Vanished

• Olivia Gilham, Grade 5
• Short Story
• 2018

Where is it? Where was it? It is a rainy day in Manhattan at 0800 hours. I have been up all night looking for it. It must be here somewhere. I've been drinking strong espresso to keep me awake. I can't lose it. It's so special to me. I posted on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. I need help and I need it now! I can't work without it. I have been looking for clues. Nothing, no marks, no windows open. Everything is in its place. Whoever took it, doesn't want to be found. I have security cameras and alarms. I have checked the footage, but nothing at all. Without it, my business will be ruined.
My name is Valerio Liano, owner of the fashion brand LIANTINO. I design and make clothes. I have lost something that every fashion designer needs, my sewing machine! I sewed my first fashion outfit on it. How can it be missing? There is one person I need to call, the young Detective. He is smart and brave, a pleasant fellow. He can do the job.
DING DONG! Let's hope this Detective can live up to his reputation. I opened the door, he followed me to my design room. I explained the situation, and how I really need it back. He admitted that with no footage or fingerprints, it will be a difficult task.
Five days later the young Detective returned with footage from my house. "WHAT!" I exclaimed. "I told you there was nothing, I checked the cameras..." I was cut off. "How many cameras did you check Valerio?" "All of them," I said. "But you didn't," he responded. Was the young Detective questioning me? No-one ever questions me. He held up a video tape. "This tape is from your storage room. You checked the footage from your design room, the main house and the exterior, but you didn't check this one.” We both rushed to the lounge room to play the tape. The footage was from eight days ago. I saw myself in the storage room with my sewing machine, I wrapped it in material then placed it in the highest cupboard in the room. I don't often put things up in that cupboard. No wonder I forgot. It all came flooding back to me. I put the sewing machine up there because I was sewing for a fashion contest at the end of the month, but somehow I wasn't having much luck. I put it away to forget about it and tried to sew on another machine. I was so forgetful. At least I had now found it. While I was celebrating, the young Detective said, "Congratulations Valerio! Now, there is a fee for my services."
He placed the invoice on the table and left, his work was done.
I couldn't believe my eyes. $10,000 is a lot of money but a fair price to pay for the return of my lucky sewing machine. Now it's time to get sewing.