Part 1 - Captured
I could smell the sweat from the police officer from over the table. His face had a pink color, like if he had been running for hours. It was dark rings under his arms and some sweat pearls ran down his forehead. The tie was on the table and his shirt sleeves were folded up. The buttons on the bottom of the shirt could fall of any minute because of his big belly. It surprised me to see a golden ring on his finger, but then again, he was probably a good man. He had thin and brown hair; stretching for the roof.
The papers were laid in a stack next to the thick and old computer. The police didn't have the money right now to get the newest computers and phones. It was a big office where they all sat by the desks taking care of drunk drivers and lost people. The walls were white with nothing on them.
"So, when did she go missing?" The police officer asked. My hands were folded in my lap and I felt uncomfortable in the chair. Not only because the chair was nearly broken, but because talking about my sister wasn't what I liked to do. We barely spent time together after she moved in with my brother. Apparently they've been having a relationship. I didn't blame them; it was my mother who raged at them. She was so mad she even threatened to kill them. She was sent right to an institution to get help. She's been there for three years now.
"Four days ago." I answered and inhaled deeply. "Four days, you didn't know she went missing before now?" The officer asked surprised. "I barely talked to her." I looked down at my hands. They were shaking in fear and guilt. I felt it was my fault.
"I see, who found out it first, was it you or someone else?" "It was my brother. He came back from a trip with his friends. He told me they have been texting every night, but after two days with no replies he became worried. After three days he cancelled the rest of the trip and went home on the fourth. When he didn't find her and only her phone on the floor, he called me and told me everything." I licked my lips and looked up at the man. "So, she didn't answer on her text, your brother went home after four days to find nothing and called you, not the police?" "Yes, that's what I just told you. Do you really think my brother did something? He was away the whole time." "How do you know that? He could have gone home in the meanwhile and send fake messages to her to make it look like she was gone." "Really? How can he come home while he was with his friends? One flight took 12 hours, he couldn't have made it. He was with his friends all the time." On the inside I wanted to punch him in the face, on the outside I wanted to kick him in the balls. "Fine, I'll have some men looking for her, there's nothing more we can do." I nodded and stood up. "Thank you then, I'll be leaving now." I walked away with a tear hiding in the corner of my eye.
I walked out of the old building and saw two policemen were leaning on a police car. One of them had a coffee cup in his hand and the other one had a cigarette in his mouth. He blew out the smoke and smiled to me. I rushed pass them and didn't dare to look back.
It was dark outside and the sky was filled with millions of stars and the big and round moon. The streets were dark and some of the street lights were broken. The streets were empty; I could only hear the whisper from the wind in the trees.
A chill went down my spine. I placed my hands in my pockets and walked down the street. A strong wind blew my hair to the side and blinded me. I stroke my hand through my hair and laid it behind my head. I couldn't get my sister out of my head. I maybe didn't talk so much to her, but I loved her anyway.
My mobile began to vibrate in my pocket. I took it out and looked at the lit up screen. My brother's name was frozen on the screen as I slid my thumb over the screen to answer.
"Hello brother." I began. He breathed fast, like if he was running. "Emma, where are you?" He asked. "I'm on my way home from the police station, why do you ask? Are you running?" I began to worry. "Yeah, I'm out for a jog. How did the meeting with the policeman go?" "It went well, I guess. He's going to get some policemen to look for her, but nothing more than that. How could this happen? I know my sister well enough to know that no one could get her. She is a karate master, how can someone get her?" "Guns, I don't know. I'm really worried something really bad has happened. Are you ok?" "Yeah, I'm fine, but I'm worried this is worse than we think." I began to bite my thumb. "Let's hope she is ok and not far away. It's getting a little late now, I think you should get home and get some sleep." "What about you?" "I'm finishing this jog and I'll sleep over at a friend of mine, I can't sleep there." "Ok, I'll talk to you later, I just hope this will be over soon, I can't take this knowing my sister can be hurt or even worse." "Let's just hope, I'll talk to you in the morning, bye." "Ok, bye." I placed the mobile in the pocket and rushed home to get in my bed.
I opened my eyes and stretched my arms. I looked at the clock on my mobile, it was 9 AM. I scratched my eyes and sat up in the bed. A yawn went through my mouth and I stood up from the bed. I looked at myself in the mirror; my hair looked like a bird's nest. I dragged my feet to the bathroom and took a cold shower to wake up. I couldn't remember the last time I slept so badly. I woke up many times and had a hard time to fall asleep.
