My brother vanished on the night of his prom—23 years later, I spotted someone who looked exactly like him 3,000 miles from home.

as if he had stepped out for a moment and intended to return.

No phone activity after 11:43 p.m.

No bank activity, because at 17, he had barely any accounts to speak of.

No body.

No ransom note.

No evidence pointing toward any direction at all.

There was just an absence that grew larger instead of smaller with every passing year.

My parents aged the way grief continue reading …