Kessler Household
"Here's a picture of her." George said his hand shaking as he passed off one of the most recent school pictures of Ana.
Kirsten sat on the chair with a blank expression on her face. In the near week since Ana had gone missing it seemed to have aged her ten years. There were thick bags underneath her grey eyes, her hair stood at all odd angles, and wrinkles were forming around her mouth and eyes. She hadn't said a word in nearly two days.
"Make sure your wife gets some rest." The office with the name tag Renard said he gave a sympathetic look towards Kirsten and then patted George's arm, "we're doing everything we can to find your daughter."
"Thank you."
The two officers then turned and exited the house leaving George and Kirsten utterly alone. Both lost in their worries and thoughts. It seemed the each second was like a minute, a minute an hour and an hour an eternity. The worst part of it all George thought was the not-knowing if their searching was in vain.
Just outside of Portland
Marie Kessler shivered in the brisk December air as she paced around the empty parking lot. Once upon a time this lot used to nicknamed "the make-out lot" and often was frequented by teenagers, she herself, her brother and her sister were no strangers to it. But nowadays it was empty. The teenagers were off drinking and doing god-knows what else in the forests that surrounded Portland. She'd never understand the youth of today.
"Marie," a sharp voice called out drawing her attention.
At the end of the parking lot stood a figure whose face was shadowed by the dark hood. The high heels clanked loudly on the concrete as the figure made its way towards Marie. When the figure was only a few feet away its gloved hands slowly lifted the hood up.
"Kelly," Marie breathed out, "you look so ridiculous with that goddamn hood."
Kelly titled her head, clearing not amused by her sister's comment, "what's the real reason you called? Clearly not to discuss my fashion."
Marie drew in her breathe trying to will herself not to become bitter with her sister's tone, "do you remember the Schmidts? Dad was good friends with them? The burly kids who used to tease George all the time?"
Kelly scoffed, "really?"
"I wasn't finished yet. Edmund Schmidt took Ana hunting four days ago. Early yesterday morning Edmund, his wife and two kids were found dead in the woods," Marie explained, "and the reason I called you is because Ana is your daughter and she's in real danger I can feel it and that means you can too."
Kelly glanced over her shoulder, "I'll do whatever I can."
Kessler Home
"You have to eat," George said pleadingly pushing the hot soup bowl towards his wife. Kirsten didn't move. George sighed, "honey not eating is not going to bring her back!"
Kirsten looked up with such fierceness in her eyes, something he had never seen before, "you think that's why I'm not eating? Huh?" she rose from her chair. Even though she was a good six or seven inches shorter than George was at this very moment she seemed to tower over him. She pressed her finger into his chest digging her nail into his skin, "I'm not eating because my stomach is so twisted into a knot that I physically can't. It's hard for me to breathe right now and you want to force soup down my throat?! How can you even think of eating? Do you not care for her at all?"
"How dare you?!" George roared loudly, "how dare you insist that I don't care! You haven't said not yet a word to any of the cops! Haven't helped a damn with the investigation!"
He slapped away her hand harshly and slammed his fists into the wall. Breathing heavily he turned to face his wife.
"I'm trying to keep myself together for you!" He screamed, "one of us has too!"
Kirsten opens her mouth but the sound of the door knocking makes her clamp her mouth shut. She folds her arms across her flat chest and stomped off in the direction of the door, wondering who could possibly be bothering them at this time? The cops? She doubted it. She flung open the door wildly and to her utter shock stood her sister-in-laws. Marie and Kelly, she gulped at the large lump in her throat.