I stepped out of the shower. My hair was dripping and I just stood in the room with the towel hanging on a peg. I reached my hand towards the mirror in front of me and placed my hand on it. Dew spread out around my hand. I retrieved my hand and the shape of my hand was on the mirror. I grabbed the towel and dried my skin. I placed it around me and let my hair drip. I walked to the bedroom again and found some clothes.
I slid on a pair of blue jeans, black top and a white shirt. I walked back to the bathroom and dried my hair with a hairdryer. I brushed my hair and looked at myself one last time in the mirror before I went to the kitchen.
I found an apple in the fridge and sat down at the kitchen table. I looked outside the window and saw my neighbor walked by with her boyfriend. She waved at me and I smiled back. I took a bite from the apple and glanced at the clock hanging on the wall. It was 10 past 10 Am; it was an hour ago I was in my bed.
I heard my phone was ringing as I chewed on the apple. I ran over to my bedroom, grabbed my phone and answered without checking who it was. "Hello?" I started and slowly walked back to the kitchen. "Hey Emma, did you sleep well?" My brother was the one calling. "Yeah, I slept like a baby, what about you?" I lied. I didn't want to worry him. "Yeah, yeah I did. So what are your plans for today?" "I don't know yet. I'll probably just fuck around or do nothing." I replied. "Hey, why don't you come with me up to the mountain? Smell the fresh air and just relax. I have a cabin up there." "Oh yeah, wasn't you and Amy up there last winter?" "Yeah we were. Come with me up there, we need some time from the city. We both have vacation now, so let's just enjoy the fresh air." "He answered. "Ok, when are we leaving?" I asked with a bad feeling in my stomach. "Now, I'll pack my stuff and get you." "Ok, I'll just pack and I'm ready." I ended the conversation there and ran towards my bedroom.
I found my dark blue bag and threw it on my bed. I pulled out clothes out from my closet and threw them in the bag, I didn't even think of what I should actually take with me. I found a small bag and put in my makeup purse, a hairbrush, a toothbrush and toothpaste. I placed the bag in my bag and closed it. I took the bag to the hall and put on my shoes and jacket. I opened the door and saw Jack already stood outside ready with his car. He stepped out of the car and walked up to me.
"That was fast." I said and looked at him. "I had already packed; I was actually in my car when I thought about bringing you with me." He smiled and took my bag. We walked down to his car and he placed my bag in the backseat. We sat down and gave each other's a glance before we drove off to the cabin.
I had been in the cabin one time before. It had two floors and was big for being a cabin. It could be a house. It had electricity and running water (thank god for that). It was a lake nearby where I had seen pictures of them swimming with friends and they had a boat where Amy had told me Jack had been catching big fishes.
"Are you really ok? You look tired." I closed my eyes; I didn't want to answer him. "I'm worried for Amy, what if she is dead." I opened my eyes and looked at him. "She isn't dead, Emma, I know it. Let's try to not think about this while we're up at the cabin. Let's just relax and wait for a phone call hopefully that will tell us she was found in an abandon house with just a few bruises." He gave me a half smile before he turned left. "I hope so. I've never been so worried ever, have you told mom and dad?" His eyes widened out. "No…" He bit his lip. "Jack, this is something really important and our parents think Amy is sitting home right now watching TV or something while we are worrying our asses off!" Rage built inside of me as I wanted to hit something. "Emma, please calm down! I don't want to worry them right now, not after their closest friend died, they don't deserve that. I was thinking about telling them after this trip up to the cabin." He turned right and the road looked endless with forest surrounding it. "You better, Jack. They don't deserve to believe she is alive when she might not be, she is their daughter." I warned him. "I know Emma, I will tell them, I promise. Now, let's calm down and talk about something else." I turned away from him and looked out at the dark forest. "Like what, we have nothing else to talk about. When Amy's disappearance is the only thing that makes us come together, what is it to talk about then?" I sighed. He didn't answer me; I guess he knew I was right.
Jack stopped the car and I looked around. "We're here." He smiled with thrill and stepped out of the car. In front of me was the brown cabin. I stepped out of the car and stretched my legs. The forest surrounded us, but I could see the cabin next to us through the trees. I got my bag and followed Jack to the cabin. He unlocked the door and as he opened it the door screamed. We stepped inside and it smelled like old in there, like and old book that hasn't been opened for a long time.
The living room was lightly decorated, with two white sofas and white armchairs, the coffee table was made of dark oak wood and the curtains was black with a white pattern on. A red carpet was folded out on the floor and on the wall over the sofa was the skin from a reindeer hung up. The fireplace was neatly placed by the sitting area and the armchairs were placed in front of the big TV flat screen. A glass door led out to the terrace.
The bedroom was bigger than I remembered it. It still had the double bed with the horrible blue sheets and the yellow duvet with white pattern. Amy wasn't the best to at matching things, except for her clothes and shoes. At the nightstand next to the bed stood a horrible green lamp. The curtains were black so no sun would sneak in while I slept.
I walked over to the nightstand and placed my hand on the drawer. The bible is in here; I thought and opened the drawer. And there it was a brown bible with golden font. I smiled for myself and closed the drawer. I threw my bag on the bed and sat down on the side. Jack knocked on my door and leaned on the doorframe. "Hi, you ok?" He asked and smiled to me. "Yeah I'm fine. What now?" I asked and looked up at him. "What about we go out for a small hunt?" He took a step inside and I stood up. "Hunt; do you still remember what dad taught us?" I smirked and turned around to open my bag. "The question is if you remember it?" I heard him walk out of the room. Luckily I had taken with my climbing jeans and wind proof jacket. I put them on and walked out to the hallway to fine Jack standing there with a Remington Model 798 that our dad used before.
"You still have it?" I asked surprised and walked over to him. "Could never sell or give it away, keep the goodies for yourself." He smirked and handed the gun over to me. "Do you have permission to hunt here and is it something to hunt?" I asked and held out my hand towards to him. "Yeah, I got the permission for about two weeks ago, and yes there is something to hunt here, just by looking out the window you can already see the moose waiting." He laughed and handed over the ammo. "Thank you." I smiled and walked out of the house with my nose held high. "Oh, let's see if the old champion still knows how to hunt!" He joked and closed the door after me. "Hey, I was the best survivor; I survived three weeks in the woods, and the other lasted only one week. I could be there longer, but nooo… don't let me finish anything."
We walked through the woods. It was silent, only the twigs under our feet kept on cracking. A bird flew over us and made some pine needles fell down. "Shh… See over there." I whispered and pointed in front of us. We stopped and sat down on the ground. "Isn't it majestic?" I whispered and carefully loaded the gun. "Yeah, look at that." Jack whispered back.
A fully grown deer stood about 90 yards away from us. It stood there in silence eating grass. Its antlers were big with its grey-brown color shining in the sun.
I lay down in the grass and aimed at the deer. "Shoot it." Jack whispered in my ear. I licked my lips and kept on looking at the deer. "It's beautiful." I whispered to myself. "I can't shoot it." I sat up and looked at Jack. His jaw had dropped. "Why not, it's just a deer." He said and pointed at it. "I know, but today is not the day for it to die. I can't kill it, it's too beautiful. I'm sorry Jack, if you want a prey, you can shoot it yourself." Jack looked at the deer and then over to me. He gave me a half smile. He began to howl and we looked at the deer. It looked up frightened and ran away through the wood. We stood up and walked slowly back to the cabin.
The twig kept on cracking under us. "I guess we can eat some bread and go to the store tomorrow." He smiled. "Yeah, we can make us some good sandwiches." I looked around us and saw a group of birds flew through the sky. "I love this world." I said to myself. "Huh, did you say something?" Jack asked. "No nothing." "Hey, let's go down to the water." He smiled and I nodded. We walked down to the lake nearby.
The lake was golden thanks to the sun setting down behind the hills. It was no waves I the lake, so it looked like a golden carpet placed down on earth for us to look at, but not touch. A few fishes swam nearby the stones where we stood.
"It's beautiful, right?" He said proud and placed the gun down. He sat down on a stone and looked at me. "Yeah, it's more beautiful now than I remember." I said and walked closer to the water. "Do you believe in life after death?" I asked and crouched down. "No I don't, do you?" I heard him pick up a stone. "No never has and never will." Jack threw the stone out in the water and scared the fishes. They swam away to escape something they saw as a threat. "You scared the fishes away." I said. "I know, but they will live." He giggled. I stood up and walked over the stones out towards the water. I turned around and looked at him. "Hey, that's a nice background, let me take a picture." He pulled up his phone.
I placed one hand on my hip and leaned on one leg. "Ok, you ready?" He asked and held up the phone. "Yeah, I'm ready." I smiled without my teeth. I knew only my silhouette would be there and not the details, because of the sun in the background. "Nice." He smiled.
"Wait; let me check if the pictures are good." He smiled and looked at his phone. I just stood there and looked at him awkward. His face changed from happy to confused. His lips formed words I couldn't hear. He looked up at me and I tilted my head to the side. "What is it?" I asked and looked behind me. It was no one there. I turned back and almost fell of the stones into the water. "Jack!" I screamed.