know. I guess you’re my secret. No one knows I talk to you.
JW44:
THAT’S NOT A SECRET. I ALREADY KNOW THAT. SOMETHING ELSE, THEN. GO TO THE WINDOW.
Corareef12:
What?
JW44:
GO TO THE WINDOW AND STAND THERE. I WANT TO SEE YOU.
Corareef12:
How can you see me? Are you outside right now?
JW44:
JUST GO AND STAND IN THE WINDOW FOR A MINUTE AND THEN COME BACK.
Corareef12:
Okay. I’m going now.
Corareef12:
All right. That was weird but I did it. I didn’t see you, though.
JW44:
I SAW YOU. YOU’RE WEARING A GRAY SHIRT AND HAVE YOUR HAIR IN A PONYTAIL.
JW44:
YOU STILL THERE?
Corareef12:
Are you outside?
JW44:
I’M ALWAYS AROUND. OKAY. NOW I’LL TELL YOU MY SECRET. PEOPLE DON’T KNOW THIS BUT THERE WAS ANOTHER GIRL, A LONG TIME AGO. HER NAME IS RACHEL. EVERYONE THOUGHT SHE RAN AWAY. BUT SHE DIDN’T—SHE CAME WITH ME.
JW44:
ARE YOU STILL THERE?
Corareef12:
Is she dead?
JW44:
NO. THAT’S ALL JUST RUMORS. I DON’T NEED TO KILL PEOPLE. THEY WANT TO COME WITH ME. RACHEL WANTED TO COME WITH ME. ALL THE GIRLS DID.
Corareef12:
But what about the girls who died? Everyone says you killed them.
JW44:
LIES. THE GIRLS WANTED TO COME WITH ME. THE ONES THAT DIED WEREN’T BRAVE ENOUGH. I CAN’T TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT.
Corareef12:
I don’t think I can include this in the report. I don’t have any proof. My teacher says we have to have reliable sources.
JW44:
YOU DON’T THINK I’M RELIABLE?
Corareef12:
I need proof. Like from a book or newspaper.
JW44:
GO TO THE LIBRARY AND LOOK THROUGH THE YEARBOOKS FROM 1991. YOU’LL FIND IT THERE.
Corareef12:
What will I find?
JW44:
THE PROOF. THEN WE CAN MEET EACH OTHER IN REAL LIFE. THEN YOU’LL KNOW I’M WHO I SAY I AM.
Dr. Madeline Gideon
September 14, 2018
I remember being taken aback by Cora’s statement—I didn’t die. “Yes, Cora,” I said. “You are alive and a whole lot of people are so happy about that.” Cora tried to say something more but it morphed into a grimace of pain. I patted her uncasted arm and told her that I would stop by later in the afternoon to see how she was doing. Cora nodded, then closed her uncovered eye and floated off to sleep. I told Kendall goodbye and beckoned Mara to join me in the hallway.
Around us the hallway buzzed with activity. Nurses and doctors moved purposely down the corridor while patient visitors moved slowly as if in a stupor of fatigue and worry. “I’ll plan on dropping in a few times each day while she’s here. It will give us a chance to get to know each other and hopefully help Cora to feel more comfortable talking to me. Have her doctors told you how long they plan on keeping her?” I asked.
“Until Thursday or Friday, they think,” she answered, rubbing the back of her neck with one hand. It was nice that families could stay right in the hospital room with their children but the sleeping accommodations weren’t known for being comfortable. “With her head injury they want to watch her for a few more days and they want to make sure her sutures are healing well and no infections crop up,” Mara said.
“I’m glad to hear they are keeping a close eye on her. I’m happy to see that Kendall is here, too. You mentioned last night that she was hesitant to come see Cora.”
“I’m not sure what changed,” Mara said, “but I’m glad she came. Cora thinks the world of Kendall and Kendall doesn’t always have a whole lot of time for her.”
“I think that’s pretty typical of siblings,” I reassured her.