Tick. Tick. Tick.
The clock echoed around the empty room, only adding to the overall theme of anxiety and gloom. Astrid sat in the hard chair around her dinner table, lost deep in her internal thoughts and worries. As she glanced at the clock positioned on the wall, she realized only three minutes had passed since she'd last stolen a glance. Time had never gone by so slowly in her life. She drummed her fingers against the table, attempting to ease the anxiety growing inside of her.
Suddenly the door burst open and she could hear her father's footsteps clanging down the metal hallway. Astrid turned and stood up quickly, only for her father to rush by her and towards the bedrooms.
"Dad, stop!" Astrid reached out and grabbed onto his arm, making him come to a stop. Astrid's heart raced so heart she thought it would jump out of her chest as she saw his tear-filled eyes. "Wha-what happened?" Astrid's voice became small, dreading what he would say. Astrid's father looked her in the eyes for a moment before opening his mouth and muttering the words that caused Astrid's entire world to crash down around her.
"Sh-she's gone, Astrid."
