Missing

Have you seen this person?

The picture given was of the young boy at a party, looking happy and fulfilled, his arm around another boy and a drink in his hand.

Karcsi Reuben Marseille

Born - 5th June 1993

Missing since - 5th June 2005

Caucasian male, green eyes, brown hair. 5'1, weighed 100lbs. Last seen entering his home in Surrey at 9:30pm, Sunday 5th June wearing a light blue polo and black jeans. If you think you have seen this person, or know where he might be, please contact Detective George Ardent.

A set of numbers were printed underneath. Not once had that number being dialled in the three years that Karcsi Reuben Marseille had gone missing. And in the years that came, the numbers would never be used.

---

"Mum, please! It's my birthday! Let me stay up just one more hour?"

"No," his mother said softly, smiling at him. "Go upstairs and brush your teeth. I'll be up in ten minutes to make sure you're in bed young man." Karcsi pouted and turned to the man stood at the sink, rhythmically washing dishes.

"Dad?"

His father turned round, all smiles, the dimple in his cheek deepening. "Kay...upstairs, please. You have school in the morning."

"But..."

"No buts young man. Upstairs or I'll take away your birthday presents."

"Dad!" Karcsi exclaimed and stomped his foot on the ground. His father grinned at him.

"You can't do that, your twelve now."

"You said that last year."

"Because you were being just as insufferable as you are now. Do you need me to carry you upstairs?"

"Well..."

"Karcsi, go. Sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite. And don't be watching telly or I'll steal it and put it in my room. In fact, I might do that anyway. You know how much I love the Antiques Roadshow."

The young boy groaned but left the kitchen, shouting a "love you" over his shoulder and heading upstairs. Of course, he did put the telly on, and didn't brush his teeth. He pulled on his Batman pyjamas and lay on his bed, leaning against the pillows and watching Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. True to her promise, his mum came up the stairs ten minutes later. Karcsi heard the footsteps and hurriedly switched the telly off.

"Too late," his mother smiled as she came into the room. "I could hear it through the door."

Karcsi pulled a face at her. "You were spying on me!" She tutted but wrapped her arms around him.

"Do you feel any older today than you did yesterday?" she asked, sitting herself down on the edge of his bed.

"Not really," he answered truthfully. "But I do feel much cooler."

His mother laughed loudly and ruffled his already messy hair. Downstairs, the doorbell rang.

"By God, it's ten o'clock! Who could that be?" his mother sai, shaking her head and muttering something about "salesmen" and "gypsies". The sound of the door being opened and the dull buzz of voices travelled upstairs. Then suddenly, the house seemed to shake violently as a loud crack went through the air. Karcsi's mother stiffened, whispering for him to stay where he was. Jumping up, she exited the room and ran downstairs. He sat in his bed, shivering from the loss of warmth. The buzz got louder and a scream ripped through the air. Karcsi jolted, sensing that something was wrong and threw the bed covers on the floor and opened his bedroom door. He could hear the voices more clearly now, but couldn't hear what they were saying. He began making his way downstairs, his feet padding softly on the carpet.

"Dad?" he whispered, knowing that right now, he shouldn't shout for anyone. "Mum?"

Pushing open the door of his kitchen turned out to be the worst mistake the young boy ever made. A trail of red liquid trickled towards him, and his bewildered eyes drifted to where it was coming from. Laying on the floor was his dad. But not the same dad who had being talking and joking with him just a few minutes ago. This dad was lifeless and pale. The hole in his head oozed with blood and it was clear to Karcsi that he wasn't about to jump up and shout "surprise!"

Struggling to keep himself breathing, he backed from the room and pushed his back against the wall, not knowing what to do. The voices were growing louder and Karcsi was terrified. Would the people that had done those things to dad do the same to him? Wiping away the tears that he hadn't realised were flowing freely down his cheeks, he ran back upstairs. Shutting the door to his room, he slid down it, hoping that he'd be able to keep the intruders from getting him.

"For fuck's sake Cameron! Hurry the fuck up! The police'll be here soon, thanks to your ingenious plan of shooting the parents. Like that wasn't going to alert the whole neighbourhood, stupid bastard."

The voices were right outside his door now and he couldn't help a whimper coming from his lips. Evidently, they heard. Without any warning, the door was shattered with the weight of a man pushing his way through it. Karcsi scrambled towards his bed, crying loudly, but one man grabbed a skinny ankle and pulled him towards them. A blindfold was placed over Karcsi's eyes and a gag was put over his mouth. Trying his hardest to scream, to let somebody - anybody - hear him, he choked and couldn't let out anything buy groans and whimpers. The man carrying him was running down the stairs, opening the door. The warm summer air hit Karcsi and he continued to struggle.

"Bloody hell," the man grunted. "He doesn't know when to give up this one."

The sound of a car door opening caused the young boy to struggle harder.

"Oh, for God's sake," one man muttered. Karcsi was put into a seat, his hands tied behind his back uncomfortably. A sharp, stinging pain went through his arm.

"He'll be out for a while."

Still crying, Karcsi's eyes fluttered shut slowly. As the car started, one of the men spoke.

"Happy birthday, kid."